Chap. XVIII. TtElTtEAT COMMEXCED. 855 



had been also killed by the fatal bullet which, after 

 killing the negro, had pierced the thin wall of her 

 hut! 



All this occupied only a few moments. A general 

 shout arose of " war ! " and every man rushed for 

 his spear or his bow. I gave the order for the 

 retreat ; for I saw at once that there was no chance 

 of peace, but that a deadly struggle was about to 

 commence. Away we went ; Igala took the best of 

 our remaining dogs, and led the van ; I bringing up 

 the rear. It was not an instant too soon ; before we 

 were well on the forest path leading from the village, 

 a number of arrows were discharged at us; Igala 

 was hit in the leg, and one of the missiles struck me 

 on the hand, cutting through one of my fingers to 

 the bone. Macondai and Rebouka, in leaving the 

 village, narrowly escaped being transfixed with 

 spears, and only succeeded in repelling their assail- 

 ants by pointing their guns at them. If I had npt 

 stopped them from firing, they would have shot a 

 number of them. Wild shouts, and the tramp of 

 scores of infuriated savages close behind us, put us 

 on our mettle. I shouted to my men not to fire, for 

 we were in the wrong, and I told the villagers that 

 we would not shoot them if they did not pursue us to 

 the forest, but that if they followed us we should 

 certaiidy kill them. My Commi boys behaved ex- 

 ceedingly well ; they were cool and steady, and^ 

 keeping a firm line, we marched away through the 

 street of the village. 



Our pursuers had the disadvantage that they were 

 obliged to stop every time they wanted to shoot, to 



