Sacrifice Island 
up the creek, and moored close alongside the 
island, with her decks and taffrails protected 
by sand-bags. It is a marvel how the naval 
men ever got her up. There was plenty of water, 
the creek being tidal, but it was so narrow that 
the mangrove bushes brushed over the taffrail 
on both sides, whilst its course was tortuous and 
crooked to a degree. 
The natives did no damage by their initial 
attack, but did not escape so easily themselves, 
for the distance separating the two parties was 
under five hundred yards, and our people opened 
fire upon the canoes with three-pounder quick- 
firing guns, Maxims, and rifles. They could 
not stand this for long, and, turning about, all 
returned to Nimbi. . j 
I was in a launch which unfortunately broke 
down, and there we were stuck under a bank, 
near a small creek leading up to the town. 
Amid the boom of guns and rattle of rifle fire 
we heard a big tom-tomming approaching us 
down-river—a war canoe! 
I told the men to make ready, for we all 
expected to have to fight for our lives. The 
excitement went for nothing, however, and at a 
big bend in the river sixty yards above us the 
canoe turned. 
We were eventually towed up to Sacrifice 
Island, where the troops bivouacked for the 
night. 
59 
