A SKIRMISH WITH CANNIBALS 



for the moment lost us. During this unaccountable lull. 

 with gun raised high, I dashed into the water, and had 

 scarcely reached the other side when the infuriated mob 

 appeared on the bank behind me. As I dragged myself 

 up under cover of the bushes that hung over the water, 

 hundreds of throats sent a yell of rage high up on the 

 morning air. They had seen me at last. The boys, like 

 fools, stood in a bunch together awaiting me, thus 

 offering a fine opportunity for any marksman, and I 

 could ill afford to lose any one of them, for I had now 

 but three boys left. 



A few yards ahead of us through the bush there was 

 a large open square of freshly-tilled ground which proved 

 our salvation. It was surrounded by tall grass about 

 ten feet high which afterwards proved to be full of 

 Legworo warriors, eagerly anticipating my approach, 

 but something intervened. I felt a dull pain in the top 

 of my left arm near the shoulder. At first I took no 

 notice of it, thinking it was caused by brushing through 

 the thorn bushes ; but when looking over my shoulder 

 to see if we were being followed, I saw that an arrow was 

 embedded in my arm. Half of the shaft lay on the ground, 

 for it had snapped in two. Salem, on observing the angle 

 of the shaft, pointed to a tree on the left just behind us. 

 It was evident that some one was hidden in the foliage 

 above. Instinctively we dashed to the centre of the 

 square, which measured some eighty yards across either 

 way, and I told the boys to drop the loads. The Legworos 

 on observing that I was hit, sent up a mighty shout of 

 delight. Salem immediately came to my assistance. 

 The shaft had certainly snapped in twain, but the other 

 half still stuck in my arm with over an inch and a half of 

 head and barbs. He attempted to draw it out, but it 

 stuck fast, so handing him my knife I made him run the 

 blade down on either side of the arrow-head before 

 attempting to withdraw it. 



231 



