THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 267 



rushed upon the path close to the Sniders, which had punished 

 them severely. Had the soldiers depended upon muzzle-loading 

 muskets, they must have been quickly destroyed ; the sharp fire 

 of the Sniders at close quarters must have caused immense loss 

 at the first onset. 



The enemy was again dispersed, .but it was necessary to sacri- 

 fice nearly all the luggage to allow the men freer movement ; 

 accordingly everything, except ammunition, was piled together, 

 including even several bottles of cognac, and burned. Again the 

 troops moved forward, but at every hill they were met by an 

 ambush that had to be cleared, so that progress was wretchedly 

 slow. At a stream, which was reached shortly before noon, the 

 troops were attacked by a very strong force in ambuscade. Some 

 of the enemy exposed themselves boldly, and rushed upon the 

 soldiers just in front of the rear-guard. Several were shot 

 by the Sniders ; but one fellow, with unusual pluck, speared a 

 soldier, whose musket had missed fire, through the chest. This 

 poor fellow, thus mortally wounded, grappled with his assailant, 

 and tugging the spear from his own wound, he drove it through 

 the native's heart. The rear bugle sounded "halt," while the 

 knapsack and cartouche-belt were detached from the gallant sol- 

 dier, whose body was left by the side of his enemy. 



Again the savages were dispersed, and for half an hour there 

 was no further trouble, but just as the party gained a broad road, 

 that must have been recently prepared, a thousand or more 

 natives fell upon them again. A horse-keeper was wounded by 

 a spear, which passed through his leg behind the knee, and cut 

 the sinew, thus rendering him helpless. He was immediately 

 placed upon a donkey. The unfortunate lad who led the horse 

 a few paces before Baker now uttered a wild shriek, as a spear 

 passed completely through his body. The poor boy crept to his 

 commander on his hands and knees, and asked, *' Shall I creep 

 into the grass, Pasha? where shall I go !" He had not another 

 minute to live. A spear struck another horse-keeper on the hip, 

 and the soft iron point turned up against the bone in a curve like 

 a fish-hook . Lieutenant Mohammed Mustapha was also wonnded . 



