62 SPORTING AND 



of the chattels we did not require to take 

 with us. We took the precaution to build 

 a rough, strong fort into which the soldiers 

 could retire in the event of an enemy 

 attacking them ; which, however, we 

 thought highly improbable. 



Some spies had come into our camp 

 and told our commanding officer that the 

 enemy were collecting in masses on the 

 opposite bank of a small river about fifty 

 kos from us; they said that men were 

 joining them in great numbers, and they 

 had already a very formidable army. I 

 think it was this news that hurried our 

 commander, for he knew that the longer 

 he left them in peace the larger the army 

 he would have opposed to him. 



The first few miles were through a 

 pretty, undulating country, with sufficient 

 jungle to give it the appearance of a 



