Sporting Trips of a Subaltern 



story short, we took the bull by the horns, shot 

 one man dead, and tied eleven more up hand and 

 foot till next day, when I took them by forced 

 marches back to headquarters on the Niger. It 

 was a miserable march, soaking with rain, and 

 for once though I was ready for snap-shooting 

 at any moment I had no eyes for game. It took 

 five days' marching to the river and getting down 

 to Jebba by canoes. 



Jebba during my absence had been trans- 

 formed from a barren island to the busy head- 

 quarters of the 2nd Batt. of the Waffs, and 

 it was a treat to me to live for a few days in the 

 lap of luxury, as the mess they had started seemed 

 to me after my Borgu experiences. 



I crossed twice on to the western (right) bank 

 of the river, and on one occasion saw a grand 

 water-buck, which I pursued till dark, eventually 

 getting bogged in some high rushes on the river- 

 bank, and starting a crocodile in dangerously 

 close proximity to me, though I couldn't see him 

 for the reeds. 



At the end of July I returned to Kiama, where 

 Welch had meanwhile received a reinforcement 

 of forty of our Waffs, and took over the command, 

 Welch returning to headquarters. 



I now looked forward to a bit of peace and 

 some shooting; but it was not to be. Dis- 

 turbances among the Baribas at the beginning 



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