OUR BOYS TRUST US 
187 
At the pan of water we prepared our evening meal and 
rested, but as soon as it was fairly dark, we passed the word 
to each boy quietly to get up with his load and follow on to 
where we should lead them. Going in a westerly direction 
for about a mile, we deposited the packs in an irregular line 
in the dark forest, and silently lay down to sleep without 
lighting a fire or betraying our whereabouts by unnecessary 
turmoil. It was too dark for any one to have followed the 
trail, and we felt safe from molestation, at any rate until day¬ 
light set in. Hammar took the first watch until midnight, 
and then woke me to look after the camp for the rest of the 
night. Nothing occurred, however, to disturb the chorus of 
gentle snoring around, and with the first streak of dawn we 
rose and marched on in a west-north-west direction, and after 
three and a half miles came upon the banks of the Liana 
river, where I singled out a ram from a troop of grazing 
letzwee buck, and shot him for breakfast. Unfortunately 
the shot betrayed our whereabouts at once, and the news of 
our position travelled along amongst the excited natives, who 
several times threatened to attack us, and shouted to our 
boys to leave us. But these, through our long companionship, 
had learned to trust us, and never made the slightest attempt 
to fly; on the contrary, probably having more faith in our 
strength than the facts warranted, they hurled back defiance 
and insult with interest, and jeered at the natives for not 
coming on, when they would see what they would get, etc., 
with so much self-assurance as, coupled with an occasional 
long-range shot from us, kept this fraternity at quite a respect¬ 
able distance while we marched on. Of course, Hammar and 
I encouraged our boys by good example, and we all kept up 
the appearance of looking upon the affair as a huge joke that 
would terminate badly for any one attempting to take any 
liberties with us, all except Franz, whom Hammar, being the 
nearest, was obliged to kick into silence, for croaking out 
fears of the future, and talking of returning to Panda Matenga. 
I fear that some of the shots fired at the Mashubia must have 
