“ TROUBLOUS TIME ST 
175 
brought the news that Mandara’s brother, who was de¬ 
fending the western frontier, was hard pressed by the 
enemy, and had begun to retreat. At these serious 
tidings a silence fell on the assembly. I then pro¬ 
posed to Mandara that I should start at once, and 
try to give a decisive turn to the conflict against the 
Wa-Kiboso. Moreover, I had a certain plan in my 
mind that I was very anxious to carry out. After a 
little deliberation our mode of procedure was settled, 
and Mandara’s remaining soldiers, having quenched their 
thirst with liberal draughts of banana-beer, which the 
women were constantly brewing, now prepared to 
start once more for the fray. One body of about a 
hundred started off under the command of Mandara’s 
chief captain, and marched towards the north-west, 
hoping to take the enemy in flank, while my little 
force, accompanied by some native guides and a few of 
Mandara’s Swahilis, directed itself due west towards 
the smoking villages. A very little experience showed 
V 
me that I could not fight like a Caga man. When I 
had descended my seventh ravine and was preparing 
to mount the eight escarpment along our route under 
a blazing sun, I devoutly hoped the enemy might not 
be waiting for us at the top, otherwise all that I could 
do would be to throw myself breathless and perspiring 
at his feet, and let him do his worst. But although 
the enemy w r as there when we reached the summit, he 
was harmless; that is to say, we found nothing 
but dead bodies around us when we had scaled the 
height, for by another turn in the fortune of war 
the Wa-Kibdso were once more retreating before Man¬ 
dara’s forces. Stopping here to rest and regain 
breath, I looked for the first time on the bodies of men 
slain in war, and the sight was quite sufficiently 
