through the bush to his assistance. The force therefore returned to
the fort.

It was late before the firing ceased, and Major Cobbe's column came
in, with the wounded on hammocks and stretchers. The first two
signal shots had slightly wounded Major Cobbe and a white colour
sergeant. After a prolonged fight, the former had finally turned
the right of the enemy's position, with two companies of the
Central African Regiment; but lost heavily, owing to the thick
grass and slow progress.

Meanwhile the West African company had engaged a stockade similar
to the one we had rushed, but horseshoe in form. Thus our men had
been almost completely surrounded by a circle of fire. When,
however, the flanking movement had at last been completed, the
enemy were charged simultaneously from the front and flank,
whereupon they broke and fled. The large war camp behind had been
looted and burnt, and the stockade pulled down. The guns had failed
to penetrate this, and the defenders were only driven out at the
point of the bayonet, after a fight of two hours' duration.

The loss had been heavy. Half a dozen white officers were wounded,
and seventeen Sikhs had been killed or wounded, out of a total of
fifty who had gone into action. The total casualties mounted up to
seventy.

Chapter 18: A Night Surprise.

With the exception of replenishing the supplies of ammunition,
cleaning rifles, and burying the dead, nothing further was done
that afternoon. In the evening a consultation was held, in the
fort, among the principal officers. The situation was a difficult
one. An immense amount of ammunition had been expended, and it was
decided that it was out of the question to draw upon the supplies
that had been sent up for the garrison. There were still two
strongly-entrenched positions, and strong opposition was
anticipated to the clearing of the main road. Every round would,
therefore, be required for this work. This seemed to preclude the
idea of taking the other two stockades.

The choice therefore remained of making the assault upon these, and
then returning through Pekki; or of leaving them and going back by
the main road, the route laid down in their instructions. Neither
of these plans was satisfactory, for each left half the programme
undone.

It was suggested that a night attack might be attempted. In that
case, not a shot must be fired, and the attack must be made by the
bayonet alone. The moon rose early, and it was almos