such as one might see on the outskirts of many an English wood in the
south; while, there we were in the heart of Africa, so to speak!

Shortly after we encamped here, a runner brought news from the admiral
to our captain, telling him that the other column had reached the
position assigned to it in the original plan of operations and that they
were now within good striking distance of the Arabs, who, the chief
wrote word, were massed in the vicinity of Arabuku, which after
executing our long detour we also were near.

All our preparations being thus complete, `old Hankey Pankey' arranged
for us to break camp at four o'clock the next morning, and move off to
where the Somalis and their allies were said by the natives to be
intrenched in strong force, so as to take them in the rear while the
admiral made a front attack.

No bugle, though, sounded to rouse us when day broke in the African
forest and the rosy light of dawn came peeping through the trees,
brightening the green sheen of their leaves and making the dewdrops
glisten on the clover, the scene reminding me more of home than anything
I had seen since I left Spithead.

But, neither I nor any one else had much time for such reflections that
morning as we silently paraded before `old Hankey Pankey' and the other
officers; and, after a careful inspection of our arms, we started in a
bee-line for Arabuku, the men massed four deep, with the guns in the
centre of our column and flanking parties on the right and left, `old
Hankey Pankey,' of course, let him alone for that, leading the van.

At five o'clock, just as the old sun appeared in full splendour above
the tops of the hills on our left, a halt was ordered by the captain,
the word being passed quietly along the ranks from front to rear.

I was on the right flank, close to `old Hankey Pankey' as he brought us
up in this sudden fashion, so I heard every word he said to Mr Gresham,
who marched by his side; though, for that matter, I almost guessed what
was coming, from the captain wheeling round abruptly and stopping the
sort of half trot at which he had been going along, the poor gentleman
never having quite recovered the use of his legs after the matchlock
ball had ventilated them.

"I think this was about the spot, Gresham, eh?" said he to the first
lieutenant. "The admiral said we were to proceed four miles due south
from our encampment at Kilili, or whatever else that place was called by
our Swahili guide