by G. A. Henty
Chapter 14: Forest Fighting.
Early the next morning the transport with the Nigerian troopsanchored off the town. The work of disembarkation began at once.Five of the newly-arrived officers were appointed to thecommissariat transport service. The three others--of whom Lisle, tohis great satisfaction, was one--were appointed to the command ofcompanies in the Nigerian force. This distinction, the commissionerfrankly informed him, was due to his being the possessor of theV.C.
Having nothing to do that day, Lisle strolled about the town. Therewere a few European houses, the property of the natives who formedthe elite of the place; men for the most part possessing whiteblood in their veins, being the descendants of British merchantswho, knowing that white women could not live in the place, had takenNegro wives. These men were distinguished by their hair, rather thanby their more European features. Their colour was as dark as that ofother natives. Lisle learned that such light-coloured children aswere born of these mixed marriages uniformly died, but that the darkoffspring generally lived.
All the small shops in the town were kept by this class. With theexception of the buildings belonging to them, the houses of thetown were merely mud erections, with a door and a window or two.The roofs were flat, and composed of bamboos and other branches;overlaid by a thick mud which, Lisle learned, not unfrequentlycollapsed in the rainy season. Nothing could be done at that timeto repair them, and their inhabitants took refuge in the houses oftheir friends, until the dry season permitted them to renew theirown roofs.
The women were of very superior physique to the men. The latterconsidered that their only duty was to stroll about with a gun or aspear; and the whole work of cultivating the ground, and ofcarrying burdens, fell to the lot of the women. Many of these hadsplendid figures, which might have been the envy of an Englishbelle. Their great defect is that their heels, instead of goingstraight to the leg, project an inch or more behind it. From theircustom of always carrying their burdens on their heads, theircarriage is as upright as a dart. Whether the load was a heavybarrel, or two or three bananas, Lisle noticed that they placed iton the head; and even tiny girls carried any small article of whichthey might become possessed in this manner.
Curiously enough, the men had no excuse for posing as warriors; forthe Fantis were the only cowardly race on the coast, and hadseveral times shown themselves worthless as fighters, when theAshantis made their expeditions against them.
A narrow valley ran up from the sea, in one part of the town, andterminated in a swamp behind it. Here the refuse of the place wasthrown, and the stench in itself was sufficient to account for theprevalence of fever. Here were the accumulations of centuries; forthe Dutch governors, who were frequently relieved, had made noeffort whatever towards draining the marsh, nor improving thesanitary condition of the place; nor had the British governors whofollowed them shown any more energy in that direction. Doubtlessthe means were wanting, for the revenue of the place wasinsufficient to pay for the expenses of the garrison; and so thetown which, at a very moderate expenditure, might have beenrendered comparatively healthy, remained a death trap.
As soon as the Nigerian troops had landed, Lisle reported himselfto their commander. He was at once put in charge of a company, andbegan his duties. When, two days later, they marched up thecountry, he felt well pleased with his command; for the men werefor the most part lithe, active fellows; very obedient to ordersand ready for any work, and evidently very proud of their positionas British soldiers. They had for the most part had very littlepractice in shooting; but this was of comparatively littleconsequence, as what fighting they would have to do would be in theforests, against a hidden enemy, where individual shooting would benext to impossible.
The Adansi had risen, three days after signing the treaty. TwoEnglishmen, going from Bekwai to Kwisa, on their way were firedupon, and the terror-stricken carriers fled. Their loads were lost,and they themselves just succeeded in escaping to Kwisa.
Captain Slater, who was in command there, was much surprised tohear of such hostility, so soon after the signing of the treaty;and he started with twenty-six men to investigate the cause. He wasattacked at the same place--one soldier being killed and tenwounded, while two were missing--and he was obliged to retire toKwisa. Sixty Englishmen of the Obuasi gold mines, on the westernfrontier of the Adansi, sent down for arms, and were suppliedwithout any mishap.
Illustration: Map illustrating the Ashanti Campaign.
Colonel Wilkinson telegraphed orders to a force, which had startedtwo days before, to halt at Fumsu until he joined them with thenewly-arrived contingents. Colonel Willcocks now had four hundredand fifty men, under Captain Hall, at Kwisa and Bekwai; CaptainSlater a handful of men at Kwisa; Colonel Wilkinson a company atFumsu; Colonel Carter the two hundred soldiers just landed on theline of march, and three hundred men from Northern Nigeria. Ninehundred reinforcements were known to be on their way. The force wasscattered over a hundred and forty miles, and numerically onlyequal to the garrison they were going to relieve. The carriers wereutterly insufficient for the transport.
The newly-arrived troops, with Colonel Willcocks and his staff infront, rode out of the town on the morning of the 5th of June. Adrizzling rain was falling, but this soon ceased and the sun brokeout. The road lay over low scrub-covered sand hills. It was a fairone, with the exception of bad bits, at intervals. The first day'smarch was a short one, as much time had been lost in getting thecarriers together, and loading them up.
They halted that evening at Akroful. The place afforded but littleaccommodation. Five white officers slept together in one smallroom. There was a storm during the night, but the sky had clearedby the time the troops started in the morning.
They now entered a very different country. It was the belt offorest, three hundred miles wide, which ran across the wholecountry. Great as had been the heat, the day before, the gloom ofthe forest was more trying to the nerves. Except where the road hadbeen cleared, the advance was impeded by the thick undergrowth ofbush and small trees, through which it was impossible to passwithout cutting a path with a sword. Above the bush towered thegiants of the forest--great cotton trees, thirty or forty feet incircumference, and rising to the height of from two to threehundred feet. Round the tops of these many birds were flitting, butin the underbrush there was no sign or sound of life. Thornycreepers bound the trees together.
In the small clearings, where deserted and ruined villages stood, afew flowers were to be found. Here, also, great butterflies flewabout.
The moist air, tainted with decaying vegetation; the entire absenceof wind, or of movement among the leaves; the profound silence,broken only by the occasional dropping of water, weighed heavily onthe spirits of the troops. Under foot the soil was converted intomire by the recent rains; and glad, indeed, were all, when theyreached Mansu.
From this village, as had been the case at the previous halt,numbers of the carriers deserted. In order to get on, therefore, itwas necessary to send out to the surrounding villages, to gather inmen to take their places; and at the same time a telegram was sentdown to Cape Coast, requesting the commandant there to arrest allthe men who came in, and try to punish them as deserters. It wassome satisfaction to know that they would be flogged, though thisdid not obviate the inconvenience caused by their desertion.
Mansu was a pleasanter halting place than the two preceding ones.It was surrounded by a clearing of considerable size; and containedtwo bungalows, which served as quarters for the officers. Thesoldiers got abundance of firewood from the forest, and the placepresented a picturesque appearance, after nightfall, with itsblazing fires and their reflection on the deep circle of foliage.
The march had been a depressing one, to the officers; but thenative troops did not seem to find it so, and chattered, sang, anddanced by their fires. Three of the officers found it difficult toswallow their food; but Lisle and another young officer, namedHallett, with whom he had been a special chum on board ship, made ahearty meal and, after it was finished, set out togeth
er for a tourround the camp, to assure themselves that everything was going onsatisfactorily.
"This must be very different from your experience in the Tirah,"Hallett said.
"Yes; to begin with, it was generally so cold at night, even in thevalley, that we were glad of both our blankets and cloaks; whileamong the passes it was bitter, indeed. Then, too, the greaterportion of the troops were white and, though they were cheerfulenough, their spirits were nothing to the merriment of thesenatives. Then the camps were crowded with animals, while here thereare only these wretched carriers; and almost every night we weresaluted with bullets from the heights, and lay down in readiness tooppose any sudden attack.
"I suppose we shall have to do the same, when we get into theenemy's country, here. That is really the only similarity betweenthe two expeditions. The country, too, was mountainous and, exceptin the valleys, there were few trees; while here we tramp along insingle file, through what is little better than a swamp, and onlyget an occasional glimpse of the sky through the overhangingfoliage. Of course it is hot in Northern India, very hot sometimes;but it is generally dry heat, quite different from the close, muggyheat of the forest. However, they say that when we have onceascended the Adansi hills, matters will be better."
"I hope so, Bullen. I found it so close today that I would gladlyhave got rid of all my clothes, which were so drenched withperspiration that I could have wrung them. We shall have otherthings to think about, however, when we get across the river; foryou don't think of minor inconveniences when, at any moment, avolley may be poured into you from the bushes."
"Yes, the idea is rather creepy; but they say that the Ashantisalways shoot high--the effect of the enormous charges they put intotheir muskets--so that the harm done bears no proportion, whatever,to the noise. I expect our Maxims will come in very useful forclearing out the bush; and I doubt if the Ashantis will be able tostand for a moment, against our bayonets, as they have no weaponsof the sort."
"No, but a good many of them are armed with spears, which are adeal longer than our muskets and bayonets. They are not accustomed,however, to work together. Each man fights for himself, and I feelconvinced that they would not stand a determined charge," Hallettsaid.
"It is all very well to talk about a charge; but how are you goingto charge through the bush, where every step has to be cut?However, I suppose our fellows can get through as well as theycan."
"It would be horrid work, Bullen, for some of these creepers are amass of spikes, which would pretty nearly tear a man to pieces, ashe was forcing his way past them in a hurry."
"Yes, that is not a pleasant idea; but I own that, if what they sayabout the stockades they have formed is true, they will be evenmore formidable than the bush; for our little guns will make noimpression upon them. They say that these are constructed with tworows of timber, eight feet apart; the intervening space beingfilled up with earth and stones so that, if they are well defended,they ought to cost us a lot of men before we carry them."
"Well, tomorrow we shall be at Prahsu. They say it is a fine opencamp, as it was completely cleared by Wolseley's expedition. Ofcourse, bushes will have sprung up again but, fast as things growin this climate, they can hardly have attained any great height;and we shall have no difficulty in clearing the place again. Thereis a good rest house at the place, I hear, and we sha'n't be piggedin, as we were at Akroful."
"Why should they build a better house there than at the otherstations?"
"Because, when the river is full, there is no way of gettingacross; and one may have to wait there for a fortnight, before itfalls."
On the afternoon of the next day Prahsu was reached, after a marchof twenty miles. The greater part of the house was found to beoccupied by offices and stores. Fortunately, however, two or threetents had been brought along. The troops soon ran up huts ofbamboos and palm leaves and, as there was a small native villageclose by, all were soon able to sleep in shelter.
The Prah was found to be full of water. It was here about a hundredand fifty yards wide, and circled round three sides of theposition. There was no bridge, but two old wooden pontoons werefound, relics of the last expedition; and these, with the aid oftwo old native canoes, were the only means of crossing.
On the morning after their arrival a despatch, dated May 24, wasreceived from Captain Hall. It gave the details of his attack onKokofu. Some thousands of the enemy were round that place and, inhis opinion, no advance could be made to Coomassie till this forcewas destroyed.
An hour or two later another runner came in, this time from Kwisa.The despatch he brought gave details of the fighting the force atthis place had had, in trying to effect a junction with CaptainHall.
The column advanced rapidly. In any place where the bush wasparticularly thick, volleys were fired into the undergrowth by afew men of the advance guard; for it had been found by experiencein Nigeria that, if fired upon, natives generally disclosed theirpresence by replying.
They went on, unmolested, until they neared the village ofDompoasi. The natives of this town had sworn a solemn oath, toprevent any reinforcements from going up to Coomassie; and they haderected a stockade, six feet high. This was built in zigzag shape,so that a flanking fire could be kept up from it. It was about fourhundred yards long, with both ends doubled backwards, to prevent anenemy from turning the position. In the rear was a trench, in whichthey could load in perfect shelter. Seats had been prepared on theneighbouring trees, for riflemen; and the undergrowth was leftuntouched, so that there should be nothing to excite suspicion.
The stockade did not run across the road, but parallel to it, thedistance varying from twenty to thirty yards. Thus, anybody comingalong the path would notice nothing unusual, though he himselfwould be easily seen by the defenders. A road had been cut, at theback of the entrenchments, so as to give a line of retreat to thedefenders. On the northern side of the village, a similar stockadehad been constructed.
Captain Roupell--who commanded the advance--became aware, from thenumerous tracks and footprints, that the enemy must be in force inthe neighbourhood, and advanced cautiously. He did not observe thestockade, however, so well was it hidden among the bushes. Just asthey reached the farther end of it, a tremendous fire was opened.Captain Roupell was wounded, and many of the men also killed orwounded.
For a moment the troops were paralysed by the hail of lead. Thenthey replied with their rifles, and two Maxims and an elevenpounder were got to work. Captain Roupell, in spite of his wound,worked one of the Maxims, Lieutenant O'Malley the other, andLieutenant Edwardes the gun. Captain Roupell was again dangerouslywounded, and Lieutenant O'Malley so severely wounded that he wasforced to discontinue fire.
Lieutenant Edwardes, although he was hit early in the action, stuckto his gun. The gun team were all lying round, either killed orwounded, and he ran home the shells with a stick. He was, shortlyafterwards, shot in the left arm. This incapacitated him fromserving his gun; but he went and worked a Maxim, with his rightarm, till a shot in the face compelled him to have his woundsdressed.
Colonel Carter was wounded in the head, and handed over the commandto Colonel Wilkinson, who was himself slightly wounded at the backof the head. The men fell fast. The seven pounder and the otherMaxim were completely isolated, some distance up the path. Theexistence of the stockade was only discovered as the undergrowthwas cut away by the rain of bullets.
The officer commanding D company--which had been the rear guard allthis time and, consequently, had not suffered--was in hammock withfever, and Colour Sergeant Mackenzie was in command. At this momentMackenzie came up, and asked leave to charge the enemy. Hisproposal was at once sanctioned, and when half of his company hadarrived they charged the stockade, other soldiers and officers nearjoining them. The enemy could not stand this determined attack,evacuated their position, and took to flight.
The force now prepared to retire, and this operation they performedin an orderly manner. Seven European officers had been wounded, andthere were ninety casualties. Indeed, i
f the enemy had not firedtoo high, the column might have been annihilated.
Orders were sent, to Colonel Carter, telling him to remain where hewas till reinforcements should arrive. A telegram was also sent toCaptain Hall, instructing him to despatch a company to increase thegarrison at Kwisa. In the meantime two companies of the troops onthe Prah were ordered to proceed, instantly, to the relief ofKwisa, under the command of Captain Melliss and, to Lisle'ssatisfaction, some of his company were to form part of the force.
They started at two in the afternoon, but it was four before theygot across the Prah; and they could only march ten miles thatevening, which they did through a pouring rain. An early start wasmade, next morning. By eight o'clock they reached Fumsu, which washeld by a company of soldiers under Quartermaster Sergeant Thomas;who informed them that all the troops ahead were perilouslysituated, short of food and ammunition, and crippled withcasualties. He tried to dissuade them from going farther, saying:
"You are simply walking into a death trap. It is not fighting, itis murder. I am sure you will never get there, with only a hundredmen and all these carriers."
However, orders had to be obeyed. The carriers were so limited innumber that only a few days' food could be taken to the Kwisagarrison, if all the cartridges were to go on. A hundred extrarounds were served out to each man, in addition to the hundred healready had; so that there was no risk of running short, and thecarriers would be relieved of much of the weight of the reserve,and could therefore carry up a larger amount of provisions. A hastymeal was eaten, and then they stepped forward for the twenty miles'march before them.
During the halt, they found out how the natives signalled. A gunwas fired from the forest, the signal was repeated farther on, andcontinued to the next war camp. An estimate was given of the numberand composition of an enemy by the number of guns fired. The forcelearned, afterwards, that their departure from Prahsu had beensignalled in this way to the Adansis; and only the darkness andpouring rain, which delayed the enemy's movements, had saved thecolumn from attack.
When the march was continued, therefore, the greatest precautionswere taken against an ambush. A small party of twelve men marchedahead of the advance guard, and fired occasional volleys. Where theundergrowth was unusually thick, scouts moved abreast of them,cutting a way with their sword bayonets. The difficulties were sogreat that the column moved only three-quarters of a mile an hour.The carriers struggled on, carrying their burdens with surprisingcheerfulness, staggering over the slippery mud, and frequentlyfalling. The gun carriers had the worst time of all, for the partsinto which these weapons divide are too heavy for single loads; andhave to be carried, swung on bamboo poles, by four men--but often,at the acute bends in the path, the whole burden had to besupported by two.
Nevertheless, the column managed to advance. The river Fum wasrising, but was still fordable, and they crossed it, withdifficulty. It was now necessary to give up scouting, and dependentirely on the volleys of the men in front to discover ambuscades.One or two deserted or thinly populated villages were passed. Then,after two hours of this trying tramp, the advance guard came uponthe Fum again; but at this point its volume and width were morethan doubled. The river was rising rapidly, and there were no treesthat could be cut down, with the sword bayonets, long enough tothrow across.
At last, by good luck, at some distance farther down a native canoewas found, caught in the branches of a fallen tree. It was a clumsycraft, but it was better than nothing. Two native hammock boys andtwo soldiers took their places in it, and set out for the otherside. When it reached the centre of the stream, however, an eddycaught it and, in an instant, it capsized.
Captain Melliss at once plunged into the river. He was a strongswimmer, and had gained the Royal Humane Society's medal for savinglife at sea. His strength, however, had been taxed by the climate,and he had to call for aid. Luckily, no one was drowned. Theintense chill, caused by the sudden immersion in almost ice-coldwater; and the bites of the ants that swarmed over them, as theymade their way back through the undergrowth from the spot where thecanoe had been washed ashore, threatened an attack of fever; butthis was averted by a change of clothing, a glass of neat spirits,and a dose of quinine.
It was now agreed that nothing could be done, and the force marchedback to Fumsu. They recrossed the river, by means of a ropestretched from bank to bank, and arrived long after dark.
Next day it was determined to make another trial but, for a longtime, no one was able to suggest where a crossing of the swollenriver might be effected. It was clearly impossible to build abridge but, after much discussion, it was agreed to make a raft. Itconsisted of a platform of planks, built across empty barrels; andwas lashed together by the only rope at the station. A couple ofnatives took their places upon it, with long poles; but theirefforts to push against the strong currents were quite unavailing.Then something went wrong with the rope and the raft graduallysank, the men swimming ashore.
On examination it was found that, not only were the leaking casksgone, but the rope that tied them together. The situation nowappeared more hopeless than before.
It was Lisle who suggested a possible way out of the difficulty. Hewas wandering about the deserted native huts, when it struck him tosee what the mud walls were composed of, and how the roofs weresupported. Drawing his sword, he cut a large hole in one of thewalls and, to his surprise, discovered that they were strengthenedby lines of bamboos, which were afterwards plastered over. Itseemed to him that these bamboos, which were extremely light aswell as strong, would be very useful material for a raft, and hecommunicated the idea to Captain Melliss.
"You have solved the difficulty, Captain Bullen; there is no doubtthat these will do admirably."
In a few minutes the whole of the little force, and carriers, wereoccupied in pulling down the huts. The question arose, how were thestakes to be tied together? While this matter was being discussed,Lisle said:
"Surely we can use some of the creepers. The natives tie up bundleswith them."
The suggestion was at once adopted. Creepers were cut in theforest, and four bundles of bamboos were tied up, with cross piecesof the same material; so that they could be carried by four men,like a hammock. Four of the loads were similarly tied up. Thetelegraph wire was torn down from the trees, on the bank on whichthey were arrested; and the nearest insulator on the opposite sidewas broken by a shot, so that the wire hung down to the water in agentle curve, the next insulator being fastened to a tree at aconsiderable distance. One end of the raft was then attached tothis wire, by a noose that worked along it; and this contrivanceenabled the swiftest streams to be triumphantly crossed, the loadsof rice, meanwhile, being kept dry. The success of the experimentcreated a general feeling of relief.
On that day, an escort of fifty soldiers and some more ammunitioncame in, to reinforce the little garrison at Fumsu. The full numberasked for could not be spared, as a rumour had arrived that theenemy would endeavour to cut off the carriers, who were makingtheir way up from the coast.
Next morning a start was made at an early hour. Four rivers hadbeen crossed, and five miles of the advance had been accomplished,without an enemy being seen; and the troops began to hope that theywould reach Kwisa without further molestation. However, in mountinga steep rise, after crossing a river, a heavy fire was suddenlyopened on them; and they had their first experience of the natureof the ground chosen by the enemy for an ambuscade.
The path zigzagged up the hill and, while the movements of thetroops could be seen by the natives on its crest, dense foliageprevented the men toiling up it from obtaining even a glimpse ofthe enemy. Volleys were fired both to right and left. The enemyreplied by firing volley after volley, and the shower of leavesshowed that the bullets were flying high. It was difficult for theofficers to control the extended line, and the scattered soldiersmarching among the carriers were altogether out of hand, and firedrecklessly.
At last, however, this was checked. The advance guard had suffered,but their fire had quelled
that of the enemy. A rush was thereforemade, the ambuscade carried, and the enemy put to flight.
Captain Wilson was, unfortunately, killed in the engagement. Hisbody was put into a hammock and taken to Fumsu, a march ofthirty-three miles. The force then returned to the Prah with thewounded, leaving only a small garrison of fifty men, under aBritish corporal.
It was a terrible march. The river had swollen, and the crossingtook hours, many of the troops and carriers not arriving until thefollowing day.
"Well, Bullen, how does this campaign compare with that in theTirah?"
"It is infinitely worse," Lisle said. "We were only once or twicebothered by rivers, the country was open and, when the enemycrowning the hills were turned out, we were able to go through thepasses without much opposition. We certainly often went to bedsupperless, but on the whole we did not fare badly. At least wewere generally dry and, though the cold was severe, it was notunbearable. At any rate, it was better than marching through theseforests, in single file, with the mud often up to one's knees.Above all, the air was fresh and dry, and we had not this closeatmosphere and this wet to struggle against.
"These fellows fight as well as the Afridis do, but are nothinglike such good shots. If they had been, we should have beenannihilated. I would rather go half a dozen times, through theTirah, than once through this country.
"I think it is the darkness in the woods that is most trying. Weare all bleached almost white; my uniform hangs about me loosely. Imust have lost any amount of weight."
Both of the young officers had received wounds, but these were ofso slight a nature that they had been able to keep their places.
"I wonder what the next move will be. At any rate, we shall be inclover at Prahsu, and be able to get into condition again by thetime we make another move. Plenty of stores are sure to be lyingthere, while I expect that Hall and Wilkinson will be on prettyshort commons."
"Well, I suppose it is all for the best."
One day they came upon a swollen river, which was so deep as to beunfordable, and the column were brought to a halt. The Pioneers, onbeing questioned, were of accord that it would take at least twodays to build a bridge. There was a long consultation, and it wasagreed that, unless something could be done, the column must retirefor, by the time the bridge was built, the supply of food would beexhausted.
"If we could get a wire across," the engineer officer said, "wecertainly could build the bridge in less time than I stated."
"I will try to carry it across, sir," Lisle said. "I am a strongswimmer, and I think I could do it."
"Yes, but the Ashantis are all on the opposite bank. You would bepicked off before you got halfway across."
"I would try after dark. Once I got the wire across and fixed,enough men could cross, with its assistance, to clear the otherbank of the enemy."
"You would find it very hard work tugging the wire across, Bullen.The stream would catch it and, as it is as much as you can do toswim the current without any drawback, it would certainly carry youdown."
"Yes, sir; but if I asked for a volunteer, I should find onewithout difficulty."
"Well, Mr. Bullen, if you volunteer to try, I shall, of course, bevery glad to accept the offer; especially as, if you keep tighthold of the wire, the stream will only send you back to this bank."
As soon as it was known that Lisle was about to attempt to swim theriver, several volunteers came forward; and from these he selectedone of the Sikh soldiers, not only because he was a tall andpowerful man, but because he could give him orders in Punjabi. Assoon as night came on, the preparations were completed. A length ofwire, that would be sufficient to cross the river, was laid out onthe bank from the spot that seemed to offer most advantages for abridge. In this way, as they swam out the line would go with them,and they would be swept across the river by its pull, until theytouched the bank opposite to where the other end of the line wassecured.
Lisle took off his tunic, putties, and boots; and the Sikh alsostripped himself to his loincloth, in which he placed his bayonet.Lisle unloaded his revolver and put it into his waistband, at thesame time placing in his pocket a packet of twenty cartridges, in awaterproof box.
"You would swim better without those things, Bullen."
"No doubt, sir; but I want to have some means of defence, when Iget across the stream. Some of the enemy may be lurking there,now."
"Before you start I will get the Maxim to work, and sweep theopposite bank. When you get ashore fasten the end of the wire to atree, and then give a shout; we will stretch it tight on this side,and I will send a half company over, without delay. That ought tobe enough to enable you to retain your footing, until we join you."
When all was ready, Lisle fastened the end of the wire round hisbody. The Sikh was to take hold a yard or two below him, and aidhim as he swam. Then they stepped into the water, and struck out.
They had swum only twenty yards, when the Sikh cried out, "I havecramp, sahib! I can swim no longer!" and he let go his hold of thewire.
Rapidly, Lisle thought over the position. It was very important toget the wire across. Now that the Sikh had gone, he felt that itwould pull him under; on the other hand, the brave fellow hadvolunteered to go with him, and he could not see him drown beforehis eyes. He accordingly slipped the loop of the wire over hishead, and struck out with the stream.
So rapid had been the course of his thoughts that the man was stillwithin some fifteen yards of him. He could see him faintlystruggling and, swimming with long, steady strokes, soon overtookhim.
"Put your arm on my shoulder," he said; "I will soon get youashore."
The Sikh did as he was told, and Lisle turned to make for the shorethey had left. To his dismay, however, he found that the centrecurrent was carrying him to the opposite side. As soon as he foundthis to be the case, he ceased his efforts and allowed himself tofloat down. Doubtless the Ashantis would be on the watch, and anymovement in the water would catch their eyes.
He could hear their voices on the bank and, occasionally, a shotwas fired over his head. He felt sure, however, that he was stillunseen; and determined to float quietly, till the course of thecurrent changed, and brought him back to the side from which hestarted. He felt the Sikh's grasp relaxing, and threw his armsround the man's neck.
A quarter of an hour passed and then, to his dismay, he saw that hewas close to the bush, on the wrong side of the river. He himselfwas getting rapidly weaker, and he felt that he could not supportthe weight of the soldier much farther. Accordingly he grasped abranch that overhung the river, pulled himself in to the shore, andthere lay at the edge of the mud.
When he recovered his breath, he began to calculate his chances.The bush overhead seemed very thick, and he resolved to shelterthere for a time. Occasionally he could hear the sound of voicesclose by, and was sure that the Ashantis were in force there.
His companions would, he was sure, regard him as dead when, onpulling on the wire, they found that it was loose; and after thefailure of this attempt to establish a bridge, would probably starton their return march, without delay. He had, therefore, onlyhimself to rely upon, beyond what assistance he could get from theSikh, when the latter regained consciousness.
He poured a little spirits into the man's mouth, and presently hadthe satisfaction of seeing him move. Waiting until the movementbecame more decided, he said:
"You must lie still; we are across on the Ashanti side. They don'tknow we are here and, when you are able to move, we will crawl downsome little distance and hide in the bushes. We must hide in themorning, for I am sure that I could not swim back to the otherside, and certainly you could not do so. We are in a tight place,but I trust that we shall be able to get out of it."
"Do not encumber yourself with me," the Sikh said. "I know you haverisked your life to save me, but you must not do so again. What isthe life of a soldier to that of an officer?"
"I could not get across, even if I were alone. At any rate, I amnot going to desert you, now. Let us keep quiet for
an hour, thenwe shall be able to move on."
An hour passed silently, and then Lisle asked:
"How are you feeling, now?"
"I feel strong again, sahib."
"Very well then, let us crawl on."