amusement we returned to Leopoldville, very doubtful whether we had not suffered as much as the enemy in actual casualties, though we had brought back with us a flock of goats and a number of fowls.

The blacks with us were all young soldiers, most of whom had been recruited, and who were terribly afraid of what they termed “ bush niggers.” Charging into the jungle or scouting in twos or threes they point-blank declined to do, and they were afraid to move a dozen yards from the main body unless accompanied by a white man. It was curious, however, to find how quickly many of these men developed into good soldiers some months afterwards, when we had a serious war with the Arab slave-raiders.