of the newest small-bore rifles, we all lost faith in their killing and stopping power, and preferred to arm our men with the old chassepots used in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. On our way back from the skirmish we met the Commandant, with de Wouters, the white sergeant Cerkel, and all the available force he could muster. We immediately camped, and that evening the Commandant repeated what he had before told us when he asked who would go with him — namely, that he had no intention of returning alive from the campaign if it were unsuccessful, and that if any of us were unfortunate enough to be taken prisoners by the enemy he would consider us as dead, and would not risk a man to save us.

The next day we took Kitenge's town. Albert Frees had been sent on in front to reassure the chief and his people.