When he could give a coherent account of himself, he said that the white man was still fighting, but was very hard pressed, and had sent for help. Michaux, de Wouters, and Scherlink promptly started off with their companies and a contingent of Gongo Lutete's, leaving the Commandant, with myself and Cerkel, in a horrid state of suspense. We got the camp ready to resist an attack; Sefu's force being camped in front of us, and, according to the report we had just received, Mohara of Nyangwe fighting in our rear. This, at the time, seemed scarcely credible, though it turned out to be true.

At midday the firing commenced a few hundred yards from our camp, in the grass. Just as we thought the fight would begin, Cassar marched into the camp with all his baggage — wounded, but having