extricated himself from the dilemma he was in without even seeing the force we had sent to help him. His first words amused us: “ Commandant,” said he, “ I was all but taken, and I have burnt an awful lot of cartridges.” “ Oh,” said the Commandant, “ you're alive, and that's the main thing. I suppose you've lost all the baggage and ammunition you were bringing us,” But the plucky little man had not; and this, from the account he gave us, is what had taken place.

He had, the evening before, camped about two hours and a half's march in our rear, and, suspecting nothing, had slept well. He was bringing us about 50,000 rounds of ammunition, and 40 chassepot rifles tied up in bundles; and his caravan consisted of 26 regular soldiers, and 250 of Gongo Lutete's men as porters.