Without saying more, I merely begged him to mount upon the ant hill and look toward M'rooli.

Hardly had he cast a glance at the scene described, than he jumped down from his stand and cried, "They are going to attack us!" "Let us retreat to the camp and prepare for a fight!" "Let us fire at them from here as they cross in the canoes," cried others; "the buckshot will clear them off when packed in the boats." This my panic-stricken followers would have done had I not been present.
"Fools!" I said, "do you not see that the natives have no SHIELDS with them, but merely lances?
Would they commence an attack without their shields?
Kamrasi is coming in state to visit us." This idea was by no means accepted by my people, and we reached our little camp, and, for the sake of precaution, stationed the men in position behind a hedge of thorns.

Ibrahim had managed to bring twelve picked men instead of five as stipulated; thus we were a party of twenty-four.

I was of very little use, as the fever was so strong upon me that I lay helpless on the ground.
In a short time the canoes arrived, and for about an hour they were employed in crossing and recrossing, and landing great numbers of men, until they at length advanced and took possession of some huts about 200 yards from our camp.

They now hallooed that Kamrasi had arrived, and, seeing some oxen with the party, I felt sure they had no evil intentions.