Settlers and Scouts: A Tale of the African Highlands

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER THE NINTH--A Rearguard Fight

  The stranger led the way to the centre of the enclosure.

  "Here's my blockhouse," he said. "We've piled up the baggage, you see.I say, you're a trump, you know. Are any more coming up?"

  "I sent word to Fort Hall, but that's seventy miles from here, and wecan't expect help for two or three days."

  "That's bad. We've been on short rations for a week and haven't got asingle full meal left. My men are as weak as rats, and I've had a knockmyself, as you see"--his right arm was in a sling--"so that if thosefellows outside pluck up their courage to make a rush I'm afraid weshall be done for."

  "Not a bit of it," said John cheerfully. "How did you get hurt?"

  "An arrow made a gash in my forearm. I was in a bit of a funk at first;my men said it was sure to be poisoned. But I'm all right so far: hadsome antiseptic lotion, and the wound seems to be healing. My man toldyou how we got into this mess, didn't he? We've had an awful time ofit; for six weeks on end had to fight and dodge these ruffians; and mypoor father----"

  "Yes, I'm very sorry," said John, as the other stopped.

  "What I can't make out," went on the young man presently, "is why thesefellows haven't rushed our boma. They were reinforced yesterday by sixor eight men with rifles, Swahilis, too, to judge by their dress, and asI've only sixteen men left out of the forty we started with, and onlyfive have rifles (four deserted with rifles yesterday), we couldn't haveheld out for an hour. There's a couple of hundred of them, I guess, anda dozen or more have got rifles or else smooth-bore muskets, and thoseat close quarters are just as dangerous as rifles, as we know to ourcost."

  He did not say, but John learnt afterwards, that it was probably his ownfearlessness and activity which had daunted the besiegers. He had hadto get assistance in loading his rifle, and could only fire from theleft shoulder; but as sure as one of the enemy showed himself withinrange he became a target, and several had been accounted for during thepast few days. Having no doubt been informed by the deserters from hissafari, however, that provisions had run short, the besiegers were quitecontent to play a waiting game.

  "What do you think we can do?" asked the stranger.

  John said nothing for a few moments: he was thinking hard.

  "I wish I could see your face," went on the other. "It's rather odd,this--two fellows who don't know each other talking in the dark. Idon't even know your name."

  "Halliday," said John, adding with a laugh, as he struck a match; "takea good look while the light lasts."

  By the feeble light each saw a clean-shaven face burnt almost the colourof copper by the sun.

  "You aren't a bad-looking chap, and my name's Ferrier," said thestranger. "Can we do anything, do you think?"

  A listener might have smiled at the quick transition from banter toserious business. During the brief illumination, John had observed, howthin and worn Ferrier looked, and it seemed to help him to make up hismind.

  "Well," he said, "it's risky, but I vote we make a bolt for it."

  "Now?" asked Ferrier quietly.

  "No, but you'll do it, I can see. You don't say, 'How can we?' Yousee, we can't expect help for two days at the least, and it may be muchmore. You look worn out as it is, and another day without proper foodmight do for you. But we can save time by fighting our way southward,though it'll be a pretty risky business, as I said. The best time toclear out will be just about dawn; the fellows outside will be deadtired with watching and won't expect any movement then. With luck wemay get a mile or two away before they find out we've gone."

  "Why not start in the dark?"

  "Safer not, I think. We could easily be rushed in the darkness, and anydamage we might do among them wouldn't have half the moral effect itwould have in the light, because they couldn't see it. Now give me anidea how the land lies round this place: I only saw it from the side Icame in at."

  "Well, there's bush pretty well all round, but the ground's clearest onthe east side. There's a gap in the bush there which would be the bestroad."

  "We'll make for that, then. But look here, you're dead tired, andyou'll want all your strength to-morrow. Get a sleep: I'll see toeverything and wake you when the times comes. What are your men, by theway? Swahilis?"

  "No, most of them are Bantus of one sort or another. I've got oneSwahili; he's headman; and two or three Wakikuyu, strapping fellows whocan shoot."

  "That's all right, then. Now go to sleep like a good chap, and don'tworry."

  It was so long since Ferrier had enjoyed a good night's rest that hethankfully availed himself of the presence of a white man capable oftaking command. John immediately set about his preparations for thesortie. He ordered the porters to make their loads ready as quickly aspossible, discarding everything that was heavy or cumbersome and likelyto impede rapidity of movement. Thinking over the position, he decidedthat the best plan would be to issue from the boma on the east side asif to pass through the gap. This movement, if detected, would probablydraw the enemy to both sides of the gap, where they would wait in thebush, thinking they had the safari ambushed. But before reaching thegap he proposed to turn sharp off to the right, seizing a tongue ofwoodland jutting southward which he had noticed from his post ofobservation in the wood. Beyond that he could not make any plans, butmust trust to the inspiration of the moment and the nature of theground.

  All preparations being made, John told the men to sleep. He would keepwatch until the moment for departure came. He walked round theenclosure to make sure that no ammunition or anything else of value hadbeen left, inspected the spot where the boma had been cut to allow theegress of the party, and then sat down on the tent, which it had beendecided to leave behind.

  Shortly before six o'clock he woke Ferrier, and Coja woke the men, whoshouldered their loads, and the whole party moved silently across theenclosure. Some of the men removed the piece of the boma which had beenpreviously loosened, and John led the way out. There was a slight mistover the ground, which favoured the escape. They had covered about twohundred yards in safety when there was a loud shout from both the campsof the enemy, proving that a determined watch had been kept, and thattheir departure had been discovered. A few shots were fired, and Johncaught sight of two or three black figures darting among the trees ofthe wooded tongue towards which he intended to march; but the absence ofa general rush seemed to show that his anticipation was being justified,and that the enemy were swarming from their camps to the two sides ofthe gap. John threw himself down on a knoll and sent two or three shotsinto the woodland to check any movement of the enemy to stationthemselves there, which would be fatal to his plan. The result of hisfiring was that the men who had been scouting there rushed away to jointheir comrades in the bush skirting the gap.

  Now that the party was fairly out, John asked Ferrier to take the lead,while he brought up the rear with Coja. Ferrier at first demurred tothis arrangement, protesting that the greatest danger would lie in therear, and he didn't see why he should not share in it.

  "You shut up," said John, with friendly brusqueness. "We haven't timeto argue. We can settle that afterwards. Don't go above a walkingpace: if they think we are bunking they will make a rush for us, and wemust avoid that at all costs. On you go: wheel to the right when youcome opposite the end of the wood."

  Ferrier obediently went on with the unarmed porters and his six men whohad rifles, including the one captured from the sentry, John and Cojamarching behind with the man who acted as messenger, turning every nowand then to guard against a rush, and not hurrying their pace thoughshots were dropping at unpleasantly close quarters. There were loudshouts from the enemy lining both sides of the gap when they saw thesafari suddenly sweep round to the right towards the spur of woodland.Several men on the northern side at once broke cover and began to rushacross the gap. John saw that the best service he could do was to holdthis portion of the enemy's force in check until the woodland wasreached, and so reduce their striking st
rength. The question was, couldhe and Coja and the one other man with him make things so hot for any ofthe enemy who tried to cross the gap that they would hesitate until itwas too late? Another question which he dared not think about waswhether the men with Ferrier would be steady enough to meet the attackfrom the southern portion of the enemy, which they could hardly escape.Telling Coja and the Baganda to shoot steadily, he took aim from behinda bush at the first man who crossed the gap, and dropped him. Cojaaimed at the man immediately behind, but missed. A second shot fromJohn, however, brought him down, and his companions, firing into themidst of a group of half-a-dozen who were following their leaders, gavea shout of delight when they saw two other men fall, and the restimmediately turn tail and scamper at full speed back to cover.

  "Come on," cried John.

  Leaving the bush from behind which he had fired, he ran towards anotherwhich would give still better cover and was at the same time slightlynearer the enemy. The distance was about thirty yards, and severalshots were fired at them as they sprinted across. John felt a bulletslap through his helmet, but no other hit was made, and they reached thesecond bush safely. It afforded excellent cover against the enemy onthe north side of the gap, but would have been useless against any thatremained on the south side. These, however, had left their positions inorder to deal with the safari making for the woodland, since it wasplain to them that they would be at an immense disadvantage in the moreopen bush if the copse were once gained. Indeed, if they had had thecourage and the quickness of perception to seize and hold this spur ofwoodland, the fate of the safari would almost certainly have beensealed.

  John, for the moment left unmolested, had time to look round, and sawwith delight that Ferrier and his men had disappeared among the trees.But at the same time he realized that the enemy who had triedineffectually to head them off from the woodland were now free to attackhim, and there was a danger that he might be surrounded. The northernend of the woodland was about a hundred yards from the bush at which hehad stationed himself, and there was no time to be lost if he was to getout of harm's way. It was a straight run across the open. From hisexperience of negroes' shooting he did not fear that a flying shot wouldhit him except by accident; the only question was whether all threecould rush across the open space before they were intercepted by theother section of the enemy.

  Since delay was dangerous he ordered the men to follow him at fullspeed, and made a dash for the woodland. A few shots were fired atthem, but luckily the movement had not been seen by the men he had mostreason to fear, and by the time they were warned of it by the shouts oftheir comrades beyond the gap the three runners were safe among thetrees. John felt that in the shelter of the wood the party might holdout all day against an enemy who was so reluctant to come to closequarters; but to be beleaguered in the wood would be no better thantheir situation within the boma, and it was necessary to press on to thesouth, both with the idea of lessening the distance between the safariand the force of East African rifles or Protectorate Police which hehoped was on the way from Fort Hall, and also of obtaining food. It wasnot easy to see how the party could cross in safety the open countrysouth of the wood, and John felt the necessity of consulting withFerrier. Accordingly he hastened on towards him.

  Soon he came upon Ferrier's askaris, who informed him that their master,having reached the extremity of the wood, had sent them back to assisthim. Ordering them to remain with Coja where they were and keep theenemy in check if they showed any sign of advancing, he hurried on untilhe reached Ferrier. After explaining how matters stood, he suggestedthat Ferrier with the porters should hasten with all speed across theopen country until they reached the clump of trees in which he had lefthis donkeys, about two miles away. The enemy would scarcely suspectthat the party would emerge from the wood into the open, and he feltpretty sure that, reinforced by the rifles, he could keep them in playuntil the safari had reached its goal. The course proposed was favouredby the fact that the safari, by striking off in a south-westerlydirection, would soon be out of sight owing to the undulating ground.Ferrier agreed to this plan, and John hurried back to the men.

  Nothing had happened during his absence. The enemy on the north side ofthe gap had not yet plucked up courage to cross, and the rest wereapparently still lurking in the bush to the east of the stretch ofwoodland. John led his men back to the southern end of this, where hehalted to watch the progress of the safari, and to assure himself thatits escape had not been noticed.

  From this position he saw, a quarter of a mile to the right, a moundwhich would form an excellent defensive position in case he wasseriously attacked, and he determined to betake himself thither as soonas the safari was out of sight. After waiting for a few minutes he sawthe enemy, who had no doubt become suspicious, at last swarm from thefurther side of the gap and join their comrades. The combined force,emboldened by numbers, emerged from the bush, and appeared to beintending to make a dash upon the wood. John waited until they had comewithin two hundred yards, and then gave the word to his men to fire avolley. The effect was instantaneous. Several of the enemy fell; therest made all speed back under cover. Taking advantage of the repulse,John ordered three of the men to rush to the mound, and as soon as theyhad reached it, he followed them with the rest. The movement was seenby the enemy, who, knowing now that the safari must have escaped them,and probably suspecting that it had already taken refuge on the otherside of the mound, were at last impelled by their rage to make adetermined rush to the spot. John and his men were, however, so wellensconced that their fire checked the advance, and the assailants, oncemore baffled, fled back either into the wood or to their former positionin the bush. Twice they repeated the assault: each time they weredriven back; and though they came closer each time, and sent a shower ofarrows and bullets on to the mound, they were utterly unable to make animpression, the little party of riflemen lying flat on their faces atthe top of the reverse slope, so that only their heads were exposed.During the last rush, however, Coja, who was vastly excited at thisfight against odds, incautiously raised himself, and received a bulletin the shoulder. John was a good deal concerned: the mere shock of suchan injury would have rendered a European helpless; but the African isnot so highly strung, and Coja went on all day with admirable fortitude.

  John chose the moment when an assault had just been repelled to evacuatethe mound, and keeping it between him and the enemy, to strike off tothe south-west, intending to make a circuit and rejoin Ferrier at theclump of trees. He had marched for more than half a mile before themeaning of the movement became plain to the enemy. Seeing the littleparty now in the open, with no cover of any kind, the men set off withloud cries to intercept them before they reached the clump of treeswhich was the only shelter for miles. It was a race between the twoparties. John was north-west of the clump, the enemy due north, andequidistant from it. Ferrier, who had reached the spot some timebefore, and was watching eagerly his new friend's manoeuvres, fired anoccasional shot at the savages as soon as they came within range, buthis single rifle was unable to check the advance. It was fortunate thatJohn had somewhat easier ground than the enemy, sloping gently down tothe clump of trees. He ran as he had never run since he won thequarter-mile in his school sports, and the negroes kept pace with him,in the fierce heat of the sun. Ferrier saw that he was gaining on theenemy, and shouted to encourage him. Another two hundred yards and hewould be safe. On he came: now he was several yards ahead of his men,then they spurted and came up with him: and in another fifteen secondsthe whole party gained the wood, the enemy being no more than a hundredyards away.

  Ferrier sent a shot among them which brought them to a halt. Even nowthey might have overwhelmed the little party, for John and the men werehot and breathless, and their limbs trembled so violently that for someseconds they were unable to hold their rifles steadily. But Ferrier'sshot gave them the breathing-space they needed. Then all the riflesspoke together. A gap was made in the halted throng of negroes; therewas a momen
t's hesitation; then with furious yells of rage anddisappointment they turned their backs upon the clump of trees, and ranswiftly towards the distant bush.

  That was the last that was seen of them. John and the riflemen held thewooded clump while the safari, taking the donkeys, pressed on to thesouth. Then, when all danger of pursuit seemed at an end, he followedin its track and overtook it within two hours. No pursuers being insight, he thought it safe to make a long halt for rest and food, bothbadly needed by the whole party, and especially by Ferrier and his men.Ferrier blessed John's forethought in bringing a quantity of food on thedonkeys. It was only sufficient for one meal, and that not a very goodone; but a little is a feast to men who are famishing, and there wasgreat contentment among the negroes as they baked little millet cakes attheir fires. When the march was resumed, John shot a wart-hog duringthe afternoon, which he allowed the men to cook and eat there and then.They camped for the rest of the day, building a thorn zariba and keepinga careful watch all night. Early in the morning they went on again, andpassing through the friendly village and across the river, they came atmidday to the farm. John at once sent Ferrier's headman towards FortHall to say that there was no longer any need of help. Then hecommitted the negroes to the care of Lulu, doctored Coja's woundedshoulder as well as he could, and asked Said Mohammed to use all hisskill in preparing dinner for his guest.

  "Your esteemed order shall be punctually attended to," said the Bengali."The honourable gentleman shall smack his lips and feel jolly wellbucked up. I will do him tiptop."