A Fortunate Ambush.

and the liberated slaves for two days, and this circumstance raised the courage, which, however, was anything but exhausted, of my hungry troops. I made arrangements for an African ravcio, so that all might receive their due rations. Then I sent a detachment of Besingers to meet Sultan Idris.

Towards eleven a.m. they returned. They had met the head of Idris's column, and had even spoken to the men, which at first displeased me, but, faithful to their orders, they had given themselves out for Rabi's men who were out hunting.

"All right," Idris had said good-naturedly; "go to Rabi and tell him that I am on the march, and shall presently join him." The ground occupied by my troops was an elevated plain entirely surrounded by a thick forest.

I had made all my dispositions, and was impatiently awaiting the arrival of the rebel column, when a violent storm from the valley of the Arab to the north burst upon us with thunder, lightning and torrents of rain. The first column of the enemy's advanced-guard came in sight, and confident that they were among friends, they ran up to Rabi's great hut to shelter from the rain. They were followed by many oxen laden with goods, and after these came mounted ofl&cers and men, and asses, slaves, Besingers, and Arabs.

When the plain round which we were stationed was almost covered by these people, we opened upon them a well-directed fire. I had of course given orders that the slaves should be spared, and as these people cast themselves on the ground as soon as the firing began, we had no victim to deplore among them.

The rebel soldiers, though taken unawares, and surrounded on all sides, attempted like brave men to force a passage through our lines, but were repulsed ; other attempts at different points were also repelled by our fire.