ing invasion,
the whole of the twenty thousand men, with Omar himself at their head,
had marched out of the capital on their way to defend the pass. I had
expressed a wish to accompany them, but my friend had requested me to go
with the expedition to Samory's capital because, having been there in
captivity, I could act as guide. To this I made no objection, and bidding
farewell to Omar, Goliba and Niaro at the city gate, I had watched them
ride away at the head of a brilliant cavalcade, and the same evening at
sundown descended the face of the cliff by the long flight of steps, and
jumping into the saddle of a horse held ready for me, rode with all haste
to catch up Kona who, as leader of our expedition, had already started
for the gigantic precipice known as the Gate of Mo.

To Niaro, an excellent officer, the leadership of the defending force had
been entrusted, as he had already had experience of fighting in the
Hombori country, having been second in command of Kouaga's expedition
when he conquered the tribes of Massina, while Kona, who had with him his
valiant Dagombas, had orders to enrol another thousand men of that tribe
when passing through their territory, prior to our dash upon Samory's
country.

The passage to the desert by the Way of the Thousand Steps was a
brilliant feat, for of our great force not a single life was lost, and so
rapidly did we travel, that within two weeks of the day we left the
palace, our Dagombas, who preferred their native spears and arrows to
firearms, were enrolled and we were well on our way to the Great Salt
Road, a mere native path notwithstanding its imposing designation,
towards Samory's great fortress-city.

Heedless of the noontide heat we pushed forward over stony desert and
green grass-land, now plunging into those gloomy dismal forests of
eternal darkness where the stench of decaying vegetation sickened us,
only to emerge again into the open plain devoid of shade, scorched by the
pitiless rays of the fiery sun. Snatching brief rests, and pushing for
ever onward our great host of armed men and carriers, with the vigilant
Kona at their head, pressed forward, entering at last the land of our
enemies.

The Dagomba scouts, travelling before us, splendid fellows, all eyes and
ears, who could detect the slightest indication of an enemy's presence
far or near, whether it were the broken twig at one's feet or the sudden
rising of a bird in the distance, kept us well informed of