int command of
Lieutenant Johnson and Captain Smithers, pushed off, with the good
wishes of all left on board.

The master of the prahu was in the foremost boat, and according to his
account, they were still about a couple of miles below where the attack
took place, he having been mistaken about the steamer's draught of
water. His opinion was that both the prahus would be found lying in the
Qualla, or mouth of a river higher up, and towards this point the boats
steadily ascended without any undue bustle, for the object of the
officers in charge was to get the men up to the point, fresh and ready
for the task in hand.

Each boat carried a gun running on slides, and upon the proper service
of these guns, depended a good deal of the success of the expedition.

They had been rowing steadily on for above half an hour, when suddenly
from their left a bright line of light cut the black darkness of the
forest, and was followed by a sharp report.

For a moment the course of the boats was checked, and one was directed
to pull in and see who the enemy might be, but directly after there was
another report a couple of hundred yards higher up, and then another,
and another.

"Catch a weasel asleep," said Lieutenant Johnson, grimly; "that signal
will run right up to the prahus. We've got to deal with some one who
has his wits about him."

So indeed it proved; for a quarter of an hour later, as they still
pushed steadily on in line, there came a warning from the first boat in
the shape of a dull heavy report, and the other boats sheered out of the
right line, ready to deliver their own fire.

For plainly enough, though wearing a grey shadowy appearance, a couple
of prahus could be seen coming swiftly down the stream, the long rows of
oars on either side beating the water with a wonderfully regular stroke,
and sending them along at quite a startling rate.

Shot after shot was fired, but with what effect the occupants of the
boats could not tell, for no heed was paid to the firing, save that the
prahus seemed to increase their speed, and were steered so as to run
down the enemy that tried to check their way.

It was a matter of little more than a minute from the first sighting of
the vessels, each of which was five or six times the size of the largest
boats, and their disappearance round the point below, with the water
foaming behind them, and the English boats in full pursuit. Several
shots had been fired, for each boat fo