r solitary men appeared from behind the bend, carrying
bundles of long sticks to each of which was attached a piece of white
cloth, a proceeding that excited my curiosity.

Soon its object became apparent. Swiftly these men, of whom in the end
there may have been thirty or forty, ran to and fro, testing the ground
with spears in search for pitfalls. I think they only found a very few
that had not been broken into, but in front of these and also of those
that were already full of men and horses they set up the flags as a
warning that they should be avoided in the advance. Also they removed a
number of their wounded.

We had great difficulty in restraining the White Kendah from rushing out
to attack them, which of course would only have led us into a trap in
our turn, since they would have fled and conducted their pursuers into
the arms of the enemy. Nor would I allow my riflemen to fire, as the
result must have been many misses and a great waste of ammunition which
ere long would be badly wanted. I, however, did shoot two or three, then
gave it up as the remainder took no notice whatever.

When they had thoroughly explored the ground they retired until, a
little later, the Black Kendah army began to appear, marching in serried
regiments and excellent order round the bend, till perhaps eight or ten
thousand of them were visible, a very fierce and awe-inspiring _impi_.
Their front ranks halted between three and four hundred yards away,
which I thought farther off than it was advisable to open fire on them
with Snider rifles held by unskilled troops. Then came a pause, which
at length was broken by the blowing of horns and a sound of exultant
shouting beyond the turn of the pass.

Now from round this turn appeared the strangest sight that I think my
eyes had ever seen. Yes, there came the huge elephant, Jana, at a slow,
shambling trot. On his back and head were two men in whom, with my
glasses, I recognized the lame priest whom I already knew too well and
Simba, the king of the Black Kendah, himself, gorgeously apparelled and
waving a long spear, seated in a kind of wooden chair. Round the brute's
neck were a number of bright metal chains, twelve in all, and each of
these chains was held by a spearman who ran alongside, six on one side
and six on the other. Lastly, ingeniously fastened to the end of his
trunk were three other chains to which were attached spiked knobs of
metal.

On he came as docilely as any Indian ele