While MacGowan's little force was making its way to Mirjawa, Landon and I rode to Kacha, reaching that place on the 2nd of April. There Lieutenant Yates, of the 12th Pioneers, paraded all the men he could lay his hands on in front of the mess-house, and, as we rode up, gave the order for the men to present arms.
The result was a shock.
I dismounted and called on all those men who had ever fired a shot in their lives to fall out.
To my dismay only nine men obeyed.
Lieutenant Yates told me that he had done his best with the men, but the greater proportion of them were mere raw recruits. It was a bitter disappointment, and it was very obvious that a great deal of brick-making had to be done without straw. But there was nothing else for it. These were the only men, trained or untrained, available for the expedition, and I had to be thankful for them.
I took the nine trained soldiers, sixty-five of the untrained recruits, and two maxim guns belonging to the 12th Pioneers, and, with these, Landon and I made our way to the rendezvous at Mirjawa, where we all met on the evening of the 6th of April.
[CHAPTER IV]
BLUFF AND ARMS
Ladis and its fort—A force without arms—First sight of the enemy—Shah Sawar and more bluff—Battle—Bluff succeeds—Casualties—Bad news from the North—Idu's proposition—Jiand's stragglers—Jiand's white flag.