At this critical moment, when every man of the expedition felt the fatal
truth, my wife confided her secret, that she had hitherto concealed,
lest the knowledge of a hidden store should have made the men
extravagant. She now informed them that in past days of plenty, when
flour had been abundant, she had, from time to time, secreted a
quantity, and she had now SIX LARGE IRON BOXES FULL (about twelve
bushels). This private store she had laid by in the event of some sudden
emergency.
"God shall give her a long life!" exclaimed both officers and men. We
had now enough flour for the march of seven days to Foweera, at which
place there were regular forests of plantains.
My herd of cattle had been reduced to seventy, and I much doubted the
possibility of driving them in a high grass country, as they would
scatter and make a stampede should we be attacked; they would be scared
by the guns.
I mustered my force and spoke to my men, to whom I explained their exact
position, and my plan of action.
I should immediately divide among them, as presents, all the cotton
stuffs that belonged to the expedition.
Each man would carry three pounds of beads in his knapsack, one-third of
which should subsequently belong to him.
The line of march would be thus arranged - a Bari, who professed to know
the path, would lead the advance-guard of fifteen sniders, commanded by
Lieutenant-Colonel Abd-el-Kader, supported by myself with ten sniders in
charge of the ammunition, accompanied by Lieutenant Baker, my wife, and
two servants, carrying double breechloading elephant rifles.
