"Say you have a number of plantains, and you want to take them across
the river," whispered his invisible prompter from behind.
The natives in the canoe hesitated. "Say you will give them each a bunch
of plantains if they will ferry you over," again whispered the cunning
Arab.
The canoe now pushed off from the bank, and paddled towards the
apparently solitary native.
The irregulars were concealed in the high grass close to the bank, and
as the canoe touched the shore, they shot the two natives dead, and
immediately secured it.
They now unlashed the arms of the prisoner, and insisted upon his
paddling the canoe across the river. Two journeys were necessary. The
first was successful, and the regular troops, together with the post and
Suleiman and others, were safely landed. During the second journey, as
the canoe was passing a rock above some dangerous rapids, the native
suddenly upset the boat by throwing his weight quickly to one side, and
plunged the whole party in the river.
