Iexplainedtothemthedifficultyoffightingagainstanenemywhosetacticswouldnotpermitabattle；atthesametime，Ishouldnowoperateagainstthemsomewhatupontheirownprinciple；byestablishingaseriesofsharpshooterswhoshouldoccupytheneighbourhood，andrenderitimpossiblefortheBaristoremaininthecountry。
Mycorpswasnowcomplete，asIhadbroughtupthosewhohadremainedatGondokoro；Ihadthusforty-eightofficersandmen。TothisforceInowaddedfiftyselectedmenfromtheline，andmarchedthemawayfromcamp。
Uponarrivalatthebroadbedoftheriver，Iexplainedtothemtheplan。Thenativesgenerallyapproachedunperceivedbymeansofthiswindingtrench，whichentirelyconcealedthem。Thebanksofthisriverwereinmostplacesnearlyperpendicular，andwereaboutninefeetdeep。
Theriverwasaboutsixtyorseventypacesbroad，andwasnearlydry，asaveryshallowstreamflowedthroughthecentreofitsbed。
Ifthehighbankswereoccupiedforadistanceofseveralmilesbysmallpartiesofsharpshootersconcealedinhighdhurra，orbehindanant-hill，orcrouchedinhighgrassorbush，orinanythingthatwouldserveasaprotection，itwouldbeimpossiblefortheBaristoapproachbythefavouriteriver-bed，withoutbeingexposedtoadeadlyfirefromthelonglineofsentries。