Ialwayskeptmygunsandammunitioninbeautifulorder，arrangedonarackinthecabin。Ontheleft-handsideweretheshotguns，i。e。，twobreechloadingNo。12；fourmuzzleloadingNo。10。Ontheright，therifles：thelittle”Dutchman，”twobreechloadingReillyNo。8，twomuzzleloadingHollandhalf-pounders，thatcarriedanironlead-coatedexplosiveshell，containingaburstingchargeofhalfanounceoffinegrainpowder。Thesetwoelephantrifleswereveryhardhitters，andcarriedtwelvedrachmsofpowder。Theammunitionfortherifleswasonashelfthatformedtherack，containedinasmallbagwithasimplereload，andalargebagwithaconsiderablesupply。Thesmallbagwasintendedforthedeck，shouldIcallsuddenlyforarifle。
Seeingthattheelephantsweresonear，Iatonceorderedmyhorse，”GreedyGrey，”tobesaddled，andtheriflesandammunitiontobesentafterme。Myservant，Suleiman，whohadstartedwithmefromAlexandria，wasanhonest，goodcreature，butsoexceedinglynervousthathewasphysicallyuselessinanysuddenemergency。Theclimateofthemarshesduringourlongvoyagehadsoaffectedhisnervoussystem，thatanyalarmorstartwouldsethimtremblingtosuchanextent，thathisteethchatteredasthoughhehadbeenbathinginicedwater。However，therewasnotimetolose，asIexpectedthatshouldtheelephantsobserveourvessels，andthetroopsintheirscarletuniform，theywouldimmediatelywheelroundandbeoff，atthepacewhichanAfricanelephantknowssowellhowtouse。
Iquicklymounted”GreedyGrey”andtoldSuleimantosendonmyriflesdirectly，withammunition。
Iorderedmymentorunuptheheights，andtocomedownatabout200
pacesintherearoftheelephants，wheretheyweretoformalineasthoughinskirmishingorder。Thislineofredshirtswouldmostprobablychecktheelephantsfromrushingback。Mymenhadorderstofireattheelephants，andtoendeavourtoturnthemshouldtheyattemptaretreat。