The Latooka porters had broken open the bags
and baskets containing many hundredweight of these objects, and, loading
themselves, had intended to desert with their stolen prize; but the
sentries having discovered them, they were seized by the soldiers.
There fellows, the Latookas, had exhibited the folly of monkeys in so
rashly breaking open the packages while the sentries were on guard.
Several who had been caught in the act were now pinioned by the Turks,
and were immediately condemned to be shot; while others were held down
upon the ground and well chastised with the coorbatch I begged that the
punishment of death might be commuted for a good flogging; at first I
implored in vain, until I suggested, that if the porters were shot,
there would be no one to carry their loads:--this practical argument
saved them, and after receiving a severe thrashing, their arms were
pinioned, and a guard set over them until the morning.
We marched at 5.25 on the following morning. For several hours the path
led through thick jungle in which we occasionally caught glimpses of
antelopes. At length quitting the jungle we arrived at an open marshy
plain, upon which I discerned at a great distance a number of antelopes.
Having nothing to eat I determined to stalk them, as I heard from the
people that we were not far from our halting-place for the day.
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