In such a country as this, without railways or even roads, the distribution of war material in any quantity is a great labour, for it has to be done individually, or at least from centres.
But of this work the great number of mountaineers who were arriving made little account.

As fast as the ship's company, with the assistance of the priests and fighting-men, placed the cases on the quay, the engineers opened them and laid the contents ready for portage.

The mountaineers seemed to come in a continuous stream; each in turn shouldered his burden and passed out, the captain of his section giving him as he passed his instruction where to go and in what route.

The method had been already prepared in my office ready for such a distribution when the arms should arrive, and descriptions and quantities had been noted by the captains.
The whole affair was treated by all as a matter of the utmost secrecy.
Hardly a word was spoken beyond the necessary directions, and these were given in whispers.

All night long the stream of men went and came, and towards dawn the bulk of the imported material was lessened by half.