He was, of course, obliged to tell how he had won the Victoria Cross; a recital which greatly raised him in their estimation.
They had fine weather throughout the voyage; and were glad, indeed, when the steamer anchored off Cape Coast.

Although looking forward to their arrival at Cape Coast, the officers were not in their highest spirits.

All of them had applied for service in South Africa, where the war was now raging but, to their disappointment, had been sent on this minor expedition.

At any other time, they would have been delighted at the opportunity of taking part in it; but now, with a great war going on, it seemed to them a very petty affair, indeed.
They cheered themselves, however, by the assumption that there was sure to be hard fighting; and opportunities for distinguishing themselves at least as great as they would meet with at the Cape, where so vast a number of men were engaged that it would be difficult for one officer to distinguish himself beyond others.
Until he started, Lisle had scarcely more than heard the name of Ashanti; though he knew, of course, that two expeditions, those under Sir Garnet Wolseley and Sir Francis Scott, had reached the capital, the latter dethroning the king and carrying him away into captivity.

Now, however, he gathered full details of the situation, from two officers belonging to the native troops, who had been hurriedly ordered to cut short their leave, and go back to take their places with the corps to which they were attached.
There was no doubt that the Ashantis were one of the most formidable tribes in Africa.