It consisted of a thousand rank and file, sixty white men, seventeen hundred carriers, six guns, and six Maxims.

The rain fell in ceaseless torrents.

The road was practically an unbroken swamp, and the fatigue and discomfort of the journey were consequently terrible.

The Ordah river was in flood, and had to be crossed on a felled tree.
The distance to Pekki, the last Bekwai village, was fifteen miles.
It did not lie upon the main road, but that route had been chosen because a shorter extent of hostile country would have to be traversed, and the march thence to Coomassie would be only eleven miles; but it took the relief force nineteen and a half hours to get in, and the rear guard some two hours longer.

Darkness fell some hours before they reached their destination and, thence forward, the force struggled on, each holding a man in front of him.
Nothing broke the silence save the trickling of water from the trees overhead, and the squelch of the mud churned up by marching columns.