Far below the forts
lay the straits which they were designed to protect for the vessels
steaming through them. I started at once to make a sketch of the
panorama, carefully omitting that ground where the forts lay, partly
in order to disarm my friend's suspicions, and partly to protect me in
the event of my arrest.
Presently my companion volunteered to go down to the fort and bring
up his brother, who, he said, was a gunner stationed there, and could
give me every detail that I could wish about their guns, etc.
This sounded almost too good to be true, but with the greatest
indifference I said I should be glad to see him, and off went my
friend. The moment that he was out of sight I took care to move off
into a neighbouring kopje where I could hide myself in case of his
bringing up a force of men to capture me.
From here I was able to make a pretty accurate sketch of the fort and
its gun emplacements on the inside of the lining of my hat, and when I
had replaced this I went on as hurriedly as possible with my sketch to
show that I had been fully occupied during the guide's absence.
Presently I saw him returning, but as he was only accompanied by one
other man, I crept down again to my original position and received
them smiling.
The gunner was most communicative, and told me all about his guns and
their sizes and what were their powers as regards range and accuracy.
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