The Forrest City times., 1891-06-26

military sta tions about the country our hands were full. Then, just about the timt things began to settle down, a new difficulty arose, for what little culti. vated land there was had been rob bed and plundered by the dacoits and so the poor Burmese found them selves in danger of starving, and the worst of it was it looked as though we might have to starve with them. The Madras Pioneers, whom | com am nded, were a brave and sturdy lot of fellows, but saw only too plainly that their scant rations were having n serious effect. For awhil e native traders had been coming down the lrawaddy in boats on their way to Mandalay, carrying gold leaf and indigo, sweet oil and picklcd tea, and, what was of far more value to us. cocoanuts and bananas, eggs and rice; but the dacoits along the wood ed banks of the river waylaid and robbed them so often that they were beginning to find it more profitable to stay at home, and a traders boat was now a rare and curious thing.
 'Well, Capt. Charlton,' said a cheerful voice as 1 sat smoking a cheroot before my tent one evening, "pondering over the food problem, are you? Don't worry. I have found sure solution for that
 The speaker was Lieut.. Redvers, and he looked very happy and con tented as he pulled out camp stool and sat down at my side"
 "I have splendid idea, he went on. Half n dozen of those eowardly traders were in camp this morning during your absence begging us to give them someproteetion Itseems the dacoits have robbed two boats in the past week. There is a whole nest of the wretches about ten miles above here. These traders circled round to avoid them, and they re- port boat of stuff lying at a village twenty miles up the river which they are afraid to bring down. Now my idea is this: Suppose We take apick- ed dozen of men and go back with these fellows. Then we hide ourselves in tfe boat, start down the river and when the dacoits come out to board us we pop up and give them leaden reception. l assure you they will trouble no more traders boats, and in future we will feast as royalty as the Raiah of Munnipore himself Now, what do you think of that, cap tain?"
 l expressed my opinion with a hearty clap on Redvers' back.
 The next morning l picked out half a dozed good men and, taking Red vers along, of course, We put our selves under the guidance of the Bur mese traders and started for the vil- iage twenty miles distant.
 That Is, it was twenty miles by the water, but it was at least thirty by the way our guides led us, for We cireled away back from the river, crossing over a couple of mountain ranges and wading through bamboo swamps and thorny jungles.
 It was q perilous trip for such a handful of men and we were all glad when we arrived at the village about nightfall.
 1t was a mere trifle of a place, but it was encircled with a strong stock ade of teak logs, and the natives had made such n heroic defense on the several occasions when it had been attacked by dacoits that the robbers had ceased to molest it. We found the boat moored along the bank. It was typical Burmese barge, the very counterpart ofa toy Noah s ark, with shelvingroofand sides construct ed of movable shutters that opened downward on hinges toward the water. 1t was propelled by big stern paddle and the steersman oc, cupied a little covered platform that was built up over the roofat the rear of the boat. We delayed our depart ure until after midnight so as te reach the decoy position abou, | dawn.
 The grateful natives piled us witl food and drink, and just before W, started an aged phoonge offered uI ! prayers for our success in an olt pagoda that stood on the bank. w, slowed ourselves away in theinteriol of the boat, among the the banana and cocoanuts, and cutting loos from the bank we glided out on tn sluggish steam.
 It was very dark and very quiet Redvers and I sat out on the decl with the boatmen, for it was nece4 sary to keep a sharp lookout Tn profile of the shore could be seen bu dimly, and the steersman found difficult to keep the center of th