noon
There were two hundred armed men this time , with ten officers and two surgeons , and provisions for a week . They carried bedding and hammocks , the latter for transporting their sick and wounded . It was a determined and angry company -- a punitive expedition as well as one of relief . They reached the site of the skirmish of the previous expedition shortly after noon , for they were now traveling a known trail and no time was lost in exploring . From there on the elephant-track led straight to Mbonga 's village . It was but two o'clock when the head of the column halted upon the edge of the clearing . Lieutenant Charpentier , who was in command , immediately sent a portion of his force through the jungle to the opposite side of the village .