55 As they came to the edge of the swamp they
found a gruesome sight. Here the flood had dropped what it had picked
up, up river. There were dead bodies everywhere, and the people began
to strip and search them. Soon men who had been wearing tattered pants
for weeks were wearing the enemy's pants. There was also ammunition and
food.
56 Then they came on the greatest prize of all. All along the edge of
the trees were shattered boats. In them, was everything they needed,
tins of biscuits, meat and cheese, repeating rifles, ammunition, and
most important of all, documents. And in some of the boats, or rather,
UNDER them, was something else. When one of the men first discovered
them, he ran back and pulled Sorrowful Dove over to show him.
57 Beneath the boat were two bodies of Epon War Leaders. The documents
in their pouches revealed why the enemy had such numbers. Epon was
reinforcing them, supplying them with laborers and other such people,
so they could put all their men into the field to fight. They were also
garrisoning some rear areas, and, guarding prisoners so The Children of
Spirit would not be aware of their presence.
58 As the people sat around feasting themselves on the food,
Sorrowful Dove contemplated what to do. They now had more weapons and
ammunition than they could carry. They would have to hide the rest on
some high ground where it would be safe and come back for it later. He
could either try to get north, or head back south and try to reach Fin.
The enemy's papers said they hadn't taken it yet, but would move on it
soon.
59 The rifles and ammunition they had might