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Every　day　the　natives　flocked　to　me　from　Fabbo　with　the　most　dreadful
tales　of　atrocities。

The　time　had　now　arrived　when　I　could　make　the　move　that　I　felt　sure
would　reduce　the　country　to　order。

The　slave…hunters　were　in　this　position。　I　had　sent　Ali　Germinar　with
sixty…five　men　to　Unyoro；　200　had　gone　off　with　Abou　Saood；　100
reprobates　clung　to　Salim…Wat…Howah；　and　the　remainder　were　true　to
Wat…el…Mek。

I　therefore　sent　a　message　to　Fabbo；　which　Wat…el…Mek　would　make　public
in　the　zareeba：　〃that；　having　received　daily　complaints　from　the　natives
of　outrages　committed　by　Salim…Wat…Howah　and　his　company；　it　was　my
intention　in　forty　eight　hours　to　visit　Fabbo　with　the　troops；　together
with　the　native　witnesses　to　the　outrages　complained　of。〃

I　ordered　〃all　those　men　who　had　enlisted　in　the　government　service；
together　with　all　others　who　were　true　to　the　Khedive；　to　retire　from
the　Fabbo　station　to　Faloro：　thus　Fabbo　alone　would　represent　the
malcontents。〃

I　felt　sure　that　the　dissension　which　had　existed　among　the　various
parties　would　now　break　out　anew；　and　that　Salim…Wat…Howah；　fearing　a
personal　visit　from　me；　would　follow　the　example　of　his　master；　Abou
Saood；　and　fly　from　the　country。

The　hint　that　I　had　given　respecting　the　retirement　of　the　loyal　people
to　Faloro；　so　that　Fabbo　would　represent　the　disloyal；　would　be
sufficient　warning　that　physical　force　was　intended；　should　other　means
fail。

The　day　upon　which　Wat…el…Mek　published　the　proclamation　was　one　of
general　consternation　in　Fabbo。

Wat…el…Mek　left　the　station　with　his　Soudanis。

Salim…Wat…Howah　and　his　men　suddenly　sprang　upon　the　vakeel；　Suleiman；
and　having　secured　him；　while　others　broke　open　the　powder…magazine；
they　possessed　themselves　of　three　cases　（1；500　rounds）　of
ball…cartridge；　together　with　the　flags　of　the　station。　With　this　prize
they　marched　out　of　the　zareeba　with　their　slaves；　who　carried　their
luggage；　and　took　the　road　towards　Latooka；　about　nine　days'　march
distant。

Without　firing　a　shot；　I　had　thus　won　the　game。　　All　the　bad　people　had
found　the　country　too　hot　for　them。　The　remaining　men　received
certificates；　and　raised　the　corps　of　irregulars　to　312　officers　and
men；　all　of　whom　were　nominally　under　Wat…el…Mek；　although　Ali　Genninar
held　a　separate　command　in　Unyoro。　I　now　strengthened　his　party　by　a
reinforcement。

From　this　date；　the　victory　was　gained；　and　I　could　only　thank　God　for
the　great　success　that　had　attended　all　my　efforts。　The　slave…hunting
was　now　at　an　end　throughout　an　immense　district；　as　the　slave…hunters
had　ceased　to　exist　south　of　Gondokoro。　Excepting　Unyoro；　the　days　of
bloodshed　were　past。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　who　had　so　gallantly　stood　by
me　through　every　difficulty；　never　again　had　an　enemy　before　them。　I　was
devoutly　thankful　for　days　of　peace。　（All　readers　will　share　my　deep
regret；　that　since　my　departure　from　Central　Africa　this　gallant　body　of
men；　together　with　the　French　officer　in　command；　Monsieur　Linant　de
Bellefonds；　fell　victims　to　a　surprise　by　the　Baris　in　the　district　of
Moogi。　Colonel　Gordon；　who　was　engaged　in　towing　a　steamer　through　the
rapids；　had　sent　M。　Linant　de　Bellefonds　with　forty　sniders　to　make　a
reconnaissance　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood；　as　the　Moogi　natives　had
become　hostile。　The　force　was　supplied　with　thirty　rounds　of
ball…cartridge　in　their　pouches　together　with　two　boxes　（1000　rounds）　of
spare　ammunition。　Only　four　soldiers　escaped　to　tell　the　tale　of
destruction。）

My　task　was　now　full　of　pleasure　and　gratification。　I　had　established
perfect　confidence　among　the　natives　throughout　the　large　country　of
Shooli。　The　Lira　tribe　had　declared　their　allegiance；　and　we　had　friends
upon　all　sides。

I　had　as　usual　planted　gardens　at　Fatiko；　which　were　flourishing。　The
natives　no　longer　concealed　their　stores　of　corn；　but　dancing　and
rejoicing　had　taken　the　place　of　watchfulness　and　insecurity。

The　children　and　women　flocked　to　our　camp；　and　marketing　upon　a　large
scale　was　conducted　without　a　squabble。　The　two　good　men；　Shooli　and
Gimoro；　who　were　daily　visitors；　assured　me　that　there　was　only　one
feeling　throughout　the　country；　of　gratitude　and　good…will。　This　was　a
great　reward　to　me　for　the　many　difficulties　we　had　undergone；　but　now
that　the　calm　days　of　peace　had　arrived；　I　looked　back　with　keen　regret
upon　the　good　men　that　I　had　lost；　especially　to　the　memory　of　poor
Monsoor。　There　was　no　person　who　would　have　enjoyed　my　success　so　much
as　that　worthy　man。

It　is　now　time　to　speak　of　Suleiman　and　the　party　who　had　left　Masindi
on　23rd　May　with　the　post　for　Fatiko；　together　with　the　300　Unyoro
carriers　who　were　to　have　transported　Abdullah's　detachment　to　Foweera。

The　letter　（concealed　in　a　package）　that　I　had　sent　to　Eddrees；　with
orders　that　〃the　party　might　return　at　once　to　Fatiko　should　they
suspect　foul　play；〃　had　reached　them　before　they　had　crossed　the
Victoria　Nile。

Mohammed；　the　Cairo　dragoman；　had　strongly　suspected　treachery；　owing　to
the　unaccountable　tardiness　of　the　natives　in　pushing　straight　for
Fatiko。　Every　day　messengers　had　arrived　from　Masindi；　and　others　had
been　returned　in　reply　by　the　sheik　Pittia；　who　had　charge　of　the　300
Unyoro　carriers。

When　my　letter　had　been　received；　Mohammed　advised　Eddrees　to　return　at
once　to　Masindi；　but　the　latter；　finding　himself　about　fifty　miles　on
the　journey；　concluded　that　it　would　be　better　to　continue　the　march。

They　had　delayed　so　many　days　on　the　road；　that　the　stock　of　flour
intended　for　the　whole　journey　would　have　failed；　had　they　not　spared
their　supply；　and　fed　upon　potatoes　whenever　they　halted　near　cultivated
ground。

On　one　occasion；　a　number　of　their　men　had　as　usual　gone　off　to　forage；
and　were　employed　in　digging　sweet　potatoes；　when　they　were　suddenly
attacked　by　the　natives　concealed　in　the　high　grass；　and　eleven　men　were
speared；　five　of　my　troops；　and　six　of　the　irregulars。　Fortunately　some
of　these　men　had　fired　their　muskets　before　they　died；　and　the　reports
alarmed　the　remainder　of　the　party；　who　were　in　a　small　village。　There
was　not　a　native　to　be　seen；　but　the　drums　and　horns　were　sounding；　and
as　the　Victoria　Nile　was　close　at　hand；　they　considered　it　would　be
advisable　to　cross　the　river　before　the　natives　should　attack　them　in
force。

It　was　necessary　to　release　Suleiman；　who　was　secured　in　a　sheba。　This
man　had　been　committed　to　the　charge　of　Mohammed。　Before　Mohammed　cut
the　raw　hide　strip　which　secured　the　forked　pole；　he　made　Suleiman　swear
by　the　prophet　not　to　escape；　but　that　he　would　deliver　himself　up　to
Major　Abdullah　at　Fatiko。

The　party；　now　reduced　to　twenty…five　men；　immediately　started。　Upon
arrival　at　the　banks　of　the　river；　they　happened　to　come　suddenly　upon　a
native；　whom　they　seized。

They　soon　observed　a　canoe　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　in　which　were
two　men。　They　now　made　an　arrangement　for　the　capture　of　the　canoe；
which　was　to　them　a　case　of　life　or　death。

The　prisoner　was　dressed　in　the　usual　flowing　robe　of　bark…cloth。　His
hands　were　tied　behind　him；　and　one　of　the　party　who　could　speak　the
language　now　concealed　himself　behind　the　bark…cloth　robe；　and　holding
the　native　tightly　by　the　arms；　he　threatened　him　with　instant　death
unless　he　called　the　two　natives　in　the　canoe。

At　first　he　hesitated；　but　fearing　the　knife　at　his　back；　the　point　of
which　just　pricked　him　to　let　him　know　that　it　was　ready；　he　shouted　to
the　men　in　the　boat。

〃Say　you　have　a　number　of　plantains；　and　you　want　to　take　them　across
the　river；〃　whispered　his　invisible　prompter　from　behind。

The　natives　in　the　canoe　hesitated。　〃Say　you　will　give　them　each　a　bunch
of　plantains　if　they　will　ferry　you　over；〃　again　whispered　the　cunning
Arab。

The　canoe　now　pushed　off　from　the　bank；　and　paddled　towards　the
apparently　solitary　native。

The　irregulars　were　concealed　in　the　high　grass　close　to　the　bank；　and
as　the　canoe　touched　the　shore；　they　shot　the　two　natives　dead；　and
immediately　secured　it。

They　now　unlashed　the　arms　of　the　prisoner；　and　insisted　upon　his
paddling　the　canoe　across　the　river。　Two　journeys　were　necessary。　The
first　was　successful；　and　the　regular　troops；　together　with　the　post　and
Suleiman　and　others；　were　safely　landed。　During　the　second　journey；　as
the　canoe　was　passing　a　rock　above　some　dangerous　rapids；　the　native
suddenly　upset　the　boat　by　throwing　his　weight　quickly　to　one　side；　and
plunged　the　whole　party　in　the　river。　Some　of　them　were　carried　over　the
cataracts　and　drowned。　The　others；　including　Ali　Genninar；　were　good
swimmers；　and　they　reached　the　shore。

Although　the　irregulars　thoroughly　knew　the　country；　they　now　found
themselves　in　the　immense　wilderness　that　separates　Unyoro　from　the
Shooli　and　Madi　tribes。

In　this　sea　of　high　grass　they　wandered　for　some　days；　lost；　until　they
at　length　discovered　the　regular　path；　and；　after　great　suffering；
reached　Fatiko。

Eddrees；　who　had　been　appointed　vakeel；　became　a　traitor；　and　upon
meeting　Abou　Saood　and　his　people；　who　had　come　out　to　receive　the　party
upon　their　arrival；　he　cried　out；　〃Look　sharp　for　your　neck；　Abou　Saood