ismailia-第83章

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Already　fifteen　days　had　elapsed　since　my　party　with　the　post　had
started；　and　by　this　time　they　should　be　near　Fatiko；　（at　that　time　they
had　already　been　treacherously　attacked。）　unless　they　had　been　delayed
upon　the　road；　as　was　usual　in　Unyoro。

If　I　could　depend　upon　Rionga；　he　would　at　once　save　Abdullah's　party；
and　he　would　send　a　large　force　to　communicate　with　me　at　Masindi。

Had　I　provisions；　I　could　have　held　my　now　fortified　position　against　a
whole　world　of　niggers；　but　with　only　a　hundred　men；　I　should　be　unable
to　forage　in　this　country　of　high　grass；　and　at　the　same　time　defend　the
station。

All　depended　upon　the　possibility　of　my　communication　with　Rionga。

Umbogo　declared　that　if　I　would　only　march　to　Mashudi；　the　natives　would
rise　in　his　favour　and　join　me。

I　told　him　that　if　this　were　true；　he　could　surely　find　some　person　who
would　run　to　Mashudi；　and　raise　the　malcontents；　who　would　at　once　carry
my　message　to　Rionga。

Umbogo　promised　to　do　his　best：　at　the　same　time　he　expressed　an　opinion
that　Rionga　would　not　wait　long　in　inaction；　but　that　he　would　invade
Kabba　Rega　directly　that　he　should　hear　of　the　war。　From　my　experience
of　natives；　I　did　not　share　his　opinion。

As　Kittakara　had　apologized　for　the　attack　to　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　and
a　truce　had　been　arranged；　a　great　number　of　natives　spread　themselves
over　the　ruins　of　the　town；　to　search　for　the　iron　molotes；　which　are
generally　concealed　in　the　earth；　beneath　the　floor　of　the　huts。　The
natives　were　all　prodding　the　smoking　ground　with　the　iron…tipped
butt…ends　of　their　lances　to　discover　the　treasures。

Umbogo　now　went　among　them　with　his　guard；　and　conversed　upon　the　cause
of　the　late　attack。

In　the　evening；　Umbogo　declared　that　he　was　not　quite　certain　of　the
truth；　he　evidently　suspected　the　sincerity　of　Kabba　Rega。　It　was　quite
impossible　to　procure　any　messenger　at　present　that　could　be　trusted
with　a　message　to　Rionga。

The　memorable　8th　of　June　happened　to　be　my　birthday。　It　had　been　the
day　of　death　to　my　lamented　follower；　Monsoor；　but　we　had　well　avenged
him。

Umbogo　reported　that　the　natives　had　given　him　the　names　of　nine
matongales　（chiefs）　killed　in　the　action；　together　with　a　large　number
of　common　people。　A　great　many　were　still　missing：　these　were　probably
lying　in　the　high　grass　which　had　been　raked　by　the　hot　fire　of　the
sniders。　Vultures　were　collected　in　immense　numbers　over　many　spots　in
this　dense　covert；　which　denoted　the　places　where　the　〃missing〃　had
fallen。

I　ordered　the　troops　to　abandon　their　undefended　camp；　and　to　sleep
within　the　fort　that　night。

The　morning　of　the　9th　of　June　arrivedthe　night　had　passed　in　perfect
quiet。

My　troops　set　to　work　with　their　sharp　sword…bayonets；　swords；　knives；
&c。；　to　cut　down　all　the　high　grass　in　the　neighbourhood；　so　as　to　throw
open　the　view；　and　prevent　the　enemy　from　attacking　us　by　another
surprise。　They　worked　for　many　hours；　and　soon　found　a　number　of　the
missing；　who　were　lying　dead。　Five　bodies　were　discovered　close
together；　as　though　they　had　been　killed　by　a　shell。　This　was　in　a　spot
where　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　had　been　at　work。

One　unfortunate　creature　was　found　in　the　high　grass　with　a　smashed　leg。
He　had　been　lying；　thirsty　and　in　pain；　for　about　thirty　hours　in　the
same　spot。　My　men　gave　him　water　and　food；　and　his　friends　came　and　took
him　away。　The　wounded　man　seemed　very　grateful；　and　he　told　my　soldiers
that　they　were　〃better　men　than　the　Unyoros；　who　would　certainly　murder
a　wounded　enemy　instead　of　giving　him　food　and　water。〃

I　had　told　Umbogo　to　make　inquiries　as　to　the　safety　of　little
Cherri…Merri。　The　boy　was　unharmed；　as　he　had　been　taken　away　before　the
fight。

It　was　now　proved　that　the　cows　had　also　been　removed　during　the　night
previous　to　the　attack；　as　I　had　suspected。

During　the　day；　vast　number　of　people　were　collected　at　a　large　village；
situated　on　a　knoll；　about　700　yards　from　our　station　in　a　direct　line。
This　place；　we　were　informed；　was　now　occupied　by　Kabba　Rega。　The　knoll
was　about　eighty　feet　lower　than　our　high　position；　therefore；　as　we　had
roughly　cut　down　the　grass；　we　looked　directly　upon　the　village。

We　lost　no　time　in　erecting　the　large　astronomical　telescope　upon　its
stand。　This　was　placed　upon　the　flat　gravel　approach　in　front　of　the
government　divan；　and　through　the　powerful　glass　we　could　distinguish
each　feature；　and　the　expression　of　every　individual　countenance　of　the
crowd　within　the　village。

During　the　day；　messengers　arrived　from　Kabba　Rega　with　an　official
explanation　of　the　misunderstanding。　They　declared　that　it　was　entirely
the　fault　of　Matonse；　who　would　be　soon　captured；　that　Kabba　Rega
desired　them　to　express　his　deep　regret；　〃Was　he　not　my　son？　Did　he　not
depend　upon　the　protection　of　his　father？〃　He　only　begged　for　peace。　The
natives　had　been　killed　in　great　numbers；　therefore　〃if　we　had　lost　a
few　soldiers；　the　Unyoro　had　lost　manyso　the　affair　was　settled。〃

I　told　them　that　nothing　could　ever　compensate　for　the　loss　of　Monsoor；
who　had　been　so　treacherously　killed；　at　the　same　time；　if　Kabba　Rega
could　prove　that　the　guilt　really　lay　with　Matonse；　the　simple　plan
would　be　to　deliver　him　up　to　me。

I　recalled　to　their　recollection　how　I　had　passed　ten　months　in　Unyoro
in　the　reign　of　Kamrasi；　at　which　time　I　had　only　an　escort　of　thirteen
men；　and　no　misunderstanding　had　ever　occurred。　I　explained　that　the
fault　was　not　on　my　side。　An　attempt　had　been　made　to　poison　us
collectively；　we　had　then　been　surprised　by　a　thoroughly　organized
attack；　at　a　time　when　the　troops　were　supposed　to　have　been　disabled　by
the　poison。

Kabba　Rega　must　clear　his　character。　　If　he　were　innocent；　I　should　be
only　too　happy。

The　matongale；　or　sheik；　who　was　the　principal　messenger；　assured　me
that　Kabba　Rega　was　quite　in　despair；　and　that　he　had　given　orders　for
provisions　and　a　large　quantity　of　ivory　to　be　collected；　which　would　be
sent　to　us　on　the　day　following；　in　charge　of　Rahonka　and　Kittakara。

The　want　of　provisions　was　sorely　felt；　fortunately；　as　our　cows　had
been　dying　daily；　the　troops　had　some　sweet　potatoes　that　had　been
purchased　in　exchange　for　flesh。　These　would　last　for　a　few　days。

A　short　time　before　the　attack；　I　had　promised　to　send　Kabba　Rega　a
porcelain　cache…pot。　I　therefore　took　the　opportunity　of　reminding　the
sheik　of　my　promise；　and　I　begged　him　to　deliver　the　piece　of　china　to
Kabba　Rega　as　a　proof　of　my　peaceful　intentions；　should　he　really　be
innocent　of　the　treachery。

The　handsome　present　was　wrapped　up　in　red　Turkey　cloth；　and　the
messengers　departed。

I　watched　them　through　the　telescope；　and；　upon　their　arrival　at　the
village　below　us；　I　distinctly　witnessed；　not　only　their　reception　by
the　expectant　crowd；　but　the　cache…pot　was　unpacked　and　held　at　arm's
length　above　the　head；　to　be　exhibited　to　the　admiring　people。

This　looked　well。　　My　officers　began　to　believe　in　peace；　and；　although
I　still　had　strong　suspicions；　I　hoped　that　the　signal　defeat　which
Kabba　Rega's　army　had　sustained　had　so　far　cowed　them　as　to　induce　a
termination　of　hostilities；　that　would　enable　me　to　communicate　with
Major　Abdullah。

The　luggage　from　the　government　divan　had　all　been　carried　to　the　fort。　
This　was　now　returned　to　our　original　quarters；　my　wife　and　her　black
maids　were　working　hard　at　rearranging　the　rooms。

The　night　passed　quietly。

On　10th　of　June　a　matongale　and　several　natives　arrived　from　Kabba　Rega；
with　a　most　polite　message　and　friendly　assurances；　accompanied　by　a
present　of　two　beautiful　white　cows。

The　messengers　corroborated　the　statement　of　the　preceding　day；　that
large　quantities　of　provisions　were　being　prepared　for　us；　together　with
twenty　elephants'　tusks；　which　were　to　be　delivered　as　a　peace…offering
by　Rahonka　and　Kittakara　in　person。

Affairs　looked　brighter。　　It　was　my　best　policy　to　secure　peace　if
possible。

I　determined　to　send　Kabba　Rega；　in　return　for　his　present　of　cows；　the
large　Geneva　musical　box；　with　drums　and　bells；　which　he　had　always
desired。

No　one　knew　how　to　wind　it　up；　and　it　was　necessary　that　some　person
should　accompany　it　with　the　native　messengers。

The　clerk　of　the　detachment；　Ramadan；　who　has　already　been　mentioned　as
a　favourite　with　the　natives；　and　a　good　linguist；　at　once　volunteered
to　be　the　bearer　of　the　present。　Since　the　battle　of　Masindi；　Ramadan
had　been　in　frequent　personal　communication　with　the　natives；　and　he
assured　me　that　there　was　a　general　desire　for　peaceful　relations。　He
was　supposed　to　be　a　favourite　of　Kabba　Rega's；　and　it　was　therefore
arranged　that　he　should　accompany　the　musical　box；　which　was　a　good　load
for　a　fast…travelling　native。

Hafiz；　the　farrier；　whose　occupation　was　nearly　gone　by　the　death　of　all
the　horses　but　two；　volunteered　to　accompany　Ramadan。　I　ordered　them　to
go　unarmed；　as　their　peaceful　mission　would　be　at　once　understood；　this
fact　would　establish　confidence　among　the　natives。

It　was　about　3　P。M。　when　they　started；　and　we　watched　their　arrival　in
the　village　with　the　telescope；　where　they　appeared　to　be　well　received。

In　the　evening　they　both　returned　with　the　musical　box；　accompanied　by
the　sheik　who　was　to　be　their　guide；　as　Kabba　Rega　had　retired　to　a　town
at　which　he　had　a　residence；　about　half　a　day's　march　distant。　It　was
arranged　that　they　should　start　on　the　following　morning。

On　the　11th　June；　Ramadan　and　Hafiz；　together　with　the　musical　box；
started；　and　we　watched　their　reception　at　the　village　with　the
telescope。　I　had　released　Umbogo；　whom　I　had　sent　to　Kabba　Rega　to
explain　all　that　he　had　seen　of　the　outbreak；　as　he　was　one　of　those
that　had　been　poisoned　by　the　plaintain　cider。　Umbogo　promised　to　return
as　soon　as　possible。　The　dragoman；　Abou　Kooka；　remained　with　us　in　the
place　of　Umbogo。　This　was　a　sullen…looking　brute　who　had　been　a　slave
stolen　from　the　Madi　tribe。

I　must　now　take　an　extract　verbatim　from　my　journal；　that　was　written　on
the　day　of　the　incident。　Any　warm　expressions　in　this　extract　must　be
excused　as　a　natural　consequence；　for　which　I　trust　due　allowance　will
be　granted：

〃I　walked　round　the　burnt　town　of　Masindi；　accompanied　by　Julian
（Lieutenant　Baker）；　Abd…el…Kader；　and　two　guards　of　'The　Forty。'　Neither
Abd…el…Kader　nor　I　carried　guns；　as　I　wished　to　establish　confidence
among　the　natives　who　were　searching　among　the　ashes　for　molotes。

〃I　sent　for　the　dragoman；　Abou　Kooka；　and　conversed　with　the　natives；
assuring　them　of　peace；　and　that　I　had　no　ill…will　against　Kabba　Rega；
if　Matonse　was　the　cause　of　the　outbreak。　At　the　same　time；　I　told　them
to　bring　provisions　for　sale。

〃They　seemed　very　shy；　and　replied　that　'all　would　be　right　when　the
messengers　should　arrive　from　Kabba　Rega。　One　by　one　they　went　away；
until　only　two　were　left。　Julian　gave　his　gun　to　one　of　the　guards。

〃The　two　natives　were　standing　on　the　edge　of　the　high　grass；　close　to
the　ashes　of　the　town；　and　they　appeared　more　confident；　as　they
conversed　with　us　at　about　twelve　yards'　distance。

〃Presently　they　said　they　would　come　close　to　us；　were　it　not　for　their
fear　of　the　t