ismailia-第101节

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have　heard　of　my　refusal　to　ally　myself　with　Kabba　Rega　against　him：
thus　he　would　be　favourable　to　the　government。

I　resolved　that；　if　hostilities　should　continue；　I　would　proclaim　Rionga
representative　of　the　government；　as　vassal…chief　of　Unyoro；　in　the　room
of　Kabba　Rega；　deposed。

Rionga　would　send　a　letter　to　warn　Major　Abdullah　at　Fatiko；　but　how　was
I　to　convey　my　baggage　and　ammunition　from　Masindi　to　Foweera；　without　a
single　carrier；　or　even　a　guide？

It　was　the　height　of　the　rainy　season；　and　the　grass　was　about　nine　or
ten　feet　high；　throughout　a　country　of　dense　and　tangled　forest。

I　had　no　interpreter　of　my　own；　Umbogo　was　Kabba　Rega's　slave；　and
although　I　fancied　that　he　was　fond　of　us；　I　had　no　faith　in　any　one　of
these　detestable　people。　This　want　of　confidence　was　keenly　felt　at　a
time　when　I　required　an　interpreter　in　whom　I　could　absolutely　trust。　I
was　obliged　to　confide　my　plan　to　Umbogo；　as　I　wished　him　to　find　some
man　among　the　natives　who　would　take　a　message　to　Rionga。

I　knew　that　many　people　hated　Kabba　Rega。　Umbogo　had　frequently　assured
me　that　Mashudi；　which　was　only　two　days　distant　from　Masindi；　to　the
south…east；　had　always　been　Rionga's　stronghold；　and　that　the　natives　of
that　district　would　rise　in　favour　of　their　chief；　should　any　reverse
befall　Kabba　Rega。

The　news　of　the　defeat　of　his　army；　and　the　complete　destruction　of　his
capital；　would　run　through　the　country　like　wild…fire。　It　was　well　known
that　Rionga　had　spies；　who　were　disguised　as　friends；　even　at　the　court
of　Kabba　Rega；　these　agents　sent　him　information　of　all　that　occurred。

If　Umbogo　could　communicate　with　one　of　these　people；　I　might　send　off
to　Rionga；　and　beg　him　to　send　300　men　to　Fatiko；　with　a　letter　from
myself　to　Major　Abdullah。　Rionga's　people　would　transport　the　effects
instead　of　Rabba　Rega's　carriers；　who　would　be　seized　and　held　as
hostages。　This　would　save　Abdullah　from　the　intended　treachery；　if　it
were　done　at　once；　but　there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose。

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　hos