gold and black braid； with a new tarboosh； a handsome silk shawl in
thick folds around his waist； and his sabre dangling by his side。 This
sudden metamorphosis from dirt and ashes to dazzling attire was
symbolical of disgrace and humiliation succeeded by pardon and
restoration to office。
Suleiman was to continue as vakeel of the Fabbo station； under the
command of Wat…el…Mek。 In the magazines of Fabbo were 3；200 elephants'
tusks。 These； I had no doubt； would be confiscated by the Khedive。
A short time before the arrival of Suleiman； an extraordinary incident
had occurred at the Fatiko camp。
One morning； when the bugles blew the usual call； it was discovered that
the prisoner Lazim had escaped； although he had been secured in irons。
Fortunately； it had rained slightly during the night； thus it would not
be difficult to track his footsteps。 I immediately sent for Shooli and
Gimoro； whose village was only 700 yards distant； to whom I promised a
reward of a cow； should they succeed in capturing the escaped felon。
They quickly got upon the track of the fugitive； and followed like
bloodhounds。
I have already described this fellow Lazim as having been one of the
ringleaders in the rebellion of the slave…hunters； and he was almost as
notorious a character as Ali Hussein。 He was originally himself a slave；
and had escaped from his master at Khartoum many years ago； after which
he became one of the most determined slave…hunters。
I felt sure that it would have been impossible for him to have escaped
without the connivance of the sentry。 I therefore ordered all the
soldiers that had formed the various night…guards over the prisoner to
be brought before me。 As they stood in line； I simply told them that
〃the prisoner had escaped； and that one of the men now present was
guilty of aiding and abetting。 I could discover the fellow who had thus
disgraced himself as a soldier by simply looking at his face。〃
Having carefully examined the countenance of each man； I felt confident
that I had fixed upon the guilty person； as one individual quailed
beneath my eye； and at length looked down upon the ground。 This happened
to be one of the worst characters in the force。 I therefore at once
ordered him to be flogged。
During the infliction of punishment； this fellow not only confessed that
he had assisted in the escape of Lazim； but he made a clean breast of
several other delinquencies。 He was accordingly put in irons； and
condemned to break stones for the new roads。
In the evening Shooli returned； but without the prisoner。 Before he gave
his report； he begged me 〃not to be angry。〃 He then described that he
had tracked Lazim's footsteps for a long way along the Fabbo road until
he had at length met several natives； who were coming towards him。 These
men declared that they had met Lazim； who had managed to get rid of his
irons； but as he was unarmed； they knew that he must have run away。 They
accordingly asked him for his pass from me； as it was well known that I
never allowed a man to go alone without a written order。
Lazim of course was unable to produce a paper。 The natives； therefore；
insisted upon his returning with them to Fatiko； and upon his
remonstrating they seized him。 A struggle ensued； and they at length
knocked him upon the head with au iron mace and killed him。 Thus ended
one of the greatest scoundrels； and the government was relieved by his
escape from custody； which had so quickly terminated his career。
CHAPTER XXV。
I SEND TO GONDOKORO FOR REINFORCEMENTS。
On 25th November； 1872； I started Wat…el…Mek to Gondokoro with a force
of irregulars； in addition to a captain and twenty regular troops in
charge of the post。 His party consisted of 100 men。
The fleet from Gondokoro had left on the 3rd of November； 1871： thus it
was natural to suppose that reinforcements had arrived from Khartoum；
according to my written instructions on that date。 I now wrote to Raouf
Bey at head…quarters； to send up 200 men under the command of
Lieutenant…Colonel Tayib Agha； of the Soudani regiment。 I also wrote for
a supply of cattle； as my stock had dwindled to a small herd of milch
cows； and the people at Fabbe had no meat except the flesh of any game
that might be killed。
A short time after the departure of Wat…el…Mek and his party for
Gondokoro； Suleiman the vakeel arrived from Fabbo with the intelligence
that a large body of Abou Saood's slave…hunters； including 3；000
Makkarika cannibals； had arrived on the Nile from the far west； with the
intention of taking the ivory from Fabbo！
It appeared that Abou Saood had gone from Gondokoro to his station at
the Bohr； upon the White Nile； from thence he had sent a party with a
letter to Atroosh； the vakeel of the Makkarika station； about 200 miles
distant； with orders that he should send a powerful force； with
sufficient carriers； to take the ivory by violence from Fabbo。
Abou Saood had not expected that the people whom he had left at that
station would have enlisted under the government standard。 Thus he
imagined they would at once fraternize with the invading force。
The natives of the country were thoroughly alarmed； as the cannibals
were eating the children of the Koshi country on the west bank of the
Nile； in about 3 degrees latitude； and should they cross the river； the
Madis and Shoolis expected the same fate。
I ordered Suleiman （who had received a letter from Atroosh） to take a
letter from me to Ali Emmeen； the vakeel of the invading force；
instructing him to present himself before me at Fatiko instantly with an
escort of his own people； limited to twenty…five men。 At the same time I
gave instructions to the natives upon no account to furnish boats for a
larger party。
After some days' absence Suleiman returned； but without Ali Emmeen； who
was afraid to appear。 This vakeel had received my verbal assurance from
Suleiman that； should any persons attempt the passage of the river
without my permission； they would be instantly shot； at the same time；
if he wished to convey the ivory to Gondokoro by the usual route； he
could do so with an escort of regulars。
This was an awkward position for Ali Emmeen； who had expected to find
allies at Fabbo； but who now found a faithful corps of irregulars with
Suleiman at their head acting under my orders。
He accordingly took 100 men and returned about 180 miles to the camp of
Atroosh for fresh instructions。 The 3；000 Makkarika cannibals were left
with the remainder of his company on the west bank of the Nile to feed
upon the natives of Koshi until his return。
Every day people arrived at Fatiko with horrible reports of the
cannibals； who were devouring the children in the Koshi district。 Spies
went across the river and brought me every intelligence。 It appeared
that the 3；000 Makkarikas had been engaged by Ali Emmeen under the
pretence that they were 〃to go to Fatiko and fight a chief called 'the
Pacha；' who had enormous flocks and herds； together with thousands of
beautiful women and other alluring spoil；〃 but they had not heard that
they were to carry 3；000 elephants' tusks to the station of Atroosh。
My spies now told them the truth。 〃Fight the Pacha！〃 they exclaimed：
〃do you not know who he is？ and that he could kill you all like fowls；
as he did the people of Ali Hussein？ He has no cows for you to carry
off； but he has guns that are magic； and which load from behind instead
of at the muzzle！〃
This was a terrible disappointment to the deluded Makkarikas； which at
once spread dissension among them； when they found that they had been
cajoled in order to transport the heavy loads of ivory。
A providential visitation suddenly fell upon them。 The small…pox broke
out and killed upwards of 800 bloodthirsty cannibals who had been
devouring the country。
The Nile was reported to be about six miles in width opposite their
station； in about 3 degrees latitude； which is only a few miles from the
Albert N'yanza。 This visitation of small…pox created a panic which
entirely broke up and dispersed the invading force； and defeated their
plans。
We were now in frequent communication with Rionga； who was always
represented in my Fatiko camp by the presence of one of his sheiks and
several men。
Ali Genninar had made a combined attack upon Kabba Rega； together with
Rionga and the Langgo tribe； and had utterly defeated him。 His people
were now deserting him in great numbers； and were flocking to the
winning side。 Kabba Rega had taken to flight； and was supposed to be
hiding in the neighbourhood of Chibero； on the borders of the Albert
N'yanza。
M'tese； the king of Uganda； had invaded Unyoro from the south； and
having heard of Kabba Rega's treachery towards myself； he had sent an
army of 6；000 men under his general； Congow； to be placed at my
disposal。
This friendship was the result of my diplomacy in having sent him
valuable presents from Masindi； together with a letter warning him
against Kabba Rega； who wished to prevent the goods of the north from
reaching Uganda； in order that he might monopolize the trade in Unyoro。
The subsequent conduct of Kabba Rega had proved this accusation； and
M'tese had heard with rage and dismay that I had been forced to burn all
the numerous goods； which otherwise would have passed to him in Uganda。
On the 25th December the fort of Fatiko was completed。 This was
commenced on the 28th August； thus my men had been four months engaged
in the work； owing to the extreme hardness of the subsoil； which was a
compact gravel resembling concrete。
The three faces of the fort measured 455 yards of fosse and earthen
rampart。 The fosse was eight feet wide； eight feet deep； and the face of
the rampart was protected by chevaux…de…frise of sharpened stakes。 The
west base of the fort was the rock citadel； which commanded the
surrounding country。 Upon this solid foundation I had built an excellent
powder…magazine and store； of solid masonry。 This fire…proof building
was roofed with a thick cement of clay from the white…ant hills； that
had been tempered for some weeks and mixed with chopped straw。
All my work was completed； and I could do nothing until the
reinforcements should arri