第34章

Iimmediatelydashedintothemonhorseback，accompaniedbyLieutenantBaker，ColonelAbd-el-Kader，andMonsoor，followedbythetroops。Thecattle，seeingtheredshirtsofthe”FortyThieves，”hadgoneoffinaregularstampedethroughtheforest；thisprecipitateflighthadbeenquickenedbythereportoftherifles。Itwasdifficultworktomanagetheherdwithonlyfourhorses。NoonewhohasnothuntedAfrican，andespeciallyBaricattle，canhaveanideaoftheactivityoftheseanimals。Theygoalongatatremendouspace，andneverappeartogetblown：thuswewerespurringhardthroughtheforestinordertoovertaketheherd，whentomygreatsatisfactionwearrivedatthebroadbed(nearlydry)oftheBelinianriver。Thischeckedthepace，andwereinedupourhorses，andquietlywaitedforthetroops，whowereexcellentrunners。

Afewmenof”TheForty”werethefirstup，andwemanagedtodrivethecattleacrosstheriverontotheopenplain。Hardlyhadwearrivedonthelevelground，whentheystartedoffinanotherstampede，andkeptusgoingforaboutthreemiles，asthoughwewerefollowinghounds。

Withahorseoneachflankandintherearoftheherdweatlengthmanagedtocontroltheirmovements。Fortunatelywehadbeenrunningtowardsourcamp。

Aherdofcattlegenerallydependsuponafewofitsmembers，whichareusuallyfollowedbytheothers。Uponthisoccasionthereweretwocowsthatappearedtodirecttheirmovements。Thesewildcreaturesrefusedtoenterourcattlekraaluponarrivalatthecamp，whenthetroops，havingseenourapproach，cameouttorenderassistance。Withskilfulmanagementtheherdwassecuredwithinthekraal，withtheexceptionofthetwoundisciplinedcows，whichstartedoffatfullspeedalongtheplain，followedbyAbd-el-Kaderandmyself。Ablackandwhitecowwasexceedinglyvicious，andbeinghardpressedforaboutaquarterofamile，sheturnedtobayontheopenplain。Iwasridingmybesthorse，named”ThePig，”whowasverypowerfulandfast，andunderstoodcattle-drivingthoroughly。”ThePig，”accordinglyavoidedthechargeoftheinfuriatedcow，whichdashedathimlikeawildbuffalo。I

immediatelyshotherintheshoulderwitharevolver，whichhadnoothereffectthantoturnhertowardsColonelAbd-el-Kader，whowasridingalarge，clumsychestnutcalled”Jamoos”(thebuffalo)。Thishorseremainedperfectlystillwhenthecowrushedathim，andAbd-ed-Kaderinsteadoffiringhisrifle，receivedthechargefulluponhisleftleg，intowhichthecowdrovehersharphorn，makingaseriouswoundnearlythroughthecalf。Ithenshotthecowthroughthehead，butAbd-el-Kaderwasingreatpainandquitedisabled。

Uponcountingourcattlewefound165。Thiswasaverysmallherd，buttheyhadbeendifficulttocapture。

Ournewally，oldJarda，withhisdiplomaticsister，cametovisitusuponhearingofoursuccess，andimmediatelyaskedforacalf，whichI

gavehim。

Jarda’ssisternowinformedmethatthesheikofthemountainwishedforpeace，andrequestedpermissiontovisitme。Onthefollowingdayheappeared。Hewasafinepowerfulfellow，butwithabadexpression。I

hadalreadyheardthatJardaandhewerenotfriends，thereforeIlookeduponthisintroductionwithsuspicion。

Aftertheusualdeclarationoffriendshipbythenewsheik，andanapologyforpastmisdemeanours，presentswererequested。Afatcalfwasgiven——thenasheepwasdemanded；thiswasalsosupplied。Wenowcametobusiness。ItappearedthattheBelinianBarishadbeencalleduponbyAllorrontobecomeallies，atthesametimethatLoqiuahadbeeninvitedtojoininthegeneralattackthathadbeenmadeuponGondokoro。

Loquiahadhesitated，buthadatlengthjoinedBelinian，asthegovernmenttroopshadbeenreportedasgreatcowardswhowereafraidtoventurefarfromtheirhead-quarters。ThemanythousandcattleknowntobeatGondokoro，andthefabulousamountofstoresandmaterial，atlengthtemptedtheLoquiatojoinforces。

Onthenightoftheattack，itnowappearedthatLoquiahadlostmanymenkilled；otherswhowerewoundeddroppedontheway，anddiedontheroutethroughBelinian。Thislosss

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