第54章

ThisfellowhadwaiteduponmyordersdailysincemyarrivalatFatiko。

AtthedeathoftheformervakeelofFatiko，AliHusseinhadsucceededtothecommandofthestation。

HehadarrangedtomakeadescentupontheUmirotribe，aboutsixdays’

marchtothesouth-east。

Heaccordinglysentnativesasspies，withspeciousmessagestotheUmiro，announcinghisintentionofvisitingthemtopurchaseivory。

Withapartyincreasedbyvolunteersfromotherstationstoaforceofabout300men，hearrivedatUmiro。

Thesimplenativesreceivedhimgladly，andshowedextremehospitality。

Thecountrywasthicklypopulated，andaboundedwithvastherdsofthefinestcattle。

Afteraweek’ssojournamongtheUmiro，duringwhichhehadreceivedlargepresentsofelephants’tusks，andseventyheadofoxenfromtheconfidingnatives，thetreacherousruffiangaveanordertohisbrigandsatsunset。Theyweretobeunderarmsanhourbeforedaybreakonthefollowingmorning，tosetfiretotheadjacentvillagesoftheirgeneroushosts，andtocapturetheirlargeherdsofcattle，togetherwiththeirwomenandchildren。

Atthetimeappointed，whileeveryUmirosleptunconsciousofapproachingdanger，severalvillagesweresurrounded，andvolleysofmusketrywerepoureduponthesleepinginmates。Thestrawhutswereignited，andtheflamesrapidlyspread，whileamassacrecommencedsimilartothebutcheriestowhichtheslave-huntersweresowellaccustomed。

TheUmiro，thustakenbysurprise，andappalledbysodastardlyatreachery，wereeasilydefeated。Theirchildrenandwiveswerecaptured，togetherwithlargeherdsofcattle，whicharecelebratedfortheirsize。AlltheseweredrivenintriumphtoFatiko。

Thesuccessofthisinfernalscheme，raisedthereputationofAliHusseintothehighestpitch。ThereportsofthevastpastoralwealthoftheUmiroexcitedthecupidityofthevariouscompaniesinthestationsofAbouSaood。

Itwasdeterminedtomakeagrandattackuponapeople，who，inspiteoftheirwarlikecharacter，hadexhibitedatotalwantofpowertoresist。

AliHusseinsentanexpeditionofabout350men，inadditiontoalargenumberofFatikoallies。TheyarrivedonthebordersofUmiro，withinaboutanhour’smarchofthevillagesdoomedtopillage。ThepartywasunderthecommandofanotoriousruffiannamedLazim，whomIhadknownduringmyformerexploration。

UponarrivalintheUmirocountry，duringthenightafteraforcedmarch，hesentadetachmentof103men，togetherwithabout150natives，toattackthevillagesbyasurpriseatdawn，andtocapturetheslavesandcattleintheusualmanner。

Thepartystartedattheearlyhouroffirstcock-crow，whilethemainbodyunderLazimwaitedfortheresult。

Hourspassed，butthecompanydidnotreturn。Afewshotshadbeenheardinthedistance。

Thecountrywasclearandopen，butnothingcouldbeseen。Therewasnolowingofcattle，neitherdidtheheavycloudsofsmoke，usualonsuchoccasions，pointoutthedirectionofburningvillages。

Presently，drumswereheardineverydirection，thehornsandwhistlesoftheUmirosoundedthealarm，andlargebodiesofnativesrushedacrosstheplaintotheattackofLazim’smainbody。

Theyhadjusttimetoform，andtopostthemenaroundthestrongcattlekraal，whichtheyhadoccupied，whenthestreamofenemiescamedownuponthem。

Upontheopenplain，theUmirohadnochanceinattackingsowelldefendedaposition，andthemuskets，loadedwithheavymouldshot，toldwithgreateffectuponthenakedbodiesoftheassailants。

TheUmirowerebeatenbackwithsomeloss，andtheslave-huntersheldtheposition，althoughinastateofterror，astheyfeltthatsometerriblecalamitymusthavebefallenthepartywhichhadstartedtosurprisethevillages。

Afterdark，aBarinativecriedouttothesentriestolethimpass。

Thiswasawoundedmanoftheirownpeople，theonlysurvivorofallthosewhohadleftthemainbodyonthatmorning。

TheBaridescribed，thattheUmiro，havinggainedinformationoftheintendedattack，hadlaininamb

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