第59章

Itwillnowbenecessarytoexplainthetruepositionofaffairs，whichatthattimeIdidnotsuspect。

Uponmyfirstarrivalattheriver，whenIhadexplainedmyviewstoSuleiman，hehadimmediatelydespatchedalettertoAbouSaoodatFatiko。Hispartyhadtravelledfast，andtheyreturnedwithananswer。

Icouldneverdiscovertheactualcontentsoftheletterinreply，butI

heardthatitcautionedSuleimannottopartwiththeslaves，andtojoinAbouSaoodwithhisivoryandallhispeopleatthestationofFabbo，aday’smarchwestofFatiko。

Suleimanwasinanawkwardposition。HehadalwaysheldahighplaceintheeyesofKabbaRegaandhischiefs，andhisalliancehadbeencourtedandobtainedforacombinedattachupontheoldenemy，Rionga。ThearmyofKabbaRegahadbeenwaitingattherendezvousinexpectationofSuleiman’sassistance。Afleetoflargecanoeshadbeenconcentratedatagivenpointfortheinvasionoftheisland；andKabbaRegaandhissheiksconsideredthatatlengththeiroldenemywasinthesnare。

Myunexpectedarrivalhadruinedtheproject，asIstrictlyforbadeSuleimantoattackRionga。

ThisdisappointedKabbaRegaandhispeople，whocouldnotunderstandhowIcouldbethefriendofhislatefatherKamrasi，andatthesametimeprotecthisenemyRionga。

Theattackontheislandwasadangerousadventure，asitwassurroundedbydensemassesofpapyrusrushthatwouldpreventcanoesfromlanding，exceptatcertainplaceswerenarrowpassageshadbeencleared。Afewmenconcealedamongthepapyruscouldmassacreanattackingpartyatdiscretion，astheystruggledthroughthenarrowentranceincanoes。IthadbeenproposedthatSuleiman’speopleweretoattackinboatsandclearouttheenemybyasharpfireintothepapyrustocoverthegeneraladvance。

Suleimanwasinadilemma，ashehadalreadypromisedalliance，andhadreceivedaquantityofivoryinpaymentforhisservices。HehadaccordinglymadethefollowingsecretarrangementwithRahonkaandLokara：——”LetthePachaandhissoldiersstartforMasindi，andhewillsupposethatSuleimanwillfollowonthemorrow；insteadofwhich，hewillatoncejoinKabbaRega’sforces，andattackRionga，whenthePachashallbeseveraldays’journeydistantfromtheriver。”

OnhisreturntoFoweerafromasuccessfulinvasionofRionga’sisland，thecommandersoftheforces，LokaraandRahonka，wereatoncetofurnishcarrierstotransportSuleimanwithallhispeopleandivorytotheFabbostation，accordingtotheinstructionsreceivedfromAbouSaood。

Ishouldthusbedeceived，andbeleftatMasindi，160milesdistantfrommydetachmentatFatiko，withoutthepowerofcommunication。

At8。30A。M。wewereinthesaddle，andstartedfromFoweera。Suleimancametokissmyhandatmydeparture。Werodeatonceintothelowforest，andasthelastmanofourpartydisappearedfromview，Suleimanreturnedtohiszareeba。Hethenpreparedforvengeance，whichthroughmypresencehadlongbeendelayed。

Heandhisferociouspeopledraggedtheprisoner(whoselifeIhadprotected)fromthecamp，untiltheyarrivedatathickgroveofplantainsabout200pacesfromthestation。Rahonka，Lokara，Quonga，Matonse，andotherprincipalchiefs，weresummonedtowitnesstheimpotenceofthePacha’spowertosave；andtoseewiththeirowneyesthedefiancethatSuleimanwouldexhibittotheordersofaChristian。”NowletthenativesclaspthekneesofthePachaanddefythepowerofSuleiman！”

Theruffiandrewhissabre，andwithhisownhand，inthepresenceofacrowdofwitnesses，hehackedofftheheadoftheunfortunateprisoner，andthuspubliclyridiculedmyauthority。

Inthemeantime，whilethismurderwasbeingcommitted，weweretravellingonwardwithoutasuspicionoftreachery。(ItwillbeseenhowbydegreesIbecameacquaintedwiththecrimeanddesignsofSuleiman，whohadalreadysecretlyforwardedinstructionstohismenatMasindiatthesametimethathehadcommunicatedinhisrearwithAbouSaoodatFatiko。)

AccompaniedbyLadyBaker，Irodeattheheadofthepartywithmyusualadvancedguardoffivepickedmenof”TheForty。”LieutenantBakerwalkedonfoot，ashewishedtosavehishorse’sbackthatwasslightlygalled。

Werodefarinadvance，astherewasnodangertobeapprehendedinthiscountry，andmyfiveguardswithknapsacks，smallaxes，andgeneralaccoutrements，keptthepaceoffourmilesanhourforabouttwenty-onemilestoKisoona。Themarchhadbeenthroughforest，andgrassaboutfourfeetinheight，whichwasnowgrowingvigorouslyaftertherecentshowers。Thelargetreeswerecoveredwithorchids，amongwhichI

noticedapeculiarspecieswhichhungfromtheboughslikeanapron。

Thiswasexceedinglypretty，astheleafwasabouteighteeninchesinbreadth，theedgeswerescallopedandofacopper-browncolour，whiletheupperportionwasdarkgreen。

Thewholecountr

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