第73章

IntheafternoonsomenativescriedoutthatKittakarawascoming，andLieutenant-ColonelAbd-el-Kader，withafewmen，immediatelywentouttomeethim。

Kittakarawouldnotapproachwithinlessthanaboutahundredyards，butheassuredAbd-el-KaderthattheoutbreakwasnotthefaultofKabbaRega，butthattheresponsibilitylaywithMatonse，whohadescaped，andthatheshouldbecapturedanddelivereduptome。

HecontinuedtoassureAbd-el-KaderthatKabbaRegahadalreadyorderedprovisionsandalargenumberofelephants’tuskstobecollectedforus，andthat，althoughforthepresenthewashidingthroughfearinthehighgrass，hewouldquicklyrebuildhisdivanclosetomyown，soastoliveinfriendship。

ItwasimpossibletocreditonesyllableinUnyoro。Ontheotherhand，shouldIbeunabletobringtheenemytoterms，Ishouldbechainedtothespot，asitwouldbeimpossibletotransportmybaggage。

Itwasanawkwardposition。Thetreacheryhadbeenfrightful，andI

couldonlyattributeittoKabbaRega’sorders，inspiteoftheprotestationsofKittakara。IfIshouldberightinmysuspicions，whatwouldbecomeofMajorAbdullahandhisdetachment?

Nothingwouldbeeasierforthe300nativeswhohadaccompaniedmypeoplewiththepost，thantobehavewellontheroutetoFatiko，inordertoestablishconfidence。Theycouldthencarryalltheeffectsandammunition，incompanywithAbdullahandhistroops，fromFatikotoUnyoro，andintheprairiewilderness，theymightmurdereverymanatnightwhenasleep，andpossessthemselvesofthearms，ammunition，andeffects，withwhichtheywouldrejoinKabbaRega。

Thiswasafrightfulidea；andtherecouldbenodoubtthatsuchtreacheryhadbeenplanned，ifKabbaRegawereguiltyoftheattempttopoisonthetroopsandattackusbysurprise。Itwashardtodisbelievehisguilt。

TherewerenomeanspossibleofcommunicationwithAbdullah。Incaseofnecessity，therewasonlyonemove；thiswastomarchtotheVictoriaNile，andformanalliancewithRionga，theoldenemyofKamrasi’sfamily，whomIhadalwaysrefusedtoattack。IwassurethathemusthaveheardofmyrefusaltoallymyselfwithKabbaRegaagainsthim：

thushewouldbefavourabletothegovernment。

Iresolvedthat，ifhostilitiesshouldcontinue，IwouldproclaimRiongarepresentativeofthegovernment，asvassal-chiefofUnyoro，intheroomofKabbaRega，deposed。

RiongawouldsendalettertowarnMajorAbdullahatFatiko；buthowwasItoconveymybaggageandammunitionfromMasinditoFoweera，withoutasinglecarrier，orevenaguide?

Itwastheheightoftherainyseason，andthegrasswasaboutnineortenfeethigh，throughoutacountryofdenseandtangledforest。

Ihadnointerpreterofmyown；UmbogowasKabbaRega’sslave，andalthoughIfanciedthathewasfondofus，Ihadnofaithinanyoneofthesedetestablepeople。ThiswantofconfidencewaskeenlyfeltatatimewhenIrequiredaninterpreterinwhomIcouldabsolutelytrust。I

wasobligedtoconfidemyplantoUmbogo，asIwishedhimtofindsomemanamongthenativeswhowouldtakeamessagetoRionga。

IknewthatmanypeoplehatedKabbaRega。UmbogohadfrequentlyassuredmethatMashudi，whichwasonlytwodaysdistantfromMasindi，tothesouth-east，hadalwaysbeenRionga’sstronghold；andthatthenativesoftha

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