第81章

AsthesepeoplespokeArabic，Inowexplainedthewholeaffair，andassuredthemofmyrepeatedrefusaltoattackRionga，whenIhadbeenpressedtodosobothbyKamrasi，andbyhisson，KabbaRega。Therecouldbelittledoubtthat，hadIalliedwithhimagainstRionga，thebattleofMasindiwouldneverhavetakenplace；andthelivesofsomeofmybestmenwouldhavebeenspared。

IwouldnowdeposeKabbaRega，andappointRiongaasthevakeelorrepresentativeoftheEgyptiangovernment，providedhewouldswearallegiance。

IsentapresenttoRiongaofentirepiecesofTurkeyredcloth，bluetwill，andfourhandkerchiefs；atthesametimeIexplainedthatwewereveryhungry，andrequiredcattleandcorn。

Beforethemessengersreturned，Iinspectedthetroops，whomarchedroundthecampintheirbestscarletuniforms，tothesoundofthedrumsandbugles。ThisexhibitionappearedtocreatequiteanimpressiononRionga’speople，whowouldreportusfitforserviceontheirreturntotheirchief。

Thirtyofthemenweresufferingfromulceratedlegs，causedbythesharp，poisonousedgesofthehighgrass。

Inacoupleofdays，twolargecanoesarrivedfromRiongawithpresentsofsomecorn，sweetpotatoes，andacowandsheep。Wekilledthebeefimmediately，aswewereravenouslyhungry。

On16thJuly，westarted，inninecanoesthathadbeensuppliedbyRionga，tovisithimathisstation。Thetroopsmarchedbylandonthesouthbank。

AfterpaddlingforaboutfifteenmilesalongthegrandVictoriaNile，whichinthenarrowestpartwasatleast300yardswide，wearrivedat5

P。M。atadesolatespot，exactlyoppositetothetailofthelargeislanduponwhichRiongaresided。

Nothinghadbeenpreparedforourreception，thereforewelandedintheforest，andmymensettoworktocollectfirewoodforthenight。Thetroopswhohadmarchedoverlandhadnotarrived。Fortunatelywehadsomeflourandabottleofcurry-powder；thereforewedinedoffdhurra-porridgeandcurry，andlaydownonourcamp-sheetstosleep。

Thiswasathoroughnegrowelcome；nothingtoeat！

Thenextmorning，atabout7A。M。，thetroopswithColonelAbd-el-Kaderarrived；theyhadsufferedmuchfromhighgrassandthorns，astheyhadbeenobligedtobreaktheirwaythroughthejungle，inthetotalabsenceofapath。

AnumberofRionga’snativesnowarrivedtoassistinmakingourcamp。

Allhandssetvigorouslytoworkbuildinghuts，inanexcellentpositionthatIhadselectedontheriver’sbank。

On18thJuly，messengerscameearlytoinformmethatRiongawouldarrivethatmorningtogivemeawarmwelcome。

Ihadalreadysenthim，fromFoweera，abeautifulcloakofgoldbrocade，togetherwithanewtarbooshandsky-blueturban。

Atabout8A。M。，drumswerebeatingontheisland，andhornswereblowinginalldirections；theseweresignalsthattherenownedRiongawasonthemove。Weshortlyperceivednumerouslargecanoespushingofffromtheisland，andmakingforourlandingplace，whichIhadalreadycleared。

Acow，sheep，andaloadofcornwerefirstdeliveredasapresent。

ThesewerefollowedbyRionga，andalargestaffofhisprincipalheadmen。

Hewasahandsomemanofaboutfifty，withexceedinglygoodmanners。HehadnoneofthestiffnessofKamrasi，northegauchebearingofKabbaRega，buthewasperfectlyathisease。Heatoncethankedmeforthehandsomesuitinwhichhewasdressed，withoutwhich，heassuredmethatitwouldhavebeendifficultforhimtohaveappearedbeforemeinabecomingmanner。Thetroopsweredrawnouttoreceivehim，andtheconversationatonceturneduponKabbaRegaandAbouSaood。

Hehadanintimateknowledgeofallthathadtakenplace；whichhadbeenreportedtohimbyhisspies；andhedeclaredthatAbouSaoodhadlongagoarrangedaplanwithKabbaRegaforourdestructionshouldwearrivefromGondokoro。

RiongawaswellawarehowoftenIhadrefusedtoattackhim，andheconfessedthatIhadbeenhissaviourbythearrestofSuleiman，whowouldhavejoinedtheforcesofKabbaRegatohavecrushedhim。

ItookagreatfancytoRionga，ashewassoperfectlyfreeandeasyinhismanner。Heto

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