第82章

Iwasnowinformedthattheattempttodestroyusbypoison，andsubsequentlybyatreacherousattackatMasindi，wasmainlyduetotheintriguesofAbouSaood，whohadoriginallyadvisedKabbaRegatoresistmeshouldIarriveinhiscountry。ThistraitorAbouSaoodhadconsideredthatweshouldbecertainlymassacredwhenonceintheheartofUnyoro。HehadthereforeassumedadespoticcommandofFatikoandalltheneighbouringcountriesshortlyaftermydeparture；andhehadgivenorders`tothenativesandtothesheik，RotJarma，that”nosuppliesofcornshouldbeprovidedforMajorAbdullah’stroops。”

RotJarmahadbeenfaithfultothegovernment，andhispeoplehadcarriedcorntoMajorAbdullah。AbouSaoodhadthereforeorderedhismentoattackRotJarma。Theyhadaccordinglysurprisedhimwhilebelievingintheprotectionofthegovernment，andhadcapturedhiscattle，togetherwithanumberofslaves。Inthatattackthebrigandshadlostfivemen，whosegunshadbeensubsequentlytakentoKabbaRegaforsalebythenativeswehadseenatMasindi。

AbouSaoodthen，enragedatthelossoffivemen，togetherwiththeirguns，hadsentforWat-el-MekfromFaloro，andhadgivenhimthecommandabovethewell-knownAliHussein，withorderstocarryfireandswordthroughthecountry。

MajorAbdullahhadvainlyexpostulated。AbouSaoodhadpersonallythreatenedhim；andAliHusseinandanofficernamedLazim，withsomeothers，hadgonearmedintothegovernmentcamp，andhadactuallyseizednativeswhohadtakenrefugewithAbdullah，fromwhosehousetheywerethusdraggedbyforceindefianceofauthority。

WhenthenewsarrivedfromFoweerathatIhadpunishedSuleimanforthemurderoftheprisoner，bothAbouSaoodandhispeoplehaddeclared，thatthey”wouldsecureMajorAbdullahinaforkedpole，orsheba，andtreathiininasimilarmanner。”Theyhadalsothreatenedtoattackthegovernmentcamp。

MajorAbdullahhadwrittentomeatMasindirequestinginstructions；hehadintrustedthelettertoanativeofFaieera。ThismanhadmostunfortunatelyarrivedatMasindilateintheeveninguponwhichthetroopshadbeenpoisoned。OnthefollowingmorninghewasawitnesstothemurderofpoorMonsoorandFerritchBagara；andwhenthegeneralactioncommenced，heclimbedupatreeatnogreatdistancefromthestation，andcriedoutthat”hewasthebearerofaletterfromAbdullah。”

Thebulletswhizzedsothicklyabouthimthathedescendedfromhispost，andthen，beingalarmedlesthemightbekilledbythenativesshouldhismissionbediscovered，hehadrunawayasfastaspossible，andreturned160milestoFatiko。ThusIneverreceivedMajorAbdullah’sletter。

Theletter-carrierhavingseenourhandfulofmensurroundedbymanythousandsoftheenemyinMasindi，andknowingthattheperfectorganizationofUnyorowouldbringcountlessenemiesuponus，whowouldoccupytheroutesbyambuscades，hadconsideredourpositionhopeless。

Thereportwasspread”thatwewerealldestroyed：”thusAbouSaoodwasdelighted。

Somedayslater，mypartyarrivedatFatikothathadleftMasindionthe23rdMaywiththepost，togetherwiththeprisonerSuleiman。

Thesepeoplehadsufferedterribly，andhadlostelevenmenkilled，exclusiveofonewhohaddiedonthewayfromfatigue。

ThetreacherousplanarrangedbyKabbaRegahadfailed，andthenativeshadattackedthembeforethetimeappointed。Thiswillbedescribedhereafter。

Suleimanwasnolongeraprisoner，buthecommandedtheFabbostationforAbouSaood。

Wat-el-Mekhadreceivedmyletter，andhewishedtoservethegovernment；butAbouSaoodhadpreventedhim；andnowthatIwassupposedtobedead，itwouldbeimpossible。

Thisman，Wat-el-Mek，hadneverthelessbehavedwell，ashehadimmediate

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