第83章

Iwasjustreturningtothecamp，andwasabouttodismount，asIcouldnotridethroughtheextremelynarrowwicket，whenIwasbeggedbyMajorAbdullahtowaitalittlelonger，asthepeopleofWat-el-Mekwerenowapproachingwiththeirnumerousflags，tosalutemeaccordingtotheusualcustom。

Sevenlargesilkcrimsonflagsupontallstaffsheadedwithlancepoints，andornamentedwithballsofblackostrichfeathers，markedtheintervalsoftheadvancinglineofruffians。

Theywereabout270strong，and，theyformedalineinveryopenorder，exactlyfacingthegovernmenttroops，ataboutfortyyards’distance。

Twoprincipalofficers，Wat-el-MekandthecelebratedAliHussein，wereexceedinglybusyrunningupanddowntheline，andformingtheirmen，soastomakethegreatestdisplayofforce。Wat-el-Mekwasdressedinbrightyellowwithlooseflowingtrousers。AliHusseinwasinasnow-whitelongrobewithblacktrousers。Theofficersweredistinguishedbycleanclothes，butthemenwerecladinvariouscostumes，generallyformedoftannedleather。

Bywayofcomplimentingme，theyhadbroughtouttwoLARGECASESOF

AMMUNITION——eachaloadforanative！

Theseboxeswereplacedwithaguardbeneathatree。Mywife，whohadasusualcometowatchtheproceedings，nowbeggedmetodismount，asshehadnoticedthecasesofcartridges，andshefearedImightbetreacherouslyshot。

OfcourseIremainedonhorsebackuntilthecompanyhadcompletedtheirarrangements。Theynowstoodinpositionwiththeirofficersintheirrespectiveplaces，butnoonemovedforward。

Icouldnotbelievethattheywouldhavetheaudacitytoattackthegovernmenttroops；buthavingwaitedforsometimefacetoface，withouttheslightest”salaam”havingbeenmadebytheofficersofAbouSaood，I

orderedMajorAbdullahtoretiretothecampwithhistroops，andtodisperse。

IthenrequestedhimtosendforWat-el-Mek，asIwishedtospeakwithhimimmediately。

Withmuchpatience，Iwaitedwithinthestationforabouthalfanhour；

duringwhichtime，fivedifferentofficershadgonetocallWat-el-Mek，andeachhadreturnedwithamessagethat”hewouldcomepresently。”

Atlength，twoofhispeople，whohadinmyabsenceinsultedandthreatenedtoattackMajorAbdullah，arrivedinthecampwithamessage”thatboththevakeelsWERESICK。”Iorderedthesementobedetained。

Icouldnolongerstandthisinsolence，asIatonceunderstoodthattheyrefusedtoappear。Accordingly，IinstructedMajorAbdullahtogohimselfwithafewsoldiers，andshouldWat-el-Mekrefusetoobeymyordertoaccompanyhim，heshouldputhimunderarrest。

Thebuglesummonedthemenwhohaddispersed，andtheyimmediatelyformedtwodeepinasmallopenspacewithinthecamp，toreceiveinstructions。Atthistime，LieutenantBakervolunteeredtogoandspeaktoWal-el-Mek，whowould(hethought)bemorelikelytolistentohimthantoMajorAbdullah，whohadsofrequentlybeeninsultedbytheslave-huntersduringmyabsence。

Iagreedthatitwouldbeadvisable；atthesametimehemustbeaccompaniedbysometroops。Ithereforebegantoaddressthemenwhowerestandingbeforeme，andIinstructedthemtoobeyLieutenantBakerimplicitly，anduponnoaccountto——

Myinstructionswereinterruptedbyavolleyofmusketryconcentrateduponthemassofscarletuniforms！

Withouttheslightestprovocationwewerethustreacherouslyattacked，andheavyfile-firingcontinueduponthestation。Thebulletswerewhistlingthroughthestrawhuts，andsevenofmymen，includingMolodi，werestruckwithinafewseconds。

Mywife，whowasalwaysreadyinanyemergency，rushedoutofherhutwithmyrifleandbelt。

ThesoldiershadalreadycommencedfiringbythetimethatIwasarmedandhadreachedthefront，bytheedgeofthelightfenceofwattles。

Inowobservedtheenemyaboutninetyyardsdistant；manyofthemwerekneelingonthegroundandfiring，butimmediatelyaftertakingashot，theyretiredbehindthehutstoreload。Inthismannertheywerekeepingupahotfire。

Iperceivedamaninwhiteuppergarments，butwithblacktrousers：thisfellowkneltandfired。Iimmediatelytookashotathim

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