第87章

ThefleetfromGondokorohadleftonthe3rdofNovember，1871：thusitwasnaturaltosupposethatreinforcementshadarrivedfromKhartoum，accordingtomywritteninstructionsonthatdate。InowwrotetoRaoufBeyathead-quarters，tosendup200menunderthecommandofLieutenant-ColonelTayibAgha，oftheSoudaniregiment。Ialsowroteforasupplyofcattle，asmystockhaddwindledtoasmallherdofmilchcows，andthepeopleatFabbehadnomeatexceptthefleshofanygamethatmightbekilled。

AshorttimeafterthedepartureofWat-el-MekandhispartyforGondokoro，SuleimanthevakeelarrivedfromFabbowiththeintelligencethatalargebodyofAbouSaood’sslave-hunters，including3，000

Makkarikacannibals，hadarrivedontheNilefromthefarwest，withtheintentionoftakingtheivoryfromFabbo！

ItappearedthatAbouSaoodhadgonefromGondokorotohisstationattheBohr，upontheWhiteNile；fromthencehehadsentapartywithalettertoAtroosh，thevakeeloftheMakkarikastation，about200milesdistant，withordersthatheshouldsendapowerfulforce，withsufficientcarriers，totaketheivorybyviolencefromFabbo。

AbouSaoodhadnotexpectedthatthepeoplewhomhehadleftatthatstationwouldhaveenlistedunderthegovernmentstandard。Thusheimaginedtheywouldatoncefraternizewiththeinvadingforce。

Thenativesofthecountrywerethoroughlyalarmed，asthecannibalswereeatingthechildrenoftheKoshicountryonthewestbankoftheNile，inabout3degreeslatitude；andshouldtheycrosstheriver，theMadisandShoolisexpectedthesamefate。

IorderedSuleiman(whohadreceivedaletterfromAtroosh)totakealetterfrommetoAliEmmeen，thevakeeloftheinvadingforce，instructinghimtopresenthimselfbeforemeatFatikoinstantlywithanescortofhisownpeople，limitedtotwenty-fivemen。AtthesametimeI

gaveinstructionstothenativesuponnoaccounttofurnishboatsforalargerparty。

Aftersomedays’absenceSuleimanreturned，butwithoutAliEmmeen，whowasafraidtoappear。ThisvakeelhadreceivedmyverbalassurancefromSuleimanthat，shouldanypersonsattemptthepassageoftheriverwithoutmypermission，theywouldbeinstantlyshot；atthesametime，ifhewishedtoconveytheivorytoGondokorobytheusualroute，hecoulddosowithanescortofregulars。

ThiswasanawkwardpositionforAliEmmeen，whohadexpectedtofindalliesatFabbo，butwhonowfoundafaithfulcorpsofirregularswithSuleimanattheirheadactingundermyorders。

Heaccordinglytook100menandreturnedabout180milestothecampofAtrooshforfreshinstructions。The3，000MakkarikacannibalswereleftwiththeremainderofhiscompanyonthewestbankoftheNiletofeeduponthenativesofKoshiuntilhisreturn。

EverydaypeoplearrivedatFatikowithhorriblereportsofthecannibals，whoweredevouringthechildrenintheKoshidistrict。Spieswentacrosstheriverandbroughtmeeveryintelligence。Itappearedthatthe3，000MakkarikashadbeenengagedbyAliEmmeenunderthepretencethattheywere”togotoFatikoandfightachiefcalled’thePacha，’whohadenormousflocksandherds，togetherwiththousandsofbeautifulwomenandotheralluringspoil；”buttheyhadnotheardthattheyweretocarry3，000elephants’tuskstothestationofAtroosh。

Myspiesnowtoldthemthetruth。”FightthePacha！”theyexclaimed：”doyounotknowwhoheis?andthathecouldkillyoualllikefowls，ashedidthepeopleofAliHussein?Hehasnocowsforyoutocarryoff，buthehasgunsthataremagic，andwhichloadfrombehindinsteadofatthemuzzle！”

ThiswasaterribledisappointmenttothedeludedMakkarikas，whichatoncespreaddissensionamongthem，whentheyfoundthattheyhadbeencajoledinordertotransporttheheavyloadsofivory。

Aprovidentialvisitationsuddenlyfelluponthem。Thesmall-poxbrokeoutandkilledupwardsof800bloodthirstycannibalswhohadbeendevouringthecountry。

TheNilewasreportedtobeaboutsixmilesinwidthoppositetheirstation，inabout3degreeslatitude，whichisonlyafewmilesfromtheAlbertN’yanza。Thisvisitationofsmall-poxcreatedapanicwhichentirelybrokeupanddispersedtheinvadingforce，anddefeatedtheirplans。

WewerenowinfrequentcommunicationwithRionga，whowasalwaysrepresentedinmyFatikocampbythepresenceofoneofhissheiksandseveralmen。

AliGenninarhadmadeacombinedattackuponKabbaRega，togetherwithRiongaandtheLanggotribe，andhadutterlydefeatedhim。Hispeoplewerenowdesertinghimingreatnumbers，andwereflockingtothewinningside。Kabba

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