The latter were examined as great curiosities.
"Rahonka is Kamrasi's maternal uncle, and is great-uncle to Kabba Rega;
and he can give more information than any man concerning the
neighbouring countries.
"In reply to my inquiries about Livingstone, he says that two persons
are living in a large house in Karagwe, which they have constructed in a
different form to those of the natives. These people have no military
escort, but they possess a large quantity of goods. This does not sound
like Livingstone, unless he may have joined some Arab merchant.
"There are natives of Karagwe now visiting Kabba Rega at Masindi; thus I
shall have a good opportunity of making inquiries. There are likewise
envoys from M'tese in this country; therefore I shall be able to send
him a valuable present, and beg him to search for Livingstone in all
directions.
"April 6. - Kabba Rega's messengers presented themselves, with an
offering of two cows, a parcel of salt, and some plantains.
"One of these cows is a splendid animal from Umiro. She is the size of a
fair Durham - bright red colour - with immensely long and massive horns.
"Had I not had former experience in this country, and provided myself
with a herd of cattle, eve should have been half-starved, as there is
nothing to be procured but beans, sweet potatoes, and plantains.
"April 7. - We all crossed the river in canoes. A heavy shower fell this
morning. My improvident men have torn all their waterproof cloaks and
blankets just as we have arrived in a country where they will be most
required.
"April 8. - It now rains daily, more or less. The order was given by
Kabba Rega that we were to be supplied with carriers for the journey to
Masindi, which is to be under the charge of Rahonka. Suleiman and
Eddrees have arranged with their men, all of whom now present in the
camp have agreed to accept the government rate of pay, and to enlist for
twelve months. I accordingly issued serkis, or certificates, for each
man, with his name, date of engagement, and rate of wages.
"This is very satisfactory, as I shall now have a station in my rear on
the river, with the command of boats, while I march up the country to
Masindi. The irregulars in this station, which is in the district of
Foweera, number sixty-five men. If they remain faithful, they will form
a nucleus for the irregulars who will most probably follow their
example. I understand that a small party of seventeen men are now
staying with Kabba Rega. These people will join their comrades under
Suleiman, and raise the strength of the Foweera station to eighty-two
men. I shall thus be able to keep up a communication with my detachment
at Fatiko.
"April 9. - At the expiration of Agad's contract there were 188
elephants' tusks in the zareeba of Suleiman. These will remain in his
care.
"The natives collected were insufficient to convey all the loads. I
therefore sent off a division, escorted by Morgian Agha with ten men, to
await my arrival at the village of Deang. The sheik, Rahonka, killed a
man who attempted to evade the order to carry baggage.
"April 10. - Rain fell throughout the night, which makes everybody
miserable. During the middle watch, having been awakened by the heavy
shower, I heard the sentry outside my tent muttering a kind of low
chant: - 'This is the country for rain and potatoes; this is the place
for potatoes and rain. Potatoes and rain, potatoes and rain; rain and
potatoes, rain and potatoes.'
"Neither the rain nor the potatoes were esteemed by the troops. The
roots were almost as watery as the rain, and their sweetness was
excessive. A very uncomfortable result from this vapid food was extreme
flatulence. The waist-belts of the boys were obliged to be let out by
several holes at the buckles. As my men justly declared, 'They were
uncomfortably full after a meal; but half-an-hour's march made them feel
as though they had fasted for a day.'
"During the afternoon I was sitting beneath a shady tree, with my wife
and Lieutenant Baker, when a naked native rushed wildly past the
sentries, and, before he could be restrained threw himself on the ground
and embraced my feet, at the same time begging for mercy by the Arabic
ejaculation, 'Aman! aman!'
"He was immediately seized. On examination through an interpreter, it
appeared that he was a native of Koitch, near Fatiko, and that he had
attached himself to Suleiman's party at some former time, but now he had
just escaped from the Foweera station, as Suleiman wished to kill him.
"In a few minutes Suleiman himself appeared: he was pale with rage.
"Suleiman was a thorough brigand in appearance. His father was a Kurd:
thus his complexion would have been white had he not been for many years
exposed to the African climate. He was a powerful dare-devil-looking
fellow, but even among his own people he was reputed cruel and
vindictive.
"He was so overpowered with passion that he approached and kissed my
hand at the same time imploring me, 'as a favour, to allow him to cut
off the native's head with his sabre.'
"Upon a trial of the case, I found that the native was a thief, and that
upon a former occasion he had stolen a gun and two pistols from the
camp, which, after some trouble, had been recovered. He was now accused
of aiding and abetting at the escape of five female slaves from the
zareeba during the past night, therefore he was to be beheaded without
delay.
"As this was not my form of punishment, especially for the crime of
_releasing slaves_ that had been captured by force, I ordered the native
to be secured in the zareeba until further orders, but on no account
should he be injured.
