The natives asserted that the slave-hunters of Abou Saood had lost five
of their party, killed in the attack upon Rot Jarma; therefore they (the
messengers) were afraid to go near the station of Major Abdullah. They
had accordingly travelled fast to bring me the news (160 miles), at the
same time they brought the guns for sale to Kabba Rega.
It was the old story of deception and rebellion. Before my face Abou
Saood would cringe to the earth, but he became an open rebel in my
absence. It was absolutely necessary to place this man under arrest.
When the Baris were at open war with the government, he had not only
associated with their chief, but he had armed parties of these natives
with muskets, which he employed in his zareebas.
He now attacked, in defiance of government protection, those friendly
natives of Faieera who had become peaceable subjects of the Khedive.
This was the same spirit of defiance that had been exhibited by Suleiman
when he slaughtered the prisoner to whom I had granted an asylum.
Unless I should arrest Abou Saood, it would be ridiculous to attempt the
establishment of a government. This scoundrel knew the weakness of my
military force. He had himself requested Kabba Rega to attack me upon my
arrival in his country. He was now plundering and kidnapping in the
districts that were under government protection; this would immediately
be known to Kabba Rega and his people, who would naturally conclude that
my assurances of protection were valueless, and that Abou Saood was
stronger than the government of the Khedive.
I determined to send orders to Major Abdullah to arrest Abou Saood if
the reports were true concerning Faieera, at the same time he was to
insist upon the liberation of all the Unyoro slaves, which he was to
escort with his detachment to Foweera on the Victoria Nile.
There was no doubt that this fellow, Abou Saood, was confident of
support from some Egyptian authority behind the scenes; he had therefore
determined to be humble before my face, to avoid being pounced upon at
once, but to have his own way when my back was turned, as he trusted
that after the advice he had given to Kabba Rega I should never return
from Unyoro. It would then be said that I had been killed by the
natives, the affair would be ended, and the official supporters of Abou
Saood would reinstate him in his original business for a sufficient
CONSIDERATION.
I made arrangements for the departure of my new irregulars. After many
invitations I at length succeeded in allaying Kabba Rega's
apprehensions, and he promised to pay me a visit on the 11th May.
Lieutenant-Colonel Abd-el-Kader went to meet him, and escorted him to
the new house.
On arrival in the divan he was much astonished and delighted. The room,
twenty-eight feet by fourteen, was arranged with double rows of metal
boxes on all sides, so closely packed that they formed either low tables
or seats, as might be required. These were all covered with blue
blankets, which gave a neat appearance, upon which, at the east end of
the room, were exhibited samples of the various goods that I had brought
for the establishment of a regular trade in Unyoro. There were tin
plates as bright as mirrors, crockery of various kinds, glasses, knives
of many varieties, beautiful Manchester manufactures, such as Indian
scarfs, handkerchiefs, piece-goods, light blue serge, chintzes, scarlet
and blue blankets, blue and crimson cotton cloth, small mirrors,
scissors, razors, watches, clocks, tin whistles, triangles, tambourines,
toys, including small tin steamers, boats, carriages, Japanese spinning
tops, horn snakes, pop-guns, spherical quicksilvered globes, together
with assortments of beads of many varieties.
"Are these all for me?" asked Kabba Rega.
"Certainly," I replied, "if you wish to exchange ivory. All these things
belong to the Khedive of Egypt, and any amount remains in the magazines
of Gondokoro. These are simply a few curiosities that I have brought as
an experiment to prove the possibility of establishing a trade."
Among other things, the wheel of life attracted his attention. This had
frequently been exhibited, but neither Kabba Rega nor his chiefs ever
tired of the performance.
The magnetic battery was now called for, and Kabba Rega insisted upon
each of his chiefs submitting to the operation, although he was afraid
to experiment upon himself. He begged Lieutenant Baker, who managed the
instrument, to give as powerful a shock as he could, and he went into
roars of laughter when he saw a favourite minister rolling on his back
in contortions, without the possibility of letting the cylinders fall
from his grasp.
Every individual of his headmen had to suffer, and when all had been
exhausted, the ministers sought outside the divan among the crowd for
any particular friends that might wish to try "the magic."
At length one of the wires of the instrument gave way, as a patient
kicked and rolled frantically upon the ground; this was a good excuse
for closing the entertainment.
Kabba Rega now requested permission to see our private residence. I told
him that only himself together with four of his chiefs and the
interpreter, Umbogo, could be permitted to enter. These were Rahonka
(his maternal uncle), Neka (his uncle, Kamrasi's brother), Kitakara, and
Quonga. On that occasion the tall chief, Matonse, endeavoured to push
his way through, but was immediately turned back by the sentry and
Monsoor. (This little incident must be remembered, as the man took a
dislike to Monsoor from that moment.) The first exclamation upon
entering the room was one of surprise - "Wah!
