I ordered the bugler to sound the advance, and the whole band sounded
the charge with the bayonet (sinjatre doran).
At the inspiriting call, each side of the square advanced at the double
with bayonets at the charge. The crowd, lately so demonstrative, fell
quickly back, and, having thus cleared the square, I told Kittakara to
order every individual of the crowd to sit down upon the ground.
The great mass of people obeyed the order with the discipline of
soldiers, and my troops fell back and re-formed their square as before.
The little square, with a single line of front of twenty men, now
occupied the centre of the clear space.
I lost no time in inquiring for Kabba Rega, whom I insisted upon seeing.
After a short delay he appeared, in company of some of his bonosoora. He
was in a beastly state of intoxication, and, after reeling about with a
spear in his hand, he commenced a most imbecile attempt at warlike
gestures.
Had my eighty men been armed with breech-loaders, I could have mown down
hundreds by a fire from the square, had hostilities been forced upon us;
but, as the greater portion were armed with old muskets, we might have
been overwhelmed by a general rush, when reloading after the first
volley.
Kabba Rega was so drunk that he did not appear to recognize me, but he
continued to reel about for a short time, and thus to expose his idiotic
condition, until his chiefs at length recommended him to retire.
Kittakara now explained that, if I wished to have a general dance, they
would prepare a grand entertainment at some future time; but he now
begged me to withdraw the troops, as the sun was very hot, and the
natives were fatigued.
I assured Kittakara and the chiefs that the people had no cause for
fear, and that now that my station was completed I should frequently
bring the troops to the public square for musketry drill, as there was
no other open space, unless Kabba Rega would order his people to clear
away the high grass, which he had so often promised to do.
The band now struck up, and the troops, in single file, marched through
the narrow lanes of the crowded town. I walked at their head, and I was
much pleased by seeing my little friend, Cherri-Merri, who ran out of
the crowd, and taking my hand, he marched with us as a volunteer, and
accompanied us to the station.
Upon arrival at the government quarters, I found all hands armed and
well stationed for the defence of the divan and powder-magazine, by my
wife, who was commandant in my absence. She had placed rockets in
readiness to fire the town on the instant of a volley of musketry being
heard. My good little officer had also laid out a large supply of spare
ammunition, together with every gun, rifle, and pistol, all of which
were laid on a table in the divan, ready to repel an attack.
I now sent for Rahonka, who was supposed to be the general of Kabba
Rega's forces.
The conduct of little Cherri-Merri was very gratifying, as he had
adhered to his true friends in a moment of great uncertainty.
Rahonka shortly appeared. My interpreter, Umbogo, was absent on leave
for two days to visit his farm; thus Rahonka was accompanied by
Kadji-Barri, who was well accustomed to us, and had often received
presents.
I now insisted upon an explanation concerning the sudden beating of the
war-drum and the extraordinary assembly of the people armed for war.
Rahonka looked foolish and nervous, as though he doubted the chance of a
safe retreat. He could not give any satisfactory reason for the hostile
display we had so recently witnessed, but he attributed it to the
drunken state of Kabba Rega, who had sounded the alarm without any
reason.
I assured Rahonka that such conduct would not be permitted; and that if
such a scene should occur again, I should not allow the troops to be
surrounded by thousands of armed men, in hostile attitudes, without
immediately taking the initiative.
Rahonka retired, and in a few minutes we received twenty loads of corn
for the troops, as a peace-offering.
Thus ended the month of May, which had nearly closed in bloodshed.
There could be no doubt that an attack upon the troops had been
intended; and I could not help admiring the organization of the people,
that enabled so large a force to be concentrated upon a given point in a
few minutes after the alarm had sounded. My wife, upon whose cool
judgment I could always depend, described vividly her apprehensions of
treachery. She had witnessed the extraordinary energy which the natives
had exhibited in rushing from the neighbouring villages, almost
immediately when the war-drum had sounded. They had poured in streams
past the station, and had brandished their lances and shields at her as
they thronged at full speed within fifty yards of the government
clearing.
Fortunately, when the big nogara had sounded, both she and the troops
understood the signal, and with praiseworthy speed she had placed every
man in position to defend the station. Even the servants and our black
boys were armed, and occupied the posts assigned to them. Without these
precautions it is highly probable that the station would have been
attacked, in which case it might have been at once overwhelmed by so
immense a superiority of force.
I felt that on the whole we had narrowly escaped from ruin. My
intention, when in the open square, had been to seize a rifle from a
soldier, and at once to shoot Kabba Rega had hostilities commenced after
his appearance; but, even had we been able to hold our own, with a party
of eighty men, we should have lost the entire station, together with all
our ammunition, and every soul would have been massacred.
