I now discovered, that these people had never had any communication with
the slave-traders, who were afraid to molest so powerful a tribe.
At parting, I gave them a white handkerchief as a signal to our
sentries, when they should arrive.
We then returned to our station, the troops sharing the satisfaction
that I felt in having at length discovered friends.
On the following day at about 3 p.m. the sentry on the hill called to
the guard, that a very large body of natives was approaching the
station.
I presumed that these were the followers of Bedden. I therefore ascended
the slope and examined them with the telescope.
My suspicions were aroused from the extraordinary number of people; at
least 700 natives were accompanying their sheik.
I returned to camp, and made arrangements to receive his visit with a
guard of honour. I drew up a hundred men parallel with the river, about
fifty yards from the bank, near the bow of my diahbeeah. Fifty men were
in line at right angles with the river: thus the lines formed two sides
of a square.
In the front I placed the fieldpiece loaded with canister shot. I
intended to receive Bedden with due honour in the hollow square thus
protected. In the event of treachery, his force could be almost
annihilated by one discharge.
The hill sentry now reported the arrival of a messenger, who waved a
white handkerchief on the end of a bamboo. This was the signal agreed
upon, and the messenger was allowed to pass. He communicated the fact of
Bedden's approach: in a few minutes later the great sheik arrived.
He was very tall and gaunt; and without any delay, both he and his
people were ushered into the hollow square, where they all stuck their
lances in the ground and sat down.
I now sent for Bedden and a few of his principal men to the poop deck of
my diahbeeah, which, being covered with carpets, and arranged with sofas
and chairs, was something very astonishing to the great sheik, who had
never seen anything but a vessel in the distance.
I explained the objects of the expedition; at the same time I presented
him with a long Egyptian blue shirt that reached to his ankles, and made
him look more respectable. A crimson sash round his waist, and a red
tarboosh (fez) upon his head, improved his appearance wonderfully, and
he began to feel at home.
I presented him with six pounds of beads of various colours, together
with some strings of harness bells. Brass bugles and a large mirror
attracted more attention than any other curiosities.
I gave him a brass bugle, to his great delight. The use of the cannon
was then explained to him, and the effects of the shell were pardonably
exaggerated to produce a respect for the weapon.
