The bugle summoned the men who had dispersed, and they immediately
formed two deep in a small open space within the camp, to receive
instructions. At this time, Lieutenant Baker volunteered to go and speak
to Wal-el-Mek, who would (he thought) be more likely to listen to him
than to Major Abdullah, who had so frequently been insulted by the
slave-hunters during my absence.
I agreed that it would be advisable; at the same time he must be
accompanied by some troops. I therefore began to address the men who
were standing before me, and I instructed them to obey Lieutenant Baker
implicitly, and upon no account to -
My instructions were interrupted by a volley of musketry concentrated
upon the mass of scarlet uniforms!
Without the slightest provocation we were thus treacherously attacked,
and heavy file-firing continued upon the station. The bullets were
whistling through the straw huts, and seven of my men, including Molodi,
were struck within a few seconds.
My wife, who was always ready in any emergency, rushed out of her hut
with my rifle and belt.
The soldiers had already commenced firing by the time that I was armed
and had reached the front, by the edge of the light fence of wattles.
I now observed the enemy about ninety yards distant; many of them were
kneeling on the ground and firing, but immediately after taking a shot,
they retired behind the huts to reload. In this manner they were keeping
up a hot fire.
I perceived a man in white upper garments, but with black trousers: this
fellow knelt and fired. I immediately took a shot at him with the
"Dutchman."
We should have lost many men if this hiding behind huts and popping from
cover had been allowed to continue. I therefore called my "Forty
Thieves" together, and ordered the bugler to sound the charge with the
bayonet.
Pushing through the narrow wicket gateway, I formed some thirty or forty
men in line and led them at full speed with fixed bayonets against the
enemy.
Although the slave-hunters had primed themselves well with araki and
merissa before they had screwed up courage to attack the troops, they
were not quite up to standing before a bayonet charge. The "Forty
Thieves" were awkward customers, and in a quarter of a minute they were
amongst them.
The enemy were regularly crumpled up! and had they not taken to flight,
they would have been bayoneted to a man.
I now saw Wat-el-Mek in his unmistakable yellow suit; he was marching
alone across a road about 180 yards distant.
He was crossing to my right; and I imagined, as he was alone, that he
intended to screen himself behind the houses, and then surrender.
To my surprise, I observed that when he recognized me, he at once raised
his gun and took a steady aim.
I was at that moment reloading; but I was ready the instant that he had
fired and missed me.
He now walked towards a hut across to my right. I allowed about half a
foot before him for his pace, and the "Dutchman" had a word to say.
The bullet struck his right hand, taking the middle finger off at the
root, and then striking the gun in the middle of the lock plate, it cut
it completely in halves as though it had been divided by a blow with an
axe. He was almost immediately taken prisoner. One of "The Forty"
(Seroor) was so enraged that he was with difficulty prevented from
finishing Wat-el-Mek with a bayonet thrust.
I now ordered a general advance at the double; and the troops spread out
through the extensive town of huts, which occupied about thirty acres.
As we ran through the town, I observed about 150 of the enemy had
rallied around their flags, and were retreating quickly, but steadily,
in the direction of the Shooa hill. They continued to turn and fire from
the rear of their party.
Having reduced the distance to about 150 yards, the crimson silk banners
afforded excellent marks for rifle practice. They fell to the right and
left, as the shots were directed a little low so as to hit the bearers.
In a few minutes not a flag was to be seen! The fatal sniders poured
bullets into the dense body of men, who, after waving two and fro as the
shots thinned their number, at length ran off without any further effort
to maintain a formation.
For upwards of four miles Lieutenant Baker and I chased these ruffians
with the "Forty Thieves". Many were killed in the pursuit; and upon our
return to the camp at Fatiko at 2 P.M., we had captured a herd of 306
cattle, 130 slaves, 15 donkeys, 43 prisoners, 7 flags, together with the
entire station.
The enemy had suffered the loss of more than half their party killed.
The actual fighting had been done by the "Forty Thieves"; and the men of
Abdullah's detachment had behaved disgracefully. Instead of following
the enemy in the retreat, they had fraternized with a crowd of natives
in pillaging the extensive station.
I now had to clear all these fellows out. The officers appeared to have
quite lost their heads; and the natives had carried off all the guns and
ammunition from the dead men, and had sacked and plundered the powder
magazine.
My wife had placed sentries on the high rocks which commanded a view of
the entire country; she also had the cattle driven within the fence; and
had secured the prisoners, including Wat-el-Mek, in two large huts, over
which she had placed a guard.
