The
authorities would piously ejaculate, "El hambd el Allah!" (Thanks be to
God!) The country would once more fall into the hands of Abou Saood by
contract with the government of the Soudan. The good old times of
slave-hunting would return and remain undisturbed. The Christian would
have been got rid of by an ignominious failure. Abou Saood would have
boasted of the success of his diplomacy; and Allorron and his Baris,
once freed from the restraint of a government, would have fraternized
again with their allies the slave-hunters, to pillage, kidnap, and
desolate the productive countries of Central Africa.
I determined that the expedition should succeed, and, with God's help, I
would overcome every opposition.
The forts were completed. Gondokoro, or, as I had named it, Ismailia,
was protected by a ditch and earthwork, with bastions mounting ten guns.
My little station was also fortified; thus I could commence a campaign
against the whole Bari tribe, without fearing for the safety of my base.
On August 30, 1871, I started with a force of 450 men, with one gun, and
one rocket-trough for Hale's three-pounder rockets.
I left twenty of the "Forty Thieves" at my little station, together with
a reinforcement of thirty men.
