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.
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