There could be no longer any doubt of the
diabolical treachery of Kabba Rega. He had only endeavoured to gain time
by specious assurances of good-will, combined with presents, in order to
organize the whole country against us. The natives who shot arrows must
have come from Magungo, as none of the other districts were armed with
bows. The arrows that had been shot at us, which my men had collected,
were thickly poisoned with a hard gummy matter.
It was now rendered certain that a snare had been laid for the massacre
of Major Abdullah's party.
Kabba Rega had no doubt ordered the various routes towards Rionga's
province to be ambuscaded.
I determined at once to push straight for the camp at Foweera on the
Victoria Nile, as Rionga's island was about fifteen miles from that
point.
Among the men of the "Forty Thieves", there was a soldier named
Abdullah, who had an extraordinary instinct for finding his way. This
man never forgot a path if he had ever travelled upon the same route.
I also depended upon my Baris and Molodi; although they had not long
experience of the path by which we had arrived from Foweera with the
cattle, they were clever as guides.
Unfortunately, the country had changed terribly by the immense growth of
the grass and tangled creepers.
I felt sure that the route would be occupied by the enemy throughout the
whole distance, and that we should have to fight every mile of the path
at a grave disadvantage.
The question of a supply of food was vital. The men had mostly
exhausted their provisions.
At this critical moment, when every man of the expedition felt the fatal
truth, my wife confided her secret, that she had hitherto concealed,
lest the knowledge of a hidden store should have made the men
extravagant. She now informed them that in past days of plenty, when
flour had been abundant, she had, from time to time, secreted a
quantity, and she had now SIX LARGE IRON BOXES FULL (about twelve
bushels). This private store she had laid by in the event of some sudden
emergency.
"God shall give her a long life!" exclaimed both officers and men. We
had now enough flour for the march of seven days to Foweera, at which
place there were regular forests of plantains.
My herd of cattle had been reduced to seventy, and I much doubted the
possibility of driving them in a high grass country, as they would
scatter and make a stampede should we be attacked; they would be scared
by the guns.
I mustered my force and spoke to my men, to whom I explained their exact
position, and my plan of action.
I should immediately divide among them, as presents, all the cotton
stuffs that belonged to the expedition.
Each man would carry three pounds of beads in his knapsack, one-third of
which should subsequently belong to him.
