The prisoner declared that the treachery of Kabba Rega had been planned
from the beginning. The 300 natives who had accompanied my party from
Masindi, with the post to Fatiko, had attacked and killed some of my
men, but he knew no particulars; only that they had not gone on to
Fatiko with my people. This was a great relief to my anxiety, as in that
case Abdullah must be safe with his detachment. I ordered the prisoner
to be retained, but to be well treated.
We had rain nearly every day.
At daybreak on 1st July, after a heavy night's rain, a voice from the
high wet grass, about a hundred yards distant, cried out to the sentries
in Arabic, "Don't fire! I am a messenger from Rionga to Malegge!" (my
former nick-name).
The man, cold and shivering, was brought before me. He had travelled by
canoe during the night, but had been afraid to approach the sentries
until daylight.
Being assured of my good-will, he informed me that a nephew of Rionga's
was in the grass waiting for my reply. He immediately ran out, and soon
returned to the camp with his companion.
As these people spoke Arabic, I now explained the whole affair, and
assured them of my repeated refusal to attack Rionga, when I had been
pressed to do so both by Kamrasi, and by his son, Kabba Rega. There
could be little doubt that, had I allied with him against Rionga, the
battle of Masindi would never have taken place; and the lives of some of
my best men would have been spared.
I would now depose Kabba Rega, and appoint Rionga as the vakeel or
representative of the Egyptian government, provided he would swear
allegiance.
I sent a present to Rionga of entire pieces of Turkey red cloth, blue
twill, and four handkerchiefs; at the same time I explained that we were
very hungry, and required cattle and corn.
Before the messengers returned, I inspected the troops, who marched
round the camp in their best scarlet uniforms, to the sound of the drums
and bugles. This exhibition appeared to create quite an impression on
Rionga's people, who would report us fit for service on their return to
their chief.
Thirty of the men were suffering from ulcerated legs, caused by the
sharp, poisonous edges of the high grass.
In a couple of days, two large canoes arrived from Rionga with presents
of some corn, sweet potatoes, and a cow and sheep. We killed the beef
immediately, as we were ravenously hungry.
On 16th July, we started, in nine canoes that had been supplied by
Rionga, to visit him at his station. The troops marched by land on the
south bank.
