He at once collected fifty natives to carry our loads to Fatiko.
On 27th July, having left all beads, &c., with Colonel Abd-el-Kader for
the purchase of provisions, we took a cordial leave of Rionga, and
started, in six canoes, at 12.30 P.M.; paddling down the stream, we
arrived at our deserted zareeba at 3.12 P.M. We found the camp quite
undisturbed; no one appeared to have entered it since we had left it
some days ago. The palm outrigger canoes were lying in the same spot,
secured to the rushes; and all that had belonged to us was rigidly
respected.
Rionga had given us a sheep to eat during our march of seventy-nine
miles from Foweera to Fatiko. This did not seem very generous, but his
cattle had been mostly carried off by the slave-hunters under Suleiman.
Fortunately, just as we entered our old station, I shot a guinea-fowl,
which made a good curry, and saved our store of dried fish for the
uninhabited wilderness before us.
The best fish (as I before mentioned in "The Albert N'yanza") is the
Lepidosiren annectens, and this fat and delicate meat is excellent when
smoked and dried.
We slept in our old camp, and early on the following morning we prepared
to cross the river.
Rionga's people did not quite trust the inhabitants on the other side; I
accordingly sent a strong party of rifles across first to occupy the
high rocky landing-place.
On the return of the canoes, we were just preparing to cross with the
remainder of the party, when I observed eight natives walking very fast
along the forest-covered cliff on the other side. We immediately gave
the alarm to our men who occupied the rocks. The telescope now
discovered that the arrangement of the hair of these natives was the
fashion of Shooli and Fatiko.
The eight strangers, who had not before observed us, now halted in
astonishment, and presently they shouted in good Arabic -
"Are you the Pacha's soldiers? We are sent by Abdullah to look for the
Pacha!"
This was great good fortune; then Abdullah was alive, and I hoped my
detachment was all right!
We crossed the broad river, and upon close arrival, we discovered that
two of the messengers were well known to us, one of whom was Iarro, the
interpreter of the great sheik, Rot Jarma.
The first gleam of pleasure with which I had welcomed these messengers
quickly changed to considerable anxiety.
I was now informed that the attempt to destroy us by poison, and
subsequently by a treacherous attack at Masindi, was mainly due to the
intrigues of Abou Saood, who had originally advised Kabba Rega to resist
me should I arrive in his country.
