Should such an
event occur, how should I be able to occupy this extensive country with
so small a force? I have lately had a painful lesson in the treachery of
Kabba Rega, who, when I had relieved him of his enemies, the
slave-traders, immediately turned against ME. These natives might
probably do the same. Negroes respect nothing but force; and the force
that now exists, if removed, will leave them free to act against the
government. Already they have benefited by the fight with the
slave-hunters, by running off with the arms and ammunition, together
with a number of cattle, while our troops were engaged with the enemy."
I came to the conclusion that it would be unwise to get rid of the
slave-hunters by physical force. Although I felt that they were entirely
in my power, as I could bombard their stations with Hale's rockets, if
they should refuse to turn out, the natives would, in the event of a
flight, most assuredly possess themselves of the guns and ammunition.
With 146 men, I could not take more than eighty men to act against 600,
as the small force of sixty-six would be the minimum that I could leave
to protect the Fatiko station. If with eighty men, together with a wild
army of natives, I should attack Fabbo (in which I had heard that Abou
Saood was concentrating his people from the other stations), every one
of the slave-traders would be massacred. It would be impossible for
eighty men to fight, and to secure at the same time the 600 stand of
arms that would be in the hands of the rebels. These, together with the
muskets belonging to the Baris, would all fall into the possession of my
native allies, who would immediately scatter and disappear with their
prize.
Should I attack Fabbo, the result would simply arm the natives with 800
or 900 stand of muskets, together with a large amount of ammunition,
which they might probably use against me at some future time.
I resolved to work diplomatically, and to keep the slave-hunters' party
as a rod above the backs of the natives, until I should discover their
real character.
It had been necessary to establish a corn tax [*] for the support of the
troops. Possibly the natives, if entirely relieved from their
oppressors, might refuse to acknowledge government taxation! At all
events I determined to proceed cautiously.
[*Footnote: The corn tax was thus established. Each house was taxed to
pay a small basket of corn every full moon. All old and infirm people
and also strangers were exempted from taxation. The headman of each
village was responsible for the tax, and he delivered a bundle of small
pieces of reed, the size of drawing pencils which represented the number
of houses belonging to able-bodied men.
