They had travelled at night, and were
deserters from the vakeel. One of these fellows turned out to be my old
follower during my former journey, Mohammed the camel-driver, and he
literally cried with joy when he saw my wife and me again. He gave me
all the news from the slave-traders' camp, which was full of slaves, and
they were afraid that I might arrive, as they were aware that I knew the
road. The vakeel of Latooka had received and harboured two of my
Egyptian soldiers, who had deserted from Gondokoro and joined the
slave-hunters under the guidance of a Bari.
On 1st December, Lieutenant Baker shot a fine bull elephant, with very
large tusks; this was within four miles of head-quarters. At this
season they were very numerous in the neighbourhood of Gondokoro. During
my absence to the south of Regiaf, there had been a curious nocturnal
alarm in the station.
Upon a fine moonlight night the sentries were astonished by the
appearance of two immense bull elephants, that, having marched along the
cliff, took the fort in the rear on the river side.
The fort was a redan, open at the river base; thus, unheeding the
sentry, the elephants coolly walked into the centre. The sentry's musket
was immediately responded to by the guard; the buglers, startled by a
sharp fire of musketry, blew the alarm.
