When drunk, he could be induced
to yield to any absurdity.
However, with all his faults, I should have been glad of Wat-el-Mek to
command the irregular force.
In the days when Debono was the proprietor of the Madi station,
Wat-el-Mek had been the sole vakeel; and although he was a tyrant, he
was not disliked by the natives. Since Debono had sold his stations to
the firm of Agad & Co., every separate camp was governed by an
independent vakeel; thus there were many tyrants instead of one.
These numerous agents acted in opposition to each other in the purchase
of ivory. If a native of Fatiko should take a tusk to sell at the
station of Fabbo, he would run the chance of being shot upon his return.
This system of attempted monopoly was carried out throughout the
country, and naturally resulted in anarchy. Although all the vakeels and
companies belonged to one firm, they acted as rival traders. Thus, if
slaves ran away from one station and took shelter with the natives of a
village belonging to the people of another vakeel, an attack would be
made upon the village that harboured the runaways, and their women and
children would be immediately captured.
This onslaught on the village under the protection of a certain station
would be quickly returned by a counter-attack upon a village belonging
to the encroaching vakeel.
