The stations of Fabbo, Faloro, and
Farragenia were a mass of slaves.
I did not enter a station to interfere with these wretched captives, as
I knew that such an act would create irretrievable confusion.
I had only 212 men, and I wished to advance to the equator.
Fatiko was in north latitude 3 degrees 01 minutes, and 165 miles from
headquarters. Had I attempted to release some thousand slaves from the
different stations, I should have required a large military force to
have occupied those stations, and to have driven out the whole of the
slave-hunters bodily.
If the slaves had been released, it would have been impossible to have
returned them to their homes, as they had been collected from every
quarter of the compass and from great distances. If I had kept them, I
could not have procured food for so large a number: as the stations
contained several thousand.
Under the circumstances, I took the wiser course of non-interference
with the stock in hand, but I issued the most severe orders respecting
the future conduct of Abou Saood's companies. I arranged to leave a
detachment of 100 men, under the command of Major Abdullah, to form a
station adjoining that of Abou Saood in Fatiko, together with the
heavier baggage and the greater portion of the ammunition.
The government would be thus represented by a most respectable and
civilized officer, who would give confidence and protection to the
country; as I concluded that the prestige of the Khedive would be
sufficient to establish order among his subjects, by the representation
of one of his officers and a detachment of 100 troops.
