"Abd-el-Kader ordered Suleiman to accompany him to my halting-place at
Kisoona. Suleiman declined upon the excuse that he had some business,
but that he would present himself to-morrow."
"I can stand these scoundrels' conduct no longer. I have tried lenient
measures, and I had hoped that by forming Suleiman's party into an
irregular corps I might be able, by degrees, to change their habits, and
to reduce them by good discipline into useful troops, but 'Can the
Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?'
"I immediately released and examined the captive sheiks, who one and all
declared that the fault lay with Suleiman, who had previously arranged
the plan with Rahonka: that when I should be led away a distance of two
days' journey, he would assemble his men and attack Rionga in
conjunction with Rahonka's army.
"The report of Umbogo, the dragoman, is thus corroborated by
overwhelming evidence. This man, Umbogo, declares that Abou Saood wrote
to Suleiman, instructing him to wait until I should have passed on, and
then to bring all his slaves to Fabbo.
"I immediately sent Captain Mohammed Deii with fifty men, including
twenty-five of the 'Forty Thieves,' with orders to liberate all slaves
that might be discovered within the zareeba.
