My men had actually
captured an old friend in the thickets, who had formerly marched with us
in the reign of Kamrasi!
This fellow now gave us the news. Rionga wished to see me, but he had
been so cheated and deceived by the slave-hunting companies of Abou
Saood, that he was afraid to trust himself among us; he was friendly
disposed, but he did not know my intentions concerning himself.
The prisoner declared that the treachery of Kabba Rega had been planned
from the beginning. The 300 natives who had accompanied my party from
Masindi, with the post to Fatiko, had attacked and killed some of my
men, but he knew no particulars; only that they had not gone on to
Fatiko with my people. This was a great relief to my anxiety, as in that
case Abdullah must be safe with his detachment. I ordered the prisoner
to be retained, but to be well treated.
We had rain nearly every day.
At daybreak on 1st July, after a heavy night's rain, a voice from the
high wet grass, about a hundred yards distant, cried out to the sentries
in Arabic, "Don't fire! I am a messenger from Rionga to Malegge!" (my
former nick-name).
The man, cold and shivering, was brought before me. He had travelled by
canoe during the night, but had been afraid to approach the sentries
until daylight.
