We shortly perceived numerous large canoes pushing off
from the island, and making for our landing place, which I had already
cleared.
A cow, sheep, and a load of corn were first delivered as a present.
These were followed by Rionga, and a large staff of his principal
headmen.
He was a handsome man of about fifty, with exceedingly good manners. He
had none of the stiffness of Kamrasi, nor the gauche bearing of Kabba
Rega, but he was perfectly at his ease. He at once thanked me for the
handsome suit in which he was dressed, without which, he assured me that
it would have been difficult for him to have appeared before me in a
becoming manner. The troops were drawn out to receive him, and the
conversation at once turned upon Kabba Rega and Abou Saood.
He had an intimate knowledge of all that had taken place; which had been
reported to him by his spies; and he declared that Abou Saood had long
ago arranged a plan with Kabba Rega for our destruction should we arrive
from Gondokoro.
Rionga was well aware how often I had refused to attack him, and he
confessed that I had been his saviour by the arrest of Suleiman, who
would have joined the forces of Kabba Rega to have crushed him.
