We were thus reduced to dried fish in the place of our lost
mutton, for which we felt inclined to go into mourning.
Although we had been badly fed of late, and for twenty-three days had
been without solid animal food (since the march from Masindi), we were
nevertheless in excellent health; and always hungry.
We marched well through the uninhabited wilderness of forest, high
grass, and swamps, and arrived at the village of Sharga, ten miles from
Fatiko, on August 1st, 1872.
The people had collected in considerable numbers to receive us, and we
were presented with a fat ox for the troops, thirteen large jars of
merissa, and a very plump sheep for ourselves.
The soldiers were delighted, poor fellows; and we likewise looked
forward with no small pleasure to a good stew.
Numerous sheiks had collected to receive us, and a formal complaint and
protest was made against Abou Saood and his people.
An attack had been planned by the slavers, and Abdullah and his small
detachment of 100 men would be overpowered. They were already
disheartened, as they believed that we were dead, and they had been
daily taunted with this fact by the brigands, who asked them, "what they
were going to do now that the Pacha was killed."
Abou Saood, having given his orders to Wat-el-Mek, and to the ruffian
Ali Hussein, had withdrawn to the station of Fabbo, twenty-two miles
west of Fatiko, to which place he had carried all the ivory.
