It was he who, in spite of
my written command that the sheik Werdella should be spared, had ordered
two of his slaves to take him from the Fabbo zareeba, and to cut his
throat.
Both Wat-el-Mek and Suleiman, as late vakeels of Abou Saood, swore to
their written evidence, to which they attached their seals in the
presence of witnesses, that Abou Saood had given orders to his vakeels
to harry the country and to capture slaves and cattle; that none of the
people employed by him received wages in money, but that they were
invariably paid in slaves, valued at a certain sum.
"All the opposition that I had met with had been caused by Abou Saood."
Suleiman, having received a written pardon, made his salaam and retired.
An hour later he was washed beautifully clean, and was gorgeously
dressed in a Turkish costume of light blue woollen cloth, trimmed with
gold and black braid, with a new tarboosh, a handsome silk shawl in
thick folds around his waist, and his sabre dangling by his side. This
sudden metamorphosis from dirt and ashes to dazzling attire was
symbolical of disgrace and humiliation succeeded by pardon and
restoration to office.
Suleiman was to continue as vakeel of the Fabbo station, under the
command of Wat-el-Mek.
