A short time before the arrival of Suleiman, an extraordinary incident
had occurred at the Fatiko camp.
One morning, when the bugles blew the usual call, it was discovered that
the prisoner Lazim had escaped, although he had been secured in irons.
Fortunately, it had rained slightly during the night; thus it would not
be difficult to track his footsteps. I immediately sent for Shooli and
Gimoro, whose village was only 700 yards distant, to whom I promised a
reward of a cow, should they succeed in capturing the escaped felon.
They quickly got upon the track of the fugitive, and followed like
bloodhounds.
I have already described this fellow Lazim as having been one of the
ringleaders in the rebellion of the slave-hunters; and he was almost as
notorious a character as Ali Hussein. He was originally himself a slave,
and had escaped from his master at Khartoum many years ago, after which
he became one of the most determined slave-hunters.
I felt sure that it would have been impossible for him to have escaped
without the connivance of the sentry. I therefore ordered all the
soldiers that had formed the various night-guards over the prisoner to
be brought before me. As they stood in line, I simply told them that
"the prisoner had escaped, and that one of the men now present was
guilty of aiding and abetting.
