Finally I
Called Upon Those Who Were Willing To Return
To Work To Hold Up Their Hands, And Instantly
Every Hand In The Crowd Was Raised.
I then
felt that for the moment the victory was mine,
and after dismissing them, I jumped down from
the rock and continued my rounds as if nothing
had happened, measuring a stone here and there
and commenting on the work done.
They were
still in a very uncertain and sullen mood,
however, and not at all to be relied upon, so it
was with feelings of great relief that an hour later
I made my way back, safe and sound, to Tsavo.
The danger was not yet past, unfortunately, for
scarcely had I turned my back to go home when
the mutiny broke out again, another meeting
being held, and a fresh plot made to murder me
during the night. Of this I was soon informed
by my time-keeper, who also told me that he was
afraid to go out and call the roll, as they had
threatened to kill him also. At this further
outrage I lost no time in telegraphing for the
Railway Police, and also to the District Officer,
Mr. Whitehead, who immediately marched his
men twenty-five miles by road to my assistance.
I have no doubt, indeed, that his prompt action
alone saved me from being attacked that very
night. Two or three days afterwards the Railway
Police arrived and arrested the ringleaders in
the mutiny, who were taken to Mombasa and
tried before Mr. Crawford, the British Consul,
when the full details of the plots to murder me
were unfolded by one of them who turned Queen's
evidence.
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