My Suspicions And Even Apprehensions, Were Now Greatly Excited.
I
began to think he had prevailed on me to stop here, that I might
hold the place whilst
He went to fight Kamrasi with Rionga's men;
so I begged him to listen to my advice, and not attempt to cross
the Nile, "else," I said, "all his guns would be taken from him,
and his passage back cut off." At once he saw the drift of my
thought, and said he was not going towards the Nile, but on the
contrary, he was going with Rionga's men in the opposite
direction, to a place called Paira. "If that is the case," I
said, "why do you want a gun?" "Because there are some other
matters to settle. I shall not be long away, and my men will
take care of you whilst I am gone." I gave him the blanket after
this, but was too suspicious of his object to lend him a gun.
15th to 20th. - I saw Mahamed march his regiment out of the place,
drums and fifes playing, colours flying, a hundred guns firing,
officers riding, - some of them on donkeys and others - yes,
actually on cows! whilst a host of the natives, Rionga's men
included, carrying spears and bows and arrows, looked little like
a peaceful caravan of merchants, but very much resembled a band
of marauders. After this I heard they were not going to Rionga
himself, but were going to show Rionga's men the way that they
made friends with old Chongi of Koki.
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