in case of an attack. The porters and baggage follow
in single file, soldiers being at intervals to prevent
them from running away ; in which case the runner is
invariably fired at. The supply of ammunition is in
the centre, carried generally by about fifteen natives,
and strongly escorted by guards. The rear of the
party is closed by another flag, behind which no
straggler is permitted. The rear flag is also guarded
by six or eight men, with a box of spare ammunition.
With these arrangements the party is always ready to
support an attack.
Ibrahim, my new ally, was now riding in front of the
line, carrying on his saddle before him a pretty little
girl, his daughter, a child of a year and a half old;
her mother, a remarkably pretty Bari girl, one of his
numerous wives, was riding behind him on an ox. We
soon got into conversation;—a few pieces of sugar
given to the child and mother O b"y Mrs. Baker was a
sweet commencement; and Ibrahim then told me to
beware of my own men, as he knew they did not
intend to remain with me ; that they were a different,
tribe from his men, and they would join Chenoodas
people and desert me on our arrival at their station in
Latooka. This was a corroboration of all I had heard
previous to leaving Gondokoro, therefore I had. the
promised mutiny in perspective. I had noticed that
my men were even more sullen than usual since I had
joined Ibrahim; however, I succeeded in convincing
him that he would benefit so decidedly by an alliance
with me, that he now frankly told me that I should
receive no opposition from his party. So far all had
prospered beyond my most sanguine expectations. We
were fairly launched upon our voyage, and now that
we were in the wild interior, I determined to crush
the mutiny with an iron hand should the rascals
attempt to carry their murderous threats into execution.
Two or three of the men appeared willing, but
the original ringleader, “ Bellaal, would literally do
nothing, not even assisting at loading the animals;
but swaggering about with the greatest insolence.
After a fatiguing march of eight hours and ten
minutes through a perfectly flat country interspersed
with trees, we halted at a little well of excessively bad
water at 7.35 p .m . The horses were so much in
advance that the main party did not arrive until 11 p .m .
completely fatigued. The night being fine, we slept
on a hillock of sand a few yards from the well, rejoiced
to be away from the mosquitoes of Gondokoro.
On the following morning we started at sunrise, and
in two hours’ fast marching we arrived at the Kanieti
river. Although there had been no rain, the streani
was very rapid and. up to the girths of the horses at