midnight, the chief Oommoro came fearlessly to the
patrol, and was admitted to the quadrangle. He
seemed greatly struck with the preparations for
defence, and explained that the nogara had been
beaten without his orders, and accordingly the whole
Country had risen ; but that he had explained to the
people that I had no hostile intentions, and that all
would be well if they only kept the peace. He said
they certainly had intended to attack us, and were
surprised that we were prepared, as proved by the
immediate reply of the Turks’ drum to their nogara.
He' assured us that he would not sleep that night,
but would watch that nothing should happen. I
assured him that we should also keep awake, but
should the nogara sound once more I should give-
orders to my men to set fire to the town, as I should
not allow the natives to make use of such threats with
impunity. I agreed to use what little interest I had
to keep the Turks in order, but that I must not be
held responsible by the natives for their proceedings,
as I was not of their country, neither had I anything
to do with them. I explained, that upon Ibrahim’s
return from Gondokoro things might improve, as he
was the captain of the Turks, and might be able to
hold his men in command. Commoro departed, and
at about 2 a .m . the dense crowds of armed men
that had accumulated outside the town began to
disperse, r
The morning broke and saw thé men still under
arms, but the excitement had passed. The women
soon reappeared with their water-jars as usual, but
on this occasion they were perfectly unmolested by
the Turks, who, having passed the night in momentary
expectation of an attack, were now upon their best
behaviour. However, I heard them muttering among
themselves, “Wait until Ibrahim returns with rein^
forcements and ammunition, and ” we- will pay the
Latookas for last night.”
The town filled; "and the Latookas behaved as
though nothing out of the common had occurred; but
when questioned, they coolly confessed that - they had
intended to surprise us, but that we were too “ wide
awake.’’ I t is extraordinary that these fellows are so
stupid as to beat the drum,or nogara before the attack,
as it naturally gives the alarm, and renders a surprise,
impossible ; nevertheless, the war-drum is always al
preliminary step to hostilities.
I now resolved to camp outside the town, so as not
to be mixed up in any way with the Turks, whose
presence was certain to create enmity. Accordingly
I engaged a number of natives to cut thorns, and to
make a zareeba, or camp, about four hundred yards