announced that he was a native of Kayala than the
Turks declared he was a spy, and condemned him to
he shot. The two chiefs, Moy and Commoro, feeling
themselves compromised by having brought the man
into such danger unwittingly, threw themselves before
him, and declared that no harm should befall him, as
he belonged to them. Tearing them away by the
combined force of many men, the prisoner was immediately
bound, and led forth by his bloodthirsty
murderers to death. “ Shoot the spy!” was hardly
pronounced, when a villain stepped forward, and
placing the muzzle of his musket close to' his left
breast, he fired. The man dropped dead, thus murdered
in cold blood. The natives rushed in crowds
from the spot, naturally supposing that a general
massacre would follow so unprovoked an outrage.
The body was dragged by the heels a few paces
outside the camp, and the vultures were its- sextons
within a few minutes of the death.
I t was with difficulty that I could restrain my
temper under such revolting circumstances. I felt
that at an unlooked-for moment I might be compromised
in some serious outbreak of the natives, caused
by the brutal acts of the traders. Already it was
declared unsafe to venture out shooting without ten or
twelve armed men as escort. ' - -
A mixture of cowardice and brutality, the traders’
party became exceedingly timid, as a report was current
that the inhabitants of Kayala intended to ally themselves
to those of Tarrangolle, and to attack the Turks
in their camp. I accordingly strengthened my position
by building a tower of palisades,, that entirely commanded
all approaches to my zareeba.
Latooka was already spoiled by the Turks: it was
now difficult to procure flour and milk for beads, as
the traders’ people, since the attack on Kayala, had
commenced the system of purchasing all supplies w ith .
either goats, or beef, which having been stolen, was
their cheapest medium of exchange. Although rich in
beads and copper, I was actually poor, as I could not
obtain supplies. Accordingly I allowanced my men
two pounds of beads monthly, and they went to distant
villages and purchased their own provisions independently
of me.
On the 11th June, at 7.20 a.m., there was a curious
phenomenon ; the sky was perfectly clear, but we were
startled by a noise like the sudden explosion of a mine,
or the roar of heavy cannon, almost immediately
repeated. I t appeared to have originated among the
mountains, about sixteen miles distant due south of
my camp. I could only account for this occurrence
by the supposition that an immense mass of the granite