coulddistinguishthenativescollectingfromallpartsandevidentlysurroundingourposition。Ithereforepostedmenasskirmishersaroundthecircleabouteightyyardsdistantfromthestockade，facingoutwards，whilethesmallpartyforcedthegateway。
Thefireofthesniderriflesandthesteadyshootingofthe”FortyThieves”quicklyreducedthenumberofarrows，andthenatives，findingthatitwasgettingtoohot，suddenlymadeadashbyasecretentranceandrushedthroughthetroops，nowofnecessitywidelyscattered，andtheygainedtheforest。
Atthesametimethegatewaywasforced，andwefoundaprizewithinofupwardsofsixhundredcows。Thestockade，orzareeba，wasimmenselystrong，formedofmassivelogsofironwooddeeplyimbeddedintheearth，andarrangedsocloselytogetherthatnotonebulletoutoftenwouldhavefounditswaythroughthecrevicesiffiredfromadistance。Theproperwaytoattackthecircularstrongholdsistomakeasuddenrushcloseuptothedefence，andtolaytheriflebetweentheopenings；thestockadethenbecomesaprotectiontotheattackingparty，asthereisnoflankfiretoenfiladethem。
Thenativeswerenowgatheringonallsides；butwewereinpossession，andalthoughourpartyconsistedofonlyseventymen，wehadanimpregnableposition，whichIcouldholduntiljoinedbyTayibAgha。I
accordinglytookafewofthe”FortyThieves”toadistanceofabout150
pacesawayfromthecentre，andconcealedthemassharpshooters，whereverIfoundaconvenientcover。Thefireofthesniderskepttheenemyatarespectfuldistance。
TherewerenosignsofTayibAgha。Thesunwasrisen，andcloudsofsteambegantorisefromthewetgroundandthedrippingtrees。I
orderedsomegrasshutstobefired，asthevolumeofsmokemightattracttheattentionofTayibAgha’sdetachment，whichhadevidentlygoneastray。Ifnear，theymusthaveheardthesoundofourrifles。
Thehutsweresooninflames，andthesmokerosehighinair，whichwouldbeasignaltobeseenfromagreatdistance。
Isenttwobuglerstothetopofatalltree，fromwhichelevatedposttheyblewthecallforthelieutenant-colonelandhisthreecompaniescontinuallyforabouthalf-an-hour。
Wewerehungry，thereforeafatcalfwaskilled，andcookingimmediatelycommenced。Ihadalittleboxofsaltandpepper，togetherwithsomebiscuits；thuswewereinluxury。MygoodMonsoorwasafaircook；
thereforethefat，kidneys，andliverhavingbeencutintopiecesabouttwoinchessquare，andarrangedonasteelramrod，werewellsaltedandpeppered，andlaidonthered-hotemberswhentheflameandsmokehadsubsided。Thereisnothingsogoodaskabobsthussimplyprepared：theramrodisthenstuckuprightintheground，andyousitdownandcutoffthepiecesasrequired。Saltshouldalwaysbecarriedmixedwithblackandredpepperinproperproportions；itsavesmuchtrouble。
Wewereenjoyingourbreakfast；thecowslatelycapturedgaveplentyofmilk，whichourservantshadboiledintheBaris’earthenpots，andwewerediscussingthepossibilityofTayibAghahavinglosthisway，whenwehearddistantshotsfiredontheopenhillsatthefootofBelinianmountain，aboutamileand，ahalftoourright。Weshortlydistinguishedsmoke，whichwasareplytooursignal。ItwasevidentthatTayibAghahadstrayedfartothesouth，butitwassatisfactorytoknowthathehadseenourposition。
Wecouldnowdistinguishthetroopswiththetelescope，andevenmakeoutthegunthatwasdraggedbyabouttwentymen。Theywereontheirdirectwaytojoinus。
Mymenhadcapturedthreeyounggirls，whomtheybroughttome。Theoldestwasaboutfifteen，andwasprettyandintelligent：shehadformerlybeenaslaveofthetraders，andwasmarked，accordingtotheircustom，byseveralscarsoneithercheek。ThegirlspokegoodArabic，anddidnotappeartoshowtheslightestalarm。
IaskedherwhytheBelinianBarishadattackedus，andtakencattlefromthestationatGondokoro，withouttheslightestprovocation?SherepliedthattheyhadbeeninvitedbythesheikAllorrontobecomeallies，thereforetheyhadattackedusanddrivenoffthecows，someofwhichwerenowamongthecattlewehadthatmorningcaptured。
Itoldherthatwenevertookslaves，thereforesheandhercompanionsmightreturntotheBaris，andinformthemthatIhadcomeuponthetracksofthecattlewhichtheyhaddrivenofffromGondokoro。Iftheydesiredpeace，Ishouldbehappytotreatwiththem，butiftheyshouldreturntoattackusathead-quarters，Ishouldnotsparethem，butI
wouldutterlyrootthemoutoftheneighbourhood。Thegirlslaughedandstartedoff，notintheleastdisturbedbythescenearoundthem。
Atlength，TayibAgha’sdetachmentarrived。TheywereveryangrywithMorgian，theguide，who，theydeclared，hadpurposelymisledthem。Thiswasnotthefact；themanhadlosthiswayinthedarkintheendeavourtoseekabetterpathforthegun。However，wewerenowunited，andI
orderedthementobreakfast。
Thesnidershadclearedthenativesfromthevicinity，andnowthatwehadbeenreinforcedbyTayibAgha’sparty，therewasnofearoftheBaris。Theykeptaloof，andmerelywatchedourmovementsfromthetopsofhightrees，wheretheyperchedlikecormorants，andsawtheenjoymentofthetroopsengagedinroastingbeefthathadlatelybeentheirown。
IfullyexpectedadifficultywiththenativeswhenweshouldattempttodrivetheherdofstrangecattlethroughthejunglepathtoGondokoro。I
thereforedeterminedtomakeareconnaissanceoftheneighbourhoodwhenthemenshouldhavefinishedtheirbreakfast，inordertodrivetheBarisfromthevicinity，andthusobtainafairstartforthecattle。
Leavingonecompanytoprotectthestockadeandcapturedcattle，Itooktheremainingthreecompaniesandthegun，andextendingthelineinopenorder，withskirmishersthrownoutinfrontandtheguninthecentre，weadvancedthroughthecountry。
Alargeriverbed，nowalmostdry，withveryabruptbanks，layonourleft。Thewoodbecamethinner，andwesuddenlyemergeduponabroad，openvalleyorplain，whichwasboundedonourrightbythehighmountainofBelinian，aboutamileandahalfdistant。
Theplainwascoveredwithvillages，andtheentirecountrywasgreenwithcultivation，thedhurrabeingthenabouttwofeethigh。Thegun-carriageraneasilyovertheflatground，andweadvancedrapidlyforward，theBarisclearingoutoftheirvillagesandgatheringonourflanksasweapproached。Ashotfromthegunsentaneight-poundshellwhichexplodedintheairaboveagroupabout700yardsdistant。Thiswassufficientnoticetoquit。Theenemydarednotstanduponopenground；thus，afterwehaddriventhemforwardforabouttwomiles。wefacedaboutandreturnedtothestockade。
Wenowopenedthegatewayanddroveoutthehungrycattle。Theylookedverywild，andIratherfearedastampede；itwasnecessarytoleavetheminthehandsofourtwoallies，SherroomandMorgian，asthecattleneitherunderstoodArabicnorthemannersorcustomsoftheEgyptians。
AfteralittlewhistlingandcoaxingintheBarilanguage，theherdstarted，wellprotectedbytroopsonbothflanks，andanadvanceguardat150paces’distance。Therearwasbroughtupbythegunandthe”FortyThieves。”
Thenativesappearedtobeundertheimpressionthatweweregoingtopassthenightatthezareeba；thustheyhadnoknowledgeofourstart，andwearrivedatGondokoroandenteredthestationaboutanhouraftersunset，havingbeenoutnineteenhours。
InowlearntthattheBarisofGondokorohadimaginedthatthegreaterportionofthetroopshadgonetoBelinianforanexcursionofsomedays；theyhadaccordinglybeatentheirbigdrumsandgatheredtogetherfromallquarterstoattackthecamp，butdiscretionovercametheirvalourwhentheyfoundalargeforcestillathead-quarters。
OnJune9，eightvesselsofAgad’shoveinsight，andwithafairbreezetheyarrivedoppositetheislandat2。30p。m。
AbouSaoodwasinoneofthesevessels。
June10，AbouSaoodpresentedhimselftomethismorning。Hisvessels，beingwithoutcargoes，benefitedmuchbyourworkinthesudd。Hefoundallourcuttingsopen，thereforehehadnodifficultyuntilhearrivedatthedam，throughwhichhispeoplecutapassage。Thegreatrushofwaterscouredadeepchannel，andhissquadronoflightvesselscameonwithoutdifficulty。IorderedAbouSaood’speopletocamponthewestbankoftheriver，asIdidnotwishthemtobeinconstantcommunicationwithmytroops，whowouldquicklybecomecontaminatedbytheirmorals。
ThenewsbroughtbyAbouSaoodfromKhartouminformedmeofthedeathofAgad；thereforetherepresentationofthefirmofAgad&Co。hadnowdevolveduponAbouSaood，hisson-in-law。
InowheardthatthepeopleofAbouSaood，whonumberedabout500men，hadbroughtwiththemalargeherdofcattlewhichtheyhaddrivenalongthewestbankoftheriver；thusindirectdefianceofthegovernmentauthority，hehadmadearazziauponsometribeduringhisvoyage，andhehadnotscrupledtopresenthimselftomewiththeherdofstolencattlestaringmeinthefaceontheothersideofthewater。
OnmywayupfromtheBahrGiraffeIhadleftaTurkishmajor，AchmetRafikEffendi，withacorporalandfivemen，intheShirtribe，aboutfortymilesfromGondokoro，withafriendlysheiknamedNiambore。ThissheikwasthetallestandmostpowerfulmanthatIeversawinAfrica，andhewasatrustworthyandgoodfellow。Hehadpromisedtocultivateafarmforthegovernment，thereforeIhadgivenhimtenbushelsofdhurraforseed，andIhadleftwithhimathisrequesttheofficerandsoldiers，torepresentthegovernmentandtosuperintendthecultivation。
InowdiscoveredthatAbouSaoodhadattackedthenativeswithoutanyprovocation，andhadcarriedoffthecattlefromthecountryadjoiningNiambore’sdistrict。
ThenativeswouldnaturallyimaginethatmyofficerandsixmenwerespieswhohaddirectedAbouSaoodtotheircattle，andtherewouldbeagreatchanceofaconflictbetweenNiambore，theirprotector，andhisneighbourswhohadbeenrobbed。
IobservedwiththetelescopethatthepeopleofAbouSaoodwhoarrivedwiththeherdofcattlewereaccompaniedbyagreatnumberofnatives，andtheBarisofGondokoro，whowereatopenwarwithus，flockedtowelcomethenewcomersasoldfriendswhohadbeenlongabsent。Thebrigandshadasusualarrivedwithalargeherdofcattle，whichinAfricaisalwaysthebestintroduction；thustherobbertribeofAllorronwasdelightedatthereturnofthosewhohadalwaysledthemtoplunder，andhadenrichedthemwiththespoilofcowsandslaves。Ifindthefollowingentryinmyjournal，dated——”June12，1871——ThenativeswhoareatwarwithushavebeengatheringinlargenumberstothespotonthewestbankoccupiedbyAbouSaood’speople。Thelatterareactuallyholdingfriendlyintercoursewiththem，andtheBarisarequiteathomeassistingtheserascalsinerectingtheircamp，althoughtheypositivelyrefusedtoworkforthegovernmentuponourfirstarrival。ThisisthetreasonableconductofAbouSaood，whoknowsperfectlywellthatweareatopenwarwiththeBaris。”Hislargeherdofabout1，400fatcattleweredrivenalongintriumph，followedbytheadmiringpopulationofthievingniggers，whohailhisarrivalastheharbingeroffattimes，Gondokorobeingthegeneraldepotforallstolencattle，slaves。&c。，andthestartingpointforeverypiraticalexpedition。”IntheafternoonIstartedinadingy，accompaniedbyColonelAbd-el-Kader，LieutenantBaker，Monsoor，andfoursoldiers，tovisitthetraders’camponthewestsideoftheriver。”Seeingmeapproach，agreatnumberofBarisleftthetraders，andtakingtoaprecipitateflighttheydisappearedinthehighreeds。Thetraders’peoplereceivedmewithouttheslightestmarkofrespect，andoneinsolentfellowswaggeredupandstaredmeinthefacewithapipeinhismouthasastudiedinsult。”Iwenttothecattlepensandimmediatelyplacedmyfoursoldiersassentriesovertheherd，whichIconfiscated，asawarningtotheseruffianlyslave-hunters。