ThisfellowhadwaiteduponmyordersdailysincemyarrivalatFatiko。
AtthedeathoftheformervakeelofFatiko，AliHusseinhadsucceededtothecommandofthestation。
HehadarrangedtomakeadescentupontheUmirotribe，aboutsixdays’
marchtothesouth-east。
Heaccordinglysentnativesasspies，withspeciousmessagestotheUmiro，announcinghisintentionofvisitingthemtopurchaseivory。
Withapartyincreasedbyvolunteersfromotherstationstoaforceofabout300men，hearrivedatUmiro。
Thesimplenativesreceivedhimgladly，andshowedextremehospitality。
Thecountrywasthicklypopulated，andaboundedwithvastherdsofthefinestcattle。
Afteraweek’ssojournamongtheUmiro，duringwhichhehadreceivedlargepresentsofelephants’tusks，andseventyheadofoxenfromtheconfidingnatives，thetreacherousruffiangaveanordertohisbrigandsatsunset。Theyweretobeunderarmsanhourbeforedaybreakonthefollowingmorning，tosetfiretotheadjacentvillagesoftheirgeneroushosts，andtocapturetheirlargeherdsofcattle，togetherwiththeirwomenandchildren。
Atthetimeappointed，whileeveryUmirosleptunconsciousofapproachingdanger，severalvillagesweresurrounded，andvolleysofmusketrywerepoureduponthesleepinginmates。Thestrawhutswereignited，andtheflamesrapidlyspread，whileamassacrecommencedsimilartothebutcheriestowhichtheslave-huntersweresowellaccustomed。
TheUmiro，thustakenbysurprise，andappalledbysodastardlyatreachery，wereeasilydefeated。Theirchildrenandwiveswerecaptured，togetherwithlargeherdsofcattle，whicharecelebratedfortheirsize。AlltheseweredrivenintriumphtoFatiko。
Thesuccessofthisinfernalscheme，raisedthereputationofAliHusseintothehighestpitch。ThereportsofthevastpastoralwealthoftheUmiroexcitedthecupidityofthevariouscompaniesinthestationsofAbouSaood。
Itwasdeterminedtomakeagrandattackuponapeople，who，inspiteoftheirwarlikecharacter，hadexhibitedatotalwantofpowertoresist。
AliHusseinsentanexpeditionofabout350men，inadditiontoalargenumberofFatikoallies。TheyarrivedonthebordersofUmiro，withinaboutanhour’smarchofthevillagesdoomedtopillage。ThepartywasunderthecommandofanotoriousruffiannamedLazim，whomIhadknownduringmyformerexploration。
UponarrivalintheUmirocountry，duringthenightafteraforcedmarch，hesentadetachmentof103men，togetherwithabout150natives，toattackthevillagesbyasurpriseatdawn，andtocapturetheslavesandcattleintheusualmanner。
Thepartystartedattheearlyhouroffirstcock-crow，whilethemainbodyunderLazimwaitedfortheresult。
Hourspassed，butthecompanydidnotreturn。Afewshotshadbeenheardinthedistance。
Thecountrywasclearandopen，butnothingcouldbeseen。Therewasnolowingofcattle，neitherdidtheheavycloudsofsmoke，usualonsuchoccasions，pointoutthedirectionofburningvillages。
Presently，drumswereheardineverydirection，thehornsandwhistlesoftheUmirosoundedthealarm，andlargebodiesofnativesrushedacrosstheplaintotheattackofLazim’smainbody。
Theyhadjusttimetoform，andtopostthemenaroundthestrongcattlekraal，whichtheyhadoccupied，whenthestreamofenemiescamedownuponthem。
Upontheopenplain，theUmirohadnochanceinattackingsowelldefendedaposition，andthemuskets，loadedwithheavymouldshot，toldwithgreateffectuponthenakedbodiesoftheassailants。
TheUmirowerebeatenbackwithsomeloss，andtheslave-huntersheldtheposition，althoughinastateofterror，astheyfeltthatsometerriblecalamitymusthavebefallenthepartywhichhadstartedtosurprisethevillages。
Afterdark，aBarinativecriedouttothesentriestolethimpass。
Thiswasawoundedmanoftheirownpeople，theonlysurvivorofallthosewhohadleftthemainbodyonthatmorning。
TheBaridescribed，thattheUmiro，havinggainedinformationoftheintendedattack，hadlaininambushwithinhighwitheredgrass，inwhichtheyhadawaitedthearrivaloftheirassailants。
Theslave-hunterswereadvancingasusual，insinglefile，alongthenarrowtrackthroughthehighgrass，unsuspiciousofanenemy，whentheUmirorushedfrombothsidesoftheambuscadeuponthem。
Takenbysurprise，apanicseizedtheslave-hunters，veryfewofwhomhadtimetofiretheirmusketsbeforetheywerespearedbythepitilessUmiro，whowreakedwholesalevengeancebythemassacreof103ofAbouSaood’smenandabout150oftheirallies。
ThemainbodyunderLazimwerecompletelycowed，astheyfearedanoverwhelmingattackthatmightexhausttheirammunition。TheUmirohadnowbecomepossessedof103gunsandseverallargecasesofcartridges，inadditiontothoseinthepouchesofthesoldiers。
Nightfavouredtheretreat，andtheremnantoftheexpeditionunderLazimreturnedbyforcedmarchestoFatiko。
Thedefeathadspreadconsternationamongthevariousstations，asitfollowedcloselyuponthedestructionofastationbelongingtoAbouSaoodintheMadicountry。
ThiszareebahadbeenunderthecommandofavakeelnamedJusef，whohadexasperatedthenativesbycontinualactsoftreacheryandslave-hunting。Theyhadaccordinglycombinedtoattackthestationatnight，andhadsetfiretothestrawhuts，byshootingred-hotarrowsintotheinflammablethatchedroofs。
ThesecalamitieshadhappenedsincethearrivalofAbouSaoodintheShoolicountry，anditwashewhohadgiventheordertoattacktheUmiro。Hisownpeople，beingnaturallysuperstitious，thoughthehadbroughtbadluckwithhim。
ItappearedthatwhenAbouSaoodhadfirstarrivedatFatikofromGondokoro，thevakeelsofhisdifferentstationswereallpreparedforthejourneytodelivertheivory。TheyhadgiventhecattleobtainedinthefirstattackuponUmirotothenativecarriersofMadiandShooli，andthetuskshadbeenarrangedinabout2，000loadsfortransport。
ThesuddenarrivalofAbouSaoodchangedalltheirplans，asheimmediatelygaveorderstoreturntheivorytothestorehuts；hedidnotintendtodeliveritatGondokorothatyear。HealsosentalettertohisLatookastation，ninedays’marchtothenorth-east，togetherwithapartyofeightymen，withinstructionstohisvakeeltodelivertheivoryattheBohrstationbelowGondokoro。
Hethushopedtodefraudthegovernmentoutofthetwo-fifthsduetothembycontractwithAgad。Atthesametime，hehadintendedtoremainconcealedintheinteriorofthecountryuntilIshouldhavereturnedtoEngland；afterwhichhehadnodoubtthataffairswouldcontinueintheiroriginalposition。
ItmaybeimaginedthatmysuddenarrivalatFatikohaddisconcertedallhisplans。
Inspiteofhisextremecunning，hehadover-estimatedhisownpowerofintrigue，andhehadmismanagedhisaffairs。
AccordingtotheagreementwithAgad&Co。，therepresentativeofthatfirm，AbouSaood，hadcontractedtosupplythegovernmenttroopswithallprovisionsatagivenprice，includingevensheepandbutter，ashedeclaredthathewasinpossessionofthesearticlesinhisvariousstations。Hewasalsotoassistthegovernmentexpeditionineverymanner，andtosupplynotonlycarriers，buteventroops，shouldtheybenecessary。
Ireadthiscontracttosomeofhisprincipalmen，whofairlylaughedoutrightattheaudacityofAbouSaoodinsubscribingtosuchutterfalsehoods。
Notonlyhadhesecretlyfraternizedwiththeenemy，insteadofassistingthegovernment，buthehadcautionedtheBarisnottocarryourloads，andhehadincitedtheFatikonativestoattackus。Thesupplyoffoodwastooridiculous。Insteadofgivingtothetroops，hehadbeenobligedtoborrowcornfromthegovernmentmagazinesatGondokoroforhisownpeople，andIhadgivenhim200cattletosavehismenfromfamine。
Thedeceitandtreacheryofthismanwerebeyondbelief。HenowcametomedailyatFatiko，andsworebytheeyesoftheProphet，eternalfidelity。Hewishedtokissmyhand，andtoassuremehowlittlehisrealcharacterhadbeenunderstood，andthathefeltsureIhadbeeninfluencedagainsthimbyothers，butthatinrealityIhadnoservantsodevotedashimself。HedeclaredthathehadonlyattackedtheShirandstolentheircowsinordertosupplythegovernmenttroopswithcattleaccordingtocontract。Thushehadtheaudacitytoassertthatthegovernmentwouldbecomethepurchaserofcattlestolenexpresslyfortheiruse。
Inspiteoftheseprotestations，hecouldnotexplainhisreasonforhavingreturnedtheivorytostore，insteadoftransportingittoGondokoro。Hethereforemetthedifficultybyaflatdenial，asusual，callingupontheProphetasawitness。
Onlyafewdaysofhiscontractremained，attheexpirationofwhichheshouldhavewithdrawnhisestablishmentsfromthecountry，accordingtomywrittenordersthathadbeengivenmanymonthsago。
Hehadentirelyignoredtheseorders，ashehadneverexpectedmyarrival；thereforehehadconcealedallsuchinstructionsfromhispeople，inthehopethatmytermsofservicewouldexpirefruitlesslyatGondokoro，andthat，aftermydeparture，hewouldhavelittledifficultyinarrangingforthefuturewithhisfriendRaoufBey，whowouldmostprobablysucceedtothecommand。
Iatonceissuedwrittenorderstothevakeelsofhisdifferentstations，that，attheendofthemonthMohurram，thecontractwithAgadwouldcease，andthatallfutureactionwouldbeillegal。
IgaveallemployeesofAbouSaoodduenotice，thattheymusteitherquitthecountry，orbecomerespectablesubjects。
IgrantedthempermissiontosettleatGondokoro，andtocommencefarmsonthefertileislandsoftheNilefreeofalltaxation。
Or，shouldtheywishtoenterthegovernmentserviceasirregulartroops，Iofferedthesamepayastheregulars，withtheadvantageofanannualengagement。
ImetseveralheadmenwhomIhadknowninmyformerjourney。ThesemenfoundfaultwithAbouSaoodforhavinglefttheminthedarkrespectingthecontractwiththegovernment；andtheyatoncedeclaredthattheyshouldbehappytoserveasirregularsattheexpirationoftheagreement。
Therewasagreatdifficultyrespectingtheivory，whichcomprisedinallthestations3，200tusks。
ThecattlethathadbeengiventothenativecarriersforthetransportoftheivorytoGondokorohadonlypartiallybeenreturnedbythedisappointedMadi。Manyofthesepeoplehadkilledandeatenthebeasts，andhaddeclaredthattheyhaddied，whentheyfoundthenecessityofrestoringthem。
Itwasnownecessarytomovetheivory，togetherwithalltheestablishments，toGondokoro。Thiswouldrequireatleast6，000cows。Itwasacompletefix。TherewerenocattleinanyofAbouSaood’sstations；theyhadallbeenconsumed；andhenowcametomewitharequestthatIwouldlendhimeightyoxen，ashispeoplehadnothingtoeat。
Itwasclearlyimpossibletomovetheivory。Thus，inspiteofmyordersgiventoAbouSaoodabouttenmonthsprevious，theopportunityofmovinghadbeenlost，andthetimeofdeparturewasreducedtosinedie。Thiswasahopelessconditionofaffairs。TherewerenocattleinAbouSaood’spossession，andwithoutcowstheivorycouldnotbemoved。Atthesametime，itwouldbeimpossibleformetopermithimtomakerazziasupondistantcountries，asIhadarrivedtoestablishgovernment，andtoaffordprotectiontoalltribesthatwoulddeclaretheirallegiance。
InowdiscoveredthattheprincipalvakeelofAbouSaood，namedMohammedWat-el-Mek，hadonlyrecentlystartedwithalargeforce，byAbouSaood’sorders，toinvadetheKooshicountryonthewestsideoftheWhiteNile，closetoitsexitfromtheAlbertN’yanza。
ThiswasatribethatcouldnotpossiblyhaveinterferedwithAbouSaood；butasthecattlehadbeenexhaustedontheeastbankoftheriver，hehadcommencedaseriesofrazziasuponthewest。TheKoshiwerepeoplewithwhomfriendshipshouldhavebeenestablished，astheywereonthenavigableNilethatwouldeventuallybetraversedbythesteamer，whenconstructedatIbrahimeyah。Itwasthusthatalltribeswererenderedhostilebytheslave-hunters。