UponmanyoccasionsIhadsenttorequesthisattendance，buthewasalwaysinthesanctuaryofhisownprivatehouse，orratherestablishmentofhouses；thesewereaseriesofenormousbeehive-shapedstrawandcanedwellingsinacourtyardofaboutanacre，surroundedbyafence，andguardedbymanysentries，eachofwhomhadasmallbutbuiltinthemiddleofthehedge。
Sincethedepartureoftheirregularlevy，Ihadnoticedadecidedchangeinthedemeanourofthechiefs。Kittiakara，whohadbeenourgreatestfriend，couldneverlookmeintheface，butalwayscasthiseyesuponthegroundwhenspeakingorlistening。
Thefoodforthetroopswasobtainedwiththegreatestdifficulty，afterconstantworryandendlessapplications。ItwasinvainthatIinsistedupontherightofpayingforasupplyofcorn；thechiefsreplied：”IsnotKabbaRegayourson?canasonsellcorntohisownfather”
Atthesametimeweneverhadtwodays’provisionsinstore，andweweresimplylivingfromhandtomonth。Thislookedsuspicious，asthoughthetroopsweretoberenderedhelplessbytheabsenceofsuppliesintheeventofhostilities。
MyfewBarisconsistedofmygoodinterpreterMorgian，togetherwiththreeothernatives，whohadbeenforsomeyearsintheemployofSuleiman。Ihadkeptthesepeoplewithme，astheyknewsomethingaboutthecountryandtheUnyoros。Theywereallarmedandweretolerablygoodshots。OneofthesefellowsMolodi，anativeoftheMadicountry，wasextremelyusefulandintelligent。HenowtoldmethatIcouldneverdependuponKabbaRega，andthathehadsimplybeggedmetosendtheirregularsoutofthecountryinorderthatIshouldnothearthetruthofhisformerconductfromthem；also，intheirabsence，Ishouldbequiteignorantofthepathsthatwerenowcompletelyovergrownwithimmenselyhighgrassthroughoutthecountry。
Anincidentoccurredonthe31stMaywhichcausedmeseriousanxiety。
Thestationwasincompleteorder：thecultivationwasthriving，andthegeneralappearanceofthegovernmentsettlementwasastrongcontrasttothesurroundingwildernessofhighgrass，andthelargeanddirtytownofMasindi。
Mytroopswerenowwithoutoccupation，thereforeIinstructedColonelAbd-el-Kadertodrillthemeverymorning。
Ithadbeenthedailypracticeofthebandtomarchupanddownthebroadapproach，andtoperformnearlyoppositeKabbaRega’spublicdivan。
Therewasnoclearplaceinwhichthetroopscouldbedrilled，exceptinthepublicsquareatthebackofKabbaRega’sdivan；thiswasaboutthecentreofthetown。
Thesquarewasanopenspaceofabouttwoacres，andwasthespotatwhichallpublicfestivitieswereheld，andwhere，uponmanyoccasions，KabbaRegadelightedtosit，inalargeopenshed，towitnesstheabsurdperformanceofhisbuffoons。
Thisopenspacewaswelladaptedfortheexerciseofacompanyoftroops。Ithereforeorderedthemenonparade，andIaccompaniedthemmyselftogetherwithLieutenantBaker。
Thebandplayed，asusual，attheheadofthecompany，andwemarchedthroughthetowntotheopensquare。
Herethetroopswereputthroughtheirmusketrydrill，andcommencedvariousevolutions。
Tomyastonishment，Isawthenativeshurryingoffinalldirections。I
wasperfectlyunarmed，aswerealsotheofficersexceptingtheirsidearmsandLieutenantBaker。
Almostimmediatelythehugewar-drumsoundedinthehouseofKabbaRega，andthedullhollownotescontinuedtobeatthealarm！
Inlessthantenminutes，hornswereblowinganddrumswerebeatinginalldirections，andwithextraordinaryrapidity，somefiveorsixthousandmencamepouringdownfromeveryquarter，fullyarmedwithspearsandshields，inastateoffranticexcitement，andatoncesurroundedthetroops。Freshbandsofnatives，allofwhomwereintheircostumeofwar，continuedtoconcentratefromeveryside。Thecrowdofwarriorsleaptandgesticulatedaroundmylittlecompanyofmenasthoughabouttoattack。
Iimmediatelygavetheordertoformasquarewithfixedbayonets。Thismanoeuvrepuzzledthenativesextremely。
Theydancedaroundthesquare，withinafewfeetoftheglisteningrowofbayonet-points，whichwereloweredsoastoformanimpenetrablefence。
Theofficerswereofcourseinsidethesquare。Igavethemenstrictordersnottofireunderanyprovocation，unlessIgavethewordofcommand，andattendedbyLieutenantBakerandMonsoor，thelatterwithhissworddrawn，Ileftthesquare，andwalkedintothemiddleofthecrowd，towardsthethreechiefs，Rahonka，Kittakara，andMatonse，whowereallstandingwithlancesintheirhands，andapparentlypreparedforaction。
Althoughthesituationwasfullofmeaning，Ithoughtthebestpolicywastoappearamused。AtthismomentMonsoorstruckupwithhissword，alance，whichoneofthefranticwarriors，inthemidstofhiswildgesticulations，hadadvancedwithinafewinchesofmyback。
TheinterpretersmanyofwhomIknewwellwereallarmedwithmuskets，andthebonosooraweredressedintheirusualfantasticmannerwhenpreparedforwar；aconsiderablenumberwereprovidedwithguns。
Theslightestaccidentwouldhavecausedageneraloutbreakofhostilities。Ihadeightymenontheground；theremainderoftheforcewereatthestation，aboutthreehundredyardsdistant，whereLadyBaker，andallstoresandammunition，wouldhavebeeninextremedanger，hadanattackbecomegeneral。
IatoncewalkeduptoRahonkaandKittakara，andcallinganinterpreter，namedKadji-Barri，whowasstandingnearthem，dressedinArabclothes，withhismusketinhishand，andhiscartouche-beltonhiswaist，Iburstoutlaughing，andexclaimed：”Welldone，Kadji-Barri！
thisisfamouslymanaged；letushaveageneraldance。AshKitiakitriifmybandshallplay，orwillyoudancetoyourownmusic?”
Thiswasimmediatelytranslatedtothechiefs，andmydemeanourseemedtocausesomehesitation。Iatonceorderedourbandtostrikeup。
Theinstantthatawell-knownlivelyaircommenced，Ibeggedthemtoexhibitsomenativedancetoamuseus。Seeingtheirhesitation，I
inquiredwhethertheywouldwishtoseemymenperform?AfterafewwordsbetweenKittakaraandRahonka，theformeragreedthatitwouldbebetterformymentocommencethedancefirst。
IlostnotimeinexplainingtoKittakara。Atthathemustatonceaddressthecrowdandassurethemthattheperformanceabouttocommencewasintendedfortheiramusement，andtherewasnocauseforfear。Atthesametime，Ibeggedhimtoorderthecrowdtostandback，andtoaffordspaceformytroops，whowereabouttoadvancewiththebayonet。
InaloudvoiceKittakaragavethenecessaryexplanation。
Iorderedthebuglertosoundtheadvance，andthewholebandsoundedthechargewiththebayonetsinjatredoran。
Attheinspiritingcall，eachsideofthesquareadvancedatthedoublewithbayonetsatthecharge。Thecrowd，latelysodemonstrative，fellquicklyback，and，havingthusclearedthesquare，ItoldKittakaratoordereveryindividualofthecrowdtositdownupontheground。
Thegreatmassofpeopleobeyedtheorderwiththedisciplineofsoldiers，andmytroopsfellbackandre-formedtheirsquareasbefore。
Thelittlesquare，withasinglelineoffrontoftwentymen，nowoccupiedthecentreoftheclearspace。
IlostnotimeininquiringforKabbaRega，whomIinsisteduponseeing。
Afterashortdelayheappeared，incompanyofsomeofhisbonosoora。Hewasinabeastlystateofintoxication，and，afterreelingaboutwithaspearinhishand，hecommencedamostimbecileattemptatwarlikegestures。
Hadmyeightymenbeenarmedwithbreech-loaders，Icouldhavemowndownhundredsbyafirefromthesquare，hadhostilitiesbeenforceduponus；
but，asthegreaterportionwerearmedwitholdmuskets，wemighthavebeenoverwhelmedbyageneralrush，whenreloadingafterthefirstvolley。
KabbaRegawassodrunkthathedidnotappeartorecognizeme，buthecontinuedtoreelaboutforashorttime，andthustoexposehisidioticcondition，untilhischiefsatlengthrecommendedhimtoretire。
Kittakaranowexplainedthat，ifIwishedtohaveageneraldance，theywouldprepareagrandentertainmentatsomefuturetime；buthenowbeggedmetowithdrawthetroops，asthesunwasveryhot，andthenativeswerefatigued。
IassuredKittakaraandthechiefsthatthepeoplehadnocauseforfear，andthatnowthatmystationwascompletedIshouldfrequentlybringthetroopstothepublicsquareformusketrydrill，astherewasnootheropenspace，unlessKabbaRegawouldorderhispeopletoclearawaythehighgrass，whichhehadsooftenpromisedtodo。
Thebandnowstruckup，andthetroops，insinglefile，marchedthroughthenarrowlanesofthecrowdedtown。Iwalkedattheirhead，andIwasmuchpleasedbyseeingmylittlefriend，Cherri-Merri，whoranoutofthecrowd，andtakingmyhand，hemarchedwithusasavolunteer，andaccompaniedustothestation。
Uponarrivalatthegovernmentquarters，Ifoundallhandsarmedandwellstationedforthedefenceofthedivanandpowder-magazine，bymywife，whowascommandantinmyabsence。Shehadplacedrocketsinreadinesstofirethetownontheinstantofavolleyofmusketrybeingheard。Mygoodlittleofficerhadalsolaidoutalargesupplyofspareammunition，togetherwitheverygun，rifle，andpistol，allofwhichwerelaidonatableinthedivan，readytorepelanattack。
InowsentforRahonka，whowassupposedtobethegeneralofKabbaRega’sforces。
TheconductoflittleCherri-Merriwasverygratifying，ashehadadheredtohistruefriendsinamomentofgreatuncertainty。
Rahonkashortlyappeared。Myinterpreter，Umbogo，wasabsentonleavefortwodaystovisithisfarm；thusRahonkawasaccompaniedbyKadji-Barri，whowaswellaccustomedtous，andhadoftenreceivedpresents。
Inowinsisteduponanexplanationconcerningthesuddenbeatingofthewar-drumandtheextraordinaryassemblyofthepeoplearmedforwar。
Rahonkalookedfoolishandnervous，asthoughhedoubtedthechanceofasaferetreat。Hecouldnotgiveanysatisfactoryreasonforthehostiledisplaywehadsorecentlywitnessed，butheattributedittothedrunkenstateofKabbaRega，whohadsoundedthealarmwithoutanyreason。
IassuredRahonkathatsuchconductwouldnotbepermitted；andthatifsuchasceneshouldoccuragain，Ishouldnotallowthetroopstobesurroundedbythousandsofarmedmen，inhostileattitudes，withoutimmediatelytakingtheinitiative。
Rahonkaretired，andinafewminuteswereceivedtwentyloadsofcornforthetroops，asapeace-offering。
ThusendedthemonthofMay，whichhadnearlyclosedinbloodshed。
Therecouldbenodoubtthatanattackuponthetroopshadbeenintended；andIcouldnothelpadmiringtheorganizationofthepeople，thatenabledsolargeaforcetobeconcentrateduponagivenpointinafewminutesafterthealarmhadsounded。Mywife，uponwhosecooljudgmentIcouldalwaysdepend，describedvividlyherapprehensionsoftreachery。Shehadwitnessedtheextraordinaryenergywhichthenativeshadexhibitedinrushingfromtheneighbouringvillages，almostimmediatelywhenthewar-drumhadsounded。Theyhadpouredinstreamspastthestation，andhadbrandishedtheirlancesandshieldsatherastheythrongedatfullspeedwithinfiftyyardsofthegovernmentclearing。
Fortunately，whenthebignogarahadsounded，bothsheandthetroopsunderstoodthesignal，andwithpraiseworthyspeedshehadplacedeverymaninpositiontodefendthestation。Eventheservantsandourblackboyswerearmed，andoccupiedthepostsassignedtothem。Withouttheseprecautionsitishighlyprobablethatthestationwouldhavebeenattacked，inwhichcaseitmighthavebeenatonceoverwhelmedbysoimmenseasuperiorityofforce。
Ifeltthatonthewholewehadnarrowlyescapedfromruin。Myintention，whenintheopensquare，hadbeentoseizeariflefromasoldier，andatoncetoshootKabbaRegahadhostilitiescommencedafterhisappearance；but，evenhadwebeenabletoholdourown，withapartyofeightymen，weshouldhavelosttheentirestation，togetherwithallourammunition，andeverysoulwouldhavebeenmassacred。
Ihadseriousmisgivingsforthefuture。Thisdemonstrationlookedextremelybadafterthedepartureofmythirty-sixmenwiththeposttoFatiko。IfKabbaRegaandhispeopleweretreacherous，theycouldeasilymurderthepartywhomtheywerepretendingtoescortasfriends。
Ontheotherhand，IcouldnotconceivewhyKabbaRegaorhispeopleshouldbeill-disposed，unlessheharbouredresentmentonaccountofthediscoveryofhistheftofthemusketsandammunitionfromtheirregulars，whichIhadforcedhimtorestore。
MyBarisandMolodialldeclaredthathewassuspiciousbecauseIhadpardonedtheslave-huntersandreceivedthemintogovernmentservice。
Thismercilessyoungvillain，whohadsotreacherouslymurderedhisownkithandkin，hadnoconceptionofforgiveness；thushecouldnotunderstandwhyIhadnotkilledtheslave-hunterswhentheywereonceinmypower。
Therewasnodoubtthatdiscontentrankleddeeplyinhisheartforsomecauseorother；ashehadneverappeared，orreceivedvisits，formanydays，buthadsulkilyshuthimselfupwithinhisowncourt。