Iwasnowinformedthattheattempttodestroyusbypoison，andsubsequentlybyatreacherousattackatMasindi，wasmainlyduetotheintriguesofAbouSaood，whohadoriginallyadvisedKabbaRegatoresistmeshouldIarriveinhiscountry。ThistraitorAbouSaoodhadconsideredthatweshouldbecertainlymassacredwhenonceintheheartofUnyoro。HehadthereforeassumedadespoticcommandofFatikoandalltheneighbouringcountriesshortlyaftermydeparture；andhehadgivenorders`tothenativesandtothesheik，RotJarma，that”nosuppliesofcornshouldbeprovidedforMajorAbdullah’stroops。”
RotJarmahadbeenfaithfultothegovernment，andhispeoplehadcarriedcorntoMajorAbdullah。AbouSaoodhadthereforeorderedhismentoattackRotJarma。Theyhadaccordinglysurprisedhimwhilebelievingintheprotectionofthegovernment，andhadcapturedhiscattle，togetherwithanumberofslaves。Inthatattackthebrigandshadlostfivemen，whosegunshadbeensubsequentlytakentoKabbaRegaforsalebythenativeswehadseenatMasindi。
AbouSaoodthen，enragedatthelossoffivemen，togetherwiththeirguns，hadsentforWat-el-MekfromFaloro，andhadgivenhimthecommandabovethewell-knownAliHussein，withorderstocarryfireandswordthroughthecountry。
MajorAbdullahhadvainlyexpostulated。AbouSaoodhadpersonallythreatenedhim；andAliHusseinandanofficernamedLazim，withsomeothers，hadgonearmedintothegovernmentcamp，andhadactuallyseizednativeswhohadtakenrefugewithAbdullah，fromwhosehousetheywerethusdraggedbyforceindefianceofauthority。
WhenthenewsarrivedfromFoweerathatIhadpunishedSuleimanforthemurderoftheprisoner，bothAbouSaoodandhispeoplehaddeclared，thatthey”wouldsecureMajorAbdullahinaforkedpole，orsheba，andtreathiininasimilarmanner。”Theyhadalsothreatenedtoattackthegovernmentcamp。
MajorAbdullahhadwrittentomeatMasindirequestinginstructions；hehadintrustedthelettertoanativeofFaieera。ThismanhadmostunfortunatelyarrivedatMasindilateintheeveninguponwhichthetroopshadbeenpoisoned。OnthefollowingmorninghewasawitnesstothemurderofpoorMonsoorandFerritchBagara；andwhenthegeneralactioncommenced，heclimbedupatreeatnogreatdistancefromthestation，andcriedoutthat”hewasthebearerofaletterfromAbdullah。”
Thebulletswhizzedsothicklyabouthimthathedescendedfromhispost，andthen，beingalarmedlesthemightbekilledbythenativesshouldhismissionbediscovered，hehadrunawayasfastaspossible，andreturned160milestoFatiko。ThusIneverreceivedMajorAbdullah’sletter。
Theletter-carrierhavingseenourhandfulofmensurroundedbymanythousandsoftheenemyinMasindi，andknowingthattheperfectorganizationofUnyorowouldbringcountlessenemiesuponus，whowouldoccupytheroutesbyambuscades，hadconsideredourpositionhopeless。
Thereportwasspread”thatwewerealldestroyed：”thusAbouSaoodwasdelighted。
Somedayslater，mypartyarrivedatFatikothathadleftMasindionthe23rdMaywiththepost，togetherwiththeprisonerSuleiman。
Thesepeoplehadsufferedterribly，andhadlostelevenmenkilled，exclusiveofonewhohaddiedonthewayfromfatigue。
ThetreacherousplanarrangedbyKabbaRegahadfailed，andthenativeshadattackedthembeforethetimeappointed。Thiswillbedescribedhereafter。
Suleimanwasnolongeraprisoner，buthecommandedtheFabbostationforAbouSaood。
Wat-el-Mekhadreceivedmyletter，andhewishedtoservethegovernment；butAbouSaoodhadpreventedhim；andnowthatIwassupposedtobedead，itwouldbeimpossible。
Thisman，Wat-el-Mek，hadneverthelessbehavedwell，ashehadimmediatelydemanded100menfromAbouSaood，andfiftymenfromAbdullah，inordertomarchtoUnyoro，joinRionga，andwithanativearmyhewouldhavesearchedforusthroughoutthecountry。
AbouSaoodhadrefusedtogivethe100men，thereforewehadbeenlefttoourfate。
TheresultofthestorywasthatImusthurryontoFatiko；RotJarmahadsenthismessengerstodiscovermewhetherdeadoralive，andshouldInotmarchquickly，Abdullahmightbeattackedandoverpowered，andtheslave-hunterswouldpossessthemselvesofalltheammunitionandstores……Thiswasnotveryrefreshingnews，afterallthetroubleswehadgonethrough。
HadIreceivedthisimportantintelligenceduringmystaywithRionga，I
shouldnothaveleftColonelAbd-el-Kaderwithsixtymenbehindme。Itwouldnotdotowastetimebyhalting：andshouldIsendtorecallAbd-el-Kaderimmediatelyaftermydeparture，theeffectuponRiongawouldcreatesuspicion。Thewithdrawalofthetroopswoulddestroyallconfidenceonthepartofhisnativeallies。
Igavetheordertomarchforwardatonce。
Myhorse，Jamoos，nowtheonlysurvivorofallthosethatIbroughtfromCairo，wasingoodcondition，buthesufferedfromawoefulsoreback，occasionedbytheheavyloadthathehadcarriedfromMasindi。Mywifewasthereforeobligedtowalk，asthemudwastoodeepforthesolitarydonkey，whowasweakandill。
Formorethanamileandahalfwehadtowadethroughfloodedmarshesnearlyhipdeep；theheavyrainshadmadethecountryboggyandunpleasant。
Wehadonesheepforthejourneyofseventy-ninemiles，butthiswasmissinguponthesecondday’smarch，andwesubsequentlydiscoveredthatithadbeenstolenandeatenbyourguideandthecarrierssuppliedbyRionga。Wewerethusreducedtodriedfishintheplaceofourlostmutton，forwhichwefeltinclinedtogointomourning。
Althoughwehadbeenbadlyfedoflate，andfortwenty-threedayshadbeenwithoutsolidanimalfoodsincethemarchfromMasindi，wewereneverthelessinexcellenthealth；andalwayshungry。
Wemarchedwellthroughtheuninhabitedwildernessofforest，highgrass，andswamps，andarrivedatthevillageofSharga，tenmilesfromFatiko，onAugust1st，1872。
Thepeoplehadcollectedinconsiderablenumberstoreceiveus，andwewerepresentedwithafatoxforthetroops，thirteenlargejarsofmerissa，andaveryplumpsheepforourselves。
Thesoldiersweredelighted，poorfellows；andwelikewiselookedforwardwithnosmallpleasuretoagoodstew。
Numeroussheikshadcollectedtoreceiveus，andaformalcomplaintandprotestwasmadeagainstAbouSaoodandhispeople。
Anattackhadbeenplannedbytheslavers，andAbdullahandhissmalldetachmentof100menwouldbeoverpowered。Theywerealreadydisheartened，astheybelievedthatweweredead，andtheyhadbeendailytauntedwiththisfactbythebrigands，whoaskedthem，”whattheyweregoingtodonowthatthePachawaskilled。”
AbouSaood，havinggivenhisorderstoWat-el-Mek，andtotheruffianAliHussein，hadwithdrawntothestationofFabbo，twenty-twomileswestofFatiko，towhichplacehehadcarriedalltheivory。Hewasnotfondoffighting，PERSONALLY。
ThenativescorroboratedtheinformationIhadreceivedfromRotJarma’smessengers。Theydeclaredthatnotonlyhadwomenandchildrenbeencarriedoff，butthattheslave-huntersunderAliHusseinhadcutthethroatsofmanyoftheirwomenbeforetheireyes，andhaddashedthebrainsoftheyoungchildrenupontherocksinderisionofmypower；
saying，”NowseeiftheNuzzeraniChristiancanprotectyou！”
TheydeclaredthatWat-el-Mekreallywishedtojointhegovernment，butthatwhenhegotdrunk，bothAbouSaoodandotherscouldinducehimtobehavebadly。
Therewereseveralhundredpeoplepresentatthismeeting；andthesheikswoundupinacoolandtemperatemanner，byadvisingme”nottojudgefromwhattheyhadtoldme，butsimplytomarchearlyonthefollowingmorningtoFatiko，andtoreceivethereportdirectfrommyowncommandant，MajorAbdullah。”Ifhecontradictsus，youmaysaythatweareliars；thenneverbelieveusagain。”
Thiswastheconclusionofthepalaver。
Themorningof2ndAugustarrived，andwestartedat6。20A。M。，andmarchedfastoverabeautifulcountryofdells，woods，andopenpark-likelands，untilweascendedthehillthatrosetowardsthehighplateauatFatiko。
Aswepassedthenumerousvillageswewerejoinedbycuriousbandsofnatives，whobydegreesswelledourpartytonearlyathousandpersons。
Therewasnodoubtthatthesepeopleexpectedtowitnessarow，astheyknewthatAbdullahhadbeenthreatened。Itwasthereforehighlyprobablethatwemightbeattacked，astheslave-hunterswouldimaginethatmysmallforceoffortymenwasthelastremnantofmydetachment。
NooneatFatikohadanideaofmyexistence：thusweshouldarriveasthoughrisenfromthedead。
IhaltedthemenonalargeflatrockaboutamileandahalfsouthofFatiko。Heretheychangedtheirclothes，anddressedintheirbestscarletuniformsandwhitelinentrousers。
Weagainmarchedforward，until，upongainingtheracecourse——likeplateau，weperceivedthestationinthedistance。
Thebuglesnowsoundedthe”assembly”，toappriseMajorAbdullahofourapproach。Wethenmarched，whilethenatives，whodelightinmusic，struckupanaccompanimentontheirwhistles。Mywifewasridingthehorse，ashisbackwasnearlyrecovered。
Withthetelescope，InowperceivedagreatstirinMajorAbdullah’scamp。Themenwererunningtoandfro；presentlyredclotsappeared；
theserapidlyincreased，untilathinlineofscarletshowedmethathistroopsweredrawnupoutsidethecamptoreceiveus。
Wearrivedat9。30A。M。Thefirstformalitieshavingbeengonethrough，thetroopsembracedtheirfriends；andIshookMajorAbdullahwarmlybythehand，andaskedhimforimmediatenews。Hemerelyreplied：”ThankGod，sir，youaresafeandarrivedhere；allwillgowellnowthatyouarealiveagain。Ihavekeptajournal，andwhenyouhaverested，Iwillhandyoumyreportinwriting。”
Myolddragoman，Mohammed，hadburstoutcryingwithjoyatourarrival；
andheassuredmethatitwasmostfortunatethatIhadappeared，asaffairshadbecomeworsethanever。
Thenativesthathadaccompaniedushadascendedthelargeflatrockwhichcommandedthestationandwhichnowformsthecitadel，uponwhichtheyhadsquatteddownlikeaflockofcormorants，toobserveallthatpassed。
NoonehadcometosalutemefromAbouSaood’sstation，whichwasalmostaportionofthatbelongingtothegovernment，asitwasonlyseparatedbyalevelturfninetyyardsacross。
Theabsenceofthevakeelandhispeoplewasastudiedinsult，asitwashisdutytohaveatonceappeared，withhismeninlinetoreceiveus。
Ahuthavingbeensweptout，Ienteredtochangemydress，asIwishedtoinspectthetroops。Ineverworeauniforminthiscountry，exceptuponstateoccasions；butasimpleNorfolkshirtofthickwhitecotton，andtrousersofthesamematerial。This，withanEgyptiansilkcoffeeaharrangedovermyownoldhelmethatwassufficientforCentralAfrica。
IorderedMajorAbdullahtoformthetroopsinline，asIwishedtoinspectthem。
Atthesoundofthebugle，theyformedtwodeeponthebeautifulturfoutsidetheslightfencewhichsurroundedthecamp。Myhorse，havingbeenrubbeddownandquicklysaddled，wasledthroughthenarrowwicket；
havingmounted，Irodedownthelineandmadeashortinspectionofthetroops，whoappearedtobeinexcellenthealth。