ThefleetfromGondokorohadleftonthe3rdofNovember，1871：thusitwasnaturaltosupposethatreinforcementshadarrivedfromKhartoum，accordingtomywritteninstructionsonthatdate。InowwrotetoRaoufBeyathead-quarters，tosendup200menunderthecommandofLieutenant-ColonelTayibAgha，oftheSoudaniregiment。Ialsowroteforasupplyofcattle，asmystockhaddwindledtoasmallherdofmilchcows，andthepeopleatFabbehadnomeatexceptthefleshofanygamethatmightbekilled。
AshorttimeafterthedepartureofWat-el-MekandhispartyforGondokoro，SuleimanthevakeelarrivedfromFabbowiththeintelligencethatalargebodyofAbouSaood’sslave-hunters，including3，000
Makkarikacannibals，hadarrivedontheNilefromthefarwest，withtheintentionoftakingtheivoryfromFabbo！
ItappearedthatAbouSaoodhadgonefromGondokorotohisstationattheBohr，upontheWhiteNile；fromthencehehadsentapartywithalettertoAtroosh，thevakeeloftheMakkarikastation，about200milesdistant，withordersthatheshouldsendapowerfulforce，withsufficientcarriers，totaketheivorybyviolencefromFabbo。
AbouSaoodhadnotexpectedthatthepeoplewhomhehadleftatthatstationwouldhaveenlistedunderthegovernmentstandard。Thusheimaginedtheywouldatoncefraternizewiththeinvadingforce。
Thenativesofthecountrywerethoroughlyalarmed，asthecannibalswereeatingthechildrenoftheKoshicountryonthewestbankoftheNile，inabout3degreeslatitude；andshouldtheycrosstheriver，theMadisandShoolisexpectedthesamefate。
IorderedSuleimanwhohadreceivedaletterfromAtrooshtotakealetterfrommetoAliEmmeen，thevakeeloftheinvadingforce，instructinghimtopresenthimselfbeforemeatFatikoinstantlywithanescortofhisownpeople，limitedtotwenty-fivemen。AtthesametimeI
gaveinstructionstothenativesuponnoaccounttofurnishboatsforalargerparty。
Aftersomedays’absenceSuleimanreturned，butwithoutAliEmmeen，whowasafraidtoappear。ThisvakeelhadreceivedmyverbalassurancefromSuleimanthat，shouldanypersonsattemptthepassageoftheriverwithoutmypermission，theywouldbeinstantlyshot；atthesametime，ifhewishedtoconveytheivorytoGondokorobytheusualroute，hecoulddosowithanescortofregulars。
ThiswasanawkwardpositionforAliEmmeen，whohadexpectedtofindalliesatFabbo，butwhonowfoundafaithfulcorpsofirregularswithSuleimanattheirheadactingundermyorders。
Heaccordinglytook100menandreturnedabout180milestothecampofAtrooshforfreshinstructions。The3，000MakkarikacannibalswereleftwiththeremainderofhiscompanyonthewestbankoftheNiletofeeduponthenativesofKoshiuntilhisreturn。
EverydaypeoplearrivedatFatikowithhorriblereportsofthecannibals，whoweredevouringthechildrenintheKoshidistrict。Spieswentacrosstheriverandbroughtmeeveryintelligence。Itappearedthatthe3，000MakkarikashadbeenengagedbyAliEmmeenunderthepretencethattheywere”togotoFatikoandfightachiefcalled’thePacha，’whohadenormousflocksandherds，togetherwiththousandsofbeautifulwomenandotheralluringspoil；”buttheyhadnotheardthattheyweretocarry3，000elephants’tuskstothestationofAtroosh。
Myspiesnowtoldthemthetruth。”FightthePacha！”theyexclaimed：”doyounotknowwhoheis?andthathecouldkillyoualllikefowls，ashedidthepeopleofAliHussein?Hehasnocowsforyoutocarryoff，buthehasgunsthataremagic，andwhichloadfrombehindinsteadofatthemuzzle！”
ThiswasaterribledisappointmenttothedeludedMakkarikas，whichatoncespreaddissensionamongthem，whentheyfoundthattheyhadbeencajoledinordertotransporttheheavyloadsofivory。
Aprovidentialvisitationsuddenlyfelluponthem。Thesmall-poxbrokeoutandkilledupwardsof800bloodthirstycannibalswhohadbeendevouringthecountry。
TheNilewasreportedtobeaboutsixmilesinwidthoppositetheirstation，inabout3degreeslatitude，whichisonlyafewmilesfromtheAlbertN’yanza。Thisvisitationofsmall-poxcreatedapanicwhichentirelybrokeupanddispersedtheinvadingforce，anddefeatedtheirplans。
WewerenowinfrequentcommunicationwithRionga，whowasalwaysrepresentedinmyFatikocampbythepresenceofoneofhissheiksandseveralmen。
AliGenninarhadmadeacombinedattackuponKabbaRega，togetherwithRiongaandtheLanggotribe，andhadutterlydefeatedhim。Hispeoplewerenowdesertinghimingreatnumbers，andwereflockingtothewinningside。KabbaRegahadtakentoflight，andwassupposedtobehidingintheneighbourhoodofChibero，onthebordersoftheAlbertN’yanza。
M’tese，thekingofUganda，hadinvadedUnyorofromthesouth，andhavingheardofKabbaRega’streacherytowardsmyself，hehadsentanarmyof6，000menunderhisgeneral，Congow，tobeplacedatmydisposal。
ThisfriendshipwastheresultofmydiplomacyinhavingsenthimvaluablepresentsfromMasindi，togetherwithaletterwarninghimagainstKabbaRega，whowishedtopreventthegoodsofthenorthfromreachingUganda，inorderthathemightmonopolizethetradeinUnyoro。
ThesubsequentconductofKabbaRegahadprovedthisaccusation，andM’tesehadheardwithrageanddismaythatIhadbeenforcedtoburnallthenumerousgoods，whichotherwisewouldhavepassedtohiminUganda。
Onthe25thDecemberthefortofFatikowascompleted。Thiswascommencedonthe28thAugust；thusmymenhadbeenfourmonthsengagedinthework，owingtotheextremehardnessofthesubsoil，whichwasacompactgravelresemblingconcrete。
Thethreefacesofthefortmeasured455yardsoffosseandearthenrampart。Thefossewaseightfeetwide，eightfeetdeep，andthefaceoftherampartwasprotectedbychevaux-de-friseofsharpenedstakes。Thewestbaseofthefortwastherockcitadel，whichcommandedthesurroundingcountry。UponthissolidfoundationIhadbuiltanexcellentpowder-magazineandstore，ofsolidmasonry。Thisfire-proofbuildingwasroofedwithathickcementofclayfromthewhite-anthills，thathadbeentemperedforsomeweeksandmixedwithchoppedstraw。
Allmyworkwascompleted，andIcoulddonothinguntilthereinforcementsshouldarrivefromGondokoro。Thenativespaidtheirtriflingcorn-taxwithgreatgoodhumour，andtheygenerallyarrivedincrowdsofseveralhundreds，singinganddancing，withlargebasketsoftullaboonupontheirheads，withwhichtheyfilledourrowsofgranaries。
Thegrasswasfittoburn，andthebuntingseasonhadfairlycommenced。
Allthenativesnowdevotedthemselvestothisimportantpursuit。ThechasesuppliesthegreattribeofShooliwithclothing。Althoughthewomenareperfectlynaked，everymanwearstheskinofanantelopeslungacrosshisshoulders，soarrangedastobetolerablydecent。Thenumberofanimalsthatareannuallydestroyedmaybeimaginedfromtheamountoftheskin-cladpopulation。
AlthoughthewildernessbetweenUnyoroandFatikoisuninhabited，inlikemannerwithextensivetractsbetweenFabboandFatiko，everyportionofthatapparentlyabandonedcountryisnominallypossessedbyindividualproprietors，whoclaimarightofgamebyinheritance。
Thisstrictlyconservativeprinciplehasexistedfromtimeimmemorial，andmayperhapssuggesttothoseultra-radicalswhowouldintroducecommunisticprinciplesintoEngland，thatthesupposedoriginalequalityofhumanbeingsisafalsedatumfortheirproblem。Thereisnosuchthingasequalityamonghumanbeingsintheirprimitivestate，anymorethanthereisequalityamongthewavesofthesea，althoughtheymaystartfromthesamelevelofthecalm。
Inastateofsavagedom，thesamerulesofsuperioritywhichadvancecertainindividualsabovethegenerallevelincivilizedsocietieswillbefoundtoexertanaturalinfluence。Thosewhobecomeeminentwillbeacknowledgedbytheirinferiors。Themanwhoiscleverandwiseincouncilwillbelistenedto：thewarriorwholeadswithcourageandjudgmentwillbefollowedinthebattle；thehunterwhoexcelsintrackingupthegamewillbesenttothefrontwhenthepartyareontheblood-track。Inthiswaysuperioritywillbegenerallyadmitted。
Superiorityofintellectwillnaturallytendtomaterialadvancement。
Themanofsensewillgathermorethanthefool。Thatwhichhegathersbecomesproperty，whichmustbeacknowledgedbysocietyasanindividualrightthatmustbeprotectedbylaws。
Intribeswheregovernmentisweak，thereisadifficultyinenforcinglaws，asthepenaltyexactedmayberesisted；butevenamidstthosewildtribesthereisaforcethatexertsacertainmoralinfluenceamongthesavageasamongthecivilized：thatforceispublicopinion。
Thus，abreachofthegame-lawswouldberegardedbythepublicasadisgracetotheguiltyindividual，preciselyasanactofpoachingwoulddamagethecharacterofacivilizedperson。
Therightsofgameareamongthefirstrudimentsofproperty。Maninaprimitivestateisahunter，dependingforhisclothingupontheskinsofwildanimals，andupontheirfleshforhissubsistence；thereforethebeastthathekillsuponthedesertmustbehisproperty；andinapublichunt，shouldhebethefirsttowoundawildanimal，hewillhavegainedanincreasedinterestorshareinthefleshbyhavingreducedthechanceofitsescape。Thuspublicopinion，whichwemustregardasthefoundationofEQUITY，rewardshimwithadistinctandspecialright，which，becomesLAW。
Itisimpossibletotracetheoriginofgame-lawsinCentralAfrica，butitisneverthelessinterestingtofindthatsuchrightsaregenerallyacknowledged，andthatlargetractsofuninhabitedcountryarepossessedbyindividualswhicharesimplymanorial。Theserightsareinherited，descendingfromfathertotheeldestson。
Whenthegrassissufficientlydrytoburn，thewholethoughtsofthecommunityarecentreduponsport；butshouldapersonsetfiretothegrassbelongingtoanotherproprietor，hewouldbeatoncecondemnedbypublicopinion，andhewouldifsuchestablishmentsexistedbecertainlyexpelledfromhisclub。
TherewasnomoreworkundoneinmycharmingFatikostation。Theroadsfromthethreegatesweresofarcompletedastoformrespectableapproaches。Thegardenshadproducedabundantly，andthetroopswereallinexcellenthealthandgooddiscipline。OnMondaysandFridaystheywereexercisedatlight-infantrydrillforseveralhours。Everymanhadhispost，whichheoccupiedlikelightningwhenthebuglesuddenlysoundedthealarm。The”FortyThieves”heldtherockcitadel，astheycouldfireovertheheadsofthoseinthecampwithoutfearofaccident。
Thenightalarmsoundedunexpectedly，andasIwenttherounds，everymanwasathisquarterswithoutawhisper。Thecleanlinessandgeneralorderofthecampwereperfect。
Inowassociatedwiththenativesasahunter。ItwasinthiscapacitythatIhadfirstwontheirheartsmanyyearsago。WeweresoshortofmeatthatIbegantofeelthenecessitythatfirstturnedthehandofsavagemanagainstthebeastsoftheforest。
ThechasethroughouttheShoolicountrywascarriedonasaprofession，andwasconductedbygeneralrulesunderanadmirableorganization。
Thefavouritemethodofhuntingwasbymeansofnets。Everymaninthecountrywasprovidedwithanetofstrongcord。Thiswastwelveyardslong，andaboutelevenfeetdeep，ifstretchedtoitsmaximum。Themesheswereaboutsixinchessquare。Therewasnopromiscuousnet-hunting，butthechiefofthedistrictorganizedthechaseinthefollowingmanner：——
Thebignogarawassounded，andthenewsrapidlyspreadthatanassemblywasdesiredatthevillageoftheirheadman。AtFatikothechiefwasWat-el-AjoosOmare。Afewhoursafterthedrumhadsummonedtheheadmen，nativesmightbeseenapproachingfromallsidestotheappointedspotatwhichthecouncilwastobeheld。
Aftermuchtalking，itwasatlengthdecidedthatthehuntshouldtakeplaceuponthemanorsofcertainindividualswhosepropertywascontiguous。Thedayofthehuntwasarranged，andtheheadmenofthevillagesretiredtomakethenecessaryarrangements。
Shouldachiefbehospitablydisposed，hewouldfrequentlygiveagrandentertainmentpriortothemeet。Onsuchoccasionsupwardsofathousandnativeswouldarrivefromdifferentvillages，intheirfull-dresscostume，consistingofplumesofostrichfeathers，leopard-skinmantles，andtheirfacespaintedafrightfulcolourwithfreshcow-dung。Ontheseoccasionsalargequantityofmerissawasconsumed，andoneortwooxenwereslaughtered，accordingtothewealthofthepersonwhogavethefestivity。
Thesorcererwasanimportantpersonageatsuchentertainments，asitwasnecessarytoassuregoodluckbyavarietyofmagicceremonies，thatwouldnotonlyprotectthehuntersfromaccidents，butwouldalsobringthewildanimalsdirectintotheirnets。
Atlengththedayofthehunthadarrived，whenseveralthousandpeoplewouldcollectatacertainrendezvous，aboutninemilesdistantfromFatiko，ontheFabboroad，whichisthebestneighbourhoodforgame。
Atalittlebefore5A。M。Istartedonmysolitarybutpowerfulhorse，”Jamoos，”accompaniedbyLieutenantBakerandColonelAbd-el-Kader，withafewsoldiersof”TheForty”。GimoroandShooli，whowererenownedhunters，werealwayswithmewhenshooting。Theseexcellentmenhadanextraordinaryaffectionforeachother，andtheywerewellknownasinseparables——theonewasrarelyseenwithouttheother。
DescendingtherockyterracefromthestationatFatiko，wewereatonceinthelovely，park-likeglades，diversifiedbyboldgraniterocks，amongwhichwerescatteredthegracefuldroopingacaciasinclumpsofdensefoliage。