Ifeltcertainthatabreachofthepeacewasathand，andImadearrangementsaccordingly。Thetroopsweredailyengagedinbuildingthestation，inwhichtheywereassistedbythesailors，allofwhomwereobligedtocarrythematerialfromadistanceoftwomilesfromtheforest。Apartyofsawyerswithasmallescortofsoldiersweresettledinacampaboutthreemilesfrommystation，asthedistancewastoogreatforadailyreturnfromtheirwork。Onenighttheywereattackedbythenatives，whoshotarrowsandyelledforaboutanhour，butfortunatelydidnotsucceedinwoundinganyofthemen，whowerewellprotectedbythetrunksofsomeverylargetrees。Thesoldiershadfiredawayaconsiderableamountofammunitioninreturn，untiltheymanagedtoescapeduringthedarkness，andrunawaytohead-quarters。
On3rdJune，atabout3P。M。，whenthecattleweregrazinginthebeautifulpark-likegroundaboutamilefromhead-quarters，someBaris，whohadstealthilyapproachedtheherdbystalkingfrombushtobush，withoutbeingobservedbythesleepyguards，madeasuddenrushwithloudyellsamongthecattle，andsucceededindrivingofftencowswithwhichtheyswamtheriverwithoutashotbeingfiredbytheunreadysoldiers。Onthisoccasiontheguardsmusthaverunawayatthefirstonsetofthenatives。
Onthenightofthe4thJunetwonativeswerecapturedbythesentries。
Thesepeoplehadcreptinthepitchdarkness，untiltheyhadsucceededinenteringthecattlezareeba。Oneofthemconfessedthatalargebodyofnativeswasassembledinthehighgrassnearthebanksoftheriver，withtheintentionofattackingthecampduringthenight。
Iimmediatelytookeighteenmen，andpostedtheminthreepartiesofsixatvariouspointsaboutaquarterofamilefrommystation。Theyweretolieconcealedinthesepositions，whichcommandedeveryapproachtothecamp。
At10。30P。M。Iwasarousedbythesoundoffiring，anduponarrivalattheshotIfoundthatthesentrieshadfiredintotheadvancedpartyofnatives，someofwhomtheydeclaredtobewounded，butIcouldfindnotraceofblood。
Openwarhadcommenced。Thenativeshaddesertedtheirvillagesontheportionoftheislandoppositetomycamp。Thiswasaboutsevenmilesinlength，therefore，inreturnfortheattacksmadeuponmypeopleonourmainland，IdeterminedtopaytheBarisavisit。
Iissuedthenecessaryorders。At3A。M。，onJune5th，fiveboatswithsixtymendroppedsilentlydowntheeastchanneloftheriver，withorderstolandattheextremeendoftheisland。Atthesametimetwocompaniesoftroopslandedoppositemystation，wheretheywaitedinthedarkuntilthesteamer，withmyselfandtwocompaniesonboard，hadroundedtheheadoftheisland，andhadobtainedapositioninthewestchannel。Thetroopsthenadvancedwhilethesteamerraneasilydownthestrongcurrent。Everythingwentwell，butthenoiseofthepaddlesquicklygavethealarm，andthesoundofabigdruminthedistancewasalmostimmediatelyrespondedtobymanyothersfromvariouspoints。
Thesteamernowranathalfspeedalongtheriver，theintentionofcuttingoffanynativecanoes，orinterceptinganyherdsofcattlethatmightbepassingtothewestmainland。Everyarrangementwaswellcarriedout；but，unfortunately，aswewererunningataboutninemilesanhour，thesteamersuddenlystruckuponasand-bank，wheresheremainedfixed。
Aftersomevainattemptstofloather，IinstructedRaoufBeytodohisbestwithher，andact，accordingtocircumstances，athisowndiscretion，whileIleftthesteamerinthedingy，accompaniedbyLieutenantBakerandsixsoldiersofthe”FortyThieves，”withtheintentionofjoiningthetwocompaniesunderLieutenant-ColonelAbd-el-Kader，whoweremarchingdowntheislandfromsouthtonorth。
Weroweddownthestreamforforty-fiveminutesalongthewestbankoftheisland。Ihadcalculatedthedistancebytime，andhavingallowedforthedelayonthesteamerandthepaceatwhichthetroopsunderAbd-el-Raderwouldmarch，Iconcludedthatweshouldnowlandsomewherenearthem。Thisturnedoutcorrect，aswejoinedhispartyafewminutesafterwehadlefttheboat。Iimmediatelydetachedasergeantandnineteenmentomarchalongtheeastbankuntiltheyshouldmeetmyboat，whichhadbeenorderedtocontinuealongthewestbankuntilitshouldturnroundthetailoftheisland，whenitwastoreturnhomebytheeastchannel，thatwouldleaddirecttomystation。
WehadnotseenanyBarisupontheisland，whichappearedtobequitedeserted。Thecharacterofthegroundhadchanged。Wehadleftthedryportion，whichhadbeenlatelysownwithdhurra，andwehadarrivedamongscatteredmassesoftallreedsgrowingfrommudlatelyhardenedbythesunandfullofdeepcattle-ruts。
Ithrewoutskirmishers，asweshortlyenteredabadpieceofcountry。
Atthismomentwoheardshotsfiredatthetailoftheisland，abouttwomilesinourfront。
Wepushedonatthedouble，untilstoppedbyadeepchanneloftheriveraboutthirtyyardswide。Ontheothersidewenowheardthehornsofthenativesandthelowingofcattle。Itwasnecessarytoskirtthebanksofthechannelthroughthickforest；thus，followingthestream，weshortlyarrivedatthemainriver，justintimetoseethenativesatadistanceofaquarterofamileswimmingalargeherdofcattleacrossthestreamtotheeastshore，wheretheylandedandsafelygainedtheforest。Theywerequicklypursuedbythetroopswho，havinglandedatthetailoftheisland，wereinchase；andbeingsuppliedwithboats，theycrossedovertheriverandfollowedharduponthetrackoftheretreatingcattle。
TheBarisdidnotsuspectthattheywouldbefollowedtothemainshore；
thusuponreachingtheforesttheycontinuedtheirretreatleisurely。Myblacktroopswerewonderfulrunners；thus，whenonceuponthetrackoftheherd，theywentalonglikehoundsandovertooktheBaris，whohadnoideaofthepursuituntilthesoldierswereamongthem。Theaffairendedbythecaptureofaportionoftheherd，andthereturntocampat5。30
P。M。Wehadeatennothingsincethepreviousevening，astheboatcontainingourbreakfasthadnotyetappeared。Wehadbeenonourlegsinthesunforfourteenhours，thuswewerereadyfordinneronthereturntocamp。Iwasanxiousaboutthemissingboat。Onthefollowingday，June6，at4。40P。M。，thelostdingyarrivedwithhercrewallsafe。Theyhadmissedtheirwaybytakingawrongchanneloftheriver，whichledthemintoalabyrinthofhighreeds，wheretheywereobligedtopassthenightamongcloudsofmosquitoes。
Onthefollowingdaytheybeganthetediousjourneybyrowinghomewardagainstthestream。Theycamesuddenlyuponalargebodyofnatives，whoimmediatelyattackedthemwitharrows，oneofwhichwentthroughthetrousersofasoldier。Mymentoldalongstory，andmadethemselvesouttobeperfectheroes；butmyservantsandtheboatmentoldaverydifferenttale，anddeclaredthattheyhadthrownthemselvesdowninthebottomoftheboattoavoidthearrows，andmyservant，MohammedHaroon，hadhimselffiredmyheavygunloadedwithmouldshotattheenemy。
On7thJuneIdiscoveredthattheBarisofGondokorohadleaguedthemselveswiththenativesofBelinianagainstus。
Theyhadattackedconjointlyonseveraloccasions。Onthisdaythenativesinforcehaving，asusual，creptstealthilyfrombushtotreewithoutbeingperceivedbythesoldiers，madeasuddenrushuponthecattleguards，andshotonesoldierwithanarrowandwoundedanotherwithalance。IimmediatelygaveordersforanattackonBelinianthatnight。At12。30A。M。Ileftmystationonhorseback，accompaniedbyLieutenantBakerandMr。Higginbotham，togetherwithLieutenant-ColonelAbdel-Kaderandtwentymenofthe”FortyThieves。”Notawordwasspoken，asitwasimportanttomarchwithouttheslightestnoisethatmightalarmthenativescoutswhoweregenerallyprowlingaboutthroughoutthenight。Wearrivedathead-quarters，amileandahalfdistant，wherefourcompanieswithonegunhadbeenorderedtobeinreadiness。Mylittlestation，Hellet-et-Sit，wasamileandahalfnorthfromthecampofGondokoro，ontheriver’sbank。At1A。M。WestartedwithaBariguidenamedSherroom，whohadvolunteeredtoserveme，togetherwithhisfriendMorgian，atthecommencementofthewar。
ThesemenspokeArabic，andsincetheflightofTomby，theinterpreterwhohadjoinedourenemies，thesetwoBariswereourinvaluableallies。
TheroutetoBelinianlayforthefirsttwomilesthroughopenpark-likecountry。Wethenenteredtheforest，wherethedarknessmadeitdifficulttodragthegun，thewheelsofwhichconstantlystuckinthestumpsandrootsoftrees。Severaltimeswehadtohalt，forthereartocomeupwiththisunmanageablegun，andIfearedthedelaymightdestroyourchanceoftakingtheenemybysurprise。
Tomakemattersworse，theroutebecameswampy。Sometimesthehorsessanknearlyhock-deepinmud，whichinthepitchdarknesstheycouldnotavoid。Insuchplacesitrequiredtheforceofthirtymentodragthegun，andthedelaysbecameserious。Lieutenant-ColonelTayibAghacommandedthethreecompaniesofSoudanitroopswhoescortedthefield-piece，andtookitinturnstoassisttheartillerymeninthewearyworkofdraggingthegunthroughswampsandbush。
Thenightworeon；itbegantorain。IwasridinginadvancewithLieutenantBaker，Mr。Higginbotham，andtwentyofthe”FortyThieves，”
whileRaoufBeyfollowedmewithfiftyEgyptiantroops。Itwasabsolutelynecessarytopushon。TayibAghahadanativeguide，thereforeheandhisguncouldtakecareofthemselves。AccordinglyI
pushedonaheadasanadvancedguard，delightedtobequitoftheimpedimentofartillery。
Inaboutanhourwearrivedatfirmground，andthecountrybecamemoreopenandundulating。Thecloudsbegantobreakandtherainceased。Wepushedbrisklyforwarduntil，aftermarchingatthepaceoffourmilesperhour，theguide，Sherroom，suddenlyhalted。Wewerenowinaclearspacewhereafewlargetreesgrewinaclumpuponourright。Sherroom，whoevidentlykneweveryinchofthecountry，whisperedthatwemustwaithereinsilence，astherewerevillagesnotfaroff，andthestockadethatweweretoattackwasintheimmediateneighbourhood。Itwasnearly5A。M。，andalthoughwehadmarchedsinceoneo’clock，wewerenotmorethanninemilesfromGondokoro。Itrustedthatourhaltwouldallowthereartojoinuswiththegunwhichhadcausedsomuchdelay。
Wewaitedforabouthalf-an-hourinperfectsilence。Therewasnotastaruponthesky，whichwasdarkandmurky，thuswecoulddistinguishnothing。Atlengththeblacknightbegantogrowmoregrey，andwecouldjustmakeoutsomedarkmasses，thatappearedtobevillages，upontherightandleft。Wenowmarchedrapidly，butwithouttheslightestnoise。
Themorninggrewgreyer，andbirdsbegantowhistle。Wecoulddistinguishtreesandthetallcropsofdhurra。
TherewasnosignofTayibAghaandhisdetachment，butitwasabsolutelynecessarytopushforward。
Wewerethushurryingon，sometimesthroughcultivatedfields，atothersthroughstripsofforest，whenwesuddenlyheardthelongshrillcrythatisthenativesignalofdanger。ThiswasfromaBariwatchman，who，moreawakethanthosebywhomwemusthavepassedunobserved，nowgavethealarm。Thiscrywasimmediatelyrepeatedinvariousdirections。
Therewasnotimetobelost。Sherroomboundedforwardlikeanantelope，atapacethatkeptourhorsesatahandgallop。Inacoupleofminuteswesawalargecircularstockadeinaclearspace，butwithinfiftyyardsoftheforestonourleft。Wegallopedup，followedcloselybythe”FortyThieves，”whoranlikehounds。Iimmediatelysurroundedthestockade，fromwhichthenativeshadcommencedtoshoottheirarrows。
TheEgyptiantroopswerecloseup，andintheuncertainlightitwasimpossibletoseethearrowsintheirflight；thusonesoldierwasimmediatelywounded；anotherreceivedashotthroughhistrousers。AnarrowstuckinMr。Higginbotham’ssaddle，andtheybegantoflyaboutveryviciously。The”FortyThieves”nowopenedfire，whiletheEgyptiansweredrawnupinalineaboutfiftyyardsfromthestockade。Itwasratherawkward，asthedefencewasacircle：thusasthetroopsfiredintoacommoncentre，thebulletsthatpassedthroughtheinterveningspacesbetweentheuprightsofhardwoodcamepingingaboutourears。
Theskyhadbecomegrey，andtherewassufficientlighttodiscoverthedoorwayofthestockade。Iorderedthebuglestosound”ceasefiring，”
andpreparedtoforcetheentrance。Thiswasanarrowarchwayaboutfourfeetsixincheshigh，constructedoflargepiecesofhardwoodthatitwasimpossibletodestroy。Thedoorwaywasstoppedbytransversebarsofabdnoos，orBariebony，andprotectedbyamassofhookedthornthathadbeendraggedintothepassageandjammedbeneaththecross-bars。
IorderedLieutenant-ColonelAbd-el-Kadertoforcethegateway。Thisheimmediatelycommenced，assistedbyLieutenantBakerandMr。
Higginbotham，togetherwithapartyofthe”FortyThieves，”whileothersofthesamecorpscloseduptothestockadeoneithersideoftheentrance，andkeptupaheavyfiretoprotecttheattack。
Inthemeantimetheimmensedrumwithinthestockadewasthunderingoutthesummonstocollectthewholeoftheneighbourhoodforwar。Thissignalwasansweredbytheheavyboomingsoundofinnumerabledrumsthroughoutthedistrictfarandnear；andasithadnowbecomelight，I