IntheafternoonsomenativescriedoutthatKittakarawascoming，andLieutenant-ColonelAbd-el-Kader，withafewmen，immediatelywentouttomeethim。
Kittakarawouldnotapproachwithinlessthanaboutahundredyards，butheassuredAbd-el-KaderthattheoutbreakwasnotthefaultofKabbaRega，butthattheresponsibilitylaywithMatonse，whohadescaped，andthatheshouldbecapturedanddelivereduptome。
HecontinuedtoassureAbd-el-KaderthatKabbaRegahadalreadyorderedprovisionsandalargenumberofelephants’tuskstobecollectedforus，andthat，althoughforthepresenthewashidingthroughfearinthehighgrass，hewouldquicklyrebuildhisdivanclosetomyown，soastoliveinfriendship。
ItwasimpossibletocreditonesyllableinUnyoro。Ontheotherhand，shouldIbeunabletobringtheenemytoterms，Ishouldbechainedtothespot，asitwouldbeimpossibletotransportmybaggage。
Itwasanawkwardposition。Thetreacheryhadbeenfrightful，andI
couldonlyattributeittoKabbaRega’sorders，inspiteoftheprotestationsofKittakara。IfIshouldberightinmysuspicions，whatwouldbecomeofMajorAbdullahandhisdetachment?
Nothingwouldbeeasierforthe300nativeswhohadaccompaniedmypeoplewiththepost，thantobehavewellontheroutetoFatiko，inordertoestablishconfidence。Theycouldthencarryalltheeffectsandammunition，incompanywithAbdullahandhistroops，fromFatikotoUnyoro，andintheprairiewilderness，theymightmurdereverymanatnightwhenasleep，andpossessthemselvesofthearms，ammunition，andeffects，withwhichtheywouldrejoinKabbaRega。
Thiswasafrightfulidea；andtherecouldbenodoubtthatsuchtreacheryhadbeenplanned，ifKabbaRegawereguiltyoftheattempttopoisonthetroopsandattackusbysurprise。Itwashardtodisbelievehisguilt。
TherewerenomeanspossibleofcommunicationwithAbdullah。Incaseofnecessity，therewasonlyonemove；thiswastomarchtotheVictoriaNile，andformanalliancewithRionga，theoldenemyofKamrasi’sfamily，whomIhadalwaysrefusedtoattack。IwassurethathemusthaveheardofmyrefusaltoallymyselfwithKabbaRegaagainsthim：
thushewouldbefavourabletothegovernment。
Iresolvedthat，ifhostilitiesshouldcontinue，IwouldproclaimRiongarepresentativeofthegovernment，asvassal-chiefofUnyoro，intheroomofKabbaRega，deposed。
RiongawouldsendalettertowarnMajorAbdullahatFatiko；buthowwasItoconveymybaggageandammunitionfromMasinditoFoweera，withoutasinglecarrier，orevenaguide?
Itwastheheightoftherainyseason，andthegrasswasaboutnineortenfeethigh，throughoutacountryofdenseandtangledforest。
Ihadnointerpreterofmyown；UmbogowasKabbaRega’sslave，andalthoughIfanciedthathewasfondofus，Ihadnofaithinanyoneofthesedetestablepeople。ThiswantofconfidencewaskeenlyfeltatatimewhenIrequiredaninterpreterinwhomIcouldabsolutelytrust。I
wasobligedtoconfidemyplantoUmbogo，asIwishedhimtofindsomemanamongthenativeswhowouldtakeamessagetoRionga。
IknewthatmanypeoplehatedKabbaRega。UmbogohadfrequentlyassuredmethatMashudi，whichwasonlytwodaysdistantfromMasindi，tothesouth-east，hadalwaysbeenRionga’sstronghold；andthatthenativesofthatdistrictwouldriseinfavouroftheirchief，shouldanyreversebefallKabbaRega。
Thenewsofthedefeatofhisarmy，andthecompletedestructionofhiscapital，wouldrunthroughthecountrylikewild-fire。ItwaswellknownthatRiongahadspies，whoweredisguisedasfriends，evenatthecourtofKabbaRega；theseagentssenthiminformationofallthatoccurred。
IfUmbogocouldcommunicatewithoneofthesepeople，ImightsendofftoRionga，andbeghimtosend300mentoFatiko，withaletterfrommyselftoMajorAbdullah。Rionga’speoplewouldtransporttheeffectsinsteadofRabbaRega’scarriers，whowouldbeseizedandheldashostages。ThiswouldsaveAbdullahfromtheintendedtreachery，ifitweredoneatonce；buttherewasnotamomenttolose。
Alreadyfifteendayshadelapsedsincemypartywiththeposthadstarted，andbythistimetheyshouldbenearFatiko，atthattimetheyhadalreadybeentreacherouslyattacked。unlesstheyhadbeendelayedupontheroad，aswasusualinUnyoro。
IfIcoulddependuponRionga，hewouldatoncesaveAbdullah’sparty，andhewouldsendalargeforcetocommunicatewithmeatMasindi。
HadIprovisions，Icouldhaveheldmynowfortifiedpositionagainstawholeworldofniggers；butwithonlyahundredmen，Ishouldbeunabletoforageinthiscountryofhighgrass，andatthesametimedefendthestation。
AlldependeduponthepossibilityofmycommunicationwithRionga。
UmbogodeclaredthatifIwouldonlymarchtoMashudi，thenativeswouldriseinhisfavourandjoinme。
Itoldhimthatifthisweretrue，hecouldsurelyfindsomepersonwhowouldruntoMashudi，andraisethemalcontents，whowouldatoncecarrymymessagetoRionga。
Umbogopromisedtodohisbest：atthesametimeheexpressedanopinionthatRiongawouldnotwaitlongininaction，butthathewouldinvadeKabbaRegadirectlythatheshouldhearofthewar。Frommyexperienceofnatives，Ididnotsharehisopinion。
AsKittakarahadapologizedfortheattacktoColonelAbd-el-Kader，andatrucehadbeenarranged，agreatnumberofnativesspreadthemselvesovertheruinsofthetown，tosearchfortheironmolotes，whicharegenerallyconcealedintheearth，beneaththefloorofthehuts。Thenativeswereallproddingthesmokinggroundwiththeiron-tippedbutt-endsoftheirlancestodiscoverthetreasures。
Umbogonowwentamongthemwithhisguard，andconverseduponthecauseofthelateattack。
Intheevening，Umbogodeclaredthathewasnotquitecertainofthetruth；heevidentlysuspectedthesincerityofKabbaRega。ItwasquiteimpossibletoprocureanymessengeratpresentthatcouldbetrustedwithamessagetoRionga。
Thememorable8thofJunehappenedtobemybirthday。Ithadbeenthedayofdeathtomylamentedfollower，Monsoor；butwehadwellavengedhim。
Umbogoreportedthatthenativeshadgivenhimthenamesofninematongaleschiefskilledintheaction，togetherwithalargenumberofcommonpeople。Agreatmanywerestillmissing：thesewereprobablylyinginthehighgrasswhichhadbeenrakedbythehotfireofthesniders。Vultureswerecollectedinimmensenumbersovermanyspotsinthisdensecovert，whichdenotedtheplaceswherethe”missing”hadfallen。
Iorderedthetroopstoabandontheirundefendedcamp，andtosleepwithinthefortthatnight。
Themorningofthe9thofJunearrived——thenighthadpassedinperfectquiet。
Mytroopssettoworkwiththeirsharpsword-bayonets，swords，knives，&c。，tocutdownallthehighgrassintheneighbourhood，soastothrowopentheview，andpreventtheenemyfromattackingusbyanothersurprise。Theyworkedformanyhours，andsoonfoundanumberofthemissing，whowerelyingdead。Fivebodieswerediscoveredclosetogether，asthoughtheyhadbeenkilledbyashell。Thiswasinaspotwherethe”FortyThieves”hadbeenatwork。
Oneunfortunatecreaturewasfoundinthehighgrasswithasmashedleg。
Hehadbeenlying，thirstyandinpain，foraboutthirtyhoursinthesamespot。Mymengavehimwaterandfood，andhisfriendscameandtookhimaway。Thewoundedmanseemedverygrateful，andhetoldmysoldiersthattheywere”bettermenthantheUnyoros，whowouldcertainlymurderawoundedenemyinsteadofgivinghimfoodandwater。”
IhadtoldUmbogotomakeinquiriesastothesafetyoflittleCherri-Merri。Theboywasunharmed，ashehadbeentakenawaybeforethefight。
Itwasnowprovedthatthecowshadalsobeenremovedduringthenightprevioustotheattack，asIhadsuspected。
Duringtheday，vastnumberofpeoplewerecollectedatalargevillage，situatedonaknoll，about700yardsfromourstationinadirectline。
Thisplace，wewereinformed，wasnowoccupiedbyKabbaRega。Theknollwasabouteightyfeetlowerthanourhighposition；therefore，aswehadroughlycutdownthegrass，welookeddirectlyuponthevillage。
Welostnotimeinerectingthelargeastronomicaltelescopeuponitsstand。Thiswasplacedupontheflatgravelapproachinfrontofthegovernmentdivan，andthroughthepowerfulglasswecoulddistinguisheachfeature，andtheexpressionofeveryindividualcountenanceofthecrowdwithinthevillage。
Duringtheday，messengersarrivedfromKabbaRegawithanofficialexplanationofthemisunderstanding。TheydeclaredthatitwasentirelythefaultofMatonse，whowouldbesooncaptured；thatKabbaRegadesiredthemtoexpresshisdeepregret；”Washenotmyson?Didhenotdependupontheprotectionofhisfather?”Heonlybeggedforpeace。Thenativeshadbeenkilledingreatnumbers；therefore”ifwehadlostafewsoldiers，theUnyorohadlostmany——sotheaffairwassettled。”
ItoldthemthatnothingcouldevercompensateforthelossofMonsoor，whohadbeensotreacherouslykilled；atthesametime，ifKabbaRegacouldprovethattheguiltreallylaywithMatonse，thesimpleplanwouldbetodeliverhimuptome。
IrecalledtotheirrecollectionhowIhadpassedtenmonthsinUnyorointhereignofKamrasi，atwhichtimeIhadonlyanescortofthirteenmen，andnomisunderstandinghadeveroccurred。Iexplainedthatthefaultwasnotonmyside。Anattempthadbeenmadetopoisonuscollectively；wehadthenbeensurprisedbyathoroughlyorganizedattack，atatimewhenthetroopsweresupposedtohavebeendisabledbythepoison。
KabbaRegamustclearhischaracter。Ifhewereinnocent，Ishouldbeonlytoohappy。
Thematongale，orsheik，whowastheprincipalmessenger，assuredmethatKabbaRegawasquiteindespair，andthathehadgivenordersforprovisionsandalargequantityofivorytobecollected，whichwouldbesenttousonthedayfollowing，inchargeofRahonkaandKittakara。