Thenativesinthecanoehesitated。”Sayyouwillgivethemeachabunchofplantainsiftheywillferryyouover，”againwhisperedthecunningArab。
Thecanoenowpushedofffromthebank，andpaddledtowardstheapparentlysolitarynative。
Theirregularswereconcealedinthehighgrassclosetothebank，andasthecanoetouchedtheshore，theyshotthetwonativesdead，andimmediatelysecuredit。
Theynowunlashedthearmsoftheprisoner，andinsisteduponhispaddlingthecanoeacrosstheriver。Twojourneyswerenecessary。Thefirstwassuccessful，andtheregulartroops，togetherwiththepostandSuleimanandothers，weresafelylanded。Duringthesecondjourney，asthecanoewaspassingarockabovesomedangerousrapids，thenativesuddenlyupsettheboatbythrowinghisweightquicklytooneside，andplungedthewholepartyintheriver。Someofthemwerecarriedoverthecataractsanddrowned。Theothers，includingAliGenninar，weregoodswimmers，andtheyreachedtheshore。
Althoughtheirregularsthoroughlyknewthecountry，theynowfoundthemselvesintheimmensewildernessthatseparatesUnyorofromtheShooliandMaditribes。
Inthisseaofhighgrasstheywanderedforsomedays，lost；untiltheyatlengthdiscoveredtheregularpath，and，aftergreatsuffering，reachedFatiko。
Eddrees，whohadbeenappointedvakeel，becameatraitor，anduponmeetingAbouSaoodandhispeople，whohadcomeouttoreceivethepartyupontheirarrival，hecriedout，”Looksharpforyourneck，AbouSaood：
thePachahassentanordertoarrestyou。”
Ashorttimeafterthis，Eddreesdiedofdysentery。Suleimanbehavedinanhonourablemanner。InsteadofgoingintoAbouSaood’scamp，heimmediatelypresentedhimselfbeforeMajorAbdullah，andconfessedhissins，acknowledgingthathehadbeenjustlypunished。Hesurrenderedhimselfintothehandsofthecommandant，accordingtotheoathhehadtakenontheroad。
AlthoughMajorAbdullahhadnowreceivedthepost，togetherwithmyorders，hethoughtitadvisable，consideringthedangerofacollisionwithAbouSaood’speople，toallowSuleimanhislibertyonparole，andhehadreturnedtohispositionofvakeelatFabbo。AliGenninarhadatonceofferedtocontinuehisdutiesasagovernmentsoldier。
Afewdaysafterthearrivalofthepost，thenewswasbroughtofthebattleofMasindi，andthatourescapefromUnyorowasimpossible。
ThealmostopenhostilityofAbouSaoodandhisnumerousforceshadparalyzedMajorAbdullah，who，fearingtheresponsibilityofanoutbreak，keptquiet，andtrustedinProvidence，untilIhadfortunatelyappeared。
TherecanbenodoubtthattheplanlaidbyKabbaRegaforsecuringthearmsandeffectsofMajorAbdullahandhisdetachmentbrokedownthroughaprematureattackonthepartofthenatives，whohadneitherthecouragenorthepatiencetogotoFatikoonthechanceofsuccessinsuchadistantenterprise。
Suleimanhadwrittenmealetterimploringforgiveness。Wat-el-MekarrivedatFatikoaftertheseizureoftheammunitionbySalim-Wat-Howah，andhebeggedpardonforSuleiman，assuringmethathewastrulypenitent；thatthedevilhadmisledhim，andAbouSaoodwasthatdevil。IfIwouldgranthimafreepardon，nomanwouldbemorefaithful；andtheirregularforcenowestablishedwouldbedelightedatsuchanactofclemency。
AlthoughSuleimanwasagreatruffian，hewaslikeeverybodyelseinthatrespect。IfIhadrefusedtheenlistmentofallimmoralcharactersinthemiddleofAfrica，IshouldhavehadwhatisnowknowninEnglandasa”skeletonregiment。”Ihadalreadypunishedhimseverely。Ineverycaseofdefianceofthegovernment，thepeoplehadseenthatsosmallanorganizedforceas200regulars，amongstinnumerableenemies，andwithoutanycommunicationwithhead-quarters，hadbeenabletobeatdownandcrusheveryenemy，whethernativeorrebel。Intimesofrealweakness，itisfrequentlynecessarytobesevere，thatagraveexamplemayestablishauthority；butaftervictoryandsuccess，Ifeltthatanactofclemencymight，evenamonghalfsavages，bemorebindingthanfetters。
IthereforetoldWat-el-MekthatIcouldnotgiveanypromiseuntilSuleimanshouldpresenthimselfbeforemeatFatiko。Itwashisdutytodeliverhimselfupasaprisoneruponparole。
On3rdOctoberWat-el-MekarrivedatFatikoaccompaniedbySuleiman，whocametosurrender。
Theprisonerwasdressedinafilthybrownwoollencloak，andhisheadwascoveredwithagreasyandalmostblacktarbooshhehadtheappearanceofhavingsleptonadust-heap。Thisbeggarlyoutsidewasatokenofrepentanceandhumiliation。
Suleimanwasbroughtbeforeme，andheimmediatelyrushedforwardandknelttokissmyfeet，exhibitingatthesametimeconsiderableemotion；
whichsurprisedme，ashewasnotoriousasastern，hard-heartedKurd。
Isaidafewwordstohim，explainingthathemustnotthinkmeimpenetrableifIdoubtedhissincerity，asIhadbeenalreadydeceived，afterhavingshownhimmuchkindness；yetthesametimeIdidnotwishtoexertseverity，ifIcouldwinhimtoobediencebygoodadvice。
Suleimanalwaysremainedfaithfulfromthatmoment，andbecameadependableofficer。IofferedhimafreepardonifhewouldswearupontheKoranfidelitytotheKhedive。Shouldhedeceiveme，andbecomearebelafterthis，heknewtheconsequences。
Suleimannowdeclared，andsworeupontheKoran，thathehadactedonlyuponordershehadreceivedfromAbouSaood。Itwashewho，inspiteofmywrittencommandthatthesheikWerdellashouldbespared，hadorderedtwoofhisslavestotakehimfromtheFabbozareeba，andtocuthisthroat。
BothWat-el-MekandSuleiman，aslatevakeelsofAbouSaood，sworetotheirwrittenevidence，towhichtheyattachedtheirsealsinthepresenceofwitnesses，thatAbouSaoodhadgivenorderstohisvakeelstoharrythecountryandtocaptureslavesandcattle；thatnoneofthepeopleemployedbyhimreceivedwagesinmoney，butthattheywereinvariablypaidinslaves，valuedatacertainsum。”AlltheoppositionthatIhadmetwithhadbeencausedbyAbouSaood。”
Suleiman，havingreceivedawrittenpardon，madehissalaamandretired。
Anhourlaterhewaswashedbeautifullyclean，andwasgorgeouslydressedinaTurkishcostumeoflightbluewoollencloth，trimmedwithgoldandblackbraid，withanewtarboosh，ahandsomesilkshawlinthickfoldsaroundhiswaist，andhissabredanglingbyhisside。Thissuddenmetamorphosisfromdirtandashestodazzlingattirewassymbolicalofdisgraceandhumiliationsucceededbypardonandrestorationtooffice。
SuleimanwastocontinueasvakeeloftheFabbostation，underthecommandofWat-el-Mek。InthemagazinesofFabbowere3，200elephants’
tusks。These，Ihadnodoubt，wouldbeconfiscatedbytheKhedive。
AshorttimebeforethearrivalofSuleiman，anextraordinaryincidenthadoccurredattheFatikocamp。
Onemorning，whenthebuglesblewtheusualcall，itwasdiscoveredthattheprisonerLazimhadescaped，althoughhehadbeensecuredinirons。
Fortunately，ithadrainedslightlyduringthenight；thusitwouldnotbedifficulttotrackhisfootsteps。IimmediatelysentforShooliandGimoro，whosevillagewasonly700yardsdistant，towhomIpromisedarewardofacow，shouldtheysucceedincapturingtheescapedfelon。
Theyquicklygotuponthetrackofthefugitive，andfollowedlikebloodhounds。
IhavealreadydescribedthisfellowLazimashavingbeenoneoftheringleadersintherebellionoftheslave-hunters；andhewasalmostasnotoriousacharacterasAliHussein。Hewasoriginallyhimselfaslave，andhadescapedfromhismasteratKhartoummanyyearsago，afterwhichhebecameoneofthemostdeterminedslave-hunters。
Ifeltsurethatitwouldhavebeenimpossibleforhimtohaveescapedwithouttheconnivanceofthesentry。Ithereforeorderedallthesoldiersthathadformedthevariousnight-guardsovertheprisonertobebroughtbeforeme。Astheystoodinline，Isimplytoldthemthat”theprisonerhadescaped，andthatoneofthemennowpresentwasguiltyofaidingandabetting。Icoulddiscoverthefellowwhohadthusdisgracedhimselfasasoldierbysimplylookingathisface。”
Havingcarefullyexaminedthecountenanceofeachman，IfeltconfidentthatIhadfixedupontheguiltyperson，asoneindividualquailedbeneathmyeye，andatlengthlookeddownupontheground。Thishappenedtobeoneoftheworstcharactersintheforce。Ithereforeatonceorderedhimtobeflogged。
Duringtheinflictionofpunishment，thisfellownotonlyconfessedthathehadassistedintheescapeofLazim，buthemadeacleanbreastofseveralotherdelinquencies。Hewasaccordinglyputinirons，andcondemnedtobreakstonesforthenewroads。
IntheeveningShoolireturned，butwithouttheprisoner。Beforehegavehisreport，hebeggedme”nottobeangry。”HethendescribedthathehadtrackedLazim’sfootstepsforalongwayalongtheFabboroaduntilhehadatlengthmetseveralnatives，whowerecomingtowardshim。ThesemendeclaredthattheyhadmetLazim，whohadmanagedtogetridofhisirons；butashewasunarmed，theyknewthathemusthaverunaway。Theyaccordinglyaskedhimforhispassfromme，asitwaswellknownthatI
neverallowedamantogoalonewithoutawrittenorder。
Lazimofcoursewasunabletoproduceapaper。Thenatives，therefore，insisteduponhisreturningwiththemtoFatiko，anduponhisremonstratingtheyseizedhim。Astruggleensued，andtheyatlengthknockedhimupontheheadwithauironmaceandkilledhim。Thusendedoneofthegreatestscoundrels，andthegovernmentwasrelievedbyhisescapefromcustody，whichhadsoquicklyterminatedhiscareer。
CHAPTERXXV。
ISENDTOGONDOKOROFORREINFORCEMENTS。
On25thNovember，1872，IstartedWat-el-MektoGondokorowithaforceofirregulars，inadditiontoacaptainandtwentyregulartroopsinchargeofthepost。Hispartyconsistedof100men。