It Had Been Agreed That The Remainder Of My Men
Were To Mutiny At This Spot And To Join Him With MY ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
This Was To Be The Stage For The Outbreak.
The apparent welcome was only
to throw me off my guard.
I was coldly polite, and begging them not to waste their powder, I went
to the large tree that threw a beautiful shade, and we sat down,
surrounded by a crowd of both natives and trader's people. Mahommed Her
sent me immediately a fat ox for my people. Not to be under any
obligation, I immediately gave him a double-barrelled gun. Ibrahim and
his men occupied the shade of another enormous tree at about one hundred
and fifty yards' distance.
The evening arrived, and my vakeel, with his usual cunning, came to ask
me whether I intended to start tomorrow. He said there was excellent
shooting in this neighborhood, and that Ibrahim's camp not being more
than five hours' march beyond, I could at any time join him, should I
think proper. Many of my men were sullenly listening to my reply, which
was that we should start in company with Ibrahim. The men immediately
turned their backs and swaggered insolently to the town, muttering
something that I could not distinctly understand. I gave orders directly
that no man should sleep in the town, but that all should be at their
posts by the luggage under the tree that I occupied. At night several
men were absent, and were with difficulty brought from the town by the
vakeel.
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