He had promised to cultivate a
farm for the government, therefore I had given him ten bushels of dhurra
for seed, and I had left with him at his request the officer and
soldiers, to represent the government and to superintend the
cultivation.
I now discovered that Abou Saood had attacked the natives without any
provocation, and had carried off the cattle from the country adjoining
Niambore's district.
The natives would naturally imagine that my officer and six men were
spies who had directed Abou Saood to their cattle, and there would be a
great chance of a conflict between Niambore, their protector, and his
neighbours who had been robbed.
I observed with the telescope that the people of Abou Saood who arrived
with the herd of cattle were accompanied by a great number of natives,
and the Baris of Gondokoro, who were at open war with us, flocked to
welcome the new comers as old friends who had been long absent. The
brigands had as usual arrived with a large herd of cattle, which in
Africa is always the best introduction; thus the robber tribe of
Allorron was delighted at the return of those who had always led them to
plunder, and had enriched them with the spoil of cows and slaves. I find
the following entry in my journal, dated -
"June 12, 1871. - The natives who are at war with us have been gathering
in large numbers to the spot on the west bank occupied by Abou Saood's
people. The latter are actually holding friendly intercourse with them,
and the Baris are quite at home assisting these rascals in erecting
their camp, although they positively refused to work for the government
upon our first arrival. This is the treasonable conduct of Abou Saood,
who knows perfectly well that we are at open war with the Baris.
"His large herd of about 1,400 fat cattle were driven along in triumph,
followed by the admiring population of thieving niggers, who hail his
arrival as the harbinger of fat times, Gondokoro being the general depot
for all stolen cattle, slaves. &c., and the starting point for every
piratical expedition.
"In the afternoon I started in a dingy, accompanied by Colonel
Abd-el-Kader, Lieutenant Baker, Monsoor, and four soldiers, to visit the
traders' camp on the west side of the river.
"Seeing me approach, a great number of Baris left the traders, and
taking to a precipitate flight they disappeared in the high reeds. The
traders' people received me without the slightest mark of respect, and
one insolent fellow swaggered up and stared me in the face with a pipe
in his mouth as a studied insult.
