He had an intimate knowledge of all that had taken place; which had been
reported to him by his spies; and he declared that Abou Saood had long
ago arranged a plan with Kabba Rega for our destruction should we arrive
from Gondokoro.
Rionga was well aware how often I had refused to attack him, and he
confessed that I had been his saviour by the arrest of Suleiman, who
would have joined the forces of Kabba Rega to have crushed him.
I took a great fancy to Rionga, as he was so perfectly free and easy in
his manner. He told me several anecdotes of the escapes he had had from
snares laid for him by Kamrasi; and he seemed quite rejoiced that I, who
had always declined to molest him before I had known him personally,
should now have taken him by the hand.
He declared that he would always remain the faithful representative of
the Khedive's government, but at the same time we must IMMEDIATELY
EXCHANGE BLOOD; without which ceremony, the people would not rise in his
favour. He said, "If the natives of this country, and also the Langgos
and the Umiros, shall hear that I have exchanged blood with the Pacha,
they will have thorough confidence, as they will know that he will
always be true to me, and I to him; but without this irrevocable
contract, they will always suspect some intrigue, either upon your side
or mine."
Rionga proposed that we should drink blood on the following morning, as
no time should be lost; he revelled with childish delight in the despair
that would seize Kabba Rega and his chiefs when they should hear the
news that the Pacha, and his friend Rionga had exchanged blood.
The preparation for the ceremony was to commence that evening. We were
to drink a large quantity of plaintain cider. "Not such stuff as Kabba
Rega gave you," exclaimed Rionga; "but a drink such as a friend will
partake with you." I was not to eat anything on the morrow, until the
sun should be in a certain position in the heavens, at which time he
would call upon me. I was to exchange blood with Rionga; Colonel
Abd-el-Kader and Lieutenant Baker were to go through the same
interesting ceremony with his minister and his son at the same time.
I recommended him at once to summon the chiefs of the Langgos and the
Umiros, as I should wish to secure their alliance and allegiance without
loss of time.
Many large jars of the best quality of plantain cider were now brought
from the island.
The night passed in nothing but singing and dancing as Rionga gave an
entertainment in honour of our arrival, and as a preliminary to the
ceremony of exchanging blood on the following morning.
At about 9 A.M. the unpleasant task was to be performed. Rionga arrived
and begged me to accompany him within a tent, together with Lieutenant
Baker, Colonel Abd-el-Kader, Karmissua, and Majobi.
Several of his first-class people were admitted as witnesses; these were
Inqui, Kimata, Ulendu, Singoma, Kibera, and some others.
Fortunately I had a small lancet in the handle of my knife; therefore I
made a slight incision on my left fore-arm, from which a few drops of
blood flowed. Rionga immediately seized my arm and greedily sucked the
scratch. I had to perform upon his arm, and I took care to make so
slight a puncture that only a drop of blood appeared; this was quite
enough for my share of the ceremony. We were now friends for ever, and
no suspicion of foul play could possibly be entertained. Lieutenant
Baker and Abd-el-Kader went through the same operation with their
respective partners, and cemented an indissoluble friendship.
It was rather a disgusting performance, but at the same time it was
absolutely necessary for the success of the expedition. I had now really
secured a trustworthy man, who would act as my vakeel.
When we emerged from the hut, a minstrel appeared, who played upon a
species of harp, and sang praises of myself and Rionga; and, of course,
abused Kabba Rega with true poetical licence.
I gave the minstrel a considerable present of beads, and he went away
rejoicing, singing and twanging his instrument to the discomfiture of
all our enemies.
It was fortunate that I had been able to carry so much as 300 lbs. of
beads. The soldiers could now purchase fish and potatoes.
On the 23rd July, two great sheiks were introduced by Rionga: "Gonah",
the chief of a Langgo district, and "Okooloo", a renowned warrior of the
Umiros.
The naked body of Okooloo was covered with small tattoo marks, each of
which I was assured represented a victim to his lance.
If he had really killed half that enormous number of men, he must have
considerably reduced the population, and he could have been doing little
else during his life. Samson's feat of killing 1,000 men was hardly to
be compared to the slaughter that had been accomplished by Okooloo.
The prospect of a general attack upon Kabba Rega with fire and lance was
delightful to the taste of this warlike old chief, who would, at the end
of the campaign, have no more room on his own skin, and would have to
keep the list of his game either upon the back of a son or a favourite
wife.
I soon made friends with these tribes. A few red and yellow
handkerchiefs, and two or three pounds of red and white beads, were
sufficient to gain their alliance.
