This zareeba had been under the command of a vakeel named Jusef, who had
exasperated the natives by continual acts of treachery and
slave-hunting. They had accordingly combined to attack the station at
night, and had set fire to the straw huts, by shooting red-hot arrows
into the inflammable thatched roofs.
These calamities had happened since the arrival of Abou Saood in the
Shooli country, and it was he who had given the order to attack the
Umiro. His own people, being naturally superstitious, thought he had
brought bad luck with him.
It appeared that when Abou Saood had first arrived at Fatiko from
Gondokoro, the vakeels of his different stations were all prepared for
the journey to deliver the ivory. They had given the cattle obtained in
the first attack upon Umiro to the native carriers of Madi and Shooli,
and the tusks had been arranged in about 2,000 loads for transport.
The sudden arrival of Abou Saood changed all their plans, as he
immediately gave orders to return the ivory to the store huts; he did
not intend to deliver it at Gondokoro that year. He also sent a letter
to his Latooka station, nine days' march to the north-east, together
with a party of eighty men, with instructions to his vakeel to deliver
the ivory at the Bohr station below Gondokoro.
He thus hoped to defraud the government out of the two-fifths due to
them by contract with Agad. At the same time, he had intended to remain
concealed in the interior of the country until I should have returned to
England; after which he had no doubt that affairs would continue in
their original position.
It may be imagined that my sudden arrival at Fatiko had disconcerted all
his plans.
In spite of his extreme cunning, he had over-estimated his own power of
intrigue, and he had mismanaged his affairs.
According to the agreement with Agad & Co., the representative of that
firm, Abou Saood, had contracted to supply the government troops with
all provisions at a given price, including even sheep and butter, as he
declared that he was in possession of these articles in his various
stations. He was also to assist the government expedition in every
manner, and to supply not only carriers, but even troops, should they be
necessary.
I read this contract to some of his principal men, who fairly laughed
outright at the audacity of Abou Saood in subscribing to such utter
falsehoods.
Not only had he secretly fraternized with the enemy, instead of
assisting the government, but he had cautioned the Baris not to carry
our loads, and he had incited the Fatiko natives to attack us. The
supply of food was too ridiculous.
