The natives had lost their chance, and feeling that their
treachery had been discovered, they never came to me again: -
"September 22, 1871. - No natives will come near us. Abou Saood arrived
with forty men to ask my permission that he might start for Khartoum.
"September 23. - The natives, disappointed in their trick, will have
nothing to say to us."
On the 25th September the natives treacherously attacked an unarmed
soldier. This man had strayed a few hundred yards from the camp, against
orders, to search for wild thyme. A native met him and accosted him by
the welcome "Adotto julio." The soldier advanced close, when the
treacherous Bari immediately shot an arrow into him. This passed through
his arm with such force that more than half the length of the arrow
protruded on the other side. The soldier shouted for help, and the Bari
decamped as he saw others running to the rescue.
On the same day, two women were attacked when they went to fetch water,
and their clothes were stolen by the natives.
On September 27, an artilleryman went to the river about 400 yards
distant to fetch water, alone. This was quite contrary to orders.
