I
ordered some grass huts to be fired, as the volume of smoke might
attract the attention of Tayib Agha's detachment, which had evidently
gone astray. If near, they must have heard the sound of our rifles.
The huts were soon in flames, and the smoke rose high in air, which
would be a signal to be seen from a great distance.
I sent two buglers to the top of a tall tree, from which elevated post
they blew the call for the lieutenant-colonel and his three companies
continually for about half-an-hour.
We were hungry, therefore a fat calf was killed, and cooking immediately
commenced. I had a little box of salt and pepper, together with some
biscuits; thus we were in luxury. My good Monsoor was a fair cook;
therefore the fat, kidneys, and liver having been cut into pieces about
two inches square, and arranged on a steel ramrod, were well salted and
peppered, and laid on the red-hot embers when the flame and smoke had
subsided. There is nothing so good as kabobs thus simply prepared: the
ramrod is then stuck upright in the ground, and you sit down and cut off
the pieces as required. Salt should always be carried mixed with black
and red pepper in proper proportions; it saves much trouble.
We were enjoying our breakfast; the cows lately captured gave plenty of
milk, which our servants had boiled in the Baris' earthen pots, and we
were discussing the possibility of Tayib Agha having lost his way, when
we heard distant shots fired on the open hills at the foot of Belinian
mountain, about a mile and, a half to our right. We shortly
distinguished smoke, which was a reply to our signal. It was evident
that Tayib Agha had strayed far to the south, but it was satisfactory to
know that he had seen our position.
We could now distinguish the troops with the telescope, and even make
out the gun that was dragged by about twenty men. They were on their
direct way to join us.
My men had captured three young girls, whom they brought to me. The
oldest was about fifteen, and was pretty and intelligent: she had
formerly been a slave of the traders, and was marked, according to their
custom, by several scars on either cheek. The girl spoke good Arabic,
and did not appear to show the slightest alarm.
I asked her why the Belinian Baris had attacked us, and taken cattle
from the station at Gondokoro, without the slightest provocation? She
replied that they had been invited by the sheik Allorron to become
allies, therefore they had attacked us and driven off the cows, some of
which were now among the cattle we had that morning captured.
I told her that we never took slaves, therefore she and her companions
might return to the Baris, and inform them that I had come upon the
tracks of the cattle which they had driven off from Gondokoro. If they
desired peace, I should be happy to treat with them, but if they should
return to attack us at head-quarters, I should not spare them, but I
would utterly root them out of the neighbourhood. The girls laughed and
started off, not in the least disturbed by the scene around them.
At length, Tayib Agha's detachment arrived. They were very angry with
Morgian, the guide, who, they declared, had purposely misled them. This
was not the fact; the man had lost his way in the dark in the endeavour
to seek a better path for the gun. However, we were now united, and I
ordered the men to breakfast.
The sniders had cleared the natives from the vicinity, and now that we
had been reinforced by Tayib Agha's party, there was no fear of the
Baris. They kept aloof, and merely watched our movements from the tops
of high trees, where they perched like cormorants, and saw the enjoyment
of the troops engaged in roasting beef that had lately been their own.
I fully expected a difficulty with the natives when we should attempt to
drive the herd of strange cattle through the jungle path to Gondokoro. I
therefore determined to make a reconnaissance of the neighbourhood when
the men should have finished their breakfast, in order to drive the
Baris from the vicinity, and thus obtain a fair start for the cattle.
Leaving one company to protect the stockade and captured cattle, I took
the remaining three companies and the gun, and extending the line in
open order, with skirmishers thrown out in front and the gun in the
centre, we advanced through the country.
A large river bed, now almost dry, with very abrupt banks, lay on our
left. The wood became thinner, and we suddenly emerged upon a broad,
open valley or plain, which was bounded on our right by the high
mountain of Belinian, about a mile and a half distant.
The plain was covered with villages, and the entire country was green
with cultivation, the dhurra being then about two feet high. The
gun-carriage ran easily over the flat ground, and we advanced rapidly
forward, the Baris clearing out of their villages and gathering on our
flanks as we approached. A shot from the gun sent an eight-pound shell
which exploded in the air above a group about 700 yards distant. This
was sufficient notice to quit. The enemy dared not stand upon open
ground; thus, after we had driven them forward for about two miles. we
faced about and returned to the stockade.
We now opened the gateway and drove out the hungry cattle. They looked
very wild, and I rather feared a stampede; it was necessary to leave
them in the hands of our two allies, Sherroom and Morgian, as the cattle
neither understood Arabic nor the manners or customs of the Egyptians.
After a little whistling and coaxing in the Bari language, the herd
started, well protected by troops on both flanks, and an advance guard
at 150 paces' distance.
