A shot from a musket stretched one
Bari dead. The guards pounced upon another and seized him by the throat.
This was a native of Belinian; he was accordingly hanged on the
following morning to a tree in the pathway by which the Belinian Baris
arrived through the forest to attack the camp. This it was hoped would
be a warning that might deter others. (Throughout the expedition this
was the only native who was hanged. Neither was any native shot or
otherwise executed when taken prisoner, except a spy at Belinian.)
On 5th July the natives made an attempt on the cattle, and shot a sentry
with an arrow.
On 7th July the Baris attacked the camp during the night.
On 8th July I sent a company to take possession and to hold the island.
They met the natives; and Monsoor and Achmet Bash Choush had a narrow
escape from lances. The Baris lost three killed and two prisoners.
On that day the river rose four feet six, which was the highest flood
during the wet season.
On 10th July, at mid-day, several hundred Baris, having cautiously
approached the grazing cattle unobserved, made a sudden rush from the
bushes upon the guards, killing one soldier and wounding another. The
soldiers belonged to the line, and must have behaved badly, as the
musket and cartouche-box and belt were stolen and carried off from the
dead man. The shots from the guard immediately alarmed the camp. The
horses were saddled, and, attended by Lieutenant Baker, I rode hard in
pursuit. The natives had gained the forest and had scattered, but we
rode a red-painted savage to bay, who fought to the last, shooting two
arrows at me, which I avoided by dropping quickly on my horse's neck,
and a third arrow stuck deeply in Mr. Baker's saddle as he escaped the
well-aimed shot by spurring his horse across the line of sight. These
arrows were shot at a distance of a very few yards. The native was
killed.
On 12th July the Baris attempted to surprise both my station and the
camp at head-quarters.
On the 13th the natives repeated the attempt; but one was shot dead by
the sentry at Gondokoro; also another met the same fate at my station.
Nearly every night we were subject to attempts at surprise. This was
excellent practice for the troops, as it taught them the, necessity of
keeping a good look-out; at the same time it was very wearying, as the
men had to work hard all day, and they were kept awake at night.
The Baris were irrepressible vermin that gave us no rest. My men were
all occupied in building the station, therefore it was impossible for me
to take a flying column and give the Baris a severe lesson; but I made
up my mind that when the work should be finished, I would take the fight
out of them most thoroughly. They now considered us fair game, that they
might insult as they thought proper; and I heard from our two faithful
allies, Sherroom and Morgian, that they imagined we should become afraid
of them, and then return to Khartoum.
They teased us at night like rats, but they lost many men. I rather
admired them for their persistence, as the scouts must have been
adventurous fellows. Whenever these people were taken prisoners, they
confessed that they were the spies of the main body that was concealed
at some distance in the rear. The favourite method of a Bari attack is
during the night, when the darkness reduces the danger of fire-arms. On
such occasions they generally halt either in forest or high grass,
according to circumstances, about half a mile from the camp they propose
to attack. Scouts are sent forward to ascertain the position and
vigilance of sentries before the advance of the main body. The scouts,
being quite naked, crawl upon their hands and knees until the darkness
permits them to approach within a few yards of the sentries. They then
lie flat upon their bellies unobserved until they can retreat to the
expectant body in their rear.
The attacking force now advances in perfect silence, and approaching
upon hands and knees in the same manner as the scouts, they suddenly
spring upon the sentries, and with wild yells make a general rush upon
the camp. This sudden attack would be extremely dangerous unless
provided against; and in this manner large parties of the slave-hunters
have been completely destroyed.
Our passive resistance to the numerous native attempts at surprise had
been misconstrued by the Baris into timidity. The news had spread
throughout the country that we should not venture far inland: thus a
grand alliance had been made among the tribes. The Baris desired to make
friends with their powerful enemy, the Loquia: they accordingly invited
this tribe to form an alliance and to join in a combined attack upon
Gondokoro, by which means they hoped to overpower and destroy our force,
and to become possessed of many thousand cattle which were now at
head-quarters.
The Loquia consented; thus we were exposed to a grand coalition. In the
mean time Abou Saood and his people, in their camp on the west side of
the river, continued to be most friendly with the enemies of the
government, and supplied the Belinian natives with ammunition.
At 1.30. a.m., on July 21, I was awakened by the sound of firing at
head-quarters.
I was dressed and armed in a few minutes. The bugle sounded the alarm,
and "The Forty" fell into position.
