Iimmediatelydashedintothemonhorseback，accompaniedbyLieutenantBaker，ColonelAbd-el-Kader，andMonsoor，followedbythetroops。Thecattle，seeingtheredshirtsofthe”FortyThieves，”hadgoneoffinaregularstampedethroughtheforest；thisprecipitateflighthadbeenquickenedbythereportoftherifles。Itwasdifficultworktomanagetheherdwithonlyfourhorses。NoonewhohasnothuntedAfrican，andespeciallyBaricattle，canhaveanideaoftheactivityoftheseanimals。Theygoalongatatremendouspace，andneverappeartogetblown：thuswewerespurringhardthroughtheforestinordertoovertaketheherd，whentomygreatsatisfactionwearrivedatthebroadbednearlydryoftheBelinianriver。Thischeckedthepace，andwereinedupourhorses，andquietlywaitedforthetroops，whowereexcellentrunners。
　　Afewmenof”TheForty”werethefirstup，andwemanagedtodrivethecattleacrosstheriverontotheopenplain。Hardlyhadwearrivedonthelevelground，whentheystartedoffinanotherstampede，andkeptusgoingforaboutthreemiles，asthoughwewerefollowinghounds。
　　Withahorseoneachflankandintherearoftheherdweatlengthmanagedtocontroltheirmovements。Fortunatelywehadbeenrunningtowardsourcamp。
　　Aherdofcattlegenerallydependsuponafewofitsmembers，whichareusuallyfollowedbytheothers。Uponthisoccasionthereweretwocowsthatappearedtodirecttheirmovements。Thesewildcreaturesrefusedtoenterourcattlekraaluponarrivalatthecamp，whenthetroops，havingseenourapproach，cameouttorenderassistance。Withskilfulmanagementtheherdwassecuredwithinthekraal，withtheexceptionofthetwoundisciplinedcows，whichstartedoffatfullspeedalongtheplain，followedbyAbd-el-Kaderandmyself。Ablackandwhitecowwasexceedinglyvicious，andbeinghardpressedforaboutaquarterofamile，sheturnedtobayontheopenplain。Iwasridingmybesthorse，named”ThePig，”whowasverypowerfulandfast，andunderstoodcattle-drivingthoroughly。”ThePig，”accordinglyavoidedthechargeoftheinfuriatedcow，whichdashedathimlikeawildbuffalo。I
　　immediatelyshotherintheshoulderwitharevolver，whichhadnoothereffectthantoturnhertowardsColonelAbd-el-Kader，whowasridingalarge，clumsychestnutcalled”Jamoos”thebuffalo。Thishorseremainedperfectlystillwhenthecowrushedathim，andAbd-ed-Kaderinsteadoffiringhisrifle，receivedthechargefulluponhisleftleg，intowhichthecowdrovehersharphorn，makingaseriouswoundnearlythroughthecalf。Ithenshotthecowthroughthehead，butAbd-el-Kaderwasingreatpainandquitedisabled。
　　Uponcountingourcattlewefound165。Thiswasaverysmallherd，buttheyhadbeendifficulttocapture。
　　Ournewally，oldJarda，withhisdiplomaticsister，cametovisitusuponhearingofoursuccess，andimmediatelyaskedforacalf，whichI
　　gavehim。
　　Jarda’ssisternowinformedmethatthesheikofthemountainwishedforpeace，andrequestedpermissiontovisitme。Onthefollowingdayheappeared。Hewasafinepowerfulfellow，butwithabadexpression。I
　　hadalreadyheardthatJardaandhewerenotfriends，thereforeIlookeduponthisintroductionwithsuspicion。
　　Aftertheusualdeclarationoffriendshipbythenewsheik，andanapologyforpastmisdemeanours，presentswererequested。Afatcalfwasgiven——thenasheepwasdemanded；thiswasalsosupplied。Wenowcametobusiness。ItappearedthattheBelinianBarishadbeencalleduponbyAllorrontobecomeallies，atthesametimethatLoqiuahadbeeninvitedtojoininthegeneralattackthathadbeenmadeuponGondokoro。
　　Loquiahadhesitated，buthadatlengthjoinedBelinian，asthegovernmenttroopshadbeenreportedasgreatcowardswhowereafraidtoventurefarfromtheirhead-quarters。ThemanythousandcattleknowntobeatGondokoro，andthefabulousamountofstoresandmaterial，atlengthtemptedtheLoquiatojoinforces。
　　Onthenightoftheattack，itnowappearedthatLoquiahadlostmanymenkilled；otherswhowerewoundeddroppedontheway，anddiedontheroutethroughBelinian。ThislosssoenragedLoquiawhoconsideredthathehadbeenonlyusedasacat’s-paw，thathewasdeterminednottoreturnhomeempty-handed。Hethereforerevengedhimselfuponhisallies，andcapturedabout2，000headofcattlefromBelinian，withwhichhereturnedtohismountainstwodays’distant。
　　Onthedayfollowingmyinterviewwiththesheikofthemountain，”Wani，”Ireceivedinformationwhichmademesuspectthathewasnottherealsheik，andthatsometrickwasintended。
　　OncemoreIwaswaiteduponbyoldJarda，withhisfemaleministerofforeignaffairs，incompanywithWani，thereputedsheikofthemountain，togetherwithanumberofheadmen。
　　Inowreceivedadirectproposaltoformageneralalliance。TheBelinianBarisdeclaredallegiancetothegovernment，andproposedtojoinalltheirforcestomakeagreatattack，inconjunctionwiththetroops，uponacountryaboutsixteenmilesdistant，governedbyasheiknamedLokko。Theydescribedthiscountryasaboundingincorn，andsesame，inadditiontogreatwealthincattle。Theyalsodeclaredthattheyhadalreadysentspiesintotheland，whohadreturnedwiththenewsthattheharvestwasover，andallthegrainwasstowedinthegranaries；thusthetroopswouldhavenotroubleincollectingthecorn。
　　TheyalsopromisedthatifIwouldmaketheattack，theywouldcollectalltheirwomenandtransportthecorntohead-quartersatGondokoro；
　　thusthesoldierswouldhavenofatigue。AtthesametimetheydescribedthepeopleofLokkoasverypowerful，anddeclaredthatIshouldrequirenearlyallmyforce，asveryfewtroopswouldbenownecessarytoprotectmycampatBelinian，asweWEREALLFRIENDS！
　　Thiskindregardformymilitaryarrangementsconfirmedmysuspicions。
　　Itwasintendedtodrawoffthegreaterportionofthetroopstoadistance，incompanywiththepretendedallies。TheattackwasreallytobemadeonLokko，butmytroopswerealsotobeoverpoweredwhenunsuspectinglyreturningbyanightmarchwiththespoil。ThecattlecapturedfromLokkowouldthenfallintothehandsofBelinian，andmycamp，protectedbyaweakforce，wastobesurprised。
　　Ipretendedtoenterintothisscheme，butIexpressedadoubtwhethertheywouldperformtheirpartoftheengagement，andconveythecornfromLokkotoGondokoro。Thistheydeclaredemphaticallytheywoulddowithoutfailing。
　　Iproposed，thatiftheycouldconveysuchanenormousquantitysogreatadistancefromLokkotoGondokoro，theyshouldfirstprovetheirfidelitybytransportingthefewhundredurdepsfromourBeliniancamptohead-quarters。Iftheywouldassistusinthismanner，theyshouldbepaidfortheirtrouble，andIshouldthenbelieveintheirsincerity。Ontheotherhand，iftheyrefused，IshouldbeperfectlycertainthattheywouldalsodeclinetotransportthecornfromLokko，andthateveryindividualwouldmerelyscrambleforspoil，andreturntoBelinianwithaloadofplunderforhisownuse。
　　WeshouldthenbeleftatLokkoinafoolishposition。
　　Aftermuchdiscussion，theypromisedtocarrythecorntoGondokorobeforecommencingoperationsagainstLokko；butIatonceperceivedbytheirmanner，thattheyhadnottheslightestintentionofperforminganysuchcontract。Theyfeltthattheirschemehadbeenfoundout。
　　AlthoughAfricansarenotoriouslycunningandtreacherous，theyhavenotsufficientpatienceorself-sacrificetoenablethemtocarryoutaperfectscheme。IftheBelinianshadwishedtosucceedintheirplan，theyshouldhavewillinglycarriedthecorntoGondokoro，andthushaveestablishedconfidence。InallmyexperiencewithAfricantribes，Ihaveobservedthiswantoforganizationintheirplans。Likeignorantchess-players，theyonlythinkofthefirstfewmoves，andthusareatalosswhensuddenlychecked。
　　OfcourseIhadnointentionofattackingLokko，asIhadnocomplaintagainsthim；andalthoughaBari，hewasachiefwhohadalwaysbehavedwelltotheAustrianmissionaries。ThisportionoftheBaritribe，insteadofbeingsixteenmiles，wasatleastthirtyfromthenorthofBelinian，andwassituatedontheWhiteNile，wherethesheik，Lokko，wasknowntothetradersas”OomNickla。”
　　Thefollowingextractsfrommyjournalwillatonceexplainthestateofaffairs。Thenativeshadlosttheirchance，andfeelingthattheirtreacheryhadbeendiscovered，theynevercametomeagain：——”September22，1871——Nonativeswillcomenearus。AbouSaoodarrivedwithfortymentoaskmypermissionthathemightstartforKhartoum。”September23——Thenatives，disappointedintheirtrick，willhavenothingtosaytous。”
　　Onthe25thSeptemberthenativestreacherouslyattackedanunarmedsoldier。Thismanhadstrayedafewhundredyardsfromthecamp，againstorders，tosearchforwildthyme。Anativemethimandaccostedhimbythewelcome”Adottojulio。”Thesoldieradvancedclose，whenthetreacherousBariimmediatelyshotanarrowintohim。Thispassedthroughhisarmwithsuchforcethatmorethanhalfthelengthofthearrowprotrudedontheotherside。Thesoldiershoutedforhelp，andtheBaridecampedashesawothersrunningtotherescue。
　　Onthesameday，twowomenwereattackedwhentheywenttofetchwater，andtheirclotheswerestolenbythenatives。
　　OnSeptember27，anartillerymanwenttotheriverabout400yardsdistanttofetchwater，alone。Thiswasquitecontrarytoorders。Thethoughtlessfellowlefthismusketonthebankwhilehedescendedtothesandybed，throughwhichtrickledaclearstream。
　　Hewaswatchedbythenativeswhowerelyinginwait，concealedbythehighdhurra。Theserascalssuddenlyrushedoutandspearedhimtodeath。
　　Themanscreamedsoloudlybeforehedied，thatanumberofsoldiersrushedtohisassistancefromthecamp，buttheywereonlyintimetobringinhisbody。
　　Thiswasat4P。M。，andIobservednativesarmed，whowerehoveringaboutonallsides。
　　Isoundedthebugle，andattackedthemwithoutdelay，destroyingseveralstockades。Itisimpossibletocometoanytermswithsuchtreacherouspeople。Inspiteofmykindnessandwishtodogoodandtobenefittheircountry，theyrequitemewiththemurderofanyunarmedmanwhomtheycanfind。”September29——Iattackedapositiononthemountain。Havingfiredseveralrocketsfromthebase，intoastationabout350feetabove，I
　　orderedthetroopstoadvancefromtwosides。Mymenscrambledquicklyuptherocksanddestroyedthestation。”September30——Afewdaysago，thesoldierspurposelyburntseveralgranariesfullofcorn，andthreatenedtokillSherroomandMorgian，myBariinterpreters，iftheyshouldreporttheacttome，saying，’Ifthecornisfinished，weshallallgobacktoKhartoum。’””Thisprovesthattheoldspiritagainsttheexpeditionstillexists。
　　Thementaketheircuefromtheofficers。”
　　Inspiteofthegeneraldiscontent，Icouldplacethegreatestrelianceuponthe”FortyThieves”andtheirofficers。Thislittlecorpsperformednearlyalltheactiveservice。Theirredshirtshadbecomesowellknown，thatthecolourwasenoughtokeepthenativesatadistance；butalthoughtheBariswerenowafraidtoriskastand-upfight，theytroubledusbytheirstealthytactics。Itwasimpossibletosaywheretheywereconcealed。Theywerespreadalloverthecountry：somehiddeninthetalldhurra，othersbehindbushes。Theirfavouriteplacewasinthegrassandscatteredbushonthebanksoftheriver，wheretheylayinwaitforanyunluckysoldierwhosedisobedienceofordersledhimtotempthisfate。
　　Itseemedalmostasimpossibletoclearthecountryofthesepeople，astopurgeAfricafromsnakes。Patrolswereoflittleservice，asthenativeslayascloselyconcealedasharesinform。
　　Ideterminedatlengthtomeetthemwiththeirowntactics：
　　Theyoccupiedtheneighbourhoodinambush……Iwouldalsolieinambush。ThissystemofambuscadeemployedsogenerallybytheBarishadcreatedawholesomealarmamongthetroops，whichtendedtoobedience。
　　Theynowbegantoappreciatetheordersthatnooneshouldstrayalonefromthecamp，andthatthewateringpartyshouldconsistofapowerfulguard。Atthesametime，thesurprisesthathadoccurredhadsomewhatshakentheirconfidence。
　　Icalledthe”FortyThieves”together。Thesefinefellowsalwaystookagreatinterestintheirwork。