ThefleetfromGondokorohadleftonthe3rdofNovember，1871：thusitwasnaturaltosupposethatreinforcementshadarrivedfromKhartoum，accordingtomywritteninstructionsonthatdate。InowwrotetoRaoufBeyathead-quarters，tosendup200menunderthecommandofLieutenant-ColonelTayibAgha，oftheSoudaniregiment。Ialsowroteforasupplyofcattle，asmystockhaddwindledtoasmallherdofmilchcows，andthepeopleatFabbehadnomeatexceptthefleshofanygamethatmightbekilled。
　　AshorttimeafterthedepartureofWat-el-MekandhispartyforGondokoro，SuleimanthevakeelarrivedfromFabbowiththeintelligencethatalargebodyofAbouSaood’sslave-hunters，including3，000
　　Makkarikacannibals，hadarrivedontheNilefromthefarwest，withtheintentionoftakingtheivoryfromFabbo！
　　ItappearedthatAbouSaoodhadgonefromGondokorotohisstationattheBohr，upontheWhiteNile；fromthencehehadsentapartywithalettertoAtroosh，thevakeeloftheMakkarikastation，about200milesdistant，withordersthatheshouldsendapowerfulforce，withsufficientcarriers，totaketheivorybyviolencefromFabbo。
　　AbouSaoodhadnotexpectedthatthepeoplewhomhehadleftatthatstationwouldhaveenlistedunderthegovernmentstandard。Thusheimaginedtheywouldatoncefraternizewiththeinvadingforce。
　　Thenativesofthecountrywerethoroughlyalarmed，asthecannibalswereeatingthechildrenoftheKoshicountryonthewestbankoftheNile，inabout3degreeslatitude；andshouldtheycrosstheriver，theMadisandShoolisexpectedthesamefate。
　　IorderedSuleimanwhohadreceivedaletterfromAtrooshtotakealetterfrommetoAliEmmeen，thevakeeloftheinvadingforce，instructinghimtopresenthimselfbeforemeatFatikoinstantlywithanescortofhisownpeople，limitedtotwenty-fivemen。AtthesametimeI
　　gaveinstructionstothenativesuponnoaccounttofurnishboatsforalargerparty。
　　Aftersomedays’absenceSuleimanreturned，butwithoutAliEmmeen，whowasafraidtoappear。ThisvakeelhadreceivedmyverbalassurancefromSuleimanthat，shouldanypersonsattemptthepassageoftheriverwithoutmypermission，theywouldbeinstantlyshot；atthesametime，ifhewishedtoconveytheivorytoGondokorobytheusualroute，hecoulddosowithanescortofregulars。
　　ThiswasanawkwardpositionforAliEmmeen，whohadexpectedtofindalliesatFabbo，butwhonowfoundafaithfulcorpsofirregularswithSuleimanattheirheadactingundermyorders。
　　Heaccordinglytook100menandreturnedabout180milestothecampofAtrooshforfreshinstructions。The3，000MakkarikacannibalswereleftwiththeremainderofhiscompanyonthewestbankoftheNiletofeeduponthenativesofKoshiuntilhisreturn。
　　EverydaypeoplearrivedatFatikowithhorriblereportsofthecannibals，whoweredevouringthechildrenintheKoshidistrict。Spieswentacrosstheriverandbroughtmeeveryintelligence。Itappearedthatthe3，000MakkarikashadbeenengagedbyAliEmmeenunderthepretencethattheywere”togotoFatikoandfightachiefcalled’thePacha，’whohadenormousflocksandherds，togetherwiththousandsofbeautifulwomenandotheralluringspoil；”buttheyhadnotheardthattheyweretocarry3，000elephants’tuskstothestationofAtroosh。
　　Myspiesnowtoldthemthetruth。”FightthePacha！”theyexclaimed：”doyounotknowwhoheis?andthathecouldkillyoualllikefowls，ashedidthepeopleofAliHussein?Hehasnocowsforyoutocarryoff，buthehasgunsthataremagic，andwhichloadfrombehindinsteadofatthemuzzle！”
　　ThiswasaterribledisappointmenttothedeludedMakkarikas，whichatoncespreaddissensionamongthem，whentheyfoundthattheyhadbeencajoledinordertotransporttheheavyloadsofivory。
　　Aprovidentialvisitationsuddenlyfelluponthem。Thesmall-poxbrokeoutandkilledupwardsof800bloodthirstycannibalswhohadbeendevouringthecountry。
　　TheNilewasreportedtobeaboutsixmilesinwidthoppositetheirstation，inabout3degreeslatitude，whichisonlyafewmilesfromtheAlbertN’yanza。Thisvisitationofsmall-poxcreatedapanicwhichentirelybrokeupanddispersedtheinvadingforce，anddefeatedtheirplans。
　　WewerenowinfrequentcommunicationwithRionga，whowasalwaysrepresentedinmyFatikocampbythepresenceofoneofhissheiksandseveralmen。
　　AliGenninarhadmadeacombinedattackuponKabbaRega，togetherwithRiongaandtheLanggotribe，andhadutterlydefeatedhim。Hispeoplewerenowdesertinghimingreatnumbers，andwereflockingtothewinningside。KabbaRegahadtakentoflight，andwassupposedtobehidingintheneighbourhoodofChibero，onthebordersoftheAlbertN’yanza。
　　M’tese，thekingofUganda，hadinvadedUnyorofromthesouth，andhavingheardofKabbaRega’streacherytowardsmyself，hehadsentanarmyof6，000menunderhisgeneral，Congow，tobeplacedatmydisposal。
　　ThisfriendshipwastheresultofmydiplomacyinhavingsenthimvaluablepresentsfromMasindi，togetherwithaletterwarninghimagainstKabbaRega，whowishedtopreventthegoodsofthenorthfromreachingUganda，inorderthathemightmonopolizethetradeinUnyoro。
　　ThesubsequentconductofKabbaRegahadprovedthisaccusation，andM’tesehadheardwithrageanddismaythatIhadbeenforcedtoburnallthenumerousgoods，whichotherwisewouldhavepassedtohiminUganda。
　　Onthe25thDecemberthefortofFatikowascompleted。Thiswascommencedonthe28thAugust；thusmymenhadbeenfourmonthsengagedinthework，owingtotheextremehardnessofthesubsoil，whichwasacompactgravelresemblingconcrete。
　　Thethreefacesofthefortmeasured455yardsoffosseandearthenrampart。Thefossewaseightfeetwide，eightfeetdeep，andthefaceoftherampartwasprotectedbychevaux-de-friseofsharpenedstakes。Thewestbaseofthefortwastherockcitadel，whichcommandedthesurroundingcountry。UponthissolidfoundationIhadbuiltanexcellentpowder-magazineandstore，ofsolidmasonry。Thisfire-proofbuildingwasroofedwithathickcementofclayfromthewhite-anthills，thathadbeentemperedforsomeweeksandmixedwithchoppedstraw。
　　Allmyworkwascompleted，andIcoulddonothinguntilthereinforcementsshouldarrivefromGondokoro。Thenativespaidtheirtriflingcorn-taxwithgreatgoodhumour，andtheygenerallyarrivedincrowdsofseveralhundreds，singinganddancing，withlargebasketsoftullaboonupontheirheads，withwhichtheyfilledourrowsofgranaries。
　　Thegrasswasfittoburn，andthebuntingseasonhadfairlycommenced。
　　Allthenativesnowdevotedthemselvestothisimportantpursuit。ThechasesuppliesthegreattribeofShooliwithclothing。Althoughthewomenareperfectlynaked，everymanwearstheskinofanantelopeslungacrosshisshoulders，soarrangedastobetolerablydecent。Thenumberofanimalsthatareannuallydestroyedmaybeimaginedfromtheamountoftheskin-cladpopulation。
　　AlthoughthewildernessbetweenUnyoroandFatikoisuninhabited，inlikemannerwithextensivetractsbetweenFabboandFatiko，everyportionofthatapparentlyabandonedcountryisnominallypossessedbyindividualproprietors，whoclaimarightofgamebyinheritance。
　　Thisstrictlyconservativeprinciplehasexistedfromtimeimmemorial，andmayperhapssuggesttothoseultra-radicalswhowouldintroducecommunisticprinciplesintoEngland，thatthesupposedoriginalequalityofhumanbeingsisafalsedatumfortheirproblem。Thereisnosuchthingasequalityamonghumanbeingsintheirprimitivestate，anymorethanthereisequalityamongthewavesofthesea，althoughtheymaystartfromthesamelevelofthecalm。
　　Inastateofsavagedom，thesamerulesofsuperioritywhichadvancecertainindividualsabovethegenerallevelincivilizedsocietieswillbefoundtoexertanaturalinfluence。Thosewhobecomeeminentwillbeacknowledgedbytheirinferiors。Themanwhoiscleverandwiseincouncilwillbelistenedto：thewarriorwholeadswithcourageandjudgmentwillbefollowedinthebattle；thehunterwhoexcelsintrackingupthegamewillbesenttothefrontwhenthepartyareontheblood-track。Inthiswaysuperioritywillbegenerallyadmitted。
　　Superiorityofintellectwillnaturallytendtomaterialadvancement。
　　Themanofsensewillgathermorethanthefool。Thatwhichhegathersbecomesproperty，whichmustbeacknowledgedbysocietyasanindividualrightthatmustbeprotectedbylaws。
　　Intribeswheregovernmentisweak，thereisadifficultyinenforcinglaws，asthepenaltyexactedmayberesisted；butevenamidstthosewildtribesthereisaforcethatexertsacertainmoralinfluenceamongthesavageasamongthecivilized：thatforceispublicopinion。
　　Thus，abreachofthegame-lawswouldberegardedbythepublicasadisgracetotheguiltyindividual，preciselyasanactofpoachingwoulddamagethecharacterofacivilizedperson。
　　Therightsofgameareamongthefirstrudimentsofproperty。Maninaprimitivestateisahunter，dependingforhisclothingupontheskinsofwildanimals，andupontheirfleshforhissubsistence；thereforethebeastthathekillsuponthedesertmustbehisproperty；andinapublichunt，shouldhebethefirsttowoundawildanimal，hewillhavegainedanincreasedinterestorshareinthefleshbyhavingreducedthechanceofitsescape。Thuspublicopinion，whichwemustregardasthefoundationofEQUITY，rewardshimwithadistinctandspecialright，which，becomesLAW。
　　Itisimpossibletotracetheoriginofgame-lawsinCentralAfrica，butitisneverthelessinterestingtofindthatsuchrightsaregenerallyacknowledged，andthatlargetractsofuninhabitedcountryarepossessedbyindividualswhicharesimplymanorial。Theserightsareinherited，descendingfromfathertotheeldestson。
　　Whenthegrassissufficientlydrytoburn，thewholethoughtsofthecommunityarecentreduponsport；butshouldapersonsetfiretothegrassbelongingtoanotherproprietor，hewouldbeatoncecondemnedbypublicopinion，andhewouldifsuchestablishmentsexistedbecertainlyexpelledfromhisclub。
　　TherewasnomoreworkundoneinmycharmingFatikostation。Theroadsfromthethreegatesweresofarcompletedastoformrespectableapproaches。Thegardenshadproducedabundantly，andthetroopswereallinexcellenthealthandgooddiscipline。OnMondaysandFridaystheywereexercisedatlight-infantrydrillforseveralhours。Everymanhadhispost，whichheoccupiedlikelightningwhenthebuglesuddenlysoundedthealarm。The”FortyThieves”heldtherockcitadel，astheycouldfireovertheheadsofthoseinthecampwithoutfearofaccident。
　　Thenightalarmsoundedunexpectedly，andasIwenttherounds，everymanwasathisquarterswithoutawhisper。Thecleanlinessandgeneralorderofthecampwereperfect。
　　Inowassociatedwiththenativesasahunter。ItwasinthiscapacitythatIhadfirstwontheirheartsmanyyearsago。WeweresoshortofmeatthatIbegantofeelthenecessitythatfirstturnedthehandofsavagemanagainstthebeastsoftheforest。
　　ThechasethroughouttheShoolicountrywascarriedonasaprofession，andwasconductedbygeneralrulesunderanadmirableorganization。
　　Thefavouritemethodofhuntingwasbymeansofnets。Everymaninthecountrywasprovidedwithanetofstrongcord。Thiswastwelveyardslong，andaboutelevenfeetdeep，ifstretchedtoitsmaximum。Themesheswereaboutsixinchessquare。Therewasnopromiscuousnet-hunting，butthechiefofthedistrictorganizedthechaseinthefollowingmanner：——
　　Thebignogarawassounded，andthenewsrapidlyspreadthatanassemblywasdesiredatthevillageoftheirheadman。AtFatikothechiefwasWat-el-AjoosOmare。Afewhoursafterthedrumhadsummonedtheheadmen，nativesmightbeseenapproachingfromallsidestotheappointedspotatwhichthecouncilwastobeheld。
　　Aftermuchtalking，itwasatlengthdecidedthatthehuntshouldtakeplaceuponthemanorsofcertainindividualswhosepropertywascontiguous。Thedayofthehuntwasarranged，andtheheadmenofthevillagesretiredtomakethenecessaryarrangements。
　　Shouldachiefbehospitablydisposed，hewouldfrequentlygiveagrandentertainmentpriortothemeet。Onsuchoccasionsupwardsofathousandnativeswouldarrivefromdifferentvillages，intheirfull-dresscostume，consistingofplumesofostrichfeathers，leopard-skinmantles，andtheirfacespaintedafrightfulcolourwithfreshcow-dung。Ontheseoccasionsalargequantityofmerissawasconsumed，andoneortwooxenwereslaughtered，accordingtothewealthofthepersonwhogavethefestivity。
　　Thesorcererwasanimportantpersonageatsuchentertainments，asitwasnecessarytoassuregoodluckbyavarietyofmagicceremonies，thatwouldnotonlyprotectthehuntersfromaccidents，butwouldalsobringthewildanimalsdirectintotheirnets。
　　Atlengththedayofthehunthadarrived，whenseveralthousandpeoplewouldcollectatacertainrendezvous，aboutninemilesdistantfromFatiko，ontheFabboroad，whichisthebestneighbourhoodforgame。
　　Atalittlebefore5A。M。Istartedonmysolitarybutpowerfulhorse，”Jamoos，”accompaniedbyLieutenantBakerandColonelAbd-el-Kader，withafewsoldiersof”TheForty”。GimoroandShooli，whowererenownedhunters，werealwayswithmewhenshooting。Theseexcellentmenhadanextraordinaryaffectionforeachother，andtheywerewellknownasinseparables——theonewasrarelyseenwithouttheother。
　　DescendingtherockyterracefromthestationatFatiko，wewereatonceinthelovely，park-likeglades，diversifiedbyboldgraniterocks，amongwhichwerescatteredthegracefuldroopingacaciasinclumpsofdensefoliage。