Stanley in Africa: The Wonderful Discoveries and Thrilling Adventures of the Great African Explorer, and Other Travelers, Pioneers and MissionariesBoyd, James P. (James Penny)
History
Stanley in Africa: The Wonderful Discoveries and Thrilling Adventures of the Great African Explorer, and Other Travelers, Pioneers and Missionaries
Boyd, James P. (James Penny)
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
At length they struck the Victoria Nile at Foweera, fifteen miles below
Rionga Islands. Here they built a stockade, and began to build canoes
with which to cross the river which was 500 yards wide. Word was sent up
to Rionga. The chief came and proved friendly. He informed the Colonel of
the plot between Kabba Rega and the Arab slave hunters to drive him out
of the country, and declared that he would be faithful to the Khedive’s
authority. Whereupon Baker declared him chief instead of Kabba, and
endowed him with full authority over the natives, in the name of the
Khedive. Unyoro thus had a new king. He was left with a complement of
Baker’s small army as a guard and nucleus, and the Colonel started down
the river in canoes for his post at Fatiko. His small garrison, left
there, received him gladly, but scarcely was the reception over when an
attack was made upon it by the slave hunters. They were well prepared and
determined. From behind huts and other places of safety they began to
pick off the soldiers, and a charge of the “Forty Thieves” was ordered.
It was brilliantly executed, and resulted in the dislodgment of the enemy
and their pursuit for many miles with great slaughter and the capture of
many prisoners, among whom were some 135 of their slaves.
This battle resulted in the driving out of Abou Saood, the leader of the
slave hunters, and the man who had rented the whole country from the
authorities at Kartoum for the purpose of brigandage. He went to Cairo
to complain of the treatment he had received at the hands of Baker and
his party, and actually circulated the report that he and Mrs. Baker had
been killed on the head-waters of the Nile.
[Illustration: DRIVING A PRAIRIE WITH FIRE.]
A strong fortification was built at Fatiko, which was finished by
December, and reinforcements were sent for from Gondokoro. It was the
hunting season, and many expeditions were organized for the capture
of game, in which the natives joined with a hearty good will. Besides
the rifle in skilled hands, the net of the natives for the capture of
antelope and smaller game was much relied on, and once all enjoyed the
magnificent sight of a tropical prairie on fire, with its leaping game of
royal proportions, to be brought down almost at will, provided the hunter
was not demoralized with its number and size.
[Illustration: AFFECTIONATE RESULTS OF FREEDOM.]
While at Fatiko, an embassy came from King Mtesa of the Uganda
professing friendship and offering an army of 6000 men for,——he did not
know what, but to punish any natives who might appear to be antagonistic,
especially Kabba Rega.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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