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My only resource was to send Saat to market daily to purchase all he could find, and he usually returned after some hours' absence with a basket containing coffee, tobacco, and butter. We were comfortably settled at Kisoona, and the luxury of coffee after so long an abstinence was a perfect blessing.
At the same time, he complained that some of Abou Saood's people were taking slaves in the neighbourhood of Foweera and Kisoona. The principal chiefs, together with Kabba Rega, assured me that Abou Saood's people had been in the habit of torturing people to extract from them the secret of the spot in which their corn was concealed.
The latitude of Kisoona was 2 degrees 2 minutes 36 seconds N. We started at 11 A.M. till 1 P.M., reaching Kasiga eight miles through interminable forest full of fine ripe yellow plums and unripe custard apples. "April 16. Started at 8.20 A.M. till 12 arriving at Koki thick forest throughout the march. We passed several small villages, and made twelve miles, N. lat. 1 degree 59 minutes.
"As I had expected, the greater number of Suleiman's people had escaped with their slaves to Fabbo, when the Colonel, Abd-el-Kader, had suddenly appeared among them; his arrival had disconcerted all Suleiman's arrangements, and my detention at Kisoona had completely upset all his plans respecting an alliance with Rahonka's army.
It appeared that the offence thus summarily punished was the simple act of conversing with some of the natives who had attended Mahommed's men from Fowooka's island to Kisoona: a conversation with one of the enemy was considered high treason, and was punished with immediate death.
He then gave certain orders to his people, and after a little delay two loads of flour arrived, together with a goat and two jars of sour plantain cider. These presents he ordered to be forwarded to Kisoona.
The next day the king notified his readiness to receive the traveller, who, attiring himself in a Highland costume, was carried on the shoulders of a number of men into the presence of the monarch. The king informed him that he had made arrangements for his remaining at Kisoona.
We were bound for the principal village that belonged to the chief Kalloe, an excellent man, who had frequently visited us at Kisoona. Not far from the branch roads we came suddenly upon a few huts, the inmates of which were awake.
Our chief want being supplied, we had no fear of starving, as there was abundance of plantains, and we had about a dozen cheeses that we had manufactured while at Kisoona, in addition to a large supply of flour. A slight touch of fever attacked me, and I at length fell asleep. I was awakened by the voices of my men, who were standing at the door of my hut with most doleful countenances.
It was reported, that having crossed the Nile they were marching direct on Kisoona, with the intention of attacking the country and of killing Kamrasi. M'Gambi, the brother of Kamrasi, whose hut was only twenty yards distant, immediately came to me with the news: he was in a state of great alarm, and was determined to run off to the king immediately to recommend his flight.
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