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In the dull dispiriting gloom I sat hour after hour on the stone bench encrusted with the dirt of years, calmly reflecting upon the bright, happy life I had been, alas! too eager to renounce, and told myself with sorrow that, after all, old Trigger's school, or even the existence of a London clerk, was preferable to imprisonment in Samory's stronghold.
Boiteux and Bonnier succeeded in leading a flotilla and a column to the mysterious city of Timbuctu; but a little later a French force sustained a serious check from the neighbouring tribes. The affair only spurred on the Republic to still greater efforts, which led finally to the rout of Samory's forces and his capture in the year 1898.
Within two days after Makhana had brought news of the coming invasion, the whole of the twenty thousand men, with Omar himself at their head, had marched out of the capital on their way to defend the pass. I had expressed a wish to accompany them, but my friend had requested me to go with the expedition to Samory's capital because, having been there in captivity, I could act as guide.
The whole land, lately very rich, prosperous and thickly peopled, was a melancholy picture of utter desolation." "Do you think we have actually fallen into Samory's hands?" I asked. "I fear so." "But is not Kouaga Grand Vizier of Mo? Surely he would not dare to take us through the enemy's land," I said.
"Every man has already fought for thee, and for Mo." "For me? How?" Then briefly he related how we had met the remnant of Samory's invading force and defeated them, so that not a single fugitive remained. "These savages fought merely for their own lives, not for me," she said with a supercilious sneer, regarding the half-clad natives with disdain.
Kouaga was the only person who knew that my mother had thus spoken to me, and he has informed Samory and joined him for the purpose of obtaining the treasure." "Is not Kouaga aware of the spot where the treasure is hidden?" I asked hurriedly. "No. He came to England at Samory's suggestion to convey me hither so that they could get the secret from me.
Three times within the last five years has Samory attempted to invade our country, but each time has been repulsed with a loss that has partially paralysed his power. All along the right bank of the Upper Niger his bands of hirelings and mercenaries, whom we call Sofas, are constantly raiding for slaves. Indeed Samory's troops are the fiercest and most merciless in this country.
"We must dispatch an army at once to meet them," Omar said, after a thoughtful pause. "No time should be lost," Makhana urged. "Already they are due at the Hombori, and it will occupy our expedition fully two weeks to reach there. Yet Samory's hordes may be delayed, and if so, we shall be able to hold the pass successfully and sweep them down as they advance.
From that moment their fire became weaker, and time after time my companions, kneeling upon the ground, drew their bows and released those terrible darts, the slightest scratch from which produced tetanus and almost instant death. Each arrow was smeared with a dark red substance, and their deadly effect was sufficiently proved by the manner in which the ranks of Samory's men were soon decimated.
Brief words were required to explain how I had discovered them hidden in Samory's secret cavern beyond the lion's lair. "I understood that only the wealth of the old Arab's Kasbah was hidden there," he exclaimed quickly. "This news is indeed as astounding as it is welcome."
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