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Updated: June 14, 2025
I can only refer to Lieutenant Baker, R.N., and that gallant officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Abd-el-Kader, and many others, including all soldiers and servants who belonged to the detachment at Fatiko. These persons subsequently gave their evidence, which they will be ready at all times to repeat. On 7th August, at about 5 P.M., Abou Saood appeared with about forty of his men.
Numerous sheiks had collected to receive us, and a formal complaint and protest was made against Abou Saood and his people. An attack had been planned by the slavers, and Abdullah and his small detachment of 100 men would be overpowered.
On several occasions they had destroyed smaller parties with the same result, and they had never been at peace with Abou Saood since he had treacherously murdered their Sheik and his family.
The whole country had been desolated by civil war, in which the companions of Abou Saood had taken a prominent part, and had carried off a great number of the women. Kisoona was a poor straggling place in the centre of the forest; but although the beehive-shaped huts were far apart, there was the usual amount of filth and ashes that disgrace the villages of Unyoro.
Abou Saood had not expected that the people whom he had left at that station would have enlisted under the government standard. Thus he imagined they would at once fraternize with the invading force.
Kabba Rega had replied that "he did not believe it, as he had heard that he was simply a trader." Reports had reached Unyoro that I had arrived at Gondokoro, and that I was on my way to visit Kamrasi, and to explore the Albert N'yanza; therefore Kabba Rega had questioned Abou Saood concerning me.
Abou Saood now declared that Wat-el-Mek had started many days ago from Fatiko to Koshi; but I subsequently discovered that he had only left Fatiko on the morning of my arrival, and that he was kept waiting at Fabbo station, only twenty-two miles west of Fatiko, for several days, while I had been told by Abou Saood that he had gone to Koshi.
I noticed that although there were three separate letters upon several immense sheets of paper, they were all written in the same handwriting. This proved that they were the result of dictation from a superior, and I at once traced the conspiracy to the colonel, Raouf Bey, the friend of Abou Saood.
This conspiracy would have played the game of Abou Saood, and he would have revelled in his success. I made no remarks upon the conduct of Raouf Bey, but the chain of facts will speak for themselves. For the first half-hour after the receipt of these letters, I was disgusted through every bone. It appeared as though all hope of success was gone.
I could not believe that they would have the audacity to attack the government troops; but having waited for some time face to face, without the slightest "salaam" having been made by the officers of Abou Saood, I ordered Major Abdullah to retire to the camp with his troops, and to disperse. I then requested him to send for Wat-el-Mek, as I wished to speak with him immediately.
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