THE STRUGGLE WITH KABAREGA. 795 negotiations were in progress,had made a raid built at Mruli to secure the crossing, and the army, having been ferried across, started down the right bank on April 27th and drove the remnant of Kabarega's army steadily to the north-westward, capturing great numbers of cattle and releasing some hundreds of slaves carried offin formeryears fromUganda. During this advance the boatflotilla kept abreast of the land forces. The only disappointing feature of the expedition was thatKabarega again escaped capture. When the expedition broke up aftei recrossing theNile, a fort was built at Masindi which,it washoped, wouldhelp to keep Kabarega from raidingintoNorthern Unyoro.

intoUganda. It wasdecided to begina vigorous campaignagainst him.

Lieutenant Vandeleur had meanwhilemadea voyage in the steelboat from tlae AlbertNyanza by Wadelai to Dufile at the head of the rapids that here stop all further navigation down stream. There were reports that the Dervishes wereinDufile,butheascertainedthat therewere noDervish posts nearer than Regaf, at thefoot of the long series of rapids below Dufile. This v;as the extreme southern Dervish garrison for many years. It was captured by the Congo State forces under Chaltin in 1897. The chief ofDufile hoisted the Union Jack, but the people at Wadelai weredistinctlyunfriendly.

In June there were reports that Arab slave raiders coming from the Congo region had entered Southern Unyoro. The fact was they had been camped for some time in the dense bush of the Free State border, and had been carrying on their man-hunting quietly without attracting the attention of the authorities. Lieutenant Vandeleur,with aparty of Soudanese, tracked them down, surprised their camp, and then captured a slave caravan that was unsuspiciously marching to tlae slavers' stronghold. It was a gallant piece of work, tlae only disappointing feature of it being that the unfortunate slaves could not realise that they were being rescued, and mostly fled into the bush from their deliverers. At the endof the summer there wasanother march againstKabarega. He had sent messages to the people in Unyoro saying the Dervishes were coming to help him to drive the last white manout, andadding that if he caught any white menhe wouldburn them alive. It was considered prudent to reinforce the garrison at Masindi and keep a watch on tlae line of the Victoria Nile, for it was always possible that Kabarega might obtain Mahdist support. He was said to be camped with a small followingat Kuruma Island on the lower reachof the Victoria Nile;so, on August nth, a column under Lieutenants Madocks and Vandeleur was sent off from Masindi to try to capturehim. But his camp wasfound deserted, andall the expedition did was to burn the huts at Kuruma. However, it had ascertained that thestory ofhis new alliance had no foundation, and that he waspowerless for harm.

Kabarega was on the borders of Northern Unyoro, camped on the right bank of the Victoria Nile, the part of the river that lies between the Nyanzas. InFebruary an expedition,consisting of about 2,000Uganda men, 400 Soudanese, and two Maxims, was sent against him under Major Cunningham, who had with him three other white officers, Captains Ashburnham and Dunning and Lieutenant Vandeleur. On March 2nd tlae littlearmy failed in an attempt to force the crossing of the Nile opposite Kajumbara Island, and retired to Fort Hoima inCentralUnyoro,carryingits numerous wounded with it. Captain Dunning died on the march, of wounds received in action, and Major Cunningham was also disabledby a bullet wound. There were so few British officers in the Protectorate that these were heavylosses.

In the summer a larger expedition was organised. The army was ordered to concentrate at Mruli on the left bank of the Victoria Nile, a place that was formerly the capital of Unyoro. The ruins of one of Gordon's forts close by showed that Egyptian rule had extended thus far in the days of the " EquatorialProvince" before theMahdist revolt. Major Cunningham, who had recovered from his wound, took commandof the force at Mruli, which consisted of six white officers, 500 Soudanese, and 20,000 Uganda irregulars— some with spears, others with rifles. There were three Maxims, two Hotchkiss guns, and a flotillaof canoesand boats.

Kabarega's men held the opposite bank, which they had strengthened with earthworks and stockades. On April 22nd the river was crossed in the flotilla under cover of a heavy fire from the five guns, and the enemy's stockades were stormedby a mixedvanguard of Soudanese and Waganda with very slight loss. A fort was Kabarega havingbeen thus disposedof, Major Cunningham used the forces at hiscommandin the autumn for an expedition into the Nandi countryeastofLake Victoria Nyanza. Itspeople, the Wa-Nandi, a warlike tribe, armed with long spears andpoisoned arrows,but having few rifles,