— 63 — our country and killed our Vizier Ahmed Shatta as well as Shattai Ahmed Nimr. Now therefore leave our territory that we my speed your departure with peace and good will."

In reply I said to them "I entered your country by force, and do not intend to leave it unless God wills it. If you have come to seek war, advance, otherw ise go back to where you came from." Now as it happened their messengers chanced to see some of my Nyam Nyam soldiers, who had assembled round the corpse of a dead man and were sharing it between them, some taking the head, others the feet, others again the legs and chest which they fried over the fire, and then ate. Their hair stood on end at the sight and they took the news back together with my reply. The enemy, however, determined to fight, and pitched their camp just out of range. Skirmishes took place every day from dawn until just after midnight, my force numbering 12,000 men armed with rifles. I opened a heavy fire upon them which they returned for seven days but so many of them were killed that on the eighth day they struck their tents and settled far away where the bullets could not reach them. But they continued to besiege us day and night until our supplies were exhausted. In fact, for two whole days we were without food, and I had determined to try and cut my way out when King Ahmed came to me with intent to ransom, for ten okes of gold, his daughter, whom we had captured in the fight