260 Seven Years in the Soudan.

had sent about a thousand porters, escorted by five hundred soldiers, to a field belonging to the tribe of the Sheikh Calliongo. On being informed of this, and supposing that a new expedition would be attempted the next day in the same place, I had the ground occupied by a strong detachment. Profiting by the jungle, our men awaited the enemy, and when they arrived within a short distance, fired a volley.

The rebels quickly retreated, leaving many killed and wounded behind, and, almost without defending themselves, fled precipitately to their fortifications. The porters, the greater part of whom had been captured only a few days before by Sheikh Goli, were set at liberty.

From this day the rebels were in want of food, and were obliged to send for doora from distant places, while the half-famished Besingers were scattered among the woods in search of game. We also possessed only enough doora for a short time longer, but we had a friendly seriba only eleven hours away which was able to supph' us.

One day's journey from our camp about tAventyone Jelabba had captured some natives and had succeeded in chaining about twenty. As soon as I heard this, I sent fifty Besingers to seek for them, and at dawn of day the Jelabba were surrounded.

Seeing that all resistance was vain, they surrendered, and were on the Avay to our camp, when a false alarm on the road fris'htened mv men, who in order to be able to retreat more quickly, beheaded their j)risoners.

February 23/yZ. — I received news from Bisellia, distant aljout two days from camp, that regular troops had arrived there. I at once sent five hundred men to meet them.

Fehruary 241 Ji. — The reinforcements arrived, but, to my great surprise and grief, I learned that for want of porters the ammunition had remained behind at Rumbek.