300 Seven Years in the Soudan.

intentions, and was also informed that many rebels had taken refuge at Kalaka, and with the sheikhs. I therefore decided, after having given the necessary rest to my troops, to attack Kalaka, but Madibo Bey begged me to leave to him the charge of arresting these fugitives.

Ali Agif, a Jelabba rebel who had fought against us during the taking of Dem Idris, was arrested at Shakka ; he had with him about thirty slaves, of whom he had already sold ten. I freed the rest and condemned their masters to be shot.

Madibo Bey de])arted for Kalaka, and T remained at Shakka expecting news of Suleiman from the scouts who had been sent on his track.

The district of Shakka was in the greatest disorder. The chiefs Avould know nothing of Madibo, and ever3''thing caused me to fear that some revolt would break out ; so much the more because Madibo, who was not a pearl of honesty, had oifended almost all the principal chiefs by his continual oppression. The arrival of our troops compelled them to obedience, and various deputations came to lay their complaints before me.

" We do not com})lain of the Government," they said, " we only desire to be commanded, not by one of ourselves, but by a foreign Arab." I told them to be patient till I had spoken to the Governor-General, declaring that if meanwhile they should act for themselves, 1 should on my return use the utmost rigour.

After a sojourn of ten da3's at Shakka, I went towards Kalaka ; on the way I met Madibo Bey returning to Shakka, conducting about thirty rebels, mostly Arabs from Resegat and Mandarle, some also from Darfour, Kordofau and Berber.

Two hours later a post brought me a box of letters from Emin Bey, and a voluminous packet of correspondence from the English Church Mission, established at Mtesa's in Uganda.