ami his Ornithological Work, 717 



north-cast of Lake Chad. He had already passed through 

 so many perils unharmed that he appeared to bear a charmed 

 life, and it seems a terrible irony of Fate that the career of 

 this most successful and intrepid traveller should have been 

 cut short by the hand of a boy. The follo\vin»' account 

 of the tragedy has now been received from Lieutenant 

 Childers Thompson, commanding at the British post of 

 Maifoni, in the Lake Chad district, with whom the late 

 explorer stayed for a month. 



"You will have received by this time the bare announce- 

 ment that Boyd Alexander was killed near Darfur. I will 

 now give you the details. He was delayed for a long time at 

 Abeshir, in Wadai, owing to the French reverse at Nassalit 

 having brought about a disturbed condition of the country. 

 Finally, two months ago, leaving Abeshir, he proceeded on his 

 journey, and along with his Portuguese collector Jose Lopez 

 marched in a north-easterly direction, arriving safely at Tama, 

 a place that is under Ali Dinar of Darfur (presumably a 

 chieftain owing allegiance to the Anglo-Egyptian Govern- 

 ment). They reached the place late at night, and on their 

 arrival the local chief or king summoned them to his 

 presence. To this request Alexander replied that he would 

 see the king on the following morning. 



" The explorer and his companion were encamped 

 under some trees outside the town, and had just finished 

 their evening meal when they were suddenly surrounded 

 by a band of people, who declared their intention of 

 taking Alexander to their king. One of the men then 

 laid hands on the British officer, who naturally pushed him 

 off. Thereupon a small boy, who was standing by, seized 

 a gun and discharged it at Alexander, who fell instantly, 

 and the crowd then set upon him and despatched him. Four 

 of the natives seized Jose and proceeded to wrench a ring 

 from his finger. In order to get free Jose said he would 

 himself remove another ring which they wanted, but the 

 moment he got his hands clear he seized his gun, fired two 

 shots at his assailants, and, jumping on his horse, succeeded 

 in escaping. Before this Alexander was dead, and the 



3b2 



