SIR SAMUEL BAKER AND THE SLAVE TRADE 379 



by Aboit Saood, a crafty Arab, and one of Baker's chief enemies. It 

 was he who had instigated the attack of the Bari upon Baker's troops. 

 He now put on a smihng countenance and welcomed' his visitor as 

 though he was his dearest friend. But Baker was not deceived and 

 laid his plans to set free all the slaves in the vicinity. 

 1 He had not only the crafty Arab to deal with, but as crafty a 

 negro, Abba Rega, the king of the province, whose professions of 

 amity were followed by a treacherous assault upon the troops. Baker, 

 however, was equal to the occasion. He formally annexed the region 

 as Egyptian territory, and took active measures to break up the slave 

 trade in that quarter. As for Abba Rega, his succession of attacks 

 led to the destruction of his town and all the villages of the district. 



Baker now set out for the capital of Rionga, a friendly African 

 king, with whom he performed the ceremony of blood brotherhood 

 and whom he found a valuable aid. 



One further hostile movement he had to deal with, an attack on 

 the camp of Abdullah, one of his subordinate officers, fomented by 

 Abou Saood. Baker, learning of the assault, hurried from Rionga's 

 capital to Abdullah's assistance. He found that the attack was led by 

 Wat-el-Mek, in command of his irregular forces, whom the Arab had 

 induced to mutiny. This was the last attempt to destroy BakePs 

 forces. His victory proved the death-blow of the slave traffic in that 

 region. From that time peace reigned, the natives were secure in 

 their homes and the future looked bright for the native Africans. 



