262 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



The exact number that formed Kabba Rega's celebrated regi- 

 ment of blackguards could not be learned, but there were evi- 

 dently above one thousand men who constantly surrounded him, 

 and gained their living by pillaging others. 



Any slave who ran away from his master might find an asylum 

 if he volunteered to enlist in the bonosoora. Every man who had 

 committed some crime, or who could not pay his debts, could 

 find a refuge by devoting himself to the personal care of the 

 young king, and enrolling within the ranks of the royal guards. 

 The general character of these ruffians may be easily imagined. 

 They lounged away their time, and simply relieved the monotony 

 of their existence by robbing passers-by of anything that attracted 

 their cupidity. Hardly a night passed without some person 

 being murdered by these people, who would always kill a man 

 after dark unless he yielded up his property without resistance. 

 The great number of vultures that continually hovered over the 

 country were dreadful proofs of the hidden horrors that lay in 

 the tall grass. On several occasions bodies were found lying in 

 the high grass, neatly picked to the bone, which had only 

 recently died. 



TREACHERY AND A GREAT BATTLE. 



KABBA REGA was even more whimsical and treacherous in his 

 nature than his capricious father, Kamrasi,had been, contrary to 

 the reports which had been received at Fatiko giving him a gen- 

 erous and just character. The promises made by Baker, to 

 bestow all the rich presents he had brought upon the young king, 

 if he should conduct himself properly, did not aid materially in 

 establishing a friendly or confidential feeling. Kabba Rega con- 

 tinued mistrustful, and at times positively threatening, notunfre- 

 quently disobeying Baker's orders, and at other times encouraging 

 the natives to steal from the soldiers. His treacherous acts led 

 Baker to pay more regard to the security of his position, and a 

 fort was built which afforded some protection against the hordes 

 of savages who might, at any time, attack him. At length the 

 supply of food began to fail, although Kabba Rega had faithfully 

 promised to provide liberally for the soldiers. Baker was 



