SKIRMISHING 235 



the story might be true. On the other hand, the 

 officer at Kafiakingi was inexperienced (he was not 

 eighteen months out of the miHtary school), though 

 keen and level-headed. Moreover, a like rising could 

 not be hatched unknown to neighbours. If I showed 

 alarm the effect would be bad. If the Sultan com- 

 mitted himself by attacking us I would never forgive 

 myself for allowing him to do so. 



I decided to start, as I had intended, the following 

 morning, and, when once on the uninhabited part of 

 the road, to do a forced march. I carried this out, 

 passing en route a second party of carriers sent for me, 

 who represented the situation as unchanged. Need I 

 say that we marched with all military precautions. In 

 forty-eight hours the eighty to ninety mile march was 

 accomplished. I rode a donkey myself a good part of 

 the way. At dawn my skirmishers entered Kafiakingi. 

 Old men and women stood waiting and wringing their 

 hands outside their huts, not even stopping to pick up 

 the small coins I threw them. The fort, neatly made 

 as per text-book pattern, contained, as reported, the 

 garrison and its belongings. The poor officer came 

 out, expecting /cuSo?, no doubt, but I thought severity 

 the best tonic for the evident panic. The garrison, 

 save the quarter guard, was hurled to its quarters, the 

 women to their harimat. The officer, however, had 

 his revenge. " I have prepared two houses for your 

 excellency, one in and the other outside the fort," he 

 said. I had no alternative but to take the latter. 



On news of my arrival reaching them, all the sheikhs 

 of the Kreish Hofraui and their dependants turned up. 



