EARTHQUAKES. 475 



and they brought back their wounded safely to Amadi. Ac- 

 cording to the statements of basinger prisoners, many Danagla 

 fell, and Abdullahi's (he is the commanding officer) rear is 

 endangered, Mbio's Nyam-Nyam having risen and burnt his 

 zeribas. The Agar also, having lost many men uselessly, are 

 said to have retired in displeasure. 



Besides the events of war, we have to record those of the 

 elements ; two rather violent earthquakes have alarmed the 

 people. On the 26th of December more bad tidings arrived. 

 Our men in Bor had been nearly exterminated in a foraging 

 raid. I sent off two sailing-boats immediately with corn, men, 

 and ammunition, but I think it doubtful if they will arrive in 

 time to relieve the station. At the same time I despatched a 

 small body of men to Amadi to put an end to the Danagla 

 business. The affair is becoming wearisome. The expedition 

 is composed of 165 soldiers and basinger, armed with rifles, 

 who have remained faithful to us, besides about 800 men 

 from Bombe, Mora, and Makraka, armed with spears and 

 shields. These, with the troops and basinger already in Amadi, 

 will more than suffice to stamp out the war entirely, unless the 

 rebels be reinforced by fresh additions from the Bahr-el-Ghazal. 

 I do not much expect it, for I have heard nothing for months, 

 even from the illustrious Emir Keremallah, though he used 

 to send me a threatening letter every fortnight. Fancy, the 

 scoundrel sent a robe of honour for me to Abdullahi ! The 

 gods alone know where my Bahr-el-Ghazal mission is ; I hope 

 the Negroes have given them a settler, for such a select party 

 of rogues could not be got for any money. 



January 6, 1S85. 



Talk of the devil and he'll appear ! I have just received a 

 whole packet of letters from Amadi. My late clerk, Osman 

 Effendi, has come from the Bahr-el-Ghazal, and has joined the 

 rebels, with four hundred armed men and a rocket apparatus. 

 He writes to me, as do also Abdullahi and a certain Hassan 

 Ajib, whom Keremallah has sent to conduct us to him. He 

 says that resistance is vain, that all the Sudan as far as 

 Suakin has joined the Mahdi, and that he has just received a 



