234 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



them in to the Resident at Gaidam, but I had fears that this 

 might mean they would be reUeved by their guard of a good 

 many of their belongings upon the road. Besides, they had 

 all the appearance of being the innocent traders that they 

 assured us they were, so I listened to the silent supplications 

 of the woman who knelt at my feet with upstretched arms, 

 and let them go, much to the disgust of the Kachella's head- 

 man. 



At Pogwa I was very glad to see Jose once more. He 

 had heard news of my approach through the Kachella and 

 so came out from Yo to meet me. And I was looking for- 

 ward to seeing Gosling when I should get into the town. So, 

 when in answer to my inquiries Jose told me the latter had 

 left only two days before, I was much surprised, but my 

 surprise quickly turned to disappointment when I heard 

 that he had gone in response to Talbot's request for assist- 

 ance because my brother was ill. I determined therefore 

 to follow as soon as I could conveniently do so, but at that 

 time I did not realise that there was much need for alarm, 

 or that my brother was suffering from anything more 

 serious than the inevitable fever. 



Two miles outside Yo the Kachella, at the head of his 

 horsemen, met and saluted me. Then we drew side by side 

 and, out-distancing the body, galloped into the town. Next 

 day I held an inspection of the escort of the Expedition 

 under the quartermaster, Dan Galadima, whom I presented 

 with the medal he had won in the Kano campaign, that I 

 had been entrusted with at Lokoja to give to him. He was 

 a proud man that day as he received his honour in sight of 

 the Kachella's soldiers and all the inhabitants of the town. 



