194 
TREACHEROUS WELCOME. 
[chap. V. 
that they had conspired to join. They were inarching 
towards me to honour me with a salute, which, upon 
close approach, ended by their holding their guns 
muzzle downwards, and firing them almost into my 
feet. I at once saw through their object in giving me 
this reception ;—they had already heard from the other 
party exaggerated accounts of presents that their leader 
had received, and they were jealous at the fact of my 
having established confidence with a party opposed to 
them. The vakeel of Chenooda was the man who 
had from the first instigated my men to revolt and to 
join his party, and he at that moment had two of 
my deserters with him that had mutinied and joined 
him at Gondokoro. It had been agreed that the re¬ 
mainder of my men were to mutiny at this spot and 
to join him with my arms and ammunition. This 
was to be the stage for the outbreak. The apparent 
welcome was only to throw me off my guard. 
I was coldly polite, and begging them not to waste 
their powder, I went to the large tree that threw a 
beautiful shade, and we sat down, surrounded by a 
crowd of both natives and trader s people. Mahommed 
Her sent me immediately a fat ox for my people : not 
to be under any obligation I immediately gave him a 
double-barrelled gun. The ox was slaughtered, and 
the people preferring beef to antelope venison, I gave 
