CHAP. V.] 
ORDER OF MARCH. 
125 
The traders march in good form ; one flag leads the 
party, guarded by eight or ten men, while a native 
carries a box of five hundred cartridges for their use 
in case of an attack. The porters and baggage follow 
in single file, soldiers being at intervals to prevent 
them from running away ; in which case the runner is 
invariably fired at. The supply of ammunition is in 
the centre, carried generally by about fifteen natives, 
and strongly escorted by guards. The rear of the 
party is closed by another flag, behind which no 
straggler is permitted. The rear flag is also guarded 
by six or eight men, with a box of spare ammunition. 
With these arrangements the party is always ready to 
support an attack. 
Ibrahim, my new ally, was now riding in front of the 
line, carrying on his saddle before him a pretty little 
girl his daughter, a child of a year and a half old ; her 
mother, a remarkably pretty Bari girl, one of his 
numerous wives, was riding behind him on an ox. We 
soon got into conversation ;—a few pieces of sugar 
given to the child and mother by Mrs. Baker was a 
sweet commencement; and Ibrahim then told me to 
beware of my own men, as he knew they did not 
intend to remain with me ; that they were a different 
tribe from his men, and they would join Chenoodas 
people and desert me on our arrival at their station in 
Latooka. This was a corroboration of all I had heard 
previous to leaving Gondokoro, therefore I had the 
promised mutiny in perspective. I had noticed that 
my men were even more sullen than usual since I had 
joined Ibrahim; however, I succeeded in convincing 
him that he would benefit so decidedly by an alliance 
with me, that he now frankly told me that I should 
receive no opposition from his party. So far all had 
prospered beyond my most sanguine expectations. We 
were fairly launched upon our voyage, and now that 
we were in the wild interior, I determined to crush 
the mutiny with an iron hand should the rascals 
attempt to carry their murderous threats into execution. 
