52 
THE FRENCH SOUDAN. 
overcame this first show of resistance, they were not to be denied, and 
the Sofas soon fell back, only to reform at five kilometres in the rear, 
at the marigot of Diamanko, where Colonel Achinard's men had before 
given them a lesson. Another more obstinate fight here took place. 
At the Sombiko the French lost only three tirailleurs killed and ten 
wounded, whilst 17,000 cartridges were expended. At the Diamanko, 
the fire of Samory's troops cost the French three Europeans killed 
(among them Sub-Lieutenant Mazerand), five Europeans wounded, 
and a score of natives hors-de-combat, of whom seven were killed. 
The troops of Samory expended more than 25,000 cartridges. 
Samory did not attempt to defend his capital, which the French 
entered on the 12th January. Colonel Humbert put the town into an 
efficient state for defence and sent back escorts to bring up supplies 
from Kankan, for the country having been pillaged by the Sofas was 
unable to furnish grain or cattle. The enemy managed to threaten and 
attack these convoys, but it was necessary to push on in advance. 
Accordingly the column left Bissandougmi on the 22nd to attack San- 
ankoro, whither Samory had fled. A series of fights ensued, on the 
23rd at Ouassako, on the 24th at Famandougou, and again on the 25th 
at Baratoumbo, where the enemy attempted to make a most spirited 
resistance, and on the 26th the column occupied the two neighbouring 
villages of Samankora and Kerouane, or at least their sites, for Samory 
had almost entirely destroyed them. 
The want of provisions, and the difficulty of procuring them, did not 
allow of Colonel Humbert's going further at the time. He established 
his troops in Kerouane, where the fortifications lately raised by Samory 
were still in existence, and he employed himself in getting into the 
post he had thus created, all the provisions and ammunition which the 
garrison would require for the coming rainy season. Numerous 
reconnaissances were made around Kerouane, and in this way it was 
learnt that Samory had collected a great quantity of materiel in a 
mountain called Toutou Kourou, whose approach presented consider¬ 
able difficulties. The attack of this place occurred on the 14th February. 
The tirailleurs attacked the enemy with the bayonet; the Sofas fled, 
and the French took, in the magazines of Samory, 70,000 cartridges 
for repeating rifles, 60,000 empty metal cartridge cases and 25,000 
kilogrammes of powder, without counting smaller war materials and 
stores. Among Almamy's baggage were found the Sevres vases and 
the bust of President Grevy, formerly presented to Samory. 
This defeat had no effect on the Almamy, however great these losses 
of ammunition may have been to him. When Colonel Humbert 
quitted Kerouane on the 29th February, in order to return to Bissan- 
dougou for provisions and ammunition, he was attacked several times 
by bands of Sofas and had to fight twice, at the marigot of Aramout 
and at the village of Komakhana. The line of communication between 
Bissandougou and Kankan were likewise threatened, and here Lieut. 
Belleville was killed on the 20th January. On the 9th March, 1892, a 
convoy of supplies, protected by a fighting column, started from Bis¬ 
sandougou for Kerouane. In this second march to the south three 
engagements took place, two on the 10th at Fabala and at the nullah 
