THE FRENCH SOUDAN. 
53 
of Bananko, and a more serious one at the nullah of Beceka, when the 
2,000 Sofas were in the field. In this encounter the French consumed 
12,000 cartridges, killed a hundred Sofas, and took five repeating rifles. 
Colonel Humbert arrived at Kerouane on the 15th, returning on the 
21st, leaving at this advanced post under the orders of Captain Win- 
temberger, two companies of tirailleurs and five mountain guns. The 
return from Kerouane to Bissandougou was only marked by an encounter 
with a band of Sofas at the nullah of Bananko. One company was left 
in garrison at Bissandougou with three mountain guns, and by the 19th 
April the column had got back to Siguiri. 
Judging matters, especially colonial matters, by mere appearances, 
it is clearly evident says the French chronicler, that one would be dis¬ 
posed to say that the results of the 1891-92 campaign were not brilliant. 
In fact, the expeditionary column did not get the best of Samory. The 
Sofas were still holding the country, in spite of the reserves at Tou- 
tou-Kourou, and the efforts made in the valley of the Milo only 
succeeded in carring the base of military operations 80 kilometres 
further to the south. Moreover, as soon as Colonel Humbert had brought 
his column back towards Senegal the little garrison at Kerouane found 
itself blockaded, its communications with Kankan intercepted and the 
commandant of the post, Captain Wintemberger, was reduced to send¬ 
ing out constantly little expeditions, in order to surprise the posts 
of the Sofas so as to widen the circle of their investment. In one of 
these coups de main , on the 1st April, 1892, Samory was very nearly 
made prisoner; the Almamy was only able to escape thanks to the 
devotion of one of his Sofas, who in their resistance killed Lieut. Bietrix. 
Certainly such were the facts, but it is right to add that the moral 
effect produced upon Samory had been considerable. The Almamy of 
Ouassoulou was not the pusillanimous Ahmadou. He was a very bold 
and brave warrior. He had constantly been present in person, believ¬ 
ing that the magazine rifles and the military education which he had 
given—or that his friends have had given—to his troops, would enable 
him to hold his own against the French, and repulse them. His hopes 
have now vanished. No step in advance made by the French has ever 
been drawn back, as he had been taught to believe would have been 
the case. The French posts, supporting one another, stretch from 
Kita to Niagassola and Siguiri, to Kankan, and their Kesidencies of 
Bissandougou and of Kerouane are occupied firmly by French garrisons. 
Evidently he still keeps his troops in hand ; whilst the native popula¬ 
tions come in thousands to settle around the newly-established French 
posts, happy in being delivered from the razzias of their savage oppres¬ 
sors, the Sofas nevertheless remain faithful to him. 
All the same, although the Sofas have not yet deserted from him, 
possibly because Samory has in his possession their families, as guaran¬ 
tees of their fidelity, it is certain that they are completely demoralised. 
The heavy and destructive fire of the column had caused tremendous 
slaughter among them. Among the thousands of cartridges expended 
a large proportion took effect, and independently of the great number 
of dead, many more of the Sofas were seriously wounded. The bullets 
of the Lebel rifle especially terrified them. Colonel Humbert only had 
