433 
CAPTAIN S. P. OLIVER, late R.A. 
Sequel. 
The account given of the occupation of Timbuctou and the preceding 
operations of Colonel Bonnier, at the end of the article in the March 
number of the “Proceedings,” was based on the very imperfect news 
which had reached Paris at the time it was written. The following 
corrected narrative may, therefore, be substituted for the last portion 
there given, where it is recorded how M. Albert Grodet had been 
appointed Civil Governor of the French Soudan. 
Before M. Grodet arrived, Colonel Bonnier, as senior commanding 
officer, had full powers, but it had been expressly notified to him by the 
Under-Secretary of the Colonies that no new military expeditions were 
to be undertaken without due permission from the authorities at home. 
On the 12th November, 1893, an expeditionary column left Kayes, 
under Colonel Bonnier for Bammako, where his force was concentrated 
on the 26tli of that month, and crossing the Niger, marched with all 
haste in order to try and save Tenetou, a large walled village, which 
Samory's army had been blockading for the last five months, and 
situated some 93 miles south-east from Bammako; but by the time the 
French had reached their destination the place had already fallen, and, 
indeed, it had been sacked by Samory some twenty days previously. 
Colonel Bonnier, however, pushed on in pursuit of the Almamy, whose 
track was easy enough to follow, by the dead bodies which were 
scattered in numbers everywhere behind him; and, on the 5th Decem¬ 
ber, the tirailleurs caught up the rear portion of the Sofa army at 
Faraba. On the following day they overtook the main body at 
Kolony, where this African beast of prey nearly terminated his san¬ 
guinary career, but he managed, although very narrowly, to escape. 
As Captain Philippe writes —“Metis Allah lui a encore menage une 
porte de sortie cette fois ” His “ griot/’ or confidential attendant (the 
same who had accompanied Samory* s son to Paris some time ago), was 
thrown, by his horse stumbling, and fell into the hands of the French; 
but Samory himself, mounted as usual on a perfectly sure-footed 
animal, although but a short distance off, was enabled to elude the 
closely pursuing Spahis. The tactics of Samory had ever consisted in 
9. voi,. xxi. 5<3 
