African incidents : personal experiences in Egypt and Unyoro

Front matter

c

MMHaw«M«w>u

MJOR A.B.THRUSTOM

Preface

A N apology is due for this book. It is the duty of officers in my regiment to send to their annual " Chronicle " an account of all their proceedings ; mine were too lengthy for the patience of the Editor, and this book is the result.

I thought to offer another apology for the style ; but from one who has spent his life either in garrisons, or in the wilds, and whose only literary apprenticeship has consisted of infrequent contributions to Blue Books, which are not literature at all, ''bonus vir sine Uteris,'' is the highest praise, and good style is not to be expected. If, however, in my own there is to be found any want of clearness and of lucidity, I must lay the blame on a relative whose opinion has great weight with me, and who assures me that, like mist on a hill top, a slight obscurity is often an added beauty.

PREFACE

After apologies, I would venture on a justification. " Cest icy un livre de bonne foy^ All that I have written has happened, and all that has happened I have written. I have concealed nothing, neither facts nor opinions.

Unvoro, \st Angiist \%<^'j.

NOTE

In the spelling of foreign names, the consonants have their English, and the vowels their Italian, sounds. The only exceptions are well-known names like Suakin, Assouan, Uganda, and Unyoro, which should properly be spelt, Sawakin, Aswan, Buganda, and Bunyoro. "Wa," in Swahili, means "people of," e.g.^ Wa-Kiku, Wa-Ganda, Wa-Unyoro, Wa-Scotti, the people of Kikuyu, Uganda, Unyoro, Scotland. Emin Pasha should be spelt Amin Pasha.

Contents

Introduction, by Major-General Sir Archibald Hunter, K.C.B. . 13

Memoir of the late Major Thruston, by his brother, E. H. Thruston 17

Chapter I. — In the Egyptian Army

Life at a Depot — Professional Zeal in Egypt — A Dinner with the Khedive — The March to Kossier — The Capture of Tokar — Suakin — Red Sea Ports — Tokar — The Bedawin — Nafar Mahmoud — Ameer of Kokreb — Patrol to Sinkat — Tewfik Bey's Defence and Death — The Ride to Disibl — The Affair at Haretin — Return to Suakin — Triumphal Procession — Building a Blockhouse at Oshid — Osman Digna resents it — It is Reinforced — Nafar Surrenders — Oshid is Abandoned^ The Sirdar Arrives — Cavalry Demonstration — Death of Hamid Hassin Anob — I Leave Egypt ....

Chapter II.— Outward Bound

Sir Gerald Portal's Mission to Uganda — Start to join him under Colonel Colvile ■ — An Outward Voyage — Zanzibar — A Dynastic Crisis — The New Sultan— Mombasa — The Zanzibari Porter — His Life and Death . . .96 lo CONTENTS

PART \\.—{conti7med).

Chapter III.— The March to Uganda

r^ • PAGE

Horses — General Description of the Route — Detailed Description — The Wa-Kamba-Game Country— Kikuyu— The Rift Valley — Kavirondo— Its People— Black Beauty and White— The Victoria Nyanza — Travelling byCanoe — Bishop Hannington's Murderer — African Scenery — Egotism of the Obscure — Colvile's Secret ....... io6

Chapter IV. — The Unyoro Expedition : or

Foreign Exploring Parties — Kabarega, King of Unyoro — War Declared — The March to the Frontier — Crossing the Kafu — Mapala Occupied — Kabarega Retreats — Attempt to surprise him — The Albert Nyanza — Kibiro — March to Magungo — Afifair at Katullaj — Loss of Purkiss — Return to Kibiro — Purkiss reappears — Owen goes to Wadelai — Returns — Establishment of Fort Hoima — End of the Expedition — Its Results . ... . . . . .125

Chapter V.— The Occupation of Unyoro

Building the Fort at Hoima — The Affair at Kisabagwe — Rabadongo's Adventure — Search for the Troops of the Congo Free Stale — Finding Them — Their Complacency— Their Story — Down the Nile to Ayara's Village — Signing Treaties — Patrol to Masindi— A Love Tragedy — After the Belgians again— Difficulties— A Platonic Argument — Success — The Exodus— Deaths— At Magungo— Fear— Back to Hoima— The Capture of Masaja Makuio . . . • • • ^53

CONTENTS 1 1

PART III .—{continued).

Chapter VI.— The Occupation of Unyoro {continued). PAGE

Gibb's Journey to Umruli— His Return to England— A Visit to Wadelai— The Chief's Roguery— Witchcraft— Establishing a Post at Mahaji Kabir— Forster's Adventures— Weekly Raids —A Visit to the Semliki— And to Insabe— Unrest on the Roads— Kabarega's Grand Ct?«/— Frustrated by the Action at Mapala— Attack on Fort Kafu— To Mahaji Kabir against the Lurs— Anxiety and Grey Hairs— Serenades— Forster arrives— His Misfortunes — Our Losses— An Ivory Thief^ Raid to Mashudi— Kabarega is surprised — Return March — Ambushes — To Mahaji again — Cunningham arrives— Colvile falls ill and returns to England— Disappointment —Soudanese Soldiers— My Colleagues . • -193

Sea Studies— Gossip— Arrival at the Front— Cavalry Affair of the 1st of May — The Night March— Action at Firkeh— Pursuit to Suarda — Dervish Rule — The Return to Akasha . • 239

Chapter VIII.— The Expedition to Dongola (dw///;//^;^^/)

On the Line of Communications — Cholera — Daily Work — Misfortunes— Repairing the Railway — Move to Kosheh — The Army advances — I overtake them — Appointed to the Irregulars — Hide and Seek— The Army crosses the Nile— The March to Dongola — End of the Expedition and Reflections . . 261

End of Personal Experiences.

SEQUEL.

T^Iajor Thruston's Life in Unyoro, and Death in Usoga, and an

Account of the Mutiny of the Uganda Rifles, September 1897 286

LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Portrait of the Author {Photogravure) . . Frontispiece

Mount Lobitat— Lake Naivasha . To face page 48

SuAKiN Hills between Eskoweit and Sixkat Group of a Tribe of the Masai in War Kit

{from a PhoiograpJi by the late Lieutenant Feilding) Masai War Dance {fro/n a Photograph dy the late

Lieutenant Feilding) ....

Mount Kilima Njaro from Kinaxi The Plains from the Kiu Hills The Eastern Wall of the Rift Valley, with

the Terraces of Lake Suess {from "The

Great Rift Valley," by Dr Gregory) Mount Kenia from Kapte Plains {from "The

Great Rift \'alley," by Dr Gregory) Extebbi, Ugaxda . . ...

Fort Hoima— He.\dquarters during 1894 Crossing the Nile at Katungo above Wadelai

1ST May, 1894 ....

Masaja Makuro ....

The West Shore of Lake Albert— View from

the Fort at ^L\H.\JI Kabir .

Ireyta's House in Masindi Map of the Nile Valley — Wady Halfa to

DONGOLA AND MERAWI .

Major Thruston's House at Masindi .

The Fadjoa, or Murchisox Falls, Victoria

Map of the Uganda Protectorate (with Routes)

114 128 154

1>

At the end

Introduction

A S an old friend and comrade of the late Major A. B. Thruston, Oxfordshire Light Infantry, I have been asked to write a few words of introduction to the following pages.

Major Thruston served with me at Suakin in 1892, and part of 1893, as Staff Officer of Intelligence. He had, previously to that, served in the same capacity under Major-General Sir Charles Holled-Smith. Between 1893 and 1896 he spent some eighteen months in Uganda and Unyoro, but of his doings there, I cannot speak, except from hearsay and written reports. He came back to Egypt as Special Service Officer for the Dongola Expedition in 1896, and on its completion, returned to Unyoro, and, in September 1897, to Uganda, where he was foully murdered by the Soudanese mutineers on the 19th of the next month.

To judge of his merits as a man, it is necessary to have known him intimately. He strove to persuade strangers that he took a cynical view

14 INTRODUCTION

of life, that he was lazy, timid, and indifferent. Now that is not the real Thruston — quite the contrary.

I have worked with him in trying times, and under varied circumstances. He was a man of great courage, quick decision, a first-class horseman and camel rider, besides being accomplished as a scholar and an artist. He had passed the higher standard of Turkish in London, and qualified to pass that in Arabic, before originally joining the Egyptian Army. He speedily acquired an influence with the Hadendoa and Arab Sheiks and tribesmen in the Eastern Soudan. His chivalry, fearlessness, and powers of physical endurance won their admiration and respect : his tact and sympathy commanded their confidence and friendship.

He was a bold leader of m.en, as he proved himself on several occasions in the Eastern Soudan, in Uganda, Unyoro, and on the Nile ; so he must not be accepted at his own estimate. Under the cloak of a clever pessimism he concealed a kind, brave heart and unswerving belief in truth, honour, and justice, and in the doing of the right. This much I know (and I wish I could give it more eloquent expression) — his judgment, courage, prudence, and sincerity were undeniable ; his society was a cheerful pleasure to his companions ; he was ''Sans peur et sans reprocJie ;'' he died fearlessly and nobly as he had lived. His friends

INTRODUCTION 15

trusted him, his enemies feared him, his subordinates loved him. All who knew him will deplore his untimely death as a loss to his Queen and country. He might well have said of himself '' Milt are vel tuner e sperno. "

ARCHIBALD HUNTER,

Genera/.

22 Half-Moon Street, 6th April 1899.

IX/TY brother, writing from Unyoro a few weeks before his death, incidentally mentioned that he had, as his mother had asked him, jotted down in the form of a light book a few of his unusual experiences, and added, that, in order to bring an unbiassed and fresh mind to its final criticism and correction before publication, he had decided not to look at it again for some months.

After his death, in 1897, the manuscript was with some difficulty recovered and brought from Uganda. It had obviously been written in the odd moments stolen from the scanty leisure of a very active life, when, as administrator of an unsettled, thouQ-h conquered, tropical province, the scene of many of his past experiences, his day's work was seldom at an end.

To have edited, however carefully, this outspoken record of the ideas of a deep-thinking man of action in very exceptional circumstances, might have lessened its chief value, and have conveyed an impression other than was intended ; the book has, therefore, been i8 AFRICAN INXIDENTS

Arthur Blyford Thruston was the second son of Clement Arthur Thruston, of Pennal Towers, Merionethshire, and Constance, daughter of Major- General Lechmere Russell, of Ashford Hall, Shropshire, and was born at Cirencester, in 1865, The traditions of the name are neither adventurous or fighting, for the Thrustons, with the exception of one. Colonel John, of Queen Anne's guards, have been for 800 years peaceful squires in Norfolk and Suffolk. Yet the fighting services are well represented amongst Major Thruston's kin, for, in addition to his father's father, Captain Thruston, R.N., a distinguished naval officer in the beginning of the century, they number amongst them a great-grandfather and a great-uncle, admirals (Sir T. Sotheby and Sir E. Sotheby, K.C. B.); a grandfather and an uncle, generals (General Lechmere Russell, C.B., and Sir E. L. Russell, K.C.S.I.).

From a child he disclosed a rather dangerous vein of quiet wit, but though ironical it was never malicious. Though a delicate, quiet, and rather serious boy, Thruston was a bold rider and devoted to hunting, a pursuit in which he was initiated by his uncle with the Herefordshire and Ludlow hounds. He at this time gave no indication of the hardy constitution and wiry frame he developed later. Sent to Marlborough College, he showed great taste for lansfuag-es and the classics, but was not allowed time to pursue these studies, being entered at Sandhurst in November 1882, where he did well, and in January 1884 was gazetted to the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, a reoiment he chose in admiration of its traditions and reputation. He joined the 2nd battalion at Limerick, and served with it in Ireland, Gibraltar, and Egypt, where the regiment was expected to join the Nile expedition of 1884, but for some reason it was left at Cairo.

Though it thus lost the opportunity of adding to its laurels, its death-roll was heavy enough, for typhoid was rife among the young soldiers, and Thruston was one of the victims. He was sent home so seriouslv ill that his commandino^ officer wrote to his mother that, much as he would regret to lose him, he feared that he would never be able to stand the work and climates which must be encountered in the Service. In after years when most of his comrades were down with fever, he contentedly marched his 1 7 miles a day, under a vertical sun.

Arriving in England very ill, he was taken a yachting cruise as the best means of securing recovery. This lasted five months, and comprised many weeks in the Fiords of Norway, and much cruising in the not very smooth waters of the North Sea, and off the coasts of Scotland and Ireland in a ninety-tonner. The keen breezes and salt duckings had, however, their effect, and enabled him, fully re-established in health, to rejoin his battalion in Egypt, and go with it to India, where it was stationed at Bangalore. Here pony-racing and the study of Hindostanee seem to have occupied his spare time ; but though the bungalow he shared with a brother officer by the tank was picturesque, it was not healthy, and again fever attacked him, and he was obliged to leave India, and in 1887 joined the depot at Cowley, near Oxford, where he remained nearly two years.

With much leisure, and an allowance inadequate to command enough sport sufficiently to occupy it, and impatient of an existence that seemed to him to be governed by conventional ethics only, and given over to the cultivation of refinements of a purely material kind, he immersed himself in a course of wide reading, his mind ever leaning to the East, its languages and literature. India, with its ancient and profound religions, had impressed him deeply. Two serious illnesses, also, had vividly brought to his mind the mysteries involved in life and death, and made him realize man's need of metaphysics, and the somewhat melancholy view he took of life, and his contempt of death, dates from this period.

Early in 1889 Thruston rejoined the ist battalion of his regiment at Parkhurst, and was for a time detached to March wood magazine. Here his amusement consisted in boating, and his experience in all weathers on Southampton Water afterwards proved very useful to him on the far-away Lake Albert and on the Nile. He spent his long leave in studying Turkish, and passed the examination as interpreter in this year.

In January 1890 he applied for and obtained an appointment to the Egyptian army, and was gazetted as Bimbashi (major) to the 13th Soudanese, then stationed at Assouan. He has himself described his life in the Egyptian army, and it is therefore unnecessary to follow it here at length. An uneventful year at Assouan was occupied mainly in garrison duty and in passing the examination in Arabic. In January 1 89 1, his battalion was ordered to Suakin to take part in the operations against Tokar. After a forced march across the desert from Keneh to Kossier, they found, to their disgust on arrival, the news that Tokar had been successfully occupied after some severe fighting, and that therefore their pains had been in vain. My brother was then attached to the Intelligence Department, in which he did some good work, and for which he was highly praised.

In May 1893 he resigned his Egyptian Commission and returned to England on leave. He was not long, however, to enjoy the quiet of country life, for, on 5th August, the day after the formal end of his contract with the Khedive, he was selected for, and offered, an appointment on the Uganda Commission, under Colonel (now Sir Henry) Colvile. This he accepted, and in less than a week sailed from England, arriving in Uganda early in September 1893 ; and here again his own account takes up the narrative. It, however, omits to record the good work he did in Unyoro, where for many months there lay on him almost alone the heavy responsibility of preventing Kabarecra from ravao-inor Uganda. He remained in Unyoro until his health, failing under the strain of such anxious and exhausting work, obliged him to return home. Colonel Colvile in his despatches, says :

" Uganda, 8/// December 1894.

" Owing to the state of his health, Captain Thruston will shortly relinquish his command . . . and will, to my great regret, leave for the coast early next year. I, therefore, in reporting this,* which is probably the last of the series of brilliant military operations which he has conducted during the term of his command, take the opportunity of begging that you will be good enough to bring his name to the notice of H.M.'s Secretary of State for foreign affairs for favourable mention to his R.H. the Commander-in-Chief Even with an efficient military staff, the command of Unyoro would be a difficult and arduous one, and I cannot lay too much stress on the credit due to Captain Thruston for the energy and ability with which he has conducted it single-handed."

For his services he received the thanks of the Foreign Office, the order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar (2nd class), a Brevet Majority, and the African Medal.

My brother brought home the leopard skins, taken, still warm, from KabareQ^a's bed when the latter escaped from Mashudi, and two of Kabarega's

* The attack and capture of Mashudi, Kabarega's town.

Standards. The bearer of one of them was found lying dead on its folds, which he had guarded, poor cotton as they were, as jealously as if they had been of silk, embroidered by a princess and blessed by a bishop. Kabarega's witchcraft " regalia " (?) my brother sent to Sir H. Colvile. During his numerous expeditions Thruston found or took ivory to the value of some ^10,000 for the Government, and it is characteristic of the man that, except for these two flags and the two skins, he came home trophyless and almost kitless.

Three months' leave proved more than rest enough, and after completing a course of surveying at Chatham, he went out for the second time to India, and joined the 2nd battalion of his regiment at Bareilly, North- West Provinces.

Whilst staying at Rhanikhat, in the hills, an unexpected telegram announced a welcome appointment as a Special Service officer to the Dongola Expedition, and contained an order to proceed at once to Egypt. He was attached to the Camel Corps in the fight at Firkeh and the march to Suarda. After the close of the preliminary expedition he became Staff Officer on the Line of Communication under Colonel Cochrane, and during the advance to Dongola was in charge of the Arab irregulars. The occupation of Dongola ended, as far as the special officers were concerned, the campaign. For his services Thruston was mentioned in despatches, received the order of the Osmanieh (4th class), and the Egyptian Medal with two clasps.

When he returned home, the question soon arose, whether the upper or the lower Nile was to be his future sphere of action. An immediate decision had to be come to : on the one hand was the opportunity of rejoining the Egyptian army, and with it the prospect of another campaign in the near future ; on the other, the chance of an independent and responsible position in Uganda, giving a wide scope for his administrative faculties as well as the hope of a possible expedition down the Nile to join hands with the Egyptians at Khartoum. He decided for the latter, and accepted the appointment of second in command of the Uo-anda Rifles, waivino^ his rank to do so upon the understanding that he was to succeed Captain, now Colonel, Ternan in command of the regiment on that officer's return to Europe — an event which, on account of Ternan's ill-health, was to be expected almost immediately.

My brother had not been three months at home when, on 7th January 1897, he left England for ever. He reached Uganda early in April. Here he found that Ternan did not propose to leave for some time, and Major Thruston therefore proceeded to Unyoro in civil and military charge of that kingdom. Unyoro was comparatively quiet, but certain intrigues and attempts to revolt necessitated two punitive expeditions. These were successful, and he then applied for Kabarega's eight-year-old son to be placed upon the throne of Unyoro. During the four months he was there before taking over the command of the Rifles from Ternan, Thruston was mostly occupied in oreanisinof the s^arrisons of the various frontier forts,

o o o

and in endeavouring to ameliorate the hard lot of the troops and people under his charge.

Meanwhile the situation in Uganda was eminently unsatisfactory. The Uganda Protectorate, first a sphere of influence, had become a British dependency, and men of tact, experience, and judgment were required for its administration. The Uganda Rifles, by whom we had gained and held the country, had been harshly treated, overworked, and underpaid. The vacillating policy of the Foreign Office and four years of local misrule had set discontent smouldering throughout the Protectorate, and it was foreseen by all but the Government staff that for a very slight cause discontent would flare into open rebellion.

At this inopportune moment Major Ternan, who, during Mr Berkeley's absence on leave, was acting as Commissioner, collected a large force of the troops for an expedition, entailing a 300 miles' march, against the bow-and-arrow-armed Wa-Kamassia (of whom his force killed two), thus practically leaving Kampala without troops. During his absence King Mwanga fled to Budu and raised a rebellion. Ternan was recalled another 350 miles to put it down, but on his departure it soon broke out again, and Toro, Singo, and Usoga beo^an to ^ive trouble,

At this very juncture Ternan received instructions from the Foreign Office to supply 300 troops at Mau, T,oo miles distant. He made no protest, however, and selected three of the companies, who had already just completed a 700 miles' march, for the purpose, and sent them again by forced marches to the Mau. He was himself returning home on sick leave, and accompanied some of them part of the way.

Meanwhile, Unyoro was quiet and the garrison contented, despite their hardships, and Thruston, far away from Kampala, heard but little of the troubles till he arrived there in September, having left Unyoro on 27th August to take over the command of the Rifles. He found the troops disorganised, and the country so disturbed that he expected to have to take the field at once. He at once set about reorgranisinof and recruiting to endeavour to replace the men sent to the Expedition. On 5th October, news came of the mutiny of the Rifles who had joined Macdonald's expedition at the Ravine. Though the news was mainly from native sources and imperfect, Thruston at once recognised the gravity of the situation, and knowing the temper of the Soudanese, and the possibility of the Mohammedan Waganda joining the mutineers, and a consequent uprising of the country against the English, he at once prepared to start for Lubwa's, about 66 miles from Kampala, on the way

* F'or the so-called Italian Boundary Expedition under ]\Iajor Macdonald.

towards the Ravine, and at the entrance to Uganda, where he would intercept the mutineers. He was implored not to go, as, unless he succeeded in inducing them to return to their duty, his fate was certain death and possible torture. However, he was the Commandant, and one of the few Arabic scholars, and he knew the Soudanese well. It was the only chance to avert a terrible peril from Uganda. Before starting he left full instructions with Captain Malony, his adjutant — whose brave application to be allowed to accompany him he was unable to accept, as both could not be spared from headquarters — as to what was to be done whilst he was at Lubwa's, and in certain eventualities.

This done, Thruston left, with only five men, on 9th October, for Lubwa's, where he arrived on the nth. Here the garrison fell at his feet and swore allegiance. He at once sent a letter to Captain Woodward, whom he believed to be in command of the column of the Macdonald expedition that was pursuing the mutineers, giving him instructions to come immediately to Lubwa's by the shortest route, and to inform the mutineers that he, Thruston, had full powers to treat with them, and if they came to him quietly, they would not be obliged to go with the Macdonald expedition, but should rejoin the Government service. This letter reached Macdonald the next day, when he was near the Sio river, and three days before the advance guard of the mutineers arrived at Lubwa's. No steps were, however, taken to carry out its suggestions, and all mention of it is omitted from the despatches as published.

The mutiny had occurred near the Ravine on 21st September, and the deserting mutineers had since been followed by a column of the expedition with 10 European officers, 18 Sikhs, and several Maxims, and 340 armed Swahili. Between three and four o'clock on the morning of Sunday, 17th October, the advance guard of the mutineers were treacherously admitted into the fort by a few of the garrison. As far as will ever be known, mv brother, hearino- a noise, ran out of his house, and meeting the mutineer officers and their men, began to speak ; but at a sign from a native officer he was seized from behind and overpowered, and, with Mr Wilson, put into chains. The garrison, hitherto in the main loyal, were then intimidated into joining the mutineers.

Major Thruston's and Mr Wilson's quarters were looted and occupied by the native officers, and their servants forced to wait on their new masters. But little of the property taken was ever recovered ; Major Thruston's compass and chain were found, after one of the subsequent fights, round the neck of a dead mutineer, who had evidently worn them as a charm — a charm, however, that did not avail to save him from the death he had so fully deserved. Belal Effendi, the leading spirit of the mutineers, appropriated my brother's revolver and belt, and they were found on him when, more than a year later, he was shot by a patrol under Lieutenant Price, of the Beloochees, Mr Wilson's Bible was recovered from a servant, and that is all. In the meantime the pursuing column, with Major Macdonald in command, and accompanied by Mr Jackson, the acting Commissioner of the Protectorate, an excellent sportsman and naturalist, but who seems to have lacked the ability, decision and firmness of character necessary to deal with emergencies, was marching slowly towards Lubwa's, and on Monday, the i8th of October, arrived and camped on the hill about a mile and a quarter from the fort, of the seizure of which and of the officers they had heard the preceding evening. Early in the afternoon about a hundred of the mutineers came out to the camp, avowedly to parley, presumably to reconnoitre. The parley resulted in nothing. Neither Mr Jackson nor Major Macdonald offered any pardon to the native officers, or any ransom or distinct terms for the release of the prisoners, but suggested that the latter should be released and the question discussed the next day. That evening a note from Major Thruston to Mr Jackson was smuggled into the camp, in which he stated that he, Wilson, and Scott * were in chains,

* Scott was the engineer of the steam launch, who arrived in it at Lubwa's after the fort was in possession of the mutineers, and seeing the Union Jack still flying, put in and was captured.

and told him not to fight unless attacked ; asked him to treat for their release, but not to let any considerations for their safety be allowed to interfere with his plans. A crude message saying that negotiations were on foot for their release was sent back by the same messengers. No definite terms nor offer of ransom was sent bv flag;- of truce or by the friendly Soudanese in camp to the mutineers. In the fort the mutineers were wavering whether they would not tie up the native officers and release the English ones.

The next day (19th October) the mutineers came out in force, and a severe engagement took place ; both sides lost heavily. Lieutenant Feilding, gallantly leading his men, was killed ; Mr Jackson, severely wounded ; the mutineers were defeated, but owing to an insufficient supply of ammunition, were not pursued into the fort. That afternoon a deputation came from the mutineers to offer, if their lives and an enquiry into their grievances were assured them, to give up the English prisoners. Macdonald refused, and demanded unconditional surrender. No reason or justification was ever given for this sacrifice of the lives of three EnQ-lishmen.

To return to the fort. The native officers felt themselves in a dangerous position. The rank and file, always half hearted in the mutiny, were more than ever inclined to make terms for themselves by releasing the prisoners, and Macdonald's message left no hope for the native officers. Bilal Effendi, Mabruk, and other of the native officers havine, it is said, either refused to join in the butchery, or, unaware that it was to take place, had the three Englishmen brought out — some witnesses say to the shore of the lake — and ordered the men to shoot them. Major Thruston told them not to shoot, and his order, even then, was obeyed. He then said to Bilal, "If I am to be shot, shoot me yourself, Effendi, and do not tell the men to do it. But I warn you, that for every Englishman you kill, ten of his countrymen will take his place, and you will be punished." Upon this Bilal raised his rifle to shoot Major Thruston, who put it to his forehead ; Bilal shot, and my brother's sacrifice was complete. Poor young Wilson, who had stood unflinchingly by him, was then shot, mercifully through the heart. Scott made a desperate attempt to escape, but the mutineers, now fully committed, shot him also. INIy brother was not thirty-three years old.