"The line had no longer one body and one life, its unity, in which consisted the safety of the escort, had disappeared, the disunited fragments only could be seen of the huge serpent which, a few seconds before, had been tortuously gliding along the sand.
"By this time, as you may well imagine, the chief and his men abandoned their inactivity and thought it was high time for them to interfere, so, after having ordered the slaves to halt, they made straight for us, and, on our side, we awaited them without flinching.
"The party which advanced against us was composed of about ten, the remainder of the escort remaining with the slaves to frustrate any attempt to escape.
"'Why do you attack us?' exclaimed their leader, in a rage, 'we have not done you any harm.'
"Périères was on the point of replying, but I begged him to allow me to speak, and advancing towards the chief, I said—
"'I am carrying out the orders intrusted to me.'
"'What orders? Who are you?' asked the trader.
"'We are officers and friends of General Baker,' I replied with the utmost assurance, 'and we have been delegated by him to put a stop to the slave-trade.'
"'You! it is not true—you are not in uniform.'
"I might have expected this remark, for in these parts great prestige attaches to any uniform, and everybody representing any authority whatever ought either to be decked with lace, or ornaments, or a forage cap, or a fez, or, better still, a sword, which is the insignia of command. But I was not to be frightened.