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days absent. There is reason to fear that in that case very few prisoners [and] no marauders will be surrendered. Commanding Officer Talbot duly advised. Authority is requested Pinkett for a short time until affairs settled. Whether or no hostile movements sanctioned quite willing. There are rumours fresh attack; border villages deserted; fresh complications Canray Mahoi, Sorié Kessebeh."
It will be seen that he requires an answer before the 26th inst., when the troop-ship is expected to reach Freetown on her return from Cape Coast with troops.
It may be well, as showing more clearly the view Sir S. Rowe takes of this matter, to annex the following extracts from his recent despatches on the subject.
"I do not for a moment suppose that this movement is to be regarded as a serious attack on the part of the Yonnie tribe on British territory, but if it be no more than, as I have said above, a swoop of an outlying marauding party, the audacity of these ruffians in attacking and plun- dering the house at Songo Town, well known to be a Government House, and in coming boldly within the well-known limits of British territory and carrying off captives from it, seems to me to be of sufficiently grave importance to demand immediate action on my part.
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"The only way to put a stop to the incursions and slave catching of these ruffians is to visit some of the towns of the Yonnie district, and bring home to them the possibility of their suffering such punishment as they merit, if these attacks are persisted in.
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"If this unprovoked incursion be allowed to pass without further notice, these fellows will become emboldened, and they are quite capable of attacking Waterloo.* A similar raid made on Waterloo would offer them the prospect of a booty in slaves and merchandise, which I fear might tempt them to incur the little risk there would be of personal punishment."
A telegram has been sent in reply, authorising him to detain the troopship, and saying that further instructions will be sent by telegraph, but that in the meantime he is to continue to nego- tiate.
23rd January, 1886.
A. W. L. H.
The principal town of the Eastern District of Sierra Leone.
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