On10thJuly，atmid-day，severalhundredBaris，havingcautiouslyapproachedthegrazingcattleunobserved，madeasuddenrushfromthebushesupontheguards，killingonesoldierandwoundinganother。Thesoldiersbelongedtotheline，andmusthavebehavedbadly，asthemusketandcartouche-boxandbeltwerestolenandcarriedofffromthedeadman。Theshotsfromtheguardimmediatelyalarmedthecamp。Thehorsesweresaddled，and，attendedbyLieutenantBaker，Irodehardinpursuit。Thenativeshadgainedtheforestandhadscattered，butwerodeared-paintedsavagetobay，whofoughttothelast，shootingtwoarrowsatme，whichIavoidedbydroppingquicklyonmyhorse’sneck，andathirdarrowstuckdeeplyinMr。Baker’ssaddleasheescapedthewell-aimedshotbyspurringhishorseacrossthelineofsight。Thesearrowswereshotatadistanceofaveryfewyards。Thenativewaskilled。
On12thJulytheBarisattemptedtosurprisebothmystationandthecampathead-quarters。
Onthe13ththenativesrepeatedtheattempt；butonewasshotdeadbythesentryatGondokoro；alsoanothermetthesamefateatmystation。
Nearlyeverynightweweresubjecttoattemptsatsurprise。Thiswasexcellentpracticeforthetroops，asittaughtthemthe，necessityofkeepingagoodlook-out；atthesametimeitwasverywearying，asthemenhadtoworkhardallday，andtheywerekeptawakeatnight。
TheBariswereirrepressibleverminthatgaveusnorest。Mymenwerealloccupiedinbuildingthestation，thereforeitwasimpossibleformetotakeaflyingcolumnandgivetheBarisaseverelesson；butImadeupmymindthatwhentheworkshouldbefinished，Iwouldtakethefightoutofthemmostthoroughly。Theynowconsideredusfairgame，thattheymightinsultastheythoughtproper；andIheardfromourtwofaithfulallies，SherroomandMorgian，thattheyimaginedweshouldbecomeafraidofthem，andthenreturntoKhartoum。