The Market At Kasoshi

Binky and his expedition arrive safely in Kasoshi where they unload their stores and set up a strong guard on them.  
The guards remain alert as the stores are the centre of interest for the townsfolk.  The machine guns and the small cannon attract a considerable amount of attention from the Europeans in particular and also a chap who avoids introducing himself but who smokes appalling Turkish cigarettes.

The track and water tower are OO gauge stuff from a railway shop.  Nearly everything else is home made from card and foamcore.

The rest of the expedition go into the market to obtain some fresh rations, hire porters and transport.  Adrian is also looking to make good some of the losses in the fighting strength.   The market, they discover is a trade market today with the main items for sale being ivory and skins as well as native artefacts. 

Ainsty Trader and Trader Town series are worth looking at for market goods.  Click here.

The caravan of Sheikh Sayeed Yadun Iht enters the town and heads for the market square.  Over to the left is the Garrison Post with a small force of Sikh policemen and off to the right an old Arab Tower.

The tower came from a set of pirates "Blackbeard's Treasure" I think.  It also had palm trees, pirates, and a ship that converts easily into a dhow.  Click here.

As the morning progresses and the goods are bargained for Binky becomes aware of something over by the mosque.  He is quite taken aback - it looks like a slave market - and in British run area, by Jove!  How can this happen?  He investigates and discovers to his horror that his worst suspicions are confirmed.  It is a slave market.  A Missionary is trying to free the slaves.
Binky takes the slave dealer to task.  As he does so a crowd gathers and the slavers start to take their "property" away.  Some are dragging slowly to keep near the British and their Askaris.  The slavers beat them for their slowness.  Binky gets angrier and angrier as the dealer tries to talk his way out of the square.  Binky draws his pistol.  The dealer taunts him that he would never shoot an unarmed man.  Binky fires a single round.  It strikes the dealer in the fleshy part of his thigh causing a flesh would.  The whole market square falls silent.  Binky calls out, "This man is selling slaves.  I am taking them from him in the Great White Queen's Name!"  Things start to turn ugly until a voice roars out in Mogambu, "I, Sheikh Sayeed Yadun Iht, swears that any man who lifts his hand against this Great White Warrior, I will kill."   With this the situation changes.  The Sheikh's men assist Binky's Askaris to round up the slavers as the police arrive to take them in hand.  The Sheikh invites Binky to have dinner and entertainments later at his camp.  Binky accepts.
Over in the corner, Hassan, gains information about the Mad Mullah - Madassah Hattah - from the dance troupe. 

The dancers and musicians are from The London War Room's "Fighting Men of India" range.

As the day comes to an end Binky, Gerald and Adrian get together to swap stories as they walk back to the station hotel.  Binky tells of the slave trader and the invitation to dinner.  They are approached by a young European lady, a Missionary who wants to travel west with them to meet up with her parents who are visiting the waTembi.  She has her own mid who will accompany them and some of her Christian natives will act as bearers.  An offer too good to miss especially as the missionary from the slave market is also willing to join them. 

Adrian reveals that he has recruited a band of Baluchi matchlockmen.  They are already trained and their leader is a fine strapping chap.  Gerald has also found information on the dagger and the Mad Mullah.  Not a bad day at all.

The Dinner goes very well and since the Sheikh is also going west, they decide to travel together for mutual support.  The Sheikh tells them that the trade is very poor just now because the Mad Mullah is raiding everywhere and taking away "recruits" for his army.  Nobody is trusted and a caravan is likely to be shot up as it approaches a village because the Mad Mullah's warriors have used it as a subterfuge.  They also have a large number of desert warriors in their number and they also use camels.

It takes a couple of days to finish recruitment and stocking up before the expedition moves off.

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