Part 27

At the other side of the river, there were a lot fewer tradesmen and tradeswomen looking to be ferried across. The soldiers moved one after the other out of the longboat onto the river bank’s jetty and made a small orderly formation before they set off-marching into the mid-morning sun.

At the river bank, a little after the soldiers had marched off, were the two of them haggling over exactly how much Dagogo should take from them. Dagogo was angered, because the soldiers had only paid half the usual fare. Soldier Gani had suggested they pay the fare in full, but the other military men had loathed parting with their money. For all they cared, it was Dagogo’s duty to ferry them across. This was unusual, usually the military men honoured the custom whenever they waited to be ferried across.