ismailia-第102节

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Kabba　Rega's　army　had　sustained　had　so　far　cowed　them　as　to　induce　a
termination　of　hostilities；　that　would　enable　me　to　communicate　with
Major　Abdullah。

The　luggage　from　the　government　divan　had　all　been　carried　to　the　fort。　
This　was　now　returned　to　our　original　quarters；　my　wife　and　her　black
maids　were　working　hard　at　rearranging　the　rooms。

The　night　passed　quietly。

On　10th　of　June　a　matongale　and　several　natives　arrived　from　Kabba　Rega；
with　a　most　polite　message　and　friendly　assurances；　accompanied　by　a
present　of　two　beautiful　white　cows。

The　messengers　corroborated　the　statement　of　the　preceding　day；　that
large　quantities　of　provisions　were　being　prepared　for　us；　together　with
twenty　elephants'　tusks；　which　were　to　be　delivered　as　a　peace…offering
by　Rahonka　and　Kittakara　in　person。

Affairs　looked　brighter。　　It　was　my　best　policy　to　secure　peace　if
possible。

I　determined　to　send　Kabba　Rega；　in　return　for　his　present　of　cows；　the
large　Geneva　musical　box；　with　drums　and　bells；　which　he　had　always
desired。

No　one　knew　how　to　wind　it　up；　and　it　was　necessary　that　some　person
should　accompany　it　with　the　native　messengers。

The　clerk　of　the　detachment；　Ramadan；　who　has　already　been　mentioned　as
a　favourite　with　the　natives；　and　a　good　linguist；　at　once　volunteered
to　be　the　bearer　of　the　present。　Since　the　battle　of　Masindi；　Ramadan
had　been　in　frequent　personal　communication　with　the　natives；　and　he
assured　me　that　there　was　a　general　desire　for　peaceful　relations。　He
was　supposed　to　be　a　favourite　of　Kabba　Rega's；　and　it　was　therefore
arranged　that　he　should　accompany　the　musical　box；　which　was　a　good　load
for　a　fast…travelling　native。

Hafiz；　the　farrier；　whose　occupation　was　nearly　gone　by　the　death　of　all
the　horses　but　two；　volunteered　to　accompany　Ramadan。　I　ordered　them　to
go　unarmed；　as　their　peaceful　mission　would　be　at　once　understood；　this
fact　would　establish　confidence　among　the　natives。

It　was　about　3　P。M。　when　they　started；　and　we　watched　their　arrival　in
the　village　with　the　telescope；　where　they　appeared　to　be　well　received。

In　the　evening　they　both　returned　with　the　musical　box；　accompanied　by
the　sheik　who　was　to　be　their　guide；　as　Kabba　Rega　had　retired　to　a　town
at　which　he　had　a　residence；　about　half　a　day's　march　distant。　It　was
arranged　that　they　should　start　on　the　following　morning。

On　the　11th　June；　Ramadan　and　Hafiz；　together　with　the　musical　box；
started；　and　we　watched　their　reception　at　the　village　with　the
telescope。　I　had　released　Umbogo；　whom　I　had　sent　to　Kabba　Rega　to
explain　all　that　he　had　seen　of　the　outbreak；　as　he　was　one　of　those
that　had　been　poisoned　by　the　plaintain　cider。　Umbogo　promised　to　return
as　soon　as　possible。　The　dragoman；　Abou　Kooka；　remained　with　us　in　the
place　of　Umbogo。　This　was　a　sullen…looking　brute　who　had　been　a　slave
stolen　from　the　Madi　tribe。

I　must　now　take　an　extract　verbatim　from　my　journal；　that　was　written　on
the　day　of　the　incident。　Any　warm　expressions　in　this　extract　must　be
excused　as　a　natural　consequence；　for　which　I　trust　due　allowance　will
be　granted：

〃I　walked　round　the　burnt　town　of　Masindi；　accompanied　by　Julian
（Lieutenant　Baker）；　Abd…el…Kader；　and　two　guards　of　'The　Forty。'　Neither
Abd…el…Kader　nor　I　carried　guns；　as　I　wished　to　establish　confidence
among　the　natives　who　were　searching　among　the　ashes　for　molotes。

〃I　sent　for　the　dragoman；　Abou　Kooka；　and　conversed　with　the　natives；
assuring　them　of　peace；　and　that　I　had　no　ill…will　against　Kabba　Rega；
if　Matonse　was　the　cause　of　the　outbreak。　At　the　same　time；　I　told　them
to　bring　provisions　for　sale。

〃They　seemed　very　shy；　and　replied　that　'all　would　be　right　when　the
messengers　should　arrive　from　Kabba　Rega。　One　by　one　they　went　away；
until　only　two　were　left。　Julian　gave　his　gun　to　one　of　the　guards。

〃The　two　natives　were　standing　on　the　edge　of　the　high　grass；　close　to
the　ashes　of　the　town；　and　they　appeared　more　confident；　as　they
conversed　with　us　at　about　twelve　yards'　distance。

〃Presently　they　said　they　would　come　close　to　us；　were　it　not　for　their
fear　of　the　two　sentries　with　their　rifles；　who　were　about　forty　yards
in　our　rear。

〃I　turned　round　to　order　the　sentries　to　retire　a　little。　　The　instant
that　my　back　was　turned；　one　of　the　treacherous　brutes　hurled　his　spear
at　me；　which　struck　quivering　in　the　earth　at　my　feet！　At　the　same
moment　they　bolted　into　the　high　grass；　accompanied　by　our　dragoman；
Abou　Kooka；　and　disappeared　at　once　like　fish　in　water！

〃The　treachery　of　the　negro　is　beyond　belief；　he　has　not　a　moral　human
instinct；　and　is　below　the　brute。　How　is　it　possible　to　improve　such
abject　animals？　They　are　not　worth　the　trouble；　and　they　are　only　fit
for　slaves；　to　which　position　their　race　appears　to　have　been　condemned。

〃I　believe　I　have　wasted　my　time　and　energy；　and　have　uselessly
encountered　difficulties；　and　made　enemies　by　my　attempt　to　suppress　the
slave　trade；　and　thus　improve　the　condition　of　the　natives。

〃It　is　now　4。40　P。M。；　and　I　am　anxious　about　Ramadan　and　Hafiz；　who　have
not　returned。

〃My　men　have　been　on　half　rations　since　the　8th　inst。；　and　we　have
supplies　only　for　to…morrow；　after　which　we　shall　be　obliged　to　forage；
unless　Kabba　Rega　sends　the　promised　provisions。　〃It　is　impossible　to
believe　one　word　in　this　accursed　country。　At　the　same　time　that　Kabba
Rega　declares　peace　and　good…will；　he　may　be　planning　a　surprise。　I　do
not　think；　however；　that　his　people　will　be　in　a　hurry　to　fight　after
the　lesson　they　received　on　the　8th　inst。

〃Nevertheless；　fighting　is　dangerous　work　in　this　country　of　high　grass；
where　troops　cannot　see　to　manoeuvre；　and　where　the　ground　is　everywhere
favourable　for　native　ambuscades。〃

When　I　returned　to　the　divan　with　the　spear　that　had　so　narrowly　missed
me；　through　the　cowardice　of　the　assailant　（who　should　have　made　sure　of
me；　had　he　not　been　nervous）；　my　wife　was　not　cheered　by　the　little
incident。　She　had　had　the　same　experience　as　myself　in　African　natures；
and　she　immediately　declared　against　the　pretended　sincerity　of　Kabba
Rega。

I　had　serious　misgivings。　　Nothing　can　happen　in　Unyoro　without　the
order　of　the　king。　The　superstitious　veneration　for　the　possessor　of　the
magic　throne　produces　a　profound　obedience。

On　the　other　hand；　this　attempt　at　murder　might　have　been　only　the
revenge　of　an　individual　who　had　perhaps　lost　his　house　and　property　in
the　conflagration　of　Masindi。

The　evening　arrived　without　tidings　of　either　Ramadan　or　Umbogo。　　I　was
now　without　an　interpreter。

The　troops；　and　their　wives　and　effects；　occupied　the　fort；　and　the
officers'　quarters　and　camp　had　been　abandoned。

It　was　about　8　P。M。；　and　dinner　being　over；　I　was　smoking　my　pipe　in　the
divan；　conversing　with　my　wife　and　Lieutenant　Baker　upon　the　situation
of　affairs；　when　a　sudden　bright　glare　attracted　my　attention。

An　officer　immediately　reported　that　the　abandoned　quarters　were　in　a
blaze　of　fire！

I　was　of　course　ready　in　an　instant；　and　armed；　and　accompanied　by　my
wife　and　Mr。　Baker；　I　really　enjoyed　the　beauty　of　the　scene　in　that
moment　of　anxiety。

Without　the　slightest　noise；　or　even　an　audible　whisper；　the　troops　were
all　in　position；　kneeling　on　the　ground　in　open　order　around　the　fort
and　the　divan；　keeping　the　most　vigilant　watch　for　the　appearance　of　an
enemy。　The　flames　from　the　camp　rose　about　seventy　feet　high。　There　was
not　a　breath　of　air；　thus　the　fire　danced　and　leapt　up　to　its　extreme
height；　and　illumined　the　neighbourhood　for　a　great　distance。

Not　an　enemy　was　to　be　seen。　The　soldiers　were　like　statues；　and　there
was　no　sound　except　the　roaring　of　flames。

Suddenly　loud　yells　broke　out　from　a　distance　of　about　200　yards　from
the　farthest　side　of　the　fort；　as　though　from　a　considerable　body　of
men。　Not　a　soldier　stirred　or　spoke。

I　had　cleared　the　grass　around　the　fort　and　station；　therefore　it　was
impossible　to　approach　us　unobserved。

The　natives　must　have　crept　up　stealthily；　and　fired　the　abandoned　camp
in　the　expectation　that　the　troops　would　have　rushed　down　to　extinguish
the　flames；　and　thus　the　fort　and　the　divan　would　have　been　at　the　mercy
of　an　attack　from　the　dark　side。

I　immediately　sent　a　strong　patrol　around　the　station；　but　not　a　soul
was　visible。　The　attempt　had　failed。

Once　more　the　luggage；　with　beds；　boxes；　&c。；　was　transported　from　the
divan　to　the　fort。

The　night　passed　quietly。　On　12th　June；　I　watched　the　natives　with　the
telescope；　and　I　observed　that　many　of　the　crowd　were　gesticulating　in
an　excited　manner。

I　was　almost　convinced　that　we　were　again　subjected　to　the　foulest
treachery；　and　I　was　extremely　anxious　about　Ramadan　and　Hafiz。　I　could
hardly　believe　it　possible　that　these　poor　men；　unarmed；　and　carrying　a
valuable　present；　would　be　cruelly　murdered。

The　day　passed　in　hope　and　expectation　of　their　return。　Late　in　the
evening；　the　act　of　incendiarism　of　the　preceding　night　was　renewed；　and
the　deserted　house　of　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　was　in　a　bright　blaze　without
a　native　being　visible。

No　yells　were　heard；　nor　any　other　sound。　The　troops　turned　out　with
their　usual