ismailia-第123节

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worse。　I　had　left　the　station　with　a　neat　ditch　and　earthwork；　the
environs　had　been　clean。　It　was　now　a　mass　of　filth。　Bones　and　remnants
of　old　clothes；　that　would　have　been　a　fortune　to　a　rag…and…bone　shop；
lay　scattered　in　all　directions。　The　ditch　was　filled　up　with　sand；　and
the　fallen　bank　washed　in　by　the　heavy　rains；　as　it　had　never　been
cleansed　during　my　absence。

The　guns　fired　a　salute；　Raouf　Bey　and　the　troops　appeared　in　good
health；　and　I　was　shown　into　poor　Higginbotham's　house　on　the　cliff
above　the　river。

A　beautiful　new　steamer　of　108　tons；　built　of　steel；　with　twin　screws；
was　floating　on　the　stream。　This　was　the　work　of　my　Englishmen；　who　had
taken　a　pride　in　turning　out　the　best　results　that　Messrs。　Samuda
Brothers　and　Messrs。　Penn　&　Co。　could　produce。

I　went　on　board　to　inspect　the　new　vessel　directly　after　breakfast。　She
had　been　admirably　constructed；　and　being　devoid　of　paddles；　she　would
be　able　to　glide　through　the　narrow　channels　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe　like　a
fish。

Although　the　station　was　dirty　and　neglected；　I　must　do　Raouf　Bey
justice　in　acknowledging　that　he　had　paid　much　attention　to　the　gardens
on　the　islands；　which　were　producing　so　abundantly　that　the　troops
received　rations　of　vegetables　daily。

Raouf　Bey　had　also　shown　determination；　and　had　accepted　great
responsibility　in　shooting　a　soldier　for　desertion　during　my　absence。

It　appeared　that　the　reinforcements　lately　received　from　Khartoum　were
merely　slaves　that　had　been　sold　to　the　government；　and　had　rapidly　been
trained　for　soldiers。　Many　of　these　people　had　originally　come　from　the
White　Nile；　therefore　they　were　disposed　to　desert　upon　the　first
opportunity。

A　considerable　number　had　deserted；　with　their　arms　and　ammunition。　They
had　also　stolen　Raouf　Bey's　guns　and　rifles　from　his　house；　and　had
absconded　to　Belinian。　Raouf　Bey　had　called　upon　the　Belinian　to　give　up
the　deserters；　but　the　Belinian　natives　had　only　replied　to　the
summonses　by　making　nightly　demonstrations　of　attack　against　the　station
of　Gondokoro；　which　had　rendered　sound　sleep　impossible　for　the　last
month。　Raouf　Bey　had　accordingly　invaded　Belinian；　and　had　fought　a
pitched　battle；　in　which　the　deserters　who　had　joined　the　Baris　fired
upon　the　troops。　Two　of　them　were　killed。　（On　this　occasion；　the　Baris
being　well　supplied　with　muskets　and　ammunition；　the　troops　of　Raouf　Bey
suffered　considerable　loss。）

I　immediately　sent　for　Allorron；　who　had　now　become　a　faithful　sheik　of
the　government。　He　confessed　all　his　sins；　and　of　course　laid　the　whole
blame　upon　Abou　Saood；　who　he　declared　had　deceived　him；　and　instigated
him　against　the　government。　I　did　not　wish　for　any　explanations　upon　the
truth　of　which　I　could　not　rely。　I　therefore　ordered　him　to　go　at　once
to　Belinian；　and　inform　the　natives　that；　unless　they　gave　up　the
deserters；　I　should　pay　them　a　visit　with　the　〃red　shirts；〃　who　had　now
returned　with　me　from　Fatiko。　At　the　same　time　I　promised　him　three　cows
if　he　succeeded。

In　a　few　days　he　returned　with　two　deserters。　These　men　were　tried　by
court…martial；　and　having　been　found　guilty；　they　were　shot　in　the
presence　of　the　regiment。

Order　and　discipline　were　at　once　restored　among　the　troops。

Now　that　I　had　returned　with　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　the　natives　of
Belinian　no　longer　visited　the　camp　at　night；　but　the　country　shortly
became　quiet　and　peaceful。

Wat…el…Mek；　who　had　accompanied　me　from　Fatiko；　returned　with
reinforcements　and　a　herd　of　cattle　to　his　district。　I　parted　with
regret　with　my　good　men　Shooli　and　Gimoro；　to　whom　I　gave　some　useful
presents。

On　10th　April　I　commenced　a　new　fort　with　ditch　and　earthwork　around　the
magazines；　but　the　sandy　nature　of　the　soil　will　cause　much　trouble
during　the　heavy　rains。

I　ordered　Mr。　Marcopolo　to　take　stock；　together　with　an　Egyptian　officer
（Foad　Effendi）；　of　everything　that　remained　within　the　magazine；　and　to
take　a　receipt　for　his　stores。　This　task　occupied　nearly　a　month。

The　Englishmen　had　carefully　packed　everything　that　belonged　to　the　No。
3　steamer　and　machinery；　and　had　stowed　her　in　a　magazine　that　was　given
in　charge　of　an　officer；　who　gave　a　receipt　for　the　contents。

Everything　was　ready　by　the　25th　May　for　our　return　homewards。　I　erected
a　monument　of　red　brick　coated　with　pitch　over　my　poor　friend
Higginbotham's　grave；　within　my　garden；　near　the　spot　where　the
missionaries　were　formerly　buried。

We　started　on　the　26th；　having　taken　a　farewell　of　my　gallant　〃Forty
Thieves；〃　many　of　whom　showed　much　emotion　at　parting。　As　I　walked　down
the　line　of　troops　when　I　took　official　leave；　my　old　soldiers　broke　the
bounds　of　discipline　by　shouting：　〃May　God　give　you　a　long　life！　and　may
you　meet　your　family　in　good　health　at　home！〃

I　felt　a　choking　sensation　in　saying　good…bye；　but　we　were　soon　on
board；　and　the　steam　was　up。

The　new　steamer；　the　Khedive；　took　us　in　tow；　and　we　travelled　rapidly
down　the　stream　towards　home　in　old　England。

Although　I　had　written　the　most　important　letters　to　the　Khedive　and　to
his　minister　in　October　1871；　I　had；　to　my　amazement；　NOT　RECEIVED　ONE
WORD　IN　REPLY　by　the　post　that　had　arrived　from　Egypt。　I　had　apparently
been　looked　upon　as　a　dead　man　that　did　not　require　a　letter。　It
appeared　that　my　existence　was　utterly　ignored　by　the　Egyptian
government；　although　I　had　received　my　letters　in　due　course　from
England。

On　arrival　at　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　we　found　that　the　canals　which　I　had
formerly　cut　were　much　improved　by　the　force　of　the　stream。　Although
these　passages　were　narrow；　they　had　become　deep；　and　we　progressed　with
comparatively　little　trouble。

On　7th　June；　three　sails　were　reported　ahead　on　the　horizon。　We　pushed
forward　with　some　curiosity；　but　unfortunately　a　sudd　of　vegetable　rafts
had　closed　the　passage　for　a　short　distance；　which　required　about　an
hour　to　clean；　this　delayed　the　chase。

That　evening；　as　we　had　stopped　for　the　night　at　a　spot　known　as　the
〃Three　Dubbas；〃　we　heard　a　woman's　voice　from　the　high　grass　addressing
us　in　an　imploring　tone。　I　immediately　sent　a　boat　to　make　inquiries；　as
one　of　our　native　girls　understood　the　language。

It　appeared　that　the　woman　had　the　small…pox；　and　she　had　been　therefore
thrown　into　the　high　grass；　and　abandoned　by　the　vakeel　of　the　three
vessels　that　we　had　observed　in　the　distance。　She　described　these
vessels　as　being　crowded　with　slaves。

I　gave　the　unfortunate　creature　a　supply　of　six　days'　food；　together
with　a　cooking…pot　and　some　firewood；　but　I　dared　not　introduce　so
horrible　a　disease　as　the　small…pox　among　our　party。　She　was　thus　left
alone　upon　the　dubba。　（At　this　season　native　fishermen　visited　the
dubba；　therefore　she　was　most　probably　discovered　on　the　following
morning。）

On　8th　June　we　steamed　along；　towards　the　tall　masts　and　yards　of　the
three　vessels　which　we　perceived　upon　the　horizon。

The　intricacies　of　the　narrow　channel　were　such　that　we　did　not　overtake
the　slavers　until　sunset。

We　then　anchored　for　the　night　in　a　lake；　while　I　sent　a　boat　forward
into　the　canal　occupied　by　the　three　vessels　to　order　the　vakeel　of　the
company　to　visit　me　immediately。

In　a　short　time　the　boat　returned　with　my　old　acquaintance　Wat　Hojoly；
the　vakeel　of　the　Bohr　station　belonging　to　Abou　Saood。

I　had　always　liked　this　man；　as　he　was　generally　straightforward　in　his
manner。　He　now　told　me；　without　the　slightest　reserve；　that　during　my
absence　in　the　south；　several　cargoes　of　slaves　had　passed　the
government　station　at　Fashoda　by　bribing　the　governor；　and　that　he　would
certainly　have　no　difficulty；　provided　that　I　did　not　seize　him。　He
confessed　that　he　had　700　slaves　on　board　the　three　vessels；　and
according　to　orders　that　he　had　received　from　his　master；　Abou　Saood；　he
was　conveying　them　to　their　destination；　a　few　days　south　of　Khartoum；
on　the　White　Nile；　at　which　point　they　could　either　march　overland　to
the　west　via　Kordofan；　or　to　the　east　via　Sennaar；　whence　they　could
pass　unmolested　to　the　Red　Sea　or　to　other　markets。

The　small…pox　had　broken　out　among　the　slaves；　several　of　whom　had　died。

I　was　most　thoroughly　disgusted　and　sick　at　heart。　After　all　the　trouble
and　difficulties　that　we　had　gone　through　for　the　suppression　of　the
slave　trade；　there　could　be　no　question　of　the　fact　that　Abou　Saood；　the
great　slave…hunter　of　the　White　Nile；　was　supported　by　some　high
authority　behind　the　scenes；　upon　whom　he　could　depend　for　protection。

This　was　apparently　the　last　act　of　the　drama；　in　which　the　villain　of
the　piece　could　mock　and　scoff　at　justice；　and　ridicule　every　effort
that　I　had　made　to　suppress　the　slave　trade。　His　vessels　were　actually
sailing　in　triumph　and　defiance　before　the　wind；　with　flags　flying　the
crescent　and　the　star；　above　a　horrible　cargo　of　pest…smitten　humanity；
in　open　contempt　for　my　authority；　which　Wat　Hojoly　had　been　carefully
informed　did　not　extend　north　of　Gondokoro。

I　asked　this　plain…spoken　agent　whether　he　was　quite　sure　that　he　could
pass　the　government　station？　〃Oh　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃a　little　backsheesh
will　open　the　road；　there　is　nothing　to　fear。〃

I　was　then　informed　by　t