ismailia-第125节

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was　still　raging　on　board；　therefore　the　vessels　were　taken　to　the　north
bank　of　the　Blue　Nile　and　placed　in　quarantine。

As　the　guard　passed　by　with　prisoners；　I　recognized　my　friend　the
vakeel；　Wat　Hojoly；　in　irons。　The　unfortunate　man　had　found　a　new
governor　at　Fashoda　instead　of　his　old　acquaintance；　thus　he　did　NOT
pass　free；　as　I　had　anticipated。

Walking　next　to　the　vakeel；　heavily　chained；　with　his　wrists　secured　in
a　block　of　wood　similar　to　stocks；　came　the　cream　of　ruffians；
Salim…Wat…Howah；　nailed　at　last。

This　villainous…looking　fellow　was　afterwards　tried　before　the
medjeldis；　or　tribunal；　and　by　overpowering　evidence　he　was　found　guilty
of　having　first　threatened　to　attack　Major　Abdullah　in　the　government
camp　of　Fatiko；　and　secondly；　with　having　actually　given　the　orders　to
fire；　and　having　fired　himself；　on　2nd　August；　1872；　when　we　had　been
treacherously　attacked　by　Abou　Saood's　company。

I　spoke　in　favour　of　Wat　Hojoly；　as　he　had　otherwise　behaved　well
towards　the　government；　and　he　was　simply　carrying　out　the　orders　of　his
master；　Abou　Saood。

It　had　been　the　usual　custom　in　the　Soudan　to　spare　the　employers；　who
were　the　most　responsible　parties；　but　to　punish　the　small　fry；　such　as
vakeels；　and　the　reis；　or　captains　of　vessels。

Ismail　Pacha　had　made　great　improvements　in　Khartoum；　and　he　had
completed　the　new　government　house　that　had　been　commenced　by　his
predecessor；　Moomtazz　Pacha；　who　was　also　a　most　intelligent　Circassian。
He　had　likewise　made　a　great　change　by　converting　a　large　open　space
into　a　public　garden；　where　it　was　his　intention　that　the　military　band
should　play　every　evening　for　the　amusement　of　the　people。

Steam　irrigation　works　were　also　commenced　on　the　north　side　of　the　Blue
Nile　for　the　cultivation　of　cotton。

After　a　few　days　at　Khartoum　we　took　leave　of　our　good　friend；　Ismail
Ayoub　Pacha；　and　started　for　Cairo　by　steamer。

I　had　left　my　two　boys；　Saat　and　Bellaal；　with　Ismail　Pacha；　to　be
instructed　either　as　musicians　or　soldiers；　the　latter　profession　being
their　great　ambition。　There　was　already　a　school　established　for　the
education　of　the　more　intelligent　negro　boys　that　might　be　liberated
from　the　slave…traders。

Upon　our　arrival　at　Berber；　I　found　a　considerable　improvement　in　the
country。　The　Arabs　were　beginning　to　return　to　the　fertile　banks　of　the
river；　and　to　rebuild　their　sakeeyahs　or　water…wheels。　This　change　was
the　result　of　a　wise　reform　instituted　by　the　Khedive；　in　dividing　the
Soudan　into　provinces；　each　of　which　would　be　governed　by　a　responsible
and　independent　official；　instead　of　serving　under　a　governor…general　at
the　distance　of　Khartoum。

Hussein　Khalifah　was　now　the　governor　of　Berber。　　He　was　the　great　Arab
sheik　of　the　desert　who　had　so　ably　assisted　Mr。　Higginbotham　in
transporting　the　machinery　and　steamer　sections　by　camels　from　Korosko
to　Berber　across　the　great　Nubian　desert；　for　a　distance　of　about　400
miles。　The　Arabs　were　much　pleased　at　his　appointment　as　governor；　as　he
was　one　of　their　race。

In　starting　from　Berber　for　Souakim；　I　had　the　great　misfortune　to　lose
by　death　one　of　my　excellent　Englishmen；　David　Samson。　He　had　been
ailing　for　some　time；　and　the　intense　heat　of　July　was　more　than　he
could　endure　in　riding　across　the　desert。　Poor　Samson　died　on　the　first
day's　march；　and　I　had　his　body　conveyed　to　Berber；　where　it　was　buried
in　the　Coptic　cemetery　with　every　mark　of　respect。

This　was　a　sad　termination　after　a　journey　of　nearly　four　years　and　a
half；　when　he　was　on　the　hopeful　road　towards　home。

We　were　nearly　wrecked　during　the　voyage　from　Souakim　to　Suez；　as　the
engine　of　the　sloop…of…war　was　out　of　repair。　We　then　changed　to　another
steamer；　which　carried　away　the　cap　of　her　rudder　during　a　heavy　sea　and
fresh　northerly　gale。　Fortunately　our　English　shipwrights　were　on　board；
and　Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　knew　his　work；　thus　we　escaped　drowning　on　a
coral　reef；　which　would　assuredly　have　been　our　fate　had　we　been　left　to
the　ignorance　of　the　officers　and　crew。

We　reached　Cairo　on　24th　August　at　4。30　P。M。　　On　25th　I　had　the　honour
of　presenting　myself　to　his　Highness　the　Khedive；　to　explain　the　large
chart　of　his　new　territory　that　I　had　annexed　in　Central　Africa。

I　received　from　his　Highness　the　Imperial　order　of　the　Osmanie；　2nd
class；　as　a　token　of　his　approbation　of　my　services。　I　had　already　had
the　honour　to　accept　from　his　hands　the　order　of　the　Medjidie；　2nd
class；　before　I　had　started　upon　my　mission。　His　Highness　the　Khedive
now　conferred　upon　Lieutenant　Baker　the　order　of　the　Medjidie；　3rd
class。

I　handed　the　botanical　collection　to　his　Highness　the　Khedive；　which　had
been　carefully　prepared　throughout　the　journey　by　Lady　Baker。
Unfortunately　more　than　300　specimens　of　plants　had　been　destroyed　by
the　conflagration　at　Masindi。　The　botanical　specimens；　together　with
samples　of　the　fibres；　skins；　and　the　salt　of　the　new　territory；　were
ordered　to　be　forwarded　to　the　Vienna　Exhibition。

The　Khedive　expressed　his　determination　to　judge　Abou　Saood　by　a　special
tribunal；　composed　of　Cherif　Pacha；　Nubar　Pacha；　and　Ismail　Pacha；　the
Minister　of　Finance。　I　handed　seventeen　documents　to　Nubar　Pacha；　with
evidence　sworn　to　upon　the　Koran　before　witnesses；　and　properly　sealed
by　Wat…el…Mek；　Suleiman；　the　sheiks　of　the　country；　Major　Abdullah；　and
others；　against　Abou　Saood；　charging　him　with　various　crimes；　including
treason　in　having　given　the　orders　that　his　Fatiko　company　should　fire
at　me　and　the　government　troops。　I　took　a　receipt　for　these　important
documents。

I　had　also　brought　up　several　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　as　viva…voce
witnesses；　in　addition　to　Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　Lieutenant…Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　Captain　Mohammed　Deii；　and　two　servants；　Suleiman　and
Mohammed　Haroon。　Thus　all　the　evidence　was　in　official　order：

I　26th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　report　of　Major　Abdullah　（commandant　of
Fatiko）：　threatening　conduct　of　Abou　Saood's　vakeels　during　my　absence。

2。　28th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　the　declaration　of　the　regimental　officers　of
Fort　Fatiko。

3。　6th　October；　1872；　1st　Shaban；　1289；　the　declaration　of　the　vakeels
of　Abou　Saood　（Wat…el…Mek　and　Suleiman）；　that　they　had　acted　according
to　orders　received　from　Abou　Saood。

4。　26th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　Major　Abdullah's　declaration　against　Abou
Saood　and　his　company　at　Fatiko。

5。　12th　Jumay　Ocher；　1289；　declaration　of　the　chiefs　of　the　country；
complaining　of　the　kidnapping　of　women　and　children；　massacres；　&c。；
committed　by　Abou　Saood　and　his　companies。

6。　Declaration　of　Abou　Saood's　men；　containing　declarations　of　Mohammed；
Wat…el…Mek；　and　Besheer　Achmet；　that　Abou　Saood　gave　the　order　to　fire
at　the　Pacha　and　the　government　troops。　Two　large　papers。

7。　29th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　letter　from　Abou　Saood　from　Fabbo。

8。　29th　Rebi　Owal；　1289；　Major　Abdullah's　reasons　for　not　detaining
Suleiman；　and　for　not　arresting　Abou　Saood。

9。　2nd　Jumay　Acher；　1289；　letter　from　Abou　Saood；　Fatiko。

10。　29th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　order　for　confiscation　of　Fatiko　after　the
attack　made　upon　the　troops。

11。　Letter　from　officers　of　Fabbo。

12。　4th　Regeb；　1289；　report　of　Abou　Saood's　escape　with　government　guns；
&c。

13。　22nd　Jumay　Acher；　1289；　letter　from　vakeel　Suleiman；　Fabbo。

14。　3rd　November；　1872；　proces…verbal；　declaration　of　Suleiman　and　Abou
Saood's　people。

15。　1st　Shaban；　6th　October；　1873；　copy　of　orders　to　Wat…el…Mek。

16。　Mohammed　the　dragoman's　declaration。

17。　Wat…el…Mek's　declaration　that　he　and　his　people　were　always　paid　by
Abou　Saood　in　slaves；　and　that　the　conduct　of　the　stations　was　according
to　his　orders。　Also　that　he　had　obeyed　Abou　Saood's　orders　in　attacking
me　at　Fatiko。

His　Highness　the　Khedive　had　the　kindness　to　confer　promotion　upon　my
faithful　officer；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　to　the　rank　of
kaimakam；　and　Captain　Mohammed　Deii　to　the　rank　of　saccolassi。　He　also
granted　a　reward　to　the　soldiers　who　had　fought　the　battle　of　Masindi；
and　marched　through　eight　days　of　ambuscades　to　Foweera。

A　gratuity　of　a　month's　pay　was　given　to　every　English　engineer　and
mechanic；　and　they　started　for　England。

After　a　delay　of　about　six　weeks　in　Egypt；　his　Highness　afforded　us　a
gracious　and　hospitable　occasion　of　taking　leave　of　himself　and　the
young　princes；　to　all　of　whom　I　am　indebted　for　much　courtesy　and
kindness。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

CONCLUSION。

The　foregoing　chapters　will　have　afforded　a　sufficiently　distinct　view
of　the　expedition　to　enable　the　public　to　form　their　own　opinion　of　the
position　of　the　slave　trade。

It　will　have　been　seen　that　I　had　acted　directly　against　that　infamous
traffic　from　the　commencement　of　the　work；　according　to　the　explicit
instructions　of　my　firman；　at　the　same　time　I　had　made　due　allowances
for　the　ambiguous　position　of　the　traders　upon　the　White　Nile；　who　were
actual　tenants　of　the　government。　Thus　I　never　visited　the　interior　of
their　camps；　nor　had　I　disturbed　their　stations　in　any　way；　but　I　had
passed　them　as　without　the　pale　of　my　jurisdiction；　at　the　same　time　I
gave　the　vakeels　due　warning；　and　entirely　prevented　them　from　making
use　of　the　river