ismailia-第14节

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out　in　great　numbers；　dressed　in　their　best　clothes；　to　enjoy　the　fun　of
a　military　execution。　The　firing　party　was　ready；　the　prisoner　knelt
down　with　his　back　towards　them；　at　about　five　paces　distant。　At　that
moment　he　turned　his　face　with　a　beseeching　expression　towards　me；　but
he　was　ordered　immediately　to　look　straight　before　him。

〃The　order；　'Present；'　was　given；　and　the　sharp　clicking　of　the　locks；
as　the　muskets　were　brought　on　full　cock　and　presented；　left　but　another
moment　。　。　。　。　。

〃At　that　instant　I　ordered　the　firing　party　to　retire；　and　I　summoned
the　prisoner；　who　was　brought　up　in　charge　of　the　guard。　In　the　presence
of　all　the　troops　I　then　explained　to　him　the　necessity　of　strict
discipline；　and　that　the　punishment　of　death　must　certainly　follow
desertion；　at　the　same　time　I　made　such　allowance　for　his　youth　and
ignorance　that　I　determined　to　reduce　the　punishment　to　that　of
flogging；　which　I　trusted　would　be　a　warning　to　him　and　all　others。　I
assured　him；　and　the　troops　generally；　that　although　I　should　never
flinch　from　administering　severe　punishment　when　necessary；　I　should　be
much　happier　in　rewarding　those　who　should　do　their　duty。　The　prisoner
was　flogged　and　kept　in　irons。　The　troops　formed　into　sections　of
companies　and　marched　past　with　band　playing；　each　company　cheering　as
they　passed　before　me；　but　the　crowd　of　slave…hunters　slunk　back　to
their　station；　disappointed　that　no　blood　had　been　spilt　for　their
amusement。＇*＇

＇Footnote：　It　was　satisfactory　to　me　that　this　young　man；　who　was
pardoned　and　punished　as　described；　became　one　of　the　best　and　most
thoroughly　trustworthy　soldiers　of　my　body…guard；　and　having　at　length
been　raised　to　the　rank　of　corporal；　he　was　at　the　close　of　the
expedition　promoted　to　that　of　sergeant。　His　name　was　Ferritch　Ajoke。＇

〃No　person　except　Lieutenant　Baker　and　the　colonel；　Raouf　Bey；　had　been
in　the　secret　that　I　HAD　NEVER　INTENDED　TO　SHOOT　THE　MAN。　I　had　merely
arranged　an　impressive　scene　as　a　coup　de　theatre；　that　I　trusted　might
benefit　the　MORALE　of　the　men。

〃We　were　now　in　the　fine　clear　stream　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　which；　having
received　numerous　affluents　from　the　marsh　regions；　was　united　in　one
volume。　We　got　up　steam　and　started　at　4。30　p。m。；　and　the　diahbeeah；
towed　by　the　steamer　down　stream；　travelled　at　about　nine　miles　an　hour
until　8　a。m。；　making　a　run　of　125　miles。

〃We　then　stopped　at　a　large　forest　on　the　west　bank　to　cut　wood　for　the
steamer。

〃April　16。Went　out　shooting　with　Mr。　Baker；　and　shot　two　Ellipsyprymna
antelopes。　The　country　is　beautiful；　but　game　is　scarce。　The　forest　is
much　broken　by　elephants；　which　appear　to　frequent　it　during　the　wet
season。　These　animals　are　very　useful　in　preparing　wood　for　the
steamers'　fires。　They　break　down　the　green　trees；　which　dry　and　become
good　fuel。　Were　it　not　for　the　elephants；　we　should　only　find　dead　wood；
which　is　nearly　all　either　hollow　or　rotten；　and　of　little　use　as
firewood。　Today　we　met　four　vessels　from　Khartoum　that　had　followed　me
with　a　reinforcement　of　one　company　of　troops；　with　letters　from
Djiaffer　Pacha　and　Mr。　Higginbotham。

〃April　17。We　steamed　about　thirty…seven　miles　and　then　halted　at　a
good　forest　to　fill　up　our　supply　of　wood。　The　forest　on　the　left　bank
is　about　thirty…seven　miles　in　length；　but　it　is　merely　a　few　hundred
yards　in　width；　beyond　which　the　country　is　prairie。　On　the　east　bank；
where　there　is　no　forest；　we　saw　giraffes；　buffaloes；　and　antelopes　in
considerable　numbers　during　the　day。

〃April　18。Filling　up　wood　in　the　morning。　We　then　travelled　three
hours；　and　halted　eleven　miles　from　the　White　Nile　junction。　During　the
voyage　we　saw　a　lion　and　lioness　with　five　cubs　running　off　alarmed　at
the　steamer。

〃In　the　afternoon　I　went　out　and　shot　seven　geese　and　two　fine　black
bucks。

〃Lieutenant　Baker　was　unfortunately　ill　with　fever。　Here　we　met　four
more　vessels　with　a　company　of　soldiers　from　Khartoum。　They　of　course
remained　with　us。

〃April　19：In　an　hour　and　a　half　we　arrived　at　the　White　Nile；　and
twenty　minutes　later　we　saw　three　vessels　belonging　to　the　mudir；　or
governor；　of　Fashoda。　We　heard　from　the　people　on　these　boats　that　the
governor　（Ali　Bey；　the　Koordi）　was　making　a　razzia　on　the　Shillook
tribe。　The　banks　of　the　river　were　crowded　with　natives　running　away　in
all　directions；　women　were　carrying　off　all　their　little　household
goods；　and　children　were　following　their　parents；　each　with　a　basket　on
their　heads　containing　either　food　or　something　too　valuable　to　be　left
behind。　I　immediately　went　off　in　a　rowing　boat；　and；　after　much
difficulty；　I　succeeded　in　inducing　some　of　the　natives　who　could　speak
Arabic　to　stop　and　converse　with　me。　They　declared　that　the　Turks　had
attacked　them　without　provocation；　and　that　the　Koordi　（as　the　governor
of　Fashoda　was　called）　had　stolen　many　of　their　women　and　children；　and
had　killed　their　people；　as　he　was　generally　plundering　the　country。　I
begged　the　natives　not　to　fly　from　their　district；　but　to　wait　until　I
should　make　inquiries　on　the　following　day；　and　I　promised　to　restore
the　women　and　children；　should　they　have　been　kidnapped。

〃I　halted　at　a　forest　about　nine　miles　from　the　junction　of　the　Bahr
Giraffe；　where　a　bend　of　the　river　concealed　the　steamers　and　diahbeeah。

〃Late　at　night；　when　most　people　were　asleep；　I　sent　orders　to　the　chief
engineer　of　the　No。　10　steamer　to　have　the　steam　up　at　five　on　the
following　morning。

〃April　20。We　started　punctually　at　the　appointed　hour；　my　diahbeeah；
as　usual；　being　towed　by　the　steamer。　As　we　rounded　the　point　and
quickly　came　in　sight　of　the　governor's　vessels；　I　watched　them　with　a
powerful　telescope。　For　some　time　we　appeared　to　be　unobserved。　I　knew
that　the　troops　were　not　celebrated　for　keeping　a　sharp　lookout；　and　we
arrived　within　three…quarters　of　a　mile　before　the　sound　of　our　paddles
attracted　their　attention。　The　telescope　now　disclosed　some　of　the
mysteries　of　the　expedition。　I　perceived　a　considerable　excitement　among
the　troops　on　shore。　I　made　out　one　tent；　and　I　distinguished　men
hurrying　to　and　fro　apparently　busy　and　excited。　During　this　time　we
were　rapidly　approaching；　and　as　the　distance　lessened；　I　could
distinctly　see　a　number　of　people　being　driven　from　the　shore　on　board　a
vessel　that　was　lying　alongside　the　bank。　I　felt　convinced　that　these
were　slaves；　as　I　could　distinguish　the　difference　in　size　between　the
children　and　adults。　In　the　mean　time　we　were　travelling　at　full　speed
（about　eight　miles　an　hour）　in　the　broad　but　slack　current　of　that
portion　of　the　White　Nile。

〃At　6。35　we　ranged　up　alongside　the　bank　opposite　the　tent　which
belonged　to　the　Koordi　governor　of　Fashoda。　We　had　passed　close　to　the
three　vessels；　but　no　person　was　visible　except　their　crews。　My　arrival
was　evidently　quite　unexpected；　and　not　very　agreeable。

〃The　governor　shortly　appeared；　and　was　invited　on　the　poop　deck　of　my
diahbeeah；　this　was　always　furnished　with　carpets　and　sofas　so　as　to
form　a　divan。

〃After　a　pipe　and　coffee；　I　commenced　the　conversation　by　describing　the
impossibility　of　an　advance　at　this　season　via　the　Bahr　Giraffe；
therefore　I　had　found　it　necessary　to　return。　He　simply　replied；　‘God　is
great！　and；　please　God；　you　will　succeed　next　year。'

〃I　now　asked　him　how　many　troops　he　had　with　him；　as　I　noticed　two　brass
guns；　and　a　number　of　irregular　cavalry；　in　addition　to　some　companies
of　infantry。　He　replied　that　he　had　five　companies　in　addition　to　the
cavalry　and　mounted　Baggara　Arabs；　and　that　he　was　‘collecting　the
taxes。'

〃I　begged　him　to　explain　to　me　his　system　of　taxation；　and　to　inform　me
whether　he　had　established　a　poll；　or　a　house　tax；　or　in　what　special
form　the　dues　were　represented。　This　seemed　to　be　a　great　puzzle　to　the
mind　of　the　governor；　and　after　applying　to　my　colonel；　to　whom　he　spoke
in　Turkish；　he　replied　that　the　people　were　very　averse　to　taxation；
therefore　he　made　one　annual　tour　throughout　the　country；　and　collected
what　he　thought　just。

〃I　asked　him　whether　he　captured　women　and　children　in　the　same　way　in
which　he　annexed　the　natives'　cattle。　To　this　he　replied　by　a　distinct
negative；　at　the　same　time　assuming　an　expression　of　horror　at　such　an
idea。

〃I　immediately　ordered　my　aide…de…camp；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；
to　visit　the　vessels　that　were　lying　a　few　yards　astern。　This　was　a　very
excellent　and　trustworthy　officer；　and　he　immediately　started　upon　an
examination。　In　the　mean　while　the　Koordi　governor　sat　rigidly　upon　the
sofa；　puffing　away　at　his　long　pipe；　but　evidently　thinking　that　the
affair　would　not　end　in　simple　smoke。

〃In　a　few　minutes　I　heard　the　voice　of　my　colonel　angrily　expostulating
with　the　crew　of　the　vessel；　who　had　denied　that　any　slaves　were　on
board。　Almost　at　the　same　time　a　crowd　of　unfortunate　captives　emerged
from　below；　where　they　had　been　concealed；　and　walked　singly　along　the
plank　to　the　shore；　being　counted　by　the　officer　according　to　sex　as
they　disembarked。　The　Koordi　governor　looked　uncomfortable；　as　this
happened　before　our　eyes。　I　made　no　remark；　but　simply　expressed　a　wish
to　walk　round　his