ismailia-第15节

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happened　before　our　eyes。　I　made　no　remark；　but　simply　expressed　a　wish
to　walk　round　his　encampment。

〃Having　passed　through　the　place　of　bivouac；　where　the　foulest　smells
attacked　us　from　all　sides；　I　thoroughly　examined　the　spot；　accompanied
by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　a　few　officers　of　my　staff。　There　was　no
military　order；　but　the　place　was　occupied　by　a　crowd　of　soldiers；
mingled　with　many　native　allies；　under　the　command　of　an　extremely
blackguard…looking　savage；　dressed　in　a　long　scarlet　cloak　made　of
woollen　cloth。　This　was　belted　round　his　waist；　to　which　was　suspended　a
crooked　Turkish　sabre；　he　wore　a　large　brass　medal　upon　his　breast；
which　somewhat　resembled　those　ornaments　that　undertakers　use　for　giving
a　lively　appearance　to　coffins。　This　fellow　was　introduced　to　me　by　the
Koordi　as　the　‘king　of　the　Shillooks。'

〃In　the　rear　of　the　party；　to　which　spot　I　had　penetrated　while　the
Koordi　was　engaged　in　giving　orders　to　certain　officers；　I　came　suddenly
upon　a　mass　of　slaves；　who　were　squatted　upon　the　ground；　and　surrounded
by　dirty　clothes；　arranged　like　a　fence；　by　the　support　of　lances；
pieces　of　stick；　camel　saddles；　&c。　These　people　were　guarded　by　a
number　of　soldiers；　who　at　first　seemed　to　think　that　my　visit　was　one
of　simple　curiosity。

〃Many　of　the　women　were　secured　to　each　other　by　ropes　passed　from　neck
to　neck。　A　crowd　of　children；　including　very　young　infants；　squatted
among　the　mass；　and　all　kept　a　profound　silence；　and　regarded　me　with
great　curiosity。　Having　sent　for　my　notebook；　I　divided　the　slaves　into
classes；　and　counted　them　as　follows：

Concealed　in　the　boat　we　had　discovered；　71　Those　on　shore　guarded　by
sentries　were　84　　155

including　65　girls　and　women；　80　children；　and　10　men。　The　governor　of
Fashoda；　whom　I　thus　had　caught　in　the　act　of　kidnapping　slaves；　was　the
person　who；　a　few　weeks　before；　had　assured　me　that　the　slave　trade　was
suppressed；　as　the　traders　dared　not　pass　his　station　of　Fashoda。　The
real　fact　was；　that　this　excellent　example　of　the　Soudan　made　a
considerable　fortune　by　levying　a　toll　upon　every　slave　which　the
traders'　boats　brought　down　the　river；　this　he　put　into　his　own　pocket。

〃I　immediately　informed　him　that　I　should　report　him　to　the　Khedive；　at
the　same　time　I　insisted　upon　the　liberation　of　every　slave。

〃At　first　he　questioned　my　authority；　saying　that　he　held　the　rank　of
bey；　and　was　governor　of　the　district。　I　simply　told　him　that　‘if　he
refused　to　liberate　the　slaves；　he　must　give　me　that　refusal　in
writing。'　This　was　an　awkward　fix；　and　he　altered　his　tone　by　attempting
to　explain　that　they　were　not　slaves；　but　only　held　as　hostages　until
the　people　should　pay　their　taxes。　At　the　same　time　he　was　obliged　to
confess　that　there　was　no　established　tax。　I　heard　that　he　had　received
from　one　native　ten　cows　for　the　ransom　of　his　child；　thus　the　stolen
child　was　sold　back　to　the　father　for　ten　cows！　and　this　was　the　Soudan
method　of　collecting　taxes！　If　the　unfortunate　father　had　been　shot　dead
in　the　razzia；　his　unransomed　child　would　have　been　carried　away　and
sold　as　a　slave；　or　should　the　panic…stricken　natives　be　afraid　to
approach　with　a　ransom　for　fear　of　being　kidnapped　themselves；　the　women
and　children　would　be　lost　to　them　for　ever。

〃I　was　thoroughly　disgusted。　I　knew　that　what　I　had　happened　to　discover
was　the　rule　of　the　Soudan；　and　that　the　protestations　of　innocence　of
governors　was　simply　dust　thrown　into　the　eyes。　It　was　true　that　the
Shillook　country　was　not　in　my　jurisdiction；　but　I　was　determined　to
interfere　in　behalf　of　the　slaves；　although　I　should　not　meddle　with　the
general　affairs　of　the　country。　I　therefore　told　the　Koordi　that　I　had
the　list　of　the　captives；　and　he　must　send　for　some　responsible　native
to　receive　them　and　take　them　to　their　homes。　In　the　mean　time　I　should
remain　in　the　neighbourhood。　I　then　returned　to　the　fleet　that　I　had
left　at　the　forest。　In　the　evening　we　were　joined　by　most　of　the　rear
vessels。

〃April　21。At　9。30　a。m。　we　sighted　eleven　vessels　in　full　sail；
approaching　from　Khartoum；　with　a　strong　N。E。　wind；　and　shortly
afterwards　we　were　delighted　by　the　arrival　of　Mr。　Higginbotham；　Dr。
Gedge；　and　the　six　English　engineers；　shipwrights；　&c。；　all　in　good
health。

〃April　22。I　paid　a　visit　to　the　Koordi's　camp；　accompanied　by　Mr。
Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　as　I　wished　to　have　European　witnesses　to
the　fact。　Upon　arrival；　I　explained　to　the　governor　that　he　had
compromised　the　Egyptian　Government　by　his　act；　and　as　I　had　received
general　instructions　from　the　Khedive　to　suppress　all　slave…hunters；　I
could　only　regard　him　in　that　category；　as　I　had　actually　found　him　in
the　act。　I　must；　therefore；　insist　upon　the　immediate　and　unconditional
release　of　all　the　slaves。　After　an　attempt　at　evasion；　he　consented；
and　I　at　once　determined　to　liberate　them　personally；　which　would
establish　confidence　among　the　natives。

〃Accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　and　the　various
officers　of　the　staff；　I　ordered　the　ropes；　irons；　and　other
accompaniments　of　slavery　to　be　detached；　and　I　explained　through　an
interpreter　to　the　astonished　crowd　of　captives；　that　the　Khedive　had
abolished　slavery；　therefore　they　were　at　liberty　to　return　to　their　own
homes。　At　first；　they　appeared　astounded；　and　evidently　could　not
realize　the　fact；　but　upon　my　asking　them　where　their　homes　were；　they
pointed　to　the　boundless　rows　of　villages　in　the　distance；　and　said；
‘Those　are　our　homes；　but　many　of　our　men　are　killed；　and　all　our　cattle
and　corn　are　carried　off。'　I　could　only　advise　them　to　pack　off　as
quickly　as　possible；　now　that　they　had　the　chance　of　freedom。

〃The　women　immediately　took　up　their　little　infants　（one　had　been　born
during　the　night）；　others　led　the　very　small　children　by　the　hand；　and
with　a　general　concert；　they　burst　into　the　long；　quavering；　and　shrill
yell　that　denotes　rejoicing。　I　watched　them　as　they　retreated　over　the
plain　to　their　deserted　homes；　and　I　took　a　coldly　polite　farewell　of
the　Koordi。　The　looks　of　astonishment　of　the　Koordi's　troops　as　I　passed
through　their　camp　were　almost　comic。　I　shall　report　this　affair　to　the
Khedive　direct；　but　I　feel　sure　that　the　exposure　of　the　governor　of
Fashoda　will　not　add　to　the　popularity　of　the　expedition　among　the　lower
officials。

〃April　23。I　started　with　two　steamers　and　two　diahbeeahs　to　explore　a
favourable　spot　for　a　permanent　station。　We　reached　the　Sobat　junction
in　three　hours　and　a　quarter；　about　twenty…five　miles。　From　the　Sobat；
down　stream；　we　steamed　for　forty　minutes；　arriving　at　a　forest；　on　a
high　bank　to　the　east；　where　some　extraordinary　high　dome　palms　（palma
Thebaica）；　together　with　dolape　palms　（Borassus　Ethiopicus）；　gave　an　air
of　tropical　beauty　to　a　desolate　and　otherwise　uninviting　spot。

〃I　fixed　upon　this　place　for　a　station　as　the　ground　was　hard；　the
position　far　above　the　level　of　high　floods；　and　the　forest　afforded　a
supply　of　wood　for　building　purposes　and　fuel。

〃April　24。We　steamed　for　half…an…hour　down　stream　to　a　large　village
on　the　west　bank；　named　Wat…a…jook。　Thence　I　went　down　stream　for　one
hour　to　the　grove　of　dolape　palms　and　gigantic　India　rubber　trees。　This
was　formerly　a　large　village；　known　as　Hillet…el…dolape；　but　it　has　been
entirely　destroyed　by　the　governor　of　Fashoda。　After　much　difficulty；　I
induced　some　natives　to　come　to　me；　with　whom　I　at　length　made　friends：
they　all　joined　in　accusing　the　Koordi　governor　of　wanton　atrocities。

〃In　the　afternoon；　not　having　discovered　a　spot　superior　to　that　I　had
already　selected　for　a　station；　we　returned；　but　we　had　not　travelled
more　than　an　hour　and　a　half　when　the　engine　of　the　No。　10　steamer　broke
down。　On　examination；　it　appeared　that　the　air　pump　was　broken。
Fortunately　the　accident　occurred　close　to　the　spot　selected　for　a
station。

〃April　25。At　12。30　p。m。　I　sent　back　the　No。　8　steamer　to　call　the
fleet　to　the　station。　I　soon　made　friends　with　the　natives；　great
numbers　of　whom　congregated　on　the　west　bank　of　the　river。　All　these
people　had　heard　that　I　had　liberated　the　women　and　children。

〃April　26。The　steamer　and　entire　fleet　arrived　in　the　afternoon。

〃The　natives　brought　a　bullock　and　a　Pongo　slave　as　a　present　from　the
chief。　I　freed　the　slave；　and　sent　a　piece　of　cloth　as　an　introduction
to　the　chief。

〃April　27。This　was　a　busy　day　passed　in　measuring　out　the　camp。　I　set
several　companies　at　work　to　fell　the　forest　and　to　prepare　timber　for
building。

〃April　28。Pouring　rain。　No　work　possible。

〃April　29。The　Englishmen　set　up　their　forge　and　anvil；　and　we
commenced　unloading　corrugated　iron　sheets　to　form　our　magazines。
Fortunately；　I　had　a　number　of　wall…plates；　rafters；　&c。；　that　I　had
brought　from　Egypt　for　this　purpose；　as　there　is　no　straight　wood　in　the
country。

〃The　sheik　or　head　of　the　Shillook　tribe　sent　envoys　with　a　present　of
four　bullocks　and　two　small　tusks；　with　a　message　that　he　wished　to　see
me；　but　he　was　afraid　to　come。　I　accordingly　sent　the　messengers　back　in
the　No。　8　steamer　with　ten　soldiers　as　an　escort　to　bring　him　to　my
station。

〃April　30。We　commenced　erectin