ismailia-第19节

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people；　you　might　probably　take　ME；　therefore　I　declined　the
opportunity。〃

The　Koordi　puffed　and　puffed　vigorously；　but　the　long　pipe　did　not　draw；
something　had　evidently　choked　the　tube。

It　would　be　tedious　to　describe　the　whole　dialogue；　but　there　was　no
question　that　the　old　Shillook　king　had　the　best　of　the　argument；
therefore；　after　a　long　discussion；　during　which　the　king　was
continually　prompted　by　his　favourite　wife；　in　excited　whispers　that
every　one　could　hear；　I　examined　both　the　governor　and　the　king　upon
various　points；　and　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　governor　was　a　great
scoundrel；　and　the　king　a　very　cunning　fellow；　at　the　same　time　he　had
been　shamefully　treated。　The　Koordi　had　reported　him　as　dead；　and
obtained　a　firman　conferring　the　title　of　Sheik　of　the　Shillooks　upon　an
impostor；　who　had　been　a　brand　enemy　of　Quat　Kare。　Since　that　time　the
adherents　of　Quat　Kare　had　been　subject　to　constant　raids　and　pillage；
and　the　old　king　was　a　fugitive；　who；　if　caught　by　the　Koordi；　would
assuredly　have　been　quietly　put　OUT　OF　THE　WAY。＇*＇

＇*Footnote：　Eventually　the　old　king；　Quat　Kare；　was　imprisoned　at　
Fashoda；　　and　died　in　a　mysterious　manner。　There　are　no　coroners'　
inquests　in　Central　Africa。）

I　decided　that　the　affair　must　be　settled　in　the　following　manner：I
explained　that　I　had　no　jurisdiction　in　the　Shillook　country；　which　was
under　the　government　of　Ali　Bey；　the　Koordi；　but　as　I　held　the　positive
and　special　orders　of　the　Khedive　to　suppress　the　slave　trade；　I　had
been　compelled　to　interfere　and　to　release　those　captives　who　had　been
thus　shamelessly　kidnapped。

With　regard　to　the　general　pillage　of　the　country　instead　of　direct
taxation；　the　governor　would　explain　his　conduct　to　the　Khedive。

With　regard　to　the　false　report　of　Quat　Kare's　death；　there　could　be　no
doubt　that　the　firman　for　his　rival　Jangy　had　been　obtained　from　the
Khedive　under　false　pretences。

I　therefore　recommended　Quat　Kare　and　his　sons　to　go　direct　to　Khartoum；
and　plead　his　cause　at　the　divan　of　Djiaffer　Pacha；　who　was　the
governor…general　of　the　Soudan；　which　included　the　Shillook　country；
thus　the　whole　affair　was　within　his　jurisdiction。　I　also　explained　that
I　should　send　an　official　despatch　to　the　Khedive　of　Egypt；　and　also　to
Djiaffer　Pacha；　describing　the　general　state　of　the　Shillook　country　and
the　special　case　of　Quat　Kare；　with　a　direct　report　upon　the　kidnapping
of　slaves　by　the　government's　representative。

At　the　same　time；　I　assured　Quat　Kare　and　his　people　that　the　Khedive
had　only　one　object　in　forming　a　government：　this　was　to　protect　the
natives　and　to　develop　the　resources　of　the　country。　I　persuaded　the
Koordi　and　Quat　Kare　to　become　friends　and　at　once　to　declare　peace；
thus；　all　hostilities　having　ceased；　the　responsibility　for　further
disturbance　would　rest　with　him　who　should　recommence　a　breach　of　the
peace。

I　advised　the　Shillook　king　to　forget　the　past；　where　there　had
evidently　been　a　mistake；　and　he　should　trust　to　his　application　to
Djiaffer　Pacha；　who　would　speedily　give　him　justice。　The　Shillook　king
then　replied；　without　moving　a　muscle　of　his　features；　〃If　I　forget　the
past；　what　is　to　become　of　all　my　cattle　that　the　Koordi　has　stolen　from
me？　Is　he　going　to　return　them；　or　keep　them　himself；　and　forget　the
past？　I　can't　forget　my　cows。〃

This　practical　question　was　difficult　to　answer。　The　Koordi's　pipe　was
out：　he　therefore　rose　from　his　seat　and　retired；　leaving　the　stoical
Quat　Kare　master　of　his　position；　but　not　of　his　cattle。　I　advised　him
to　say　nothing　more　until　he　should　see　Djiaffer　Pacha；　and　he　would
receive　a　direct　reply　from　the　Khedive。

Quat　Kare；　with　his　wives　and　daughters　and　general　retinue；　determined
to　pass　the　night　in　our　station。

I　therefore　ordered　an　ox　to　be　killed　for　their　entertainment。　I　gave
the　king　a　large　Cashmere　scarf；　also　one　of　red　printed　cotton；　and　a
dozen　small　harness　bells；　which　he　immediately　arranged　as　anklets。　His
usually　unchangeable　countenance　relaxed　into　a　smile　of　satisfaction　as
he　took　leave；　and　the　bells　tinkled　at　every　footstep　as　he　departed。

Quat　Kare　never　eats　or　drinks　in　the　presence　of　his　people；　but　his
food　is　taken　to　him　either　within　a　hut　or　to　a　lonely　tree。

On　the　following　morning　both　the　governor　of　Fashoda　and　the　old　king
returned　to　their　respective　homes。

On　the　10th　May；　a　sail　was　reported　by　the　sentries　in　the　south。　　None
of　the　slave…traders　had　any　intelligence　of　my　station　at　Tewfikeeyah。
The　people　of　Kutchuk　Ali；　on　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　were　under　the
impression　that　we　had　returned　direct　to　Khartoum。　I　was　rather　curious
to　know　whether　they　would　presume　to　send　slaves　down　the　White　Nile
during　this　season；　knowing　that　the　Khedive　had　sent　me　expressly　to
suppress　the　trade。　I　could　not　believe　that　the　Koordi　governor　of
Fashoda　would　have　the　audacity　to　allow　the　free　passage　of　slave
vessels　after　the　stringent　orders　that　had　been　given。　Although　I　had
heard　that　this　governor　had　amassed　a　considerable　fortune　by　the
establishment　of　a　toll　per　head　for　every　slave　that　passed　Fashoda；　I
imagined　that　he　would　this　year　make　up　his　mind　that　the　rich　harvest
was　over。

If　any　vessels　should　attempt　to　descend　with　slave　cargoes；　they　must
pass　my　new　station；　of　which　they　were　ignorant；　and　the　fact　would
prove　the　complicity　of　the　governor　of　Fashoda；　as　it　would
substantiate　all　the　reports　that　I　had　heard　concerning　his　connivance
with　the　slave…traders。　The　strange　sail　now　reported　was　rapidly
approaching　on　her　route　to　Khartoum；　without　the　slightest　suspicion
that　a　large　military　station　was　established　within　four　miles　of　the
Sobat　junction。　If　guilty；　she　was　thus　approaching　the　jaws　of　the
lion。

As　she　neared　the　station；　she　must　have　discovered　the　long　row　of
masts　and　yards　of　the　fleet　moored　alongside　the　quay。　Of　these　she
appeared　to　take　no　notice；　and　keeping　well　in　the　middle　of　the　river；
she　would　have　passed　the　station；　and　continued　on　her　voyage。　This
looked　very　suspicious；　and　I　at　once　sent　a　boat　to　order　her　to　halt。

When　she　was　brought　alongside；　I　sent　my　trusty　aide…de…camp；　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　on　board　to　make　the　necessary　inquiries。　She　was　quite
innocent。　The　captain　and　the　vakeel　（agent　and　commander　of　station）
were　amazed　at　my　thinking　it　necessary　to　search　their　vessel。　She　had
a　quantity　of　corn　on　board；　stowed　in　bulk。　There　was　not　a　person
beside　the　crew　and　a　few　soldiers　from　Kutchuk　Ali's　station。

The　vakeel　was　the　same　whom　I　had　seen　at　the　station　at　the　Bahr
Giraffe；　to　whom　I　had　given　advice　that　he　should　not　attempt　to　send
slaves　down　the　river　again。　All　was　in　order。　The　vessel　belonged　to
Kutchuk　Ali；　who　now　commanded　the　government　expedition　sent　by
Djiaffer　Pacha　to　the　Bahr　Gazal。　She　was　laden　with　ivory　beneath　the
corn；　which　was　for　the　supply　of　the　crew　and　soldiers。

Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　was　an　excellent　officer；　he　was　one　of　the
exceptions　who　took　a　great　interest　in　the　expedition；　and　he　always
served　me　faithfully。　He　was　a　fine　powerful　man；　upwards　of　six　feet
high；　and　not　only　active；　but　extremely　determined。　He　was　generally
called　〃the　Englishman〃　by　his　brother　officers；　as　a　bitter　compliment
reflecting　on　his　debased　taste　for　Christian　society。　This　officer　was
not　the　man　to　neglect　a　search　because　the　agent　of　Kutchuk　Ali
protested　his　innocence；　and　exhibited　the　apparently　naked　character　of
his　vessel。　She　appeared　suspiciously　full　of　corn　for　a　boat　homeward
bound。　There　was　an　awkward　smell　about　the　closely…boarded　forecastle
which　resembled　that　of　unwashed　negroes。　Abd…el…Kader　drew　a　steel
ramrod　from　a　soldier's　rifle；　and　probed　sharply　through　the　corn。

A　smothered　cry　from　beneath；　and　a　wriggling　among　the　corn；　was
succeeded　by　a　woolly　head；　as　the　strong　Abd…el…Kader；　having　thrust
his　long　arm　into　the　grain；　dragged　forth　by　the　wrist　a　negro　woman。
The　corn　was　at　once　removed；　the　planks　which　boarded　up　the　forecastle
and　the　stern　were　broken　down；　and　there　was　a　mass　of　humanity
exposed；　boys；　girls；　and　women；　closely　packed　like　herrings　in　a
barrel；　who　under　the　fear　of　threats　had　remained　perfectly　silent
until　thus　discovered。　The　sail　attached　to　the　mainyard　of　the　vessel
appeared　full　and　heavy　in　the　lower　part；　this　was　examined；　and　upon
unpacking；　it　yielded　a　young　woman　who　had　thus　been　sewn　up　to　avoid
discovery。

The　case　was　immediately　reported　to　me。　　I　at　once　ordered　the　vessel
to　be　unloaded。　We　discovered　one　hundred　and　fifty　slaves　stowed　away
in　a　most　inconceivably　small　area。　The　stench　was　horrible　when　they
began　to　move。　Many　were　in　irons；　these　were　quickly　released　by　the
blacksmiths；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　captives；　who　did　not　appear　to
understand　the　proceeding。

I　ordered　the　vakeel；　and　the　reis　or　captain　of　the　vessel；　to　be　put
in　irons。　The　slaves　began　to　comprehend　that　their　captors　were　now
captives。　They　now　began　to　speak；　and　many　declared　that　the　greater
portion　of　the　men　of　their　villages　had　been　killed　by　the
slave…hunters。