ismailia-第2节

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His　Highness　without　delay　forwarded　the　necessary　instructions；　and　in
two　years　the　work　was　completed　by　Ismail　Ayoob　Pacha；　with　the　loss　of
several　vessels　which　had　been　overwhelmed　by　the　sudden　bursting　of
vast　masses　of　floating　swamps　and　entangled　reeds。　It　had　been
necessary　to　commence　operations　below　stream；　to　enable　the　blocks　of
vegetation　to　escape　when　detached　by　cutting　from　the　main　body。

The　White　Nile　was　restored　to　navigation　a　few　months　after　my　return
to　England；　and　was　clear　for　large　vessels　by　the　time　that　Colonel
Gordon　arrived　in　Khartoum。

I　had　originally　sent　up　six　steamers　from　Cairo　to　ply　between　Khartoum
and　Gondokoro；　these　had　been　simply　employed　as　far　as　Fashoda　station；
but　as　the　Nile　was　now　open；　they　at　once　established　a　rapid　and
regular　communication　with　the　equatorial　provinces。　The　terrible
difficulty　had　vanished；　and　Gondokoro　was　linked　with　the　outer　world
from　which　it　had　been　excluded。　The　appliances　which　had　been　prepared
with　much　care　could　now　be　utilized。　With　the　river　open；　supplies　and
reinforcements　could　be　immediately　forwarded；　and　the　ivory　which　had
accumulated　in　the　government　stations　could　be　brought　to　market。　In
addition　to　the　physical　advantages　of　restored　communication；　a　great
moral　change　was　effected　throughout　the　officers　and　troops；　they　felt
no　longer　banished　from　the　world；　but　accepted　their　position　as
garrisons　in　Egyptian　territory。

At　Gondokoro　I　had　constructed　a　steel　steamer　of　108　tons；　and　I　had
left　ready　packed　for　land　transport　a　steamer　of　the　same　metal　38
tons；　in　addition　to　two　steel　life…boats　of　each　10　tons；　for
conveyance　to　the　Albert　N'yanza。　At　Khartoum　I　had　left　in　sections　a
steamer　of　251　tons。　All　these　vessels　had　been　brought　from　England　and
conveyed　with　incredible　trouble　upon　camels　across　the　deserts　to
Khartoum。

Before　my　arrival　in　the　Soudan　the　entire　river　force　of　steamers　upon
the　Blue　and　White　Niles　was　represented　by　four　very　inferior　vessels。
I　had　added　six　from　Cairo；　and　built　a　seventh；　thus　I　left　a　force　of
eleven　steamers　working　on　the　river；　exclusive　of　two　in　sections。

The　stations　garrisoned　by　regular　troops　were
　　　　1。　Gondokoro；　N。　lat。　4　degrees　54　minutes。
　　　　2。　Fatiko；　N。　lat。　3　degrees　2　minutes。
　　　　3。　Foweera；　N。　lat。　2　degrees　6　minutes。
　　　　4。　Fabbo；　N。　lat。　3　degrees　　8　minutes。

By　the　newly…raised　irregulars
　　　　5。　Farragenia。
　　　　6。　Faloro。

In　this　position　of　affairs　Colonel　Gordon　succeeded　to　the　command　in
the　spring　of　1874。　Although　the　Bari　tribe；　which　had　been　subdued；　was
nominally　at　peace；　it　was　hardly　safe　to　travel　through　the　country
without　an　armed　escort。

Colonel　Gordon's　first　effort　was　in　favour　of　conciliation；　with　the
hope　of　inspiring　a　friendly　spirit　among　the　chiefs。　At　the　same　time
he　resolved　to　offer　a　chance　for　reform　to　the　slave…hunter　Abou　Saood；
who　he　considered　might　amend　his　ways；　and　from　his　knowledge　of　the
people　become　a　useful　officer　to　the　government。　Unfortunately；　the
leopard　could　not　change　his　spots；　and　the　man；　to　whom　every
opportunity　had　been　given；　was　dismissed　and　punished。　It　was
impossible　to　have　discovered　an　officer　more　thoroughly　qualified　for
the　command　than　Colonel　Gordon。　By　profession　a　military　engineer；　he
combined　the　knowledge　especially　required　for　carrying　on　the
enterprise。　He　had　extended　the　hand　of　friendship　to　the　natives；　but
when　rejected　with　contempt　and　opposed　by　hostility；　he　was　prompt　in
chastisement。　The　wet　seasons　and　attendant　high　flood　of　two　years　were
employed　in　dragging　the　108…ton　steel　steamer　up　the　various　cataracts
which　intervened　between　Gondokoro　and　Duflli　（N。　lat。　3　degrees　34
minutes）。　This　portion　of　the　river　formed　a　series　of　steps　caused　by　a
succession　of　cataracts　at　intervals　of　about　25　miles；　between　the
obstacles　the　stream　was　navigable。　The　natives　of　Moogi　treacherously
attacked　and　killed　the　whole　of　a　detachment；　including　the　French
officer　in　command；　during　the　absence　of　Colonel　Gordon；　who　was
engaged　in　the　operation　of　towing　the　steamer　through　the　rapids　only　a
few　miles　distant。　This　open　hostility　necessitated　the　subjugation　of
the　tribe；　and　the　establishment　of　a　line　of　military　posts　along　the
course　of　the　river。

After　much　trouble；　at　the　expiration　of　two　years　the　steamer　was
dragged　to　an　utterly　impassable　series　of　cataracts　south　of　Lobore。
This　line　of　obstruction　extended　for　the　short　distance　of　about　twelve
miles；　beyond　which　the　river　was　navigable　into　the　Albert　N'yanza。

Several　vessels　had　been　towed　up　together　with　the　steamer　from
Gondokoro；　and　the　38…ton　steel　steamer　and　two　life…boats　which　had
been　thus　conveyed；　were　now　carried　in　sections　to　the　spot　above　the
last　cataracts　at　Duffli；　where　they　could　be　permanently　reconstructed。

Signor　Gessi　was　entrusted　with　the　command　of　the　two　life…boats　upon
their　completion；　and　had　the　honour　of　first　entering　the　Albert
N'yanza　from　the　north　by　the　river　Nile。

The　38…ton　steamer　was　put　together；　and　the　108…ton　（Khedive）；　which
had　been　left　a　few　miles　distant　from　Duffli；　below　the　cataracts；　was
taken　to　pieces　and　reconstructed　on　the　navigable　portion　of　the　Nile
in　N。　lat。　3　degrees　34　minutes。

The　plan　of　connecting　the　equatorial　Lake　Albert　with　Khartoum　by　steam
communication　which　I　had　originated；　was　now　completed　by　the　untiring
energy　and　patience　of　my　successor。　The　large　steamer　of　251　tons　was
put　together　at　Khartoum；　to　add　to　the　river　flotilla；　thus　increasing
the　steam　power　from　four　vessels；　when　I　had　arrived　in　1870；　to
THIRTEEN；　which　in　1877　were　plying　between　the　capital　of　the　Soudan
and　the　equator。　The　names　of　Messrs。　Samuda　Brothers　and　Messrs。　Penn
and　Co。　upon　the　three　steel　steamers　and　engines　which　they　had
constructed　for　the　expedition　are　now　evidences　of　the　civilizing　power
of　the　naval　and　mechanical　engineers　of　Great　Britain；　which　has　linked
with　the　great　world　countries　that　were　hitherto　excluded　from　all
intercourse。

There　is　still　some　mystery　attached　to　the　Albert　N'yanza。　It　has　been
circumnavigated　by　Signor　Gessi；　in　the　steel　life…boats；　and
subsequently　by　Colonel　Mason　of　the　American　army；　who　was　employed
under　Colonel　Gordon。　Both　of　these　officers　agree　that　the　southern　end
of　the　lake　is　closed　by　a　mass　of　〃ambatch；〃　and　that　a　large　river
reported　as　400　yards　in　width　flows　INTO　the　Albert　N'yanza。　On　the
other　hand；　the　well…known　African　explorer　Mr。　Stanley　visited　the　lake
SOUTH　of　the　ambatch　limit；　to　which　he　was　guided　by　orders　of　the　King
M'tese；。　At　that　spot　it　was　called　the　〃M'woota　N'zige；；〃　the　same　name
which　the　lake　bears　throughout　Unyoro；　therefore　there　can　be　no
reasonable　doubt　that　it　is　the　same　water。　The　description　of　the
ambatch　block　and　the　river　flowing　into　the　lake　explains　the
information　that　was　given　to　me　by　native　traders；　who　declared　they
had　come　by　canoe　from　Karagwe；；　via　the　Albert　N'yanza；　but　that
it　would　be　difficult　without　a　guide　to　discover　the　passage　where　the
lake　was　extremely　narrow　and　the　channel　tortuous　into　the　next　broad
water。

Colonel　Gordon　has　continued　the　amicable　relations　established　by
myself　with　the　Unyoro　chief　Rionga；　and　with　M'tese；；　King　of　Uganda。

The　commercial　aspect　of　the　equatorial　provinces　is　improving；　but　our
recent　experience　in　South　Africa　must　teach　the　most　sanguine　that　very
many　years　must　elapse　before　the　negro　tribes　become　amenable　to　the
customs　and　improvements　of　civilized　communities。

The　expedition　of　1869　which　His　Highness　the　Khedive　entrusted　to　my
command　laid　the　foundation　for　reforms　which　at　that　time　would　have
appeared　incredible　in　Egypt。　The　slave…trade　has　been　suppressed
through　the　agency　of　British　influence；　persistently　supported　by　the
Khedive；　Darfur；　the　hot…bed　of　slave…hunting；　has　been　conquered　and
annexed；　Colonel　Gordon　has　the　supreme　command　of　the　entire　Soudan；
Malcolm　Pacha　is　commissioned　to　sweep　the　slave　traffic　from　the　Red
Sea。

With　this　determination　to　adopt　the　ideas　of　Europe；　the　Khedive　has
passed　through　the　trying　ordeal　of　unpopularity　in　his　own　country；
but；　by　a　cool　disregard　for　the　hostility　of　the　ignorant；　he　has
adhered　to　a　policy　which　has　gained　him　the　esteem　of　all　civilized
communities。　He　has　witnessed　the　bloody　struggle　between　Russia　and
Turkey；　and　though　compelled　as　a　vassal　state　to　render　military
assistance　to　the　Sultan；　he　has　profited　by　the　lesson；　and　has
determined　by　a　wise　reform　to　avoid　the　errors　which　have　resulted　in
anarchy　and　desolation　throughout　the　Ottoman　Empire。

In　the　year　1870　the　slave…hunting　of　Central　Africa　was　condemned。
Since　that　time　Englishmen　have　been　honoured　with　the　special　attention
of　the　Khedive；　and　have　been　appointed　to　posts　of　the　highest
confidence。　European　tribunals　were　established　in　the　place　of　consular
jurisdiction；　British　government　officials　have　been　invited　to　reform
the　financial　administration；　and　Mr。　Rivers　Wilson　has　been　induced　to
accept　the　resp