ismailia-第34节

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Upon　one　occasion；　as　my　men　were　sowing　and　clearing　the　land　for
planting；　he　employed　natives　to　work　at　the　same　kind　of　cultivation　in
front　of　the　troops；　in　order　to　claim　a　right　to　the　soil。　On　this
occasion　he　came　himself；　prepared　with　a　cup　formed　of　a　small
gourd…shell　slung　by　a　string　upon　his　neck。　He　explained　that　this　was
his　cup　for　drinking　araki；　with　which　he　requested　to　be　supplied。

〃How　long　are　you　going　to　remain　here？〃　he　asked。　He　continued；　〃You
had　better　go　back　to　Khartoum；　and　I　will　eat　the　corn　you　have　planted
when　it　becomes　ripe。〃

I　explained　that　Gondokoro　would　be　head…quarters；　and　that　troops　would
always　remain　there；　and　we　should　cultivate　a　large　extent　for　corn。　He
replied：　〃Then　who　does　this　land　belong　to？to　you　or　to　me？〃　I
explained　that　his　people　had　been　driven　out　by　a　superior　force；　and
that　we　had　found　it　abandoned；　at　the　same　time；　neither　he　nor　his
people　dare　remain　here　without　my　protection；　therefore　the　land
belonged　to　the　Khedive　of　Egypt；　but　if　the　natives　wished　to　re…settle
I　would　give　them　their　original　property。

He　simply　replied；　〃Who　does　this　tree　belong　to？〃　（we　were　standing
beneath　its　shade）。　〃It　belongs　to　the　Khedive　of　Egypt；〃　I　replied；
〃who　is　now　protector　of　the　whole　country；　and　I　am　his　representative
to　establish　his　government。〃

He　replied：　〃Then　you　had　better　be　off　to　Khartoum；　for　we　don't　want
any　government　here。〃

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　in　the　abstract　of　people's　rights；　any
annexation　of　the　territory　of　another　is　an　infringement。　Had　this
principle　been　adhered　to　throughout　the　history　of　the　world；　there
would　have　been　no　progress。　Savages　of　all　countries　are　prone　to
strife；　and　a　state　of　chronic　warfare　with　neighbouring　tribes　is　the
example　of　African　politics。　A　strong　government　is　a　necessity。

I　had　always　expected　trouble　with　the　Baris；　as　I　had　known　them　during
my　former　journey　as　a　tribe　of　intractable　savages。　The　Austrian
missionaries　had　abandoned　them　as　hopeless；　after　many　efforts　and　a
great　expenditure　of　money　and　energy。

The　natives　had　pulled　down　the　neat　mission　house；　and　they　had　pounded
and　ground　the　bright　red　bricks　into　the　finest　powder；　which　mixed
with　grease　formed　a　paint　to　smear　their　naked　bodies。　Thus　the　only
results　of　many　years'　teaching　were　the　death　of　many　noble　men；　the
loss　of　money；　the　failure　of　the　attempt；　and　instead　of　the　enterprise
leaving　a　legacy　of　inward　spiritual　grace　to　these　〃men　and　brethren；〃
the　missionary　establishment　itself　was　converted　into　an　external
application　for　the　skin：　the　house　of　God　was　turned　into　〃pomade
divine。〃　This　was　a　result　that　might　have　been　expected　by　any　person
who　had　practical　experience　of　the　Baris。

The　extent　of　country　occupied　by　this　tribe　was　about　ninety　miles　in
length　from　north　to　south；　and　seventy　in　width。　Although　the　people
who　inhabited　this　district　were　all　Baris；　there　was　no　cohesion　among
them。　They　were　divided　into　numerous　small　chiefdoms；　each　governed　by
its　sheik　or　head　man。　Thus　Allorron　represented　Gondokoro；　while　every
petty　district　was　directed　by　a　similar　sheik。　The　Bari　country　was
thickly　inhabited。　The　general　features　of　the　landscape　were　rolling
park…like　grass　lands；very　little　actual　flat；　but　a　series　of
undulations；　ornamented　with　exceedingly　fine　timber…forests　of
considerable　extent；　and　mountains　rising　to　about　2；500　or　3；000　feet
above　their　base。　From　these　mountains　numerous　streams　drained　to　the
Nile：　these　were　generally　dry　in　the　summer　season。　The　soil　was　poor
in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro；　but　at　a　distance　from　the　river；　the
country　was　fertile；　the　rocks　were　throughout　granitic；　the　mountains
yielded　the　finest　iron　ore；　especially　those　of　Belinian；　twelve　miles
from　Gondokoro；　where　the　natives　were　expert　black　smiths。　Cultivation
was　carried　on　to　a　large　extent　throughout　the　country；　the　corn
generally　used　was　the　common　dhurra　（Sorghum　vulgare）。　This　was　usually
the　dark…red　variety；　which；　being　rather　bitter；　has　a　chance　of　escape
from　the　clouds　of　small　birds　which　ruin　the　crops。　Sesame　was　common
throughout　all　portions　of　Central　Africa；　and　throve　well　upon　the　poor
and　light　soil　of　Gondokoro。

The　Baris　were　exceedingly　neat　in　their　dwellings；　and　their　villages
were　innumerable。　Each　hut　was　surrounded　by　a　small　court　composed　of
cement　made　from　the　clay　of　the　white…ant　hills　mixed　with　cow…dung　and
smeared　with　ashes：　these　courts　were　always　kept　scrupulously　clean。
The　Bari　hut　differs　from　that　of　other　tribes；　as　it　contains　an　inner
circle；　which　can　only　be　used　by　creeping　on　the　hands　and　knees…first
through　the　entrance；　which　is　only　twenty…four　inches　high；　and
secondly　from　the　passage　formed　by　the　inner　circle。　The　inner　walls
are　formed　of　wattles　and　clay　neatly　smeared　or　plastered　with　cement。
They　are　quickly　attacked　by　the　white　ants；　which　destroy　the　wattles；
but　the　clay　is　sufficiently　tenacious　to　form　a　wall　when　the　wood　or
reeds　may　have　disappeared。

The　granaries　are　formed　of　wicker…work　supported　upon　upright　pedestals
of　either　hard　wood　or　of　stone；　to　resist　the　white　ants；　the
wicker…work　is　smeared　with　clay　and　cow…dung；　and　the　roof　is　thatched
in　a　manner　similar　to　the　house。

The　Baris　are　a　great　pastoral　people；　and　possess　immense　herds　of
cattle。　These　are　generally　small　active　animals　with　humps；　white　is
the　prevailing　colour。　The　sheep　are　small　and　the　mutton　is　good；　but
although　the　fine　pasturage　of　the　Bari　country　is　eminently　adapted　for
sheep　and　goats；　these　animals　are　delicate；　and　require　much　attention
during　the　heavy　rains；　at　which　time　they　are　always　kept　beneath　a
roof　at　night；　with　fires　composed　of　dry　cow…dung　to　create　a　smoke
that　will　drive　away　flies　or　mosquitoes。

Like　most　of　the　tribes　of　the　White　Nile；　the　Baris　have　a　strong
objection　to　sell　their　cattle；　thus　you　may　be　surrounded　by　plenty；
but　you　may　starve　in　the　midst　of　beef。

Their　large　herds　are　confined　at　night　within　zareebas　or　kraals。　These
are　formidable　defences。　The　cattle　zareeba　is　a　circular　stockade
formed　of　a　hard　wood　called　by　the　Arabs　abou…noos　or　abdnoos　（ebony）。
This　is　an　intensely　hard　black　wood　somewhat　resembling　ebony。　Piles　as
thick　as　a　man's　thigh　are　sunk　in　the　earth；　so　as　to　leave　a　fence　or
stockade　of　about　eight　feet　high　above　the　surface；　these　piles　are
placed　as　close　as　possible　together；　and　interlaced　by　tough　hooked
thorns；　which　when　dry　and　contracted　bind　the　stockade　into　a　very
compact　defence。　The　entrance　to　this　fort　is　only　sufficiently　large　to
admit　one　animal　at　a　time；　thus　the　herd　can　be　easily　counted。　Within
the　stockade　are　several　houses；　in　addition　to　a　few　large　circular
sheds　for　the　protection　of　young　calves。　The　sheep　and　goats　are　kept
in　a　separate　zareeba。

All　the　operations　of　the　Baris　are　conducted　by　signals　given　by　the
drum；　precisely　as　our　military　movements　are　directed　by　bugle…calls。
The　great　drum　that　belongs　to　the　headman　or　sheik；　is　suspended
beneath　an　open　shed；　so　that　it　is　always　protected　from　weather；　and
at　the　same　time　the　sound　could　travel　unchecked。　These　drums　are　cut
and　scooped　with　great　labour　from　a　peculiar　wood；　which　is　exceedingly
tough　and　will　not　easily　split。　The　Bari　drum　is　exactly　the　shape　of
an　egg　with　a　slice　taken　off　the　thicker　end。　Some　of　these　instruments
are　very　large；　and　as　much　as　two　men　could　carry　on　a　pole。　Both　ends
are　hollowed　through　and　secured　with　hide；　but　the　broad　end　forms　the
actual　drum。　This　is　beaten　with　two　short　sticks　of　hard　wood。　In　the
early　morning；　shortly　before　sunrise；　the　hollow　sound　of　the　big　drum
is　always　heard　giving　the　signal　by　a　certain　number　of　beat's　for　the
milking　of　the　cows。　The　women　and　young　men　then　commence；　and　when　the
operation　is　completed；　the　drum　beats　again；　and　the　large　herds　are
driven　to　pasturage。　The　signal　is　repeated　in　the　evening。　Should　an
enemy　attack　the　country；　the　sheik's　big　drum　gives　the　alarm　by　a
peculiar　series　of　beats；　which　if　once　heard　can　easily　be　remembered。
In　a　few　seconds　this　loud　alarm　will　be　re…echoed　by　every　drum
throughout　the　numerous　villages；　and　the　news　of　the　attack　will　thus
spread　by　signal　as　fast　as　sound　can　travel。　A　certain　beat　of　the
sheik's　big　drum　is　the　call　for　a　general　assembly；　in　which　case；
should　an　enemy　appear；　the　whole　forces　of　the　district　can　be
concentrated　in　one　point。

The　weapons　of　the　Baris　are　finely…wrought　lances；　and　bows　with
horribly　barbed　arrows。　They　seldom　carry　shields；　as　they　are　difficult
to　manage　together　with　the　bow；　and　they　impede　the　rapid　movements'
which　are　the　chief　feature　in　Bari　tactics。

The　men　are　generally　tall　and　powerful；　always　naked　and　smeared　with
ashes；　or　on　great　occasions　with　red　ochre　and　grease。　The　women　are
not　absolutely　bad…looking；　but　real　beauties　are　extremely　rare。　They
wear　an　apron　before　and　behind　of　tanned　leather；　extending　nearly　to
the　knees；　which　is　only　the　outer　garment；　beneath　whi