ismailia-第37节

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troops。　The　sheik　of　Belinian　had　refused　to　appear；　and　he　alleged　as
an　excuse　that　he　feared　treachery；　since　his　father　and　family　had　been
murdered　when　guests　of　Abou　Saood。　The　Baris　of　Gondokoro　had　regained
their　cattle；　and　they　did　not　trouble　themselves　about　their　contract；
as　they　inwardly　hoped　that　by　starving　us　they　might　succeed　in
disgusting　the　troops；　which　would　necessitate　the　abandonment　of　the
expedition。

A　few　days　after　the　breach　of　contract；　Tomby；　the　interpreter；
appeared；　and　told　me　that　the　Baris　had　refused　to　work；　and　that　the
government　would　not　succeed　in　that　country。　The　people　wished　me　to
join　them　with　my　troops；　and　to　attack　their　old　enemy；　Loquia。　I
should　then　obtain　cattle　and　sheep　in　the　razzia；　and　the　government
would　be　independent。

This　was　the　regular　negro　system　which　had　originally　introduced　the
slave　trade　throughout　the　White　Nile。　One　tribe　invariably　requests　the
alliance　of　a　superior　force　to　attack　some　powerful　neighbour：　the
prisoners　of　war　become　slaves。　When　trading　adventurers　first　commenced
on　the　White　Nile；　the　natives　sold　ivory　for　beads　and　copper
bracelets；　and　trade　was　fairly　established。　The　armed　companies　of　the
traders　were　immediately　invited　to　become　allies；　and　attacks　were　made
upon　various　tribes。　The　cattle　and　slaves　became　the　property　of　the
captors。　The　traders　quickly　discovered　that　it　was　far　easier　and　more
profitable　to　steal　cattle　and　slaves　to　exchange　for　ivory；　than　to
import　goods　from　Khartoum。　They　commenced　the　system　of　cattle…lifting
and　slave…hunting；　which　rapidly　increased　until　it　arrived　at　the
immense　scale　already　described。

I　preached　morality　hopelessly　to　the　Baris；　they　were　mere　ruffians；
and　they　longed　for　the　arrival　of　Abou　Saood；　who　would　once　more　give
them　an　opportunity　of　joining　his　people　to　plunder　and　enslave　the
tribes　of　the　interior。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　assured　them　of　the
impossibility　of　such　proceedings；　and　that　Abou　Saood's　people　would
not　be　permitted　by　the　government　to　continue　these　atrocities。　They
ridiculed　the　idea；　and　declared　that　the　traders　would　always　continue
in　their　old　customs；　notwithstanding　the　presence　of　the　Khedive's
officers。　They　said　that　no　business　could　be　done　in　any　other　way　in
those　countries；　they　advised　me　to　〃take　women　and　cattle；　and　then　the
natives　would　listen　to　my　advice；　but　not　otherwise。〃

It　was　utter　folly　to　attempt　negotiations　with　these　people；　they　were
the　most　brutal　and　obtuse　savages。　They　had　been　abandoned　by　the
missionaries　as　hopeless；　and　they　would　acknowledge　nothing　but　force。

The　troops　were　discontented。　After　all　their　fatigues；　the　promised
land　was　starvation。　There　was　still　much　work　to　be　done；　as　the
expedition　was　in　fact　only　commencing。　By　degrees　the　Baris　absented
themselves　entirely　from　our　camp；　and　we　were　left　to　ourselves　as
utter　strangers。　The　cattle　were　driven　over　to　our　fine　pasturage
daily；　and　returned　at　night　to　their　island；　but　not　an　ox；　or　even　a
goat；　was　ever　offered　for　sale；　and　all　communication　between　us　and
the　natives　had　apparently　ceased。

It　was　quite　impossible　to　allow　this　to　continue。　I　gave　the　order；　and
once　more　the　soldiers　quietly　surrounded　the　herd　of　cattle；　and　drove
them　to　head…quarters　as　before。　The　old　scene　was　re…enacted。　The　new
sheik；　Morbe；　together　with　Allorron　and　many　headmen；　arrived。　Again　a
long　palaver　took　place；　through　the　medium　of　Tomby；　the　interpreter；
and　the　promises　of　good　behaviour　were　renewed。

I　informed　them　that　I　should　not　confiscate　their　cattle；　but　I　should
keep　them　as　hostages　for　their　good　behaviour；　at　the　same　time；　I
should　select　a　certain　number　of　oxen　as　food　for　the　troops；　which
should　be　paid　for。

The　meeting　terminated　with　fresh　assurances　of　goodwill　。　。　。　A　few
days　elapsed；　but　the　Baris　did　not　return；　we　were　completely
abandoned。

On　June　29th　the　camp　was　disturbed　at　night　by　an　attempt　of　the
natives　to　drive　off　some　of　the　cattle。　The　sentry　fired；　but　without
effect。　I　foresaw　trouble。

On　June　1st　I　issued　a　General　Order　to　the　troops

〃The　natives　of　the　Bari　having　disobeyed　the　summons　of　the　government；
and　having　refused　compliance　with　the　regulations　established；　it　has
become　necessary　to　compel　them　to　obedience　by　force。

〃In　the　event　of　hostilities；　I　specially　forbid　the　capture　of　women；
or　children　of　either　sex。　Any　officer　or　soldier　disobeying　this　order
will　suffer　death。　〃S。　W。　BAKER。〃

I　felt　certain　that　a　breach　of　the　peace　was　at　hand；　and　I　made
arrangements　accordingly。　The　troops　were　daily　engaged　in　building　the
station；　in　which　they　were　assisted　by　the　sailors；　all　of　whom　were
obliged　to　carry　the　material　from　a　distance　of　two　miles　from　the
forest。　A　party　of　sawyers　with　a　small　escort　of　soldiers　were　settled
in　a　camp　about　three　miles　from　my　station；　as　the　distance　was　too
great　for　a　daily　return　from　their　work。　One　night　they　were　attacked
by　the　natives；　who　shot　arrows　and　yelled　for　about　an　hour；　but
fortunately　did　not　succeed　in　wounding　any　of　the　men；　who　were　well
protected　by　the　trunks　of　some　very　large　trees。　The　soldiers　had　fired
away　a　considerable　amount　of　ammunition　in　return；　until　they　managed
to　escape　during　the　darkness；　and　run　away　to　head…quarters。

On　3rd　June；　at　about　3　P。M。；　when　the　cattle　were　grazing　in　the
beautiful　park…like　ground　about　a　mile　from　head…quarters；　some　Baris；
who　had　stealthily　approached　the　herd　by　stalking　from　bush　to　bush；
without　being　observed　by　the　sleepy　guards；　made　a　sudden　rush　with
loud　yells　among　the　cattle；　and　succeeded　in　driving　off　ten　cows　with
which　they　swam　the　river　without　a　shot　being　fired　by　the　unready
soldiers。　（On　this　occasion　the　guards　must　have　run　away　at　the　first
onset　of　the　natives。）

On　the　night　of　the　4th　June　two　natives　were　captured　by　the　sentries。
These　people　had　crept　in　the　pitch　darkness；　until　they　had　succeeded
in　entering　the　cattle　zareeba。　One　of　them　confessed　that　a　large　body
of　natives　was　assembled　in　the　high　grass　near　the　banks　of　the　river；
with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　camp　during　the　night。

I　immediately　took　eighteen　men；　and　posted　them　in　three　parties　of　six
at　various　points　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　my　station。　They　were
to　lie　concealed　in　these　positions；　which　commanded　every　approach　to
the　camp。

At　10。30　P。M。　I　was　aroused　by　the　sound　of　firing；　and　upon　arrival　at
the　shot　I　found　that　the　sentries　had　fired　into　the　advanced　party　of
natives；　some　of　whom　they　declared　to　be　wounded；　but　I　could　find　no
trace　of　blood。

Open　war　had　commenced。　The　natives　had　deserted　their　villages　on　the
portion　of　the　island　opposite　to　my　camp。　This　was　about　seven　miles　in
length；　therefore；　in　return　for　the　attacks　made　upon　my　people　on　our
mainland；　I　determined　to　pay　the　Baris　a　visit。

I　issued　the　necessary　orders。　At　3　A。M。；　on　June　5th；　five　boats　with
sixty　men　dropped　silently　down　the　east　channel　of　the　river；　with
orders　to　land　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　island。　At　the　same　time　two
companies　of　troops　landed　opposite　my　station；　where　they　waited　in　the
dark　until　the　steamer；　with　myself　and　two　companies　on　board；　had
rounded　the　head　of　the　island；　and　had　obtained　a　position　in　the　west
channel。　The　troops　then　advanced　while　the　steamer　ran　easily　down　the
strong　current。　Everything　went　well；　but　the　noise　of　the　paddles
quickly　gave　the　alarm；　and　the　sound　of　a　big　drum　in　the　distance　was
almost　immediately　responded　to　by　many　others　from　various　points。

The　steamer　now　ran　at　half　speed　along　the　river；　the　intention　of
cutting　off　any　native　canoes；　or　intercepting　any　herds　of　cattle　that
might　be　passing　to　the　west　mainland。　Every　arrangement　was　well
carried　out；　but；　unfortunately；　as　we　were　running　at　about　nine　miles
an　hour；　the　steamer　suddenly　struck　upon　a　sand…bank；　where　she
remained　fixed。

After　some　vain　attempts　to　float　her；　I　instructed　Raouf　Bey　to　do　his
best　with　her；　and　act；　according　to　circumstances；　at　his　own
discretion；　while　I　left　the　steamer　in　the　dingy；　accompanied　by
Lieutenant　Baker　and　six　soldiers　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　with　the
intention　of　joining　the　two　companies　under　Lieutenant…Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　who　were　marching　down　the　island　from　south　to　north。

We　rowed　down　the　stream　for　forty…five　minutes　along　the　west　bank　of
the　island。　I　had　calculated　the　distance　by　time；　and　having　allowed
for　the　delay　on　the　steamer　and　the　pace　at　which　the　troops　under
Abd…el…Rader　would　march；　I　concluded　that　we　should　now　land　somewhere
near　them。　This　turned　out　correct；　as　we　joined　his　party　a　few　minutes
after　we　had　left　the　boat。　I　immediately　detached　a　sergeant　and
nineteen　men　to　march　along　the　east　bank　until　they　should　meet　my
boat；　which　had　been　ordered　to　continue　along　the　west　bank　until　it
should　turn　round　the　tail　of　the　island；　when　it　was　to　return　home　by
the　east　channel；　that　would　lead　direct　to　my　station。

We　had　not　seen　any　Baris　upon　the　island；　whi