ismailia-第76节

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their　allegiance。

I　now　discovered　that　the　principal　vakeel　of　Abou　Saood；　named　Mohammed
Wat…el…Mek；　had　only　recently　started　with　a　large　force；　by　Abou
Saood's　orders；　to　invade　the　Kooshi　country　on　the　west　side　of　the
White　Nile；　close　to　its　exit　from　the　Albert　N'yanza。

This　was　a　tribe　that　could　not　possibly　have　interfered　with　Abou
Saood；　but　as　the　cattle　had　been　exhausted　on　the　east　bank　of　the
river；　he　had　commenced　a　series　of　razzias　upon　the　west。　The　Koshi
were　people　with　whom　friendship　should　have　been　established；　as　they
were　on　the　navigable　Nile　that　would　eventually　be　traversed　by　the
steamer；　when　constructed　at　Ibrahimeyah。　It　was　thus　that　all　tribes
were　rendered　hostile　by　the　slave…hunters。

Mohammed　Wat…el…Mek　（son　of　the　king）　was　the　man　who　had　first
discovered　and　opened　up　the　countries　south　of　Gondokoro。　This　person
was　a　curious　but　useful　character　that　I　had　always　wished　to　employ；
as　he　had　great　power　with　the　natives；　and　he　knew　every　nook　and
corner　of　the　country。

I　had　known　him　during　my　former　journey；　and　it　appears　that　he　had
always　wished　to　serve　me　in　the　present　expedition。　The　slave…traders
of　Khartoum　had　been　determined　to　prevent　Wat…el…Mek　from　communicating
with　me；　thus；　when　I　had　arrived　in　Khartoum；　this　important　personage
was　actually　there；　but　he　was　quickly　sent　by　Abou　Saood　under　some
frivolous　pretext　up　the　Blue　Nile；　to　keep　him　out　of　the　way。

On　arrival　at　Gondokoro；　he　had　studiously　been　retained　on　the　west
bank　of　the　river；　and　his　name　had　been　kept　so　secret；　that　I　had
never　heard　it　mentioned。　Thus；　although　both　at　Khartoum　and　at
Gondokoro　Wat…el…Mek　had　been　within　a　few　hundred　paces　of　me；　I　had
always　supposed　that　he　was　in　Central　Africa。

Abou　Saood　now　declared　that　Wat…el…Mek　had　started　many　days　ago　from
Fatiko　to　Koshi；　but　I　subsequently　discovered　that　he　had　only　left
Fatiko　on　the　morning　of　my　arrival；　and　that　he　was　kept　waiting　at
Fabbo　station；　only　twenty…two　miles　west　of　Fatiko；　for　several　days；
while　I　had　been　told　by　Abou　Saood　that　he　had　gone　to　Koshi。

Mohammed　Wat…el…Mek　was　the　son　of　a　petty　king　far　away　up　the　Blue
Nile；　beyond　Fazokle。

He　had　in　early　life　been　a　serjeant　or　choush　in　the　Egyptian　army；　but
having　an　adventurous　disposition；　he　had　taken　to　the　White　Nile；　as
the　vakeel　of　Andrea　Debono；　a　Maltese　ivory　merchant。

Mr。　Debono；　being　a　British　subject；　retired　from　the　trade　when　the
slave…hunting　arrived　at　such　a　pitch　that　it　became　impossible　for
Europeans　to　continue　business　on　the　White　Nile。　（The　slave　trade
arrived　at　such　a　maximum　that　all　European　traders　in　ivory　were　driven
from　the　White　Nile；　including　Mr。　Petherick；　British　Consul。）

Debono　had　amassed　a　considerable　fortune　entirely　through：　the　energy
of　Wat…el…Mek；　who　had　pushed　into　the　interior；　and　had　established　his
stations　with　considerable　forethought　and　skill　throughout　the　formerly
unvisited　Madi　country。

Wat…el…Mek　was　an　exceedingly　black　man；　about　the　middle　height；　and
much　pitted　with　the　small…pox。　While　in　the　service　of　Debono；　he　had
commanded　the　station　of　Faloro；　where　he　had　most　hospitably　received
Speke　and　Grant　on　their　arrival　from　Zanzibar。　These　great　travellers
were　entertained　at　Faloro　during　many　weeks；　and　were　afterwards
conducted　by　their　host　to　Gondokoro；　where　I　had　the　good　fortune　to
meet　them。

Wat…el…Mek　was　a　very　courageous　fellow；　and　although　he　would　not
perhaps　have　been　considered　a　good　character　at　London　police　court；　he
was　a　man　who　would　be　most　useful　to　an　expedition　in　Central　Africa；
where　his　vicious　propensities　could　be　restrained　by　the　discipline　of
government。

When　Speke　parted　from　him　at　Gondokoro；　he　presented　him　with　a
beautiful　double…barrelled　gun　by　Blissett；　in　addition　to　other
articles。

The　worst　vice　of　this　man　was　drinking。　When　drunk；　he　could　be　induced
to　yield　to　any　absurdity。

However；　with　all　his　faults；　I　should　have　been　glad　of　Wat…el…Mek　to
command　the　irregular　force。

In　the　days　when　Debono　was　the　proprietor　of　the　Madi　station；
Wat…el…Mek　had　been　the　sole　vakeel；　and　although　he　was　a　tyrant；　he
was　not　disliked　by　the　natives。　Since　Debono　had　sold　his　stations　to
the　firm　of　Agad　&　Co。；　every　separate　camp　was　governed　by　an
independent　vakeel；　thus　there　were　many　tyrants　instead　of　one。

These　numerous　agents　acted　in　opposition　to　each　other　in　the　purchase
of　ivory。　If　a　native　of　Fatiko　should　take　a　tusk　to　sell　at　the
station　of　Fabbo；　he　would　run　the　chance　of　being　shot　upon　his　return。
This　system　of　attempted　monopoly　was　carried　out　throughout　the
country；　and　naturally　resulted　in　anarchy。　Although　all　the　vakeels　and
companies　belonged　to　one　firm；　they　acted　as　rival　traders。　Thus；　if
slaves　ran　away　from　one　station　and　took　shelter　with　the　natives　of　a
village　belonging　to　the　people　of　another　vakeel；　an　attack　would　be
made　upon　the　village　that　harboured　the　runaways；　and　their　women　and
children　would　be　immediately　captured。

This　onslaught　on　the　village　under　the　protection　of　a　certain　station
would　be　quickly　returned　by　a　counter…attack　upon　a　village　belonging
to　the　encroaching　vakeel。　This　system　was　purposely　adopted；　as　it
served　to　divide　the　country　into　opposing　sections；　which　prevented　the
natives　from　forming　a　general　coalition。

It　may　readily　be　imagined　that　my　arrival　was　hailed　with　satisfaction
by　the　natives　throughout　the　country。　Should　a　stranger　have　filled　my
position；　there　might　have　been　some　suspicion　in　the　minds　of　the
natives；　but　I　had　been　so　well　known　during　my　former　journey；　that　the
people　accepted　the　new　government　with　thorough　confidence。

Wat…el…Mek；　who　was　always　the　discoverer　of　unknown　lands；　had　lately
visited　a　new　country　in　the　east。

It　may　be　remembered　by　the　readers　of　〃The　Albert　N'yanza；〃　that
shortly　before　my　return　from　Shooa　（only　six　miles　from　Fatiko）　a　new
country　named　Lira　had　been　discovered　by　the　vakeel　of　Koorshad
Agha〃Ibrahim。〃　Poor　Ibrahim　was　dead；　otherwise　I　should　have　had　a
good　and　dependable　man。

The　Lira　country　was　rich　in　ivory；　but　the　greatest　prize　discovered
was　the　presence　of　donkeys；　which　are　quite　unknown　in　the　White　Nile
districts。

Wat…el…Mek　had　now　penetrated　beyond　Lira；　and　had　reached　the　country
of　Langgo；　which　was　exceedingly　interesting。

From　the　description　of　the　people；　it　appeared　that　the　portion　of　the
Langgo　visited　by　them　was　entirely　different　from　the　country　between
Gondokoro　and　Unyoro。

The　expedition　HAD　CROSSED　THE　SOBAT　RIVER；　and　had　arrived　in　the
Langgo　about　130　miles　due　east　of　Fatiko。　They　described　the　country　as
similar　to　portions　of　the　Soudan。　Generally；　flat　plains　of　the　rich
grass　known　as　negheel；　which　never　grows　high；　and　is　the　finest
pasturage。　The　trees　were　for　the　most　part　Soont　（Acacia　Arabica）；
which　is　not　met　with　in　the　White　Nile　countries　south　of　the　Sobat
junction。

The　Langgos　were　an　immense　tribe；　but　were；　like　the　Baris；　divided
under　many　chiefs。　These　people　were　exceedingly　large　and　powerful；　and
were　esteemed　as　great　warriors。　They　seldom　ate　flour；　but　lived　upon
the　milk　and　flesh　of　their　innumerable　herds。

The　cattle　were　as　large　as　those　of　England；　and　were　celebrated　for
the　extreme　size　of　their　horns。

Wat…el…Mek　had　made　a　razzia　with　a　very　powerful　force；　collected　from
all　the　stations　of　Abou　Saood；　and　he　had　succeeded　in　capturing　an
enormous　number　of　these　fine　animals；　together　with　a　large　herd　of
donkeys。

These　strange　cattle　would　not　live　at　Fatiko；　as　the　herbage　was　quite
different　to　that　to　which　they　had　been　accustomed。　They　died　in　such
numbers；　that　in　three　months　only　three　or　four　remained　out　of　as　many
thousand。　Thus　all　these　beautiful　beasts　were　wasted。

The　river　Sobat　was　described　as　flowing　from　the　south；　and　was　known
as　the　Chol。　The　Asua　river　is　only　one　day's　march　or　about　twenty
miles；　east　of　Fatiko。　The　Sobat　is　never　dry　and　is　reported　to　be　a
noble　river；　this　suggests　that　Speke　Victoria　N'yanza；　or　the　Bahr
Ingo's　eastern　corner；　must　have　an　effluent　in　addition　to　the　Victoria
Nile；　that　flows　from　M'tese's　capital　of　Uganda。

Beyond　Langgo　there　is　a　country　called　Lobbohr；　which　is　said　to
possess　camels。　In　the　Lobbohr　there　is　a　river　called　Jooba。　This　is；　I
believe；　the　Juba　that　flows　into　the　Indian　Ocean；　as　the　report
continues　that：　〃Arabs　arrive　at　Lobbohr　mounted　upon　camels；　and　armed
with　swords　and　pistols；　but　without　guns。〃　Horses　and　donkeys　are　also
reported　to　exist　in　Lobbohr。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　most　important　countries　lie　to　the　east　of
Fatiko；　and　should　the　story　of　camels　prove　correct；　there　will　be　no
difficulty　in　opening　up　a　commercial　route。

It　appears　that　at　Langgo　the　demand　for　beads　is　very　great；　as　the
natives　work　them　into　patterns　upon　their　matted　hair。　Ivory　has　little
or　no　value；　and　exists　in　large　quantities。

The　natives　refuse　to　carry　loads；　and　they　transport　an　elephant's　tusk
by　boring　a　hole　in　the　hollow　end；　thr