ismailia-第77节

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The　natives　refuse　to　carry　loads；　and　they　transport　an　elephant's　tusk
by　boring　a　hole　in　the　hollow　end；　through　which　they　attach　a　rope；　it
is　then　dragged　along　the　ground　by　a　donkey。　The　ivory　is　thus
seriously　damaged　。　。　。　。　。

Such　was　the　position　of　affairs　at　Fatiko　in　March；　1872。　New　and
important　countries　had　been　investigated；　not　by　explorers　or　traders；
but　by　the　brigands　of　Abou　Saood；　whose　first　introduction　was　the
unprovoked　attack　and　carrying　off　of　slaves　and　cattle。

Such　conduct　could　only　terminate　in　an　extension　of　the　ruin　which　a
similar　course　had　determined　in　every　country　that　had　been　occupied　by
the　traders　of　the　White　Nile。

I　trusted　that　my　arrival　would　create　a　great　reform；　and　restore
confidence　throughout　the　country。　The　news　had　spread　far　and　wide。　The
scarlet　soldiers　were　regarded　as　a　distinct　species；　and　the　report
quickly　circulated；　that　the　〃Pacha's　troops　were　entirely　different
from　any　that　had　hitherto　been　seen；　as　their　clothes　were　red；　and
their　muskets　were　loaded　from　the　wrong　end。〃

I　now　determined　to　establish　a　station　at　Fatiko；　to　represent　the
government　during　my　absence　in　the　south。

Abou　Saood　had　sworn　fidelity。　Of　course　I　did　not　believe　him；　but　as
the　natives　had　welcomed　the　government；　I　could　not　leave　them　without
protection。

It　was　therefore　arranged　with　Abou　Saood　that　after　the　expiration　of
the　contract；　all　operations　should　cease。　He　would　simply　remain　on
sufferance　in　the　country；　until　he　should　be　able　to　transport　his
ivory　to　Gondokoro。　This　could　only　be　effected　by　the　arrival　of
carriers　from　his　stations；　about　180　miles　west　of　the　Nile；　in　the
Makkarika　country。　His　first　step　would　therefore　be　to　communicate　with
the　vakeel　Atroosh；　who　commanded　about　600　men　in　the　west　station。

I　ordered　Abou　Saood　to　disarm　the　seventy　Baris　who　were　in　his　service
at　Fatiko；　as　I　would　not　allow　muskets　to　be　placed　in　the　hands　of
natives　who　were　hostile　to　the　government。

This　he　promised　to　do；　but　of　course　he　evaded　the　order；　by　returning
the　arms　to　the　Baris　the　instant　I　had　departed。

It　may　appear　to　the　public　that　having　〃absolute　and　supreme　power；〃　I
was　absurdly　lenient　towards　Abou　Saood；　whom　I　knew　to　be　so　great　a
villain。　I　confess　to　one　fault。　I　should　have　arrested　and　transported
him　to　Khartoum　when　he　first　arrived　at　Gondokoro　with　the　cattle
stolen　from　the　Shir；　which　caused　the　subsequent　massacre　of　the　five
soldiers　of　the　government。

At　the　same　time　that　I　admit　this　error；　it　must　be　remembered　that　I
was　placed　in　an　awkward　position。

〃Absolute　and　supreme　power〃　is　a　high…sounding　title；　but　how　was　I　to
exert　it？

I　was　an　individual　possessing　a　nominal　power；　the　application　of　which
required　extreme　delicacy。　I　was　determined　to　win；　and　with　God's　help
I　did　win；　but　every　step　necessitated　the　coolest　judgment。　Had　I
adopted　severe　or　extreme　measures　against　Abou　Saood；　I　might　have
ruined　the　expedition　at　commencement。

It　was　impossible　to　know　who　was　faithful。　There　was　a　general　leaning
towards　his　favour　among　all　the　officers；　with　whom　he　had　been　in
close　connection　when　in　Khartoum。　He　was　a　man　in　a　high　social
position　in　the　Soudan；　the　partner　of　the　great　firm　of　Agad　&　Co。；　who
commanded　about　2；500　armed　men。　He　had　worked　for　many　years　in　company
with　the　government；　according　to　his　connection　by　agreement　with　the
governor…general。

I　knew　that　I　had　him　in　my　power；　provided　I　should　be　supported　by　the
authorities　in　Egypt；　therefore　I　gave　him　line；　and　occasionally　held
him　tight；　as　though　he　had　been　a　salmon　on　a　single　gut；　but　I　was
determined　to　land　him　safe　at　last；　in　such　a　manner　that　his　greatest
supporter　should　be　obliged　to　acknowledge　that　he　had　received　the
fairest　play。　Abou　Saood's　Fatiko　station　was　crowded　with　slaves。　His
people　were　all　paid　in　slaves。　The　stations　of　Fabbo；　Faloro；　and
Farragenia　were　a　mass　of　slaves。

I　did　not　enter　a　station　to　interfere　with　these　wretched　captives；　as
I　knew　that　such　an　act　would　create　irretrievable　confusion。

I　had　only　212　men；　and　I　wished　to　advance　to　the　equator。

Fatiko　was　in　north　latitude　3　degrees　01　minutes；　and　165　miles　from
headquarters。　Had　I　attempted　to　release　some　thousand　slaves　from　the
different　stations；　I　should　have　required　a　large　military　force　to
have　occupied　those　stations；　and　to　have　driven　out　the　whole　of　the
slave…hunters　bodily。

If　the　slaves　had　been　released；　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　have
returned　them　to　their　homes；　as　they　had　been　collected　from　every
quarter　of　the　compass　and　from　great　distances。　If　I　had　kept　them；　I
could　not　have　procured　food　for　so　large　a　number：　as　the　stations
contained　several　thousand。

Under　the　circumstances；　I　took　the　wiser　course　of　non…interference
with　the　stock　in　hand；　but　I　issued　the　most　severe　orders　respecting
the　future　conduct　of　Abou　Saood's　companies。　I　arranged　to　leave　a
detachment　of　100　men；　under　the　command　of　Major　Abdullah；　to　form　a
station　adjoining　that　of　Abou　Saood　in　Fatiko；　together　with　the
heavier　baggage　and　the　greater　portion　of　the　ammunition。

The　government　would　be　thus　represented　by　a　most　respectable　and
civilized　officer；　who　would　give　confidence　and　protection　to　the
country；　as　I　concluded　that　the　prestige　of　the　Khedive　would　be
sufficient　to　establish　order　among　his　subjects；　by　the　representation
of　one　of　his　officers　and　a　detachment　of　100　troops。

I　gave　orders　to　Gimoro　and　Shooli　to　prepare　carriers　for　the　journey
to　Unyoro。

An　untoward　occurrence　had　taken　place　shortly　after　our　arrival　at
Fatiko。

As　has　already　been　described；　the　Lobore　natives　had　not　only　cheated
us　out　of　many　cows　that　had　been　received；　for　which　the　carriers　had
not　been　forthcoming；　but　numbers　had　deserted　on　the　road；　which　had
caused　the　troops　great　trouble　and　fatigue；　as　they　had　been　obliged　to
divide　among　them　the　abandoned　loads。　Upon　our　arrival　at　Fatiko；　the
son　of　sheik　Abbio；　of　Lobore；　would　have　absconded　with　all　his　people；
had　he　not　been　retained　by　the　troops。　This　man　was　responsible　for　the
natives　who　had　engaged　themselves　for　the　journey。

It　would　have　been　the　height　of　imprudence　to　have　permitted　the
immediate　departure　of　our　carriers　before　I　had　arranged　for　the
future；　thus　about　eighty　were　secured　by　the　soldiers；　including　the
sheik's　son；　from　a　general　stampede　that　took　place。

I　ordered　them　to　be　disarmed；　as　I　considered　that　if　unarmed；　they
would　not　venture　alone　through　the　Madi　country。

In　the　evening　they　were　secured　by　a　slight　line　tied　round　each　man's
neck；　and　connected　in　gangs　of　five。　A　guard　was　placed　over　them　in
addition　to　the　usual　sentries。

At　about　4　a。m。　a　signal　was　given　by　one　of　their　people。　Every　man　had
gnawed　through　his　cord　with　his　teeth　during　the　darkness；　and　at　the
concerted　cry　in　a　language　that　no　one　understood；　the　entire　party；　of
upwards　of　eighty　men；　knocked　down　the　astonished　guard；　also　the
sentries；　and　rushed　headlong　over　the　rocks　in　the　direction　of　Lobore。

It　was　a　natural　impulse　and　a　soldier's　duty　to　fire　in　the　direction
of　the　assailants；　as　the　overturned　sentries　quickly　recovered　and
joined　the　guard　in　a　volley。

I　was　up　in　an　instant；　and　upon　arrival　at　the　spot　I　was　informed　of
the　occurrence。　It　was　pitch　dark；　therefore　a　lantern　was　brought；　and
after　a　search；　three　bodies　were　discovered　of　the　rash　and　unfortunate
Lobore。　I　was　exceedingly　sorry　that　such　an　event　had　happened；　at　the
same　time　I　could　hardly　blame　the　sentries。　I　was　much　afraid　that　if
three　were　shot　dead；　others　must　have　escaped　wounded；　and　altogether
the　affair　would　have　a　bad　effect　at　Lobore。

The　sheik　of　Fatiko　was　named　Wat…el…Ajoos。　This　name　had　been　given　him
by　the　slave…hunters；　meaning　〃Son　of　the　old　man。〃　His　village　was　not
quite　half　a　mile　from　our　camp；　and　he　frequently　came　to　see　me　with
his　interpreter；　accompanied　by　his　wives。

Upon　his　first　visit　I　gave　him　a　long　blue　shirt；　together　with　some
yards　of　Turkey　red　cambric；　to　form　a　waist　sash；　also　a　red　fez　and
two　razors；　with　a　quantity　of　beads　for　his　wives。

Fatiko　is　merely　a　district　of　the　great　country　of　Shooli；　which　is
governed　by　the　sheik；　Rot　Jarma。　This　person　had　sent　word　that　he
intended　to　visit　me；　to　tender　his　allegiance　to　the　government。

On　16th　March；　a　wild　sound　of　many　horns　was　the　first　introduction；
and　shortly　after；　a　number　of　his　people　advanced　chanting　a　peculiar
low　song；　and　dancing　a　solemn　slow　step。　The　great　sheik　came　behind
them。　He　was　quickly　ushered　into　my　presence　beneath　a　shady　acacia；
close　to　my　tent　door。　He　was　perfectly　red　from　head　to　toes；　having
been　freshly　smeared　with　red　ochre　and　grease　for　the　interview。　A
well…dressed　skin　of　an　antelope　was　slung　across　his　shoulder；　and
descending　across　his　loins　it　constituted　his　scanty　clothing。

His　conversation　was　merely　a　repetition　of　the　old　story　being　a　series
of　complaints　against　the　slave…hunters。　He　decla