ismailia-第79节

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several　occasions　accompanied　the　slave…hunters　in　razzias　along　the
river　to　Foquatch　and　Magungo。　Just　as　we　halted；　a　party　of　Umiro
hunters　came　across　our　path；　but　immediately　took　to　flight；　as　they
supposed　we　were　enemies。

The　day's　march　had　been　thirteen　miles；　and　we　were　requested　by　our
guide；　Shooli；　to　halt　for　the　night；　as　there　was　no　water　for　a
considerable　distance　to　the　south。

I　immediately　employed　the　soldiers　in　the　construction　of　a　cattle
kraal；　lest　the　prowling　Umiro　should　endeavour　to　scare　the　animals
during　the　night。

On　21st　March　we　started　at　6　A。M。；　and　marched　thirteen　miles　through
forest。　We　at　length　reached　water；　but　it　was　so　thick　with　mud　that
the　horses　refused　to　drink　it。

On　the　22nd　we　were　compelled　to　march　twenty…three　miles；　as　the　water
was　quite　undrinkable；　the　few　muddy　pools　having　been　stirred　into
paste　by　the　buffaloes　and　elephants。

We　now　reached　the　grand　Victoria　Nile；　flowing　beneath　cliffs　of
seventy　or　eighty　feet　in　depth；　through　magnificent　forest。　It　was
refreshing　for　all　parties　to　obtain　pure　water　after　the　miserable
fluid　we　had　lately　been　compelled　to　drink。

In　the　evening　a　sheik　and　several　people；　who　had　known　me　formerly；
crossed　the　river　from　the　Unyoro　side；　and　desired　an　interview。　They
reported　that　the　Khartoum　traders　had　almost　destroyed　the　country；　and
they　begged　me　simply　to　judge　with　my　own　eyes。

I　must　now　extract　from　my　journal　the　entry　of　the　date；　as；　although
briefly　written；　it　will　convey　the　impression　of　the　moment：

〃March　23；　1872。We　marched　three　miles　east；　along　the　banks　of　the
beautiful　Victoria　Nile；　through　fine　open　forest；　until　we　halted　on　a
high　cliff　exactly　opposite；　the　last　station　of　Abou　Saood；　commanded
by　a　vakeel　named　Suleiman。

〃It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　change　that　has　taken　place　since　I
last　visited　this　country。　It　was　then　a　perfect　garden；　thickly
populated；　and　producing　all　that　man　could　desire。　The　villages　were
numerous；　groves　of　plantains　fringed　the　steep　cliff's　on　the　river's
bank；　and　the　natives　were　neatly　dressed　in　the　bark　cloth　of　the
country。

〃The　scene　has　changed！

〃All　is　wilderness！　The　population　has　fled。　Not　a　village　is　to　be
seen！

〃This　is　the　certain　result　of　the　settlement　of　Khartoum　traders。　They
kidnap　the　women　and　children　for　slaves；　and　plunder　and　destroy
wherever　they　set　their　foot。

〃Seleiman　and　Eddrees；　two　vakeels；　who　were　well　known　to　me　as　forming
a　portion　of　Ibrahim's　party　on　my　former　journey；　now　came　across　the
river　to　visit　me。

〃The　cunning　Abou　Saood　has　never　told　them　of　the　expiration　of　the
government　contract　with　Agad　&　Co。；　neither　had　they　any　warning　of　my
expected　arrival。

〃I　explained　the　exact　state　of　affairs。

〃The　principal　sheik　of　the　district；　with　many　people；　came　to　see　me。
The　chief；　Quonga；　was　one　of　my　old　acquaintances；　and　was　formerly　the
favourite　adviser　of　Kamrasi。

〃Kamrasi　died　about　two　years　ago。　His　sons　fought　for　the　succession；
and　each　aspirant　sought　the　aid　of　the　traders。　This　civil　strife
exactly　suited　the　interests　of　the　treacherous　Khartoumers。　The　several
companies　of　slave…hunters　scattered　over　the　Madi；　Shooli；　and　Unyoro
countries　represented　only　one　interest；　that　of　their　employers；　Agad
and　Co。

〃Each　company；　commanded　by　its　independent　vakeel；　arrived　in　Unyoro；
and　supported　the　cause　of　each　antagonistic　pretender　to　the　throne；
and　treacherously　worked　for　the　ruin　of　all；　excepting　him　who　would　be
able　to　supply　the　largest　amount　of　ivory　and　slaves。

〃The　favourite　sons　of　Kamrasi　were　Kabba　Rega　and　Kabka　Miro；　while　the
old　enemy　of　the　family；　Rionga；　the　cousin　of　Kamrasi；　again　appeared
upon　the　scene。

〃The　companies　of　Abou　Saood　supported　all　three；　receiving　ivory　and
slaves　from　each　as　the　hire　of　mercenary　troops；　and　at　length　they
played　out　their　game　by　shooting　Kabka　Miro；　and　securing　the　throne　to
Kabba　Rega。

〃They　arranged　with　Rionga　that　he　should　be　ostensibly　banished　to　a
convenient　distance；　to　be　ready　as　a　trump　card；　should　occasion
require；　against　the　new　king；　Kabba　Rega。

〃I　explained　the　new　reform　to　Quonga；　and　I　gave　him　the　following
presents　for　Kabba　Rega；　who　resides　about　six　days'　march　south…west　of
this　spot：

〃One　piece　entire　of　Turkey　red　cloth；　one　piece　grey　calico；　twelve
pounds　of　beads　of　the　finest　varieties；　three　zinc　mirrors；　two　razors；
one　long　butcher's　knife；　two　pair　scissors；　one　brass　bugle；　one　German
horn；　two　pieces　of　red　and　yellow　handkerchiefs；　one　piece　of　yellow
ditto；　one　peacock　Indian　scarf；　one　blue　blanket；　six　German　silver
spoons；　sixteen　pairs　of　various　car…rings；　twelve　finger…rings；　two
dozen　mule　harness　bells；　six　elastic　heavy　brass　spring　wires；　one
pound　long　white　horsehair；　three　combs；　one　papier…mache　tray；　one
boxwood　fife；　one　kaleidoscope。

〃I　proclaimed　upon　all　sides　that　the　reign　of　terror　was　ended。　As　I
formerly；　when　alone；　had　defended　Kamrasi；　and　driven　out　the　invaders
under　Wat…el…Mek；　by　hoisting　the　English　ensign；　so　now　I　would　take
the　country　under　my　protection　with　a　powerful　force。

〃I　gave　Quonga　and　all　his　sheiks　presents　of　beads；　and　shocked　them
powerfully　with　the　magnetic　battery；　leaving　a　strong　impression。

〃March　24。…I　wrote　officially　to　Suleiman；　the　vakeel　of　Agad　&　Co。；　to
give　him　warning　'that　sixteen　days　hence　the　contract　would　expire；　and
that　he　and　all　his　people　must　be　ready　to　evacuate　the　country　and
return　to　Khartoum　on　that　day。　That　any　person　who　should　remain　after
this　notice　would　be　imprisoned。　That；　should　he　or　any　of　his　people
wish　to　enlist　in　the　service　of　the　government　as　irregular　troops；
their　names　must　be　handed　in　before　the　expiration　of　two　days。'

〃Suleiman　declared　his　willingness　to　enlist　together　with　Eddrees　and
several　others。

〃He　told　me　that　nothing　could　be　procured　in　the　country。　Thank　God　I
left　a　good　reputation　here　seven　years　ago；　thus　I　shall　be　able　to
purchase　food。

〃This　morning　my　old　acquaintance；　Keedja；　formerly　chief　of　Atada；　came
to　see　me　with　many　of　his　people；　and　with　perfect　confidence　they
commenced　a　trade；　bringing　provisions　in　exchange　for　beads。　They
promised　to　arrive　to…morrow；　and　to　establish　a　daily　market　at　our
camp。

〃Keedja　explains　that　he　and　his　people　have　been　obliged　to　fly　from
the　depredations　of　the　companies　of　Abou　Saood；　thus　they　have　settled
in　the　forest　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　and　have　cultivated　farms。
They　have　very　few　clothes；　as　their　bark…cloth　trees　are　on　the　south
side　of　the　river　in　their　old　plantations。

〃All　the　people　declare　they　will　now　return　to　their　old　habitations
and　re…cultivate　the　land　as　in　former　days。

〃I　found　that　the　natives　who　ran　from　us　on　the　march；　and　dropped
their　elephant　spears；　were　Keedja's　people；　thus　I　returned　to　them　the
three　spears　and　an　axe；　to　their　great　astonishment。　（A　party　of
native　hunters　had　been　scared　during　our　march　by　our　sudden
appearance。）

〃The　elephant　spears　were　of　a　kind　used　from　trees。　The　blade　is　about
twenty　inches　long；　the　handle　about　twenty…four　inches。　The　end　of　the
handle　is　heavily　weighted　with　a　lump　of　several　pounds；　composed　of
clay；　cow…dung；　and　chopped　straw；　and　the　weapon；　beautifully
sharpened；　is　dropped　upon　the　elephant's　back　by　a　hunter　from　the
branches　of　a　tree。　The　constant　movement　of　the　heavy　handle　as　it
strikes　the　boughs　when　the　elephant　rushes　through　the　forest；　cuts　the
animal　so　terribly　that　it　bleeds　to　death。　The　hunters　follow　on　the
blood　track　until　they　find　the　dying　animal。

〃March　25。　Suleiman；　the　vakeel；　summoned　his　men　to　volunteer　for　the
government　service　as　irregular　troops。

〃I　issued　a　written　proclamation；　that　should　volunteers　enlist；　the
term　of　service　would　be　annual；　subject　to　three　months'　notice；　should
any　officer　or　private　wish　to　retire　at　the　expiration　of　twelve
months。

〃The　rank　of　the　vakeel　would　be　equivalent　to　that　of　major　in　the
regular　army。

〃The　pay　would　be　equal　to　that　of　regular　troops。

〃If　I　can　form　a　regiment　of　600　irregulars　I　shall　be　independent　of
troops　from　Khartoum。

〃March　26。　Quonga　and　many　other　sheiks　arrived；　and　were　quite
delighted　with　the　wheel　of　life。

〃The　natives　are　selling　sweet　potatoes　and　tobacco　for　beads；　but　flour
is　brought　in　very　small　quantities。

〃March　27。　Provisions　are　coming　in　so　slowly　that　we　shall　be　short
of　food。　Upon　the　arrival　of　Quonga　and　his　sheiks；　I　make　a　hot
complaint；　he　coldly　told　me　that　it　would　be　better　if　the　soldiers
were　to　forage　for　themselves。

〃I　explained　to　him　the　rigid　discipline　that　I　enforced；　and　that；
should　I　once　permit　thieving；　the　troops'　character　would　be　entirely
ruined；　and　they　would　pillage　throughout　the　route。

〃He　replied　that　this　neighbourhood　was　in　a　state　of　anarchy；　that　many
of　the　inhabitants　were　hostile　to　Kabba　Rega；　and　they　would　not　obey
his　orders。

〃I　told　him　that　my　troops　were　lambs　if　well　fed；　but　they　were　like
lions　if　hungry；　and　to　prove