ismailia-第81节

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agreed　to　furnish　soldiers　to　assist　the　forces　of　Kabba　Rega　in　a
united　attack　upon　Rionga；　and　the　army　was　now　only　a　short　distance
from　this　spot；　expecting　the　promised　aid。　My　arrival　had　upset　all
their　plans；　as　I　had　forbidden　all　action　until　I　should　have　had　a
personal　interview　with　Kabba　Rega。

〃The　military　operations　were　in　abeyance　until　a　reply　should　be
received　from　the　king。　The　return　messengers　were　expected　this
evening。

〃The　sheiks　declare　that　the　ruling　class　in　this　country　are　all
exceedingly　light　in　complexion　'because　they　do　no　work；　but　sit　in　the
shade　and　drink　abundance　of　milk。'

〃The　natives　of　Unyoro　are　very　inferior　in　PHYSIQUE　to　the　Fatiko。　This
is　the　result　of　vegetable　food　without　either　cereals　or　flesh。　None　of
the　general　public　possess　cattle；　thus　the　food　of　the　people　from
infancy；　after　their　mothers'　milk　has　ceased；　is　restricted　to
plantains　and　the　watery　sweet　potatoes。　The　want　of　milk　is　very
detrimental　to　the　children。　The　men　generally　exhibit　a　want　of　muscle；
and　many　are　troubled　with　cutaneous　diseases。

〃April　4。The　messengers　are　reported　to　have　arrived　from　Kabba　Rega。
Last　evening；　at　8　P。M。；　we　had　a　very　heavy　storm　of　rain　with　thunder。
Fifteen　cows　died　to…day；　and　I　fear　we　shall　lose　the　greater　portion
of　the　herd。　All　cattle　that　may　be　brought　from　the　countries　of　Bari；
Madi；　and　Langgo；　are　said　to　die　on　arrival　in　Unyoro。

〃April　5。The　great　sheiks；　Rahonka　and　Kittakara；　arrived；　together
with　Lokara　and　Quonga；　and　the　smaller　fry；　Pittia　and　Mallegge。　The
latter　was　my　guide　to　the　Albert　N'yanza　many　years　ago。

〃The　'Forty　Thieves'　and　the　band　received　them　on　arrival。　The　band
was；　of　course；　encored；　all　being　delighted　with　the　big　drum　and　the
cymbals。　The　latter　were　examined　as　great　curiosities。

〃Rahonka　is　Kamrasi's　maternal　uncle；　and　is　great…uncle　to　Kabba　Rega；
and　he　can　give　more　information　than　any　man　concerning　the
neighbouring　countries。

〃In　reply　to　my　inquiries　about　Livingstone；　he　says　that　two　persons
are　living　in　a　large　house　in　Karagwe；　which　they　have　constructed　in　a
different　form　to　those　of　the　natives。　These　people　have　no　military
escort；　but　they　possess　a　large　quantity　of　goods。　This　does　not　sound
like　Livingstone；　unless　he　may　have　joined　some　Arab　merchant。

〃There　are　natives　of　Karagwe　now　visiting　Kabba　Rega　at　Masindi；　thus　I
shall　have　a　good　opportunity　of　making　inquiries。　There　are　likewise
envoys　from　M'tese　in　this　country；　therefore　I　shall　be　able　to　send
him　a　valuable　present；　and　beg　him　to　search　for　Livingstone　in　all
directions。

〃April　6。Kabba　Rega's　messengers　presented　themselves；　with　an
offering　of　two　cows；　a　parcel　of　salt；　and　some　plantains。

〃One　of　these　cows　is　a　splendid　animal　from　Umiro。　She　is　the　size　of　a
fair　Durhambright　red　colourwith　immensely　long　and　massive　horns。

〃Had　I　not　had　former　experience　in　this　country；　and　provided　myself
with　a　herd　of　cattle；　eve　should　have　been　half…starved；　as　there　is
nothing　to　be　procured　but　beans；　sweet　potatoes；　and　plantains。

〃April　7。We　all　crossed　the　river　in　canoes。　A　heavy　shower　fell　this
morning。　My　improvident　men　have　torn　all　their　waterproof　cloaks　and
blankets　just　as　we　have　arrived　in　a　country　where　they　will　be　most
required。

〃April　8。It　now　rains　daily；　more　or　less。　The　order　was　given　by
Kabba　Rega　that　we　were　to　be　supplied　with　carriers　for　the　journey　to
Masindi；　which　is　to　be　under　the　charge　of　Rahonka。　Suleiman　and
Eddrees　have　arranged　with　their　men；　all　of　whom　now　present　in　the
camp　have　agreed　to　accept　the　government　rate　of　pay；　and　to　enlist　for
twelve　months。　I　accordingly　issued　serkis；　or　certificates；　for　each
man；　with　his　name；　date　of　engagement；　and　rate　of　wages。

〃This　is　very　satisfactory；　as　I　shall　now　have　a　station　in　my　rear　on
the　river；　with　the　command　of　boats；　while　I　march　up　the　country　to
Masindi。　The　irregulars　in　this　station；　which　is　in　the　district　of
Foweera；　number　sixty…five　men。　If　they　remain　faithful；　they　will　form
a　nucleus　for　the　irregulars　who　will　most　probably　follow　their
example。　I　understand　that　a　small　party　of　seventeen　men　are　now
staying　with　Kabba　Rega。　These　people　will　join　their　comrades　under
Suleiman；　and　raise　the　strength　of　the　Foweera　station　to　eighty…two
men。　I　shall　thus　be　able　to　keep　up　a　communication　with　my　detachment
at　Fatiko。

〃April　9。At　the　expiration　of　Agad's　contract　there　were　188
elephants'　tusks　in　the　zareeba　of　Suleiman。　These　will　remain　in　his
care。

〃The　natives　collected　were　insufficient　to　convey　all　the　loads。　I
therefore　sent　off　a　division；　escorted　by　Morgian　Agha　with　ten　men；　to
await　my　arrival　at　the　village　of　Deang。　The　sheik；　Rahonka；　killed　a
man　who　attempted　to　evade　the　order　to　carry　baggage。

〃April　10。Rain　fell　throughout　the　night；　which　makes　everybody
miserable。　During　the　middle　watch；　having　been　awakened　by　the　heavy
shower；　I　heard　the　sentry　outside　my　tent　muttering　a　kind　of　low
chant：'This　is　the　country　for　rain　and　potatoes；　this　is　the　place
for　potatoes　and　rain。　Potatoes　and　rain；　potatoes　and　rain；　rain　and
potatoes；　rain　and　potatoes。'

〃Neither　the　rain　nor　the　potatoes　were　esteemed　by　the　troops。　The
roots　were　almost　as　watery　as　the　rain；　and　their　sweetness　was
excessive。　A　very　uncomfortable　result　from　this　vapid　food　was　extreme
flatulence。　The　waist…belts　of　the　boys　were　obliged　to　be　let　out　by
several　holes　at　the　buckles。　As　my　men　justly　declared；　'They　were
uncomfortably　full　after　a　meal；　but　half…an…hour's　march　made　them　feel
as　though　they　had　fasted　for　a　day。'

〃During　the　afternoon　I　was　sitting　beneath　a　shady　tree；　with　my　wife
and　Lieutenant　Baker；　when　a　naked　native　rushed　wildly　past　the
sentries；　and；　before　he　could　be　restrained　threw　himself　on　the　ground
and　embraced　my　feet；　at　the　same　time　begging　for　mercy　by　the　Arabic
ejaculation；　'Aman！　aman！'

〃He　was　immediately　seized。　On　examination　through　an　interpreter；　it
appeared　that　he　was　a　native　of　Koitch；　near　Fatiko；　and　that　he　had
attached　himself　to　Suleiman's　party　at　some　former　time；　but　now　he　had
just　escaped　from　the　Foweera　station；　as　Suleiman　wished　to　kill　him。

〃In　a　few　minutes　Suleiman　himself　appeared：　he　was　pale　with　rage。

〃Suleiman　was　a　thorough　brigand　in　appearance。　His　father　was　a　Kurd：
thus　his　complexion　would　have　been　white　had　he　not　been　for　many　years
exposed　to　the　African　climate。　He　was　a　powerful　dare…devil…looking
fellow；　but　even　among　his　own　people　he　was　reputed　cruel　and
vindictive。

〃He　was　so　overpowered　with　passion　that　he　approached　and　kissed　my
hand　at　the　same　time　imploring　me；　'as　a　favour；　to　allow　him　to　cut
off　the　native's　head　with　his　sabre。'

〃Upon　a　trial　of　the　case；　I　found　that　the　native　was　a　thief；　and　that
upon　a　former　occasion　he　had　stolen　a　gun　and　two　pistols　from　the
camp；　which；　after　some　trouble；　had　been　recovered。　He　was　now　accused
of　aiding　and　abetting　at　the　escape　of　five　female　slaves　from　the
zareeba　during　the　past　night；　therefore　he　was　to　be　beheaded　without
delay。

〃As　this　was　not　my　form　of　punishment；　especially　for　the　crime　of
_releasing　slaves_　that　had　been　captured　by　force；　I　ordered　the　native
to　be　secured　in　the　zareeba　until　further　orders；　but　on　no　account
should　he　be　injured。

〃Although　I　had　heard　from　my　old　Cairo　dragoman；　Mohammed；　that　the
prisoner　was　a　bad　character；　I　did　not　wish　to　punish　him　severely；　as
the　effect　among　the　natives　of　the　country　would　be　disastrous。　He　had
run　to　me　for　protection；　therefore；　should　he　suffer；　a　precedent　would
be　established　that　would　deter　others　from　appealing　to　me　for　mercy。

〃The　man　was　led　away　under　a　guard　and　was　secured　in　the　zareeba。
Suleiman　acknowledged　that　he　was　in　an　inexcusable　rage；　but　that　I　had
been　just　in　my　decision；　and　he　would　keep　the　prisoner　in　safe　custody
until　further　orders。　Suleiman　was　to　accompany　me　on　the　journey　to
Masindi　on　the　following　morning；　as　Rahonka　had　collected　the　native
carriers。

〃That　evening；　after　a　heavy　shower；　we　witnessed　one　of　those
remarkable　appearances　of　the　winged　white　ants　that　issued　from　a　mound
within　a　few　yards　of　our　tent。　Millions　of　these　large　fat　insects
struggled　into　their　ephemeral　flight；　and　were　quickly　caught　by　our
people　with　lighted　wisps　of　straw。　The　ant　disengages　its　wings　a　few
minutes　after　its　appearance　from　the　parent　mound。

〃The　exodus　from　the　ant…hill　takes　place　annually　at　the　commencement
of　the　rainy　season；　and　the　collection　of　the　insects　is　considered　to
be　an　important　harvest　throughout　all　Central　Africa。　The　white　ant；　in
this　stage　of　its　existence；　is　esteemed　as　a　great　delicacy　when　fried
in　a　little　butter。

〃We　tasted　a　considerable　number；　and　found　them　tolerably　good；　but
with　a　slight　flavour　of　burnt　feathers。

〃On　April　11　we　were　ready　to　start；　but　at　the　last　moment　the　vakeel；
Suleiman；　who　was　to　accompany　us；　excused　himself　until　the　next　day；
as　he　had　some　important　business　to　transact　with　his　people。　I