ismailia-第85节

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neglected；　and　is　composed　of　some　thousand　large　beehive…shaped　straw
huts；　without　any　arrangement　or　plan。

〃I　selected　a　position　beneath　a　large　banian…tree；　from　the　base　of
which　I　cleared　the　herbage；　and　having　pitched　the　tent；　the　natives
tore　up　about　an　acre　of　the　high　grass；　and　we　encamped　upon　the　clean
ground。

〃Kabba　Rega　sent　a　present　of　twenty…nine　loads　of　tullaboon　（a　small
seed；　Eleusine　Coracan）；　a　quantity　of　plantains　and　potatoes；　and　six
goats。

〃This　spot　is　in　N。　lat。　1　deg。　45　min。；　and　is　seventy…nine　miles；　by
our　route；　from　the　river　at　Foweera。　We　are　thus　322　miles　by　route
from　Ismailia　（Gondokoro）。

〃April　26。…I　visited　Kabba　Rega　officially；　with　the　officers　and　troops
in　full　uniform；　and　the　band　playing。

〃I　found　him　sitting　in　his　divan；　this　was　a　large　neatly…constructed
hut；　ornamented　with　some　very　common　printed　cotton　cloths；　which　had
arrived　via　Zanzibar。　Kabba　Rega　was　very　well　clad；　in　beautifully　made
bark…cloth　striped　with　black；　he　was　excessively　neat；　and　appeared　to
be　about　twenty　years　of　age。　He　gave　me　the　same　account　of　the
atrocious　proceedings　of　Abou　Saood's　companies　that　I　had　already
received　from　his　chiefs；　and　he　expressed　his　delight　at　my　arrival；
and　that　I　had　captured　Suleiman　and　some　of　his　people。

〃I　explained　the　intentions　of　the　Khedive　of　Egypt；　at　the　same　time　I
lamented　the　terrible　change　that　had　occurred　throughout　his　country
since　my　former　visit。　I　assured　him　that　the　future　would　be
prosperous；　and　that；　under　the　protection　of　Egypt；　he　would　never　have
further　cause　for　alarm。　I　then　summoned　the　prisoners　that　had　been
captured　and　disarmed　by　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　and　having　explained　the
charges　against　them；　they　were　publicly　flogged　in　the　presence　of　a
multitude　of　Kabba　Rega's　people；　while　Suleiman　and　Eddrees　were　led
away　in　shebas；　to　the　astonishment　and　delight　of　all　beholders。

〃The　slaves　that　had　been　discovered　in　the　possession　of　Suleiman's
people　were　now　brought　forward；　and　having　been　identified　by　Kabba
Rega　and　his　people　as　belonging　to　Unyoro；　they　were　at　once　released；
and　I　returned　both　young　girls　and　boys　to　their　country。　One　woman　did
not　wish　to　leave　the　traders；　as　she　had　been　married　to　one　of　the
company　for　some　years；　and　had　several　children。

〃I　explained　that　they　were　actually　FREEto　remain　with　their　captors；
or　to　return　to　their　homes；　as　they　thought　proper。

〃This　was　a　good　opportunity　for　assuring　both　Kabba　Rega　and　this
people　that　I　should　restore　all　the　slaves　that　had　been　carried　out　of
their　country　to　the　various　stations　of　Abou　Saood　at　Fatiko；　Fabbo；
Faloro；　&c。

〃I　described　to　the　young　king　and　his　chiefs　that　I　was　determined　to
suppress　the　slave　trade；　and　that　I　had　hitherto　forborne　to　interfere
in　the　release　of　the　slaves　at　the　various　stations；　as　it　would　have
been　impossible　to　have　returned　them　to　their　distant　homes；　neither
could　I　have　supplied　them　with　food。　I　was　now　at　Masindi；　beyond　the
farthest　station　of　Abou　Saood；　and　I　should　certainly　insist　upon　the
return　of　every　slave　that　had　been　kidnapped　from　this　country。　This
would　at　once　prove　to　the　inhabitants　of　Unyoro　the　benefit　of　the
Khedive's　protection。　（The　subsequent　attack　made　by　the　slave…traders
upon　the　government　troops　and　myself　at　Fatiko　was　due　to　this
declaration　that　all　slaves　should　be　taken　away　from　their　captors　and
returned　to　their　homes。　It　will　be　seen　later　that　I　sent　orders　to　the
commandant　of　my　station　at　Fatiko　to　release　all　slaves；　and　this
command　was　resisted　by　Abou　Saood　and　his　people。）

〃April　27。…Kabba　Rega　had　arranged　to　return　my　visit。

〃I　had　ordered　a　broad　roadway　to　be　cleared　from　Kabba　Rega's　divan　to
my　tent；　which　was　pitched　beneath　an　enormous　fig…tree　or　banian　（Ficus
Indica）。　The　troops　were　lined　on　either　side　of　this　approach　in　their
best　uniforms。

〃The　band　was　stationed　near　the　tent；　which　was　spread　with　skins　and
small　carpets；　all　the　sides　being　open。

〃An　hour　and　a　half　passed　away　after　the　first　messenger　had　arrived
from　Kabba　Rega　to　announce　his　visit。　One　after　another；　messengers　had
hurried　to　assure　me　that　the　king　was　just　now　approaching；　but　still
the　troops　remained　in　expectation；　and　no　king　made　an　appearance。

〃At　length；　after　this　long　delay；　he　sent　Rahonka　to　say　that　'if　it
was　all　the　same　to　me；　he　would　rather　see　me　at　his　own　house。'

〃This　unmannerly　young　cub　was　actually　suspicious　of　foul　play；　and　was
afraid　to　enter　my　tent！

〃I　immediately　told　Rahonka　that　his　king　was　evidently　not　old　enough
to　have　learnt　good　manners；　therefore　I　should　at　once　dismiss　the
troops；　who　had　already　been　waiting　for　nearly　two　hours　to　do　him
honour。

〃I　ordered　the　bugler　to　sound　the　'destoor；'　and　the　troops　at　once
obeyed　the　signal。

〃Terrified　at　the　sound　of　the　bugle；　which　was　known　to　be　some
mysterious　order；　Rahonka　implored　me　not　to　be　angry；　and　he　would　at
once　bring　Kabba　Rega　to　the　tent。　The　troops　resumed　their　position。

〃In　a　few　minutes　a　great　din　of　horns；　drums；　and　whistles　announced
his　approach；　and　we　observed　him　walking　down　the　road　with　an
extraordinary　gait。　He　was　taking　enormous　strides；　as　though
caricaturing　the　walk　of　a　giraffe。　This　was　supposed　to　be　an　imitation
of　M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　whose　ridiculous　attempt　to　walk　like　a
lion　has　been　described　by　Speke。

〃Kabba　Rega　thus　stalked　along；　followed　by　his　great　chiefs；　Kittakara；
Matonse；　Rahonka；　Quonga；　and　a　number　of　others。　Upon　arrival　opposite
the　band；　the　bugles　and　drums　suddenly　commenced　with　such　a　clash　of
cymbals　that　he　seemed　rather　startled；　and　he　entered　the　tent　in　the
most　undignified　manner；　with　an　air　of　extreme　shyness　half　concealed
by　audacity。

〃He　was　trembling　with　nervous　anxiety；　and　with　some　hesitation　he　took
his　seat　upon　the　divan　that　had　been　prepared　for　him。　His　principal
chiefs　sat　upon　skins　and　carpets　arranged　upon　the　ground。

〃A　crowd　of　about　2；000　people　had　accompanied　him；　making　a　terrific
noise　with　whistles；　horns；　and　drums。　These　were　now　silenced；　and　the
troops　formed　a　guard　around　the　tent　to　keep　the　mob　at　a　respectful
distance。　Every　now　and　then　several　men　of　Kabba　Rega's　body…guard
rushed　into　the　crowd　and　laid　about　them　with　bludgeons　five　feet　long；
hitting　to　the　right　and　left。　This　always　chased　the　people　away　for　a
few　minutes；　until；　by　degrees；　they　resumed　their　position。　Everybody
was　dressed　up　for　a　grand　occasion；　mostly　in　new　clothes　of　bark…
cloth；　and　many　were　in　skins　of　wild　animals；　with　their　heads
fantastically　ornamented　with　the　horns　of　goats　or　antelopes。　The
sorcerers　were　an　important　element。　These　rascals；　who　are　the　curse　of
the　country；　were；　as　usual；　in　a　curious　masquerade　with　fictitious
beards　manufactured　with　a　number　of　bushy　cows'　tails。

〃Kabba　Rega　was　about　five　feet　ten　inches　in　height；　and　of　extremely
light　complexion。　His　eyes　were　very　large；　but　projected　in　a
disagreeable　manner。　A　broad　but　low　forehead　and　high　cheek…bones；
added　to　a　large　mouth；　with　rather　prominent　but　exceedingly　white
teeth；　complete　the　description　of　his　face。　His　hands　were　beautifully
shaped；　and　his　finger…nails　were　carefully　pared　and　scrupulously
clean。　The　nails　of　his　feet　were　equally　well　attended　to。　He　wore
sandals　of　raw　buffalo…hide；　but　neatly　formed；　and　turned　up　round　the
edges。

〃His　robe　of　bark…cloth；　which　completely　covered　his　body；　was
exquisitely　made；　and　had　been　manufactured　in　Uganda；　which　country　is
celebrated　for　this　curious　production。

〃This　was　Kabba　Rega；　the　son　of　Kamrasi；　the　sixteenth　king　of　Unyoro；
of　the　Galla　conquerors；　a　gauche；　awkward；　undignified　lout　of　twenty
years　of　age；　who　thought　himself　a　great　monarch。　He　was　cowardly；
cruel；　cunning；　and　treacherous　to　the　last　degree。　Not　only　had　he
ordered　the　destruction　of　his　brother；　Kabka　Miro；　but　after　his　death；
he　had　invited　all　his　principal　relations　to　visit　him；　these　he　had
received　with　the　greatest　kindness；　and　at　parting；　he　had　presented
them　with　gifts；　together　with　an　escort　of　his　body…guard；　called
bonosoora；　to　see　them　safe　home。　These　men；　by　the　young　king's
instructions；　murdered　them　all　in　the　high　grass　during　their　return
journey。　By　these　means　he　had　got　rid　of　troublesome　relations；　and　he
now　sat　securely　upon　the　throne　with　only　one　great　enemy；　this　was
Rionga；　the　stanch　and　determined　foe　of　his　father；　who　had　escaped
from　every　treachery；　and　still　lived　to　defy　him　in　the　north…eastern
provinces　of　Unyoro。

〃It　was　easy　to　understand　that　he　would　welcome　my　arrival　with　a　force
sufficiently　large　to　assist　him　against　Rionga；　and　at　the　same　time　to
rid　him　of　Suleiman's　party。　He　made　use　of　the　latter　force　as
mercenary　troops；　to　which　he　was　obliged　to　allow　boundless　license；
otherwise　he　might　be　invaded　by　the　whole　power　of　the　combined
companies　of　Fabbo；　Faloro；　Fatiko；　and　Farragenia。　These　companies
might　at　any　time　change　sides　and　ally　themselves　with　Rionga；　thus；
could