ismailia-第91节

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life　size；　of　her　Royal　Highness　the　Princess　of　Wales。　The　scarlet
walls　were　hung　with　large　coloured　prints；　life　size；　of　very　beautiful
women；　with　very　gorgeous　dresses；　all　the　jewelry　being　imitated　by
pieces　of　coloured　tinsel。　A　number　of　sporting　prints；　very　large；　and
also　coloured；　were　arranged　in　convenient　places　on　the　walls。　There
were　fox…hunting　scenes；　and　German　stag…hunts；　together　with　a　few
quiet　landscapes；　that　always　recalled　the　dear　old　country　now　so　far
away。

The　furniture　was　simple　enough：　two　angarebs；　or　Arab　stretchers；
which；　during　the　day；　were　covered　with　Persian　carpets　and　served　as
sofas；　while　at　night　they　were　arranged　as　beds。　The　tables　were　made
of　square　metal　boxes　piled　one　upon　the　other　and　covered　with　bright
blue　cloths。　These　were　arranged　with　all　kinds　of　odd　trinkets　of　gaudy
appearance；　but　of　little　value；　which　were　intended　to　be　asked　for；
and　given　away。　Two　native　stools　curiously　cut　out　of　a　solid　block
formed　our　chairs。　The　guns　and　rifles　stood　in　a　row　against　a　rack
covered　with　red　Turkey　cloth；　and　a　large　Geneva　musical　box　lay　upon　a
table　beneath　the　Princess　of　Wales。

Altogether　the　room　was　exceedingly　pretty。　It　would　have　been　vulgar　if
in　England；　but　it　was　beautifully　clean；　and　it　shortly　became　the
wonder　of　Central　Africa。

I　had　brought　the　large　gilt　mirrors　from　England　specially　for　M'tese；
the　king　of　Uganda；　and　for　Kamrasi。　I　knew　that　if　they　were　arranged
in　my　own　house；　the　news　would　be　carried　to　M'tese　immediately；　and
the　fact　of　so　great　a　curiosity　and　treasure　being　on　the　road　to　him
would　at　once　open　a　communication。

On　8th　May；　the　prisoners　of　Suleiman's　company；　numbering　twenty…five
persons；　came　to　the　divan；　headed　by　Ali　Genninar；　and　supplicated
forgiveness。　They　all　declared　their　desire　to　be　registered　on　the
government　books　as　irregular　troops。

I　had　already　witnessed　an　example　of　their　duplicity；　therefore　I　had
no　confidence　in　their　professions；　but　at　the　same　time　I　did　not　know
what　to　do　with　them。　The　fact　of　their　being　in　custody　required　twenty
soldiers　to　relieve　the　necessary　guards。　I　therefore　determined　to　be
magnanimous；　as　I　was　only　too　happy　to　be　rid　of　such　bad　bargains
should　they　run　away。　The　only　man　that　I　trusted　was　Ali　Genninar；　he
was　a　clever　and　plucky　fellow　that　I　had　known　in　my　former　African
journey；　at　which　time　he　belonged　to　the　company　of　Ibrahim。

After　a　good　lecture　I　forgave　them；　and　they　all　received　their　serkis
（certificates）　as　members　of　the　irregular　corps。　Ali　Genninar　was　to
have　the　rank　of　lieutenant。

I　told　them　that　it　was　my　intention　to　hoist　the　Ottoman　flag；　and　to
officially　annex　the　country　in　the　presence　of　Kabba　Rega　and　his
people；　therefore　I　did　not　wish　any　subjects　of　the　Khedive　to　be　in
disgrace　upon　such　an　occasion；　excepting　only　Suleiman；　who　would　be
sent　to　Cairo　on　the　first　opportunity；　to　answer　for　the　murder　of　the
prisoner　at　Foweera。　I　therefore　divided　a　few　pounds　of　beads　among
them　for　the　purchase　of　new　bark…cloths；　as　I　could　not　allow　them　to
appear　in　their　dirty　clothes　on　the　day　of　the　ceremony。

They　all　went　away　rejoicing；　and　swearing　fidelity；　at　the　same　time
confessing　their　sins；　and　vowing　that　I　had　treated　them　better　than
they　had　deserved。

As　usual；　our　proceedings　were　narrowly　watched　by　the　guards　stationed
at　Kabba　Rega's　new　divan；　within　fifty　yards　of　my　house。　These　spies
immediately　ran　off　to　their　master　with　the　report　that　I　had　forgiven
the　slave…hunters　who　were　lately　prisoners；　and　that　I　had　actually
made　them　presents　of　beads。　（At　that　time　I　had　not　the　slightest
idea　that　the　liberation　of　the　prisoners　would　excite　suspicion　in　the
minds　of　Kabba　Rega　and　his　people；　but　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　this
act　of　clemency　on　my　part　destroyed　the　confidence　which　had　previously
existed。）

This　report　was　quickly　confirmed；　as　the　new　and　dirty　members　of　the
irregular　corps；　who　were　now　at　liberty；　presented　themselves　in　the
town　with　their　hands　full　of　beads　to　purchase　the　necessary
bark…cloths。　These　cloths　are　prepared　from　the　bark　of　a　species　of
fig…tree　in　a　very　simple　manner；　which　I　have　personally　witnessed。

A　piece　of　bark　about　six　feet　long；　and　as　wide　as　possible；　is
detached　from　the　trunk　of　the　tree。　The　outside　rind　is　pared　off　by　a
lance…head　used　with　two　hands；　like　a　cooper's　drawing…knife。　The　bark
is　then　laid　upon　a　beam　of　wood　on　the　ground；　on　which　it　is　hammered
with　a　mallet　grooved　in　fine　cuts；　so　that　the　repeated　blows　stamp　the
bark　with　lines　somewhat　resembling　corduroy。　This　hammering　expands　the
bark；　which　is　repeatedly　turned　and　hammered　again；　until　at　length　it
is　beaten　into　a　cloth　of　rather　fine　texture。　The　action　of　the　air
colours　the　material；　which；　although　white　when　first　stripped　from　the
tree；　quickly　assumes　a　delicate　shade　of　brown；　as　a　slice　of　an　apple
oxydizes　upon　exposure　in　our　own　climate。

The　finest　cloths　are　ornamented　with　patterns　in　black。　These　are
simply　produced　by　drawing　the　design　with　water　from　iron　springs；
which　combining　with　the　tannin　of　the　bark　immediately　stains　it。

The　sheets　of　bark…cloth　are　frequently　dyed　this　colour　by　immersing
them　for　a　short　time　in　springs　of　the　same　water。

The　finest　cloths　are　produced　in　Uganda；　and　all　that　are　used　for
royal　wear　are　brought　from　that　country　in　exchange　for　ivory。

My　new　men；　the　late　slave…hunters；　who　I　hoped　were　〃wicked　men　that
had　turned　away　from　their　wickedness；〃　had　succeeded　in　purchasing　a
quantity　of　new　cloths　ready　for　the　day　of　annexation。

That　night；　at　about　nine　o'clock；　just　before　we　were　going　to　bed；　we
had　remarked　an　extraordinary　stillness　in　the　town　of　Masindi。　There
was　not　a　whisper　to　be　heard　throughout　the　capital；　where　generally
the　night　was　passed　in　the　uproar　of　drunken　singing　and　blowing　of
horns。

Suddenly　this　extraordinary　silence　was　broken　by　the　deep　notes　of　a
nogara　or　drum。　This　sounded　for　a　second　or　two；　and　ceased。　Again　all
was　still　as　death。

A　sudden　burst　of　hellish　noise；　such　as　I　have　never　heard　before　or
since；　now　startled　every　soldier　to　his　feet；　and　without　orders；　every
man　armed　and　fell　into　position！

Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　with　his　sword　belted　on　and　a　rifle　in　his　hand；
came　to　me　for　orders　on　the　instant。　The　ever…ready　Monsoor　was　armed
and　by　my　side。

In　the　mean　time　the　din　of　very　many　thousands　continued；　yelling　and
shrieking　as　though　maniacs；　I　should　imagine　that　at　least　a　thousand
drums　were　beating；　innumerable　horns　were　blowing；　with　whistles；
fifes；　and　every　instrument　that　would　add　to　the　horrible　uproar。

At　the　same　time　not　a　human　being　was　visible。

Mohammed；　the　dragoman；　appeared；　together　with　Umbogo。　In　reply　to　my
question　as　to　the　cause　of　such　a　sudden　irruption　of　noise；　Umbogo
laughed；　and　said　it　was　〃TO　MAKE　ME　AFRAID；　and　to　exhibit　the　great
numbers　of　people　that　were　collected　at　Masindi。〃

This　was　all。　I　therefore　at　once　ordered　the　band　to　play；　as　I
determined　to　accept　the　carefully　planned　surprise　as　a　compliment　that
I　would　return。

The　band　struck　up；　the　cymbals　clashed；　the　big　drum　thundered；　and　the
buglers　blew　their　loudest；　while　the　regimental　drums　rattled　away　as
hard　as　the　sticks　could　roll　upon　the　skins。

In　a　short　time　the　noise　of　the　town　ceased；　and　the　only　sound　was
occasioned　by　our　own　band。

I　ordered　them　to　cease　playing。　Once　more　there　was　perfect　stillness。

I　ordered　the　sentries　to　keep　a　sharp　look…out；　and　we　all　went　to　bed。

This　was　a　practical　joke　that　did　not　please　me；　as　it　smacked　of
distrust　and　defiance。　It　took　place　on　the　same　day　upon　which　I　had
liberated　the　slave…hunter's　people；　and　engaged　them　as　irregular
troops。

On　the　following　morning　I　sent　several　messengers　to　Kabba　Rega　to　beg
him　to　pay　me　a　visit。　They　all　returned；　some　saying　that　he　was
asleepothers；　that　he　was　drunk。　It　was　the　usual　habit　of　this　young
man　to　get　very　drunk　every　night；　and　to　sleep　until　about　2　p。m。；　when
he　dressed　and　attended　at　his　public　divan。

I　now　heard　that　native　messengers　had　arrived　from　the　country　of
Faieera；　which　formed　one　of　the　districts　within　nine　miles　of　Fatiko；
under　the　charge　of　the　great　sheik；　Rot　Jarma；　who　had　sworn　allegiance
to　the　government；　and　was　under　the　protection　of　Major　Abdullah。

These　messengers　had　brought　some　guns　and　ammunition　to　sell　to　Kabba
Rega。　They　wished　particularly　to　see　me；　as　they　had　important　news。

When　they　appeared　in　the　divan；　I　at　once　recognized　them　as　people
that　I　had　seen　at　Fatiko。

They　informed　me　that　since　my　departure；　Abou　Saood　and　his　people　had
ridiculed　the　authority　of　my　commandant；　Major　Abdullah；　and　to　prove
to　the　natives　how　powerless　he　was　to　protect　them；　Abou　Saood　had　sent
his　men　to　attack　Rot　Jarma；　and　they　had　carried　off　his　cattle　and
slaves。

The　messengers　declared　that　both　Rot　Jarma　and　all　the　natives　were
delighted　with　Major　Abdullah　and　his　troops；　as　they　were　very
diffe