ismailia-第97节

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display　we　had　so　recently　witnessed；　but　he　attributed　it　to　the
drunken　state　of　Kabba　Rega；　who　had　sounded　the　alarm　without　any
reason。

I　assured　Rahonka　that　such　conduct　would　not　be　permitted；　and　that　if
such　a　scene　should　occur　again；　I　should　not　allow　the　troops　to　be
surrounded　by　thousands　of　armed　men；　in　hostile　attitudes；　without
immediately　taking　the　initiative。

Rahonka　retired；　and　in　a　few　minutes　we　received　twenty　loads　of　corn
for　the　troops；　as　a　peace…offering。

Thus　ended　the　month　of　May；　which　had　nearly　closed　in　bloodshed。

There　could　be　no　doubt　that　an　attack　upon　the　troops　had　been
intended；　and　I　could　not　help　admiring　the　organization　of　the　people；
that　enabled　so　large　a　force　to　be　concentrated　upon　a　given　point　in　a
few　minutes　after　the　alarm　had　sounded。　My　wife；　upon　whose　cool
judgment　I　could　always　depend；　described　vividly　her　apprehensions　of
treachery。　She　had　witnessed　the　extraordinary　energy　which　the　natives
had　exhibited　in　rushing　from　the　neighbouring　villages；　almost
immediately　when　the　war…drum　had　sounded。　They　had　poured　in　streams
past　the　station；　and　had　brandished　their　lances　and　shields　at　her　as
they　thronged　at　full　speed　within　fifty　yards　of　the　government
clearing。

Fortunately；　when　the　big　nogara　had　sounded；　both　she　and　the　troops
understood　the　signal；　and　with　praiseworthy　speed　she　had　placed　every
man　in　position　to　defend　the　station。　Even　the　servants　and　our　black
boys　were　armed；　and　occupied　the　posts　assigned　to　them。　Without　these
precautions　it　is　highly　probable　that　the　station　would　have　been
attacked；　in　which　case　it　might　have　been　at　once　overwhelmed　by　so
immense　a　superiority　of　force。

I　felt　that　on　the　whole　we　had　narrowly　escaped　from　ruin。　My
intention；　when　in　the　open　square；　had　been　to　seize　a　rifle　from　a
soldier；　and　at　once　to　shoot　Kabba　Rega　had　hostilities　commenced　after
his　appearance；　but；　even　had　we　been　able　to　hold　our　own；　with　a　party
of　eighty　men；　we　should　have　lost　the　entire　station；　together　with　all
our　ammunition；　and　every　soul　would　have　been　massacred。

I　had　serious　misgivings　for　the　future。　This　demonstration　looked
extremely　bad　after　the　departure　of　my　thirty…six　men　with　the　post　to
Fatiko。　If　Kabba　Rega　and　his　people　were　treacherous；　they　could　easily
murder　the　party　whom　they　were　pretending　to　escort　as　friends。

On　the　other　hand；　I　could　not　conceive　why　Kabba　Rega　or　his　people
should　be　ill…disposed；　unless　he　harboured　resentment　on　account　of　the
discovery　of　his　theft　of　the　muskets　and　ammunition　from　the
irregulars；　which　I　had　forced　him　to　restore。

My　Baris　and　Molodi　all　declared　that　he　was　suspicious　because　I　had
pardoned　the　slave…hunters　and　received　them　into　government　service。
This　merciless　young　villain；　who　had　so　treacherously　murdered　his　own
kith　and　kin；　had　no　conception　of　forgiveness；　thus　he　could　not
understand　why　I　had　not　killed　the　slave…hunters　when　they　were　once　in
my　power。

There　was　no　doubt　that　discontent　rankled　deeply　in　his　heart　for　some
cause　or　other；　as　he　had　never　appeared；　or　received　visits；　for　many
days；　but　had　sulkily　shut　himself　up　within　his　own　court。

He　only　went　out　daily；　at　a　certain　time；　to　collect　subscriptions　for
the　pay　of　his　beloved　rascals；　the　bonosoora；　but　this　led　him　through
the　town　in　the　opposite　direction　to　our　camp；　therefore　we　never　saw
him。

The　collection　of　alms　was　a　most　undignified　proceeding。　At　the　hour　of
his　exit　from　his　house；　a　band　of　fifes　or　flageolets　struck　up　a
peculiar　air　which　was　well　known　as　the　signal　for　preparing　to　pay　for
the　king's　visit。　The　few　notes　they　played　was　a　monotonous　repetition
of　：

As　his　pipes　played　before　him；　Kabba　Rega　called　at　any　houses　that　he
thought　proper　to　select；　and　received　from　the　inmates　of　each；　a　few
cowrie　shells；　which　are　used　as　the　smallest　coin　in　Unyoro。　These
shells　were　afterwards　divided　among　his　bonosoora　as　their　daily　pay。

My　station　had　not　been　arranged　for　defence；　as　I　considered　that
hostilities　in　this　country　could　not　be　possible。　Although　black　human
nature　is　the　darkest　shade　of　character；　I　never　could　have　believed
that　even　Kabba　Rega　could　have　harboured　treacherous　designs　against
us；　after　the　benefits　that　both　he　and　his　people　had　received　from　me。
The　country　had　been　relieved　from　the　slave…hunters；　and　my　people　were
actually　on　the　road　to　Fatiko　to　liberate　and　restore　to　their　families
about　1；000　women　and　children　of　Unyoro。　I　was　about　to　establish　a
school。　No　thefts　had　taken　place　on　the　part　of　the　troops。　The　rights
of　every　native　had　been　respected。　The　chiefs　had　received　valuable
presents；　and　the　people　had　already　felt　the　advantage　of　legitimate
trade。

At　the　same　time　that　hostility　appeared　impossible；　I　could　not　blind
myself　to　the　fact　of　the　late　demonstration；　it　would　therefore　be
absolutely　necessary　to　construct　a　small　fort；　for　the　security　of　the
ammunition　and　effects；　which　could　no　longer　be　exposed　in　simple　straw
huts；　without　protection。

I　explained　this　necessity　to　my　officers　and　men；　all　of　whom　were
keenly　alive　to　the　evil　spirit　of　Kabba　Rega；　from　whom　they　expected
future　mischief。

This　miserable　young　fellow　was　nearly　always　drunk；　his　time　was　passed
in　sucking　plantain　cider　through　a　reed；　until　he　became　thoroughly
intoxicated。　We　were；　therefore；　subject　to　any　sudden　order　that　he
might　give　in　a　fit　of　drunkenness。

His　people　obeyed　him　implicitly；　with　that　fanatical　belief　that　is
held　in　Unyoro　respecting　the　person　who　occupies　the　magic　throne
（Bamba）。

There　could　be　no　doubt　that　he　was　offended　and　insulted：　therefore；
according　to　the　principle　in　vino　veritas；　he　might　pluck　up　courage　to
surprise　us　when　least　expected。

I　determined　to　build　a　fort　immediately。

I　drew　a　plan　of　a　circular　stockade；　surrounded　by　a　ditch　and　earthen
parapet。　The　ditch　ten　feet　wide　by　seven　deep。　The　diameter　from　scarp
to　scarp；　sixty　feet；　diameter　of　inner　circular　court；　thirty…six　feet。

With　the　assistance　of　Lieutenant　Baker　I　drew　the　plan　on　the　ground；
and　my　troops　set　to　work　with　that　vigour　which　always　distinguished
them。

There　were　numerous　large　trees　of　the　fig　tribe　in　the　immediate
neighbourhood。　This　wood　was　exactly　adapted　for　the　purpose；　as　it　was
easy　to　cut；　and　at　the　same　time　it　was　undying　when　once　planted　in
the　ground。　Any　log　of　the　bark…cloth　tree　will　take　root　if　watered。

The　axes　with　which　the　men　were　provided　now　came　into　play；　and　the
clicking　of　so　many　tools　at　work　at　once　surprised　the　natives。
Rahonka；　Kittakara；　and　other　chiefs　came　to　inquire　concerning　our
intention。

I　explained　the　necessity　of　storing　the　gunpowder　in　a　fireproof
building。　Only　a　few　days　ago　several　native　huts　had　been　burnt；　such
an　accident　might　endanger　our　station；　therefore　I　should　construct　an
earthen　roof　over　a　building　of　strong　palisades。　I　explained　that
should　the　whole　of　the　ammunition　explode；　it　might　ignite　and　destroy
Masindi。

My　men　thoroughly　understood　their　work。　Immense　logs；　nine　feet　in
length；　and　many　upwards　of　two　feet　in　diameter；　were　planted；　close
together；　in　holes　two　feet　deep。　Any　interstices　were　filled　up　with
smaller　posts　sunk　firmly　in　the　ground。　The　entrance　to　the　little　fort
was　a　projecting　passage；　about　twelve　feet　long；　and　only　three　feet
wide；　formed　of　two　rows　of　enormous　palisades；　sunk　two　feet　six　inches
in　the　earth；　which　was　pounded　closely　down　with　heavy　rammers。　This
passage　was　an　important　feature　in　the　power　of　defence；　as　it　added　to
the　flanking　fire。　A　reference　to　the　plan　will　show　that　the
arrangement　of　this　small　fort　gave　us　three　fireproof　rooms　for　the
protection　of　stores　and　ammunition；　and　for　the　accommodation　of　the
necessary　guard。　Each　of　these　rooms　was　formed　of　the　strongest
palisades；　upon　which　I　arranged　a　flat　roof　of　thick　posts；　laid
parallel；　which　were　covered　with　tempered　earth　and　chopped　straw　for
the　thickness　of　a　foot。

The　earth　from　the　ditch　would　lie　against　the　outside　face　of　the
stockade；　at　an　angle　of　about　40　degrees　from　the　edge　of　the　ditch　to
within　eighteen　inches　of　the　projecting　roof：　thus　the　defenders　could
fire　from　the　strong　rooms　through　the　interstices　of　the　upright
timbers。

We　commenced　this　fort　on　the　morning　of　2nd　June；　and　every　palisade
was　in　its　place　and　firmly　rammed　down　by　the　evening　of　the　5th；　thus；
in　four　days'　hard　work　we　had　an　impregnable　protection　in　a　position
nearly　half…way　between　the　entrance　of　the　main　approach　and　the
government　divan。

The　digging　of　the　ditch　was　commenced；　but　this　was　a　longer　operation；
as　we　were　provided　with　the　light　Unyoro　hoes；　which　were　not
sufficiently　powerful　to　cut　through　the　hard　gravel　subsoil。

The　interpreter；　Umbogo；　returned　on　3rd　June。　He　could　not　in　the　least
explain　the　hostile　demonstration　of　31st　May。　This　added　to　my
suspicion；　as　Umbogo　must　have　known　more　than　he　chose　to　tell。

On　the　4th　June　envoys　arrived　direct　from　M'tese；