ismailia-第109节

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and　servants；　and　3　Europeans；　total；　158　persons。

There　was　no　ambatch　wood；　but　I　thought　we　might　form　rafts　by　cutting
and　then　drying　in　the　sun　the　long　tough　stems　of　the　papyrus　rush。
These；　if　lashed　together　in　small　bundles；　could　be　shaped　into　rafts
similar　to　those　used　by　the　Shillook　tribe。

Lieutenant　Baker　took　the　three　sailors　and　a　few　intelligent　soldiers；
and　set　to　work。

The　29th　June　had　arrived　without　any　news　of　Rionga。　　The　country
appeared　to　be　quite　devoid　of　inhabitants　on　the　south　banks；　neither
did　the　natives　show　themselves　on　the　north。　We　were　masters　of　the
situation；　but　there　was　an　uncomfortable　feeling　of　loneliness　in　our
position　of　outcasts。　We　were　very　hungry；　as　we　had　not　tasted　animal
food　since　the　14th　inst。；　there　was　no　game；　neither　were　there　any
doves　or　birds　of　any　kind；　except　occasional　vultures；　which；　after
sitting　upon　a　dead　tree　and　regarding　us　for　some　time；　went　off　with　a
low　opinion　of　our　respectability。

We　lived　upon　boiled　plantains　and　red　peppers；　together　with　various
wild　plants　that　are　wholesome；　but　not　nice；　when　boiled　as　spinach。
Unfortunately；　our　small　supply　of　salt　was　exhausted；　therefore　we　were
obliged　to　burn　grass　and　make　potash　from　the　ashes　as　a　substitute。

We　had　a　small　quantity　of　brandy；　but　we　reserved　this　in　case　of
illness　or　other　necessity。

My　men　generally　made　two　journeys　daily；　together　with　the　women；　to
collect　green　plantains；　and　they　immediately　commenced　peeling　and
drying　them　in　the　sun　upon　their　return　to　camp。

On　the　evening　of　the　29th　they　came　home　in　great　spirits；　having
captured　a　prisoner。　They　had　tied　his　arms　cruelly　behind　his　lack；　and
had　led　him　to　camp　by　a　cord　secured　to　his　neck。

This　man　had　been　discovered　in　company　with　two　others　who　had　escaped
to　the　other　side　of　the　river　in　a　canoe。

I　ordered　his　arms　to　be　released；　and　cross…examined　him；　Molodi　acting
as　interpreter。

The　prisoner　seemed　quite　confident　upon　seeing　my　wife　and　myself。
〃Don't　you　remember　me〃　he　exclaimed；　〃was　it　not　I　who　many　years　ago
carried　the　travelling…bag　for　the　lady　on　your　journey　to　Fatiko？　Was
it　not　you　that　shot　the　antelopes　on　the　march；　and　gave　me　meat　to　eat
when　I　was　hungry？〃

Here　was　an　extraordinary　piece　of　good　luck！　My　men　had　actually
captured　an　old　friend　in　the　thickets；　who　had　formerly　marched　with　us
in　the　reign　of　Kamrasi！

This　fellow　now　gave　us　the　news。　Rionga　wished　to　see　me；　but　he　had
been　so　cheated　and　deceived　by　the　slave…hunting　companies　of　Abou
Saood；　that　he　was　afraid　to　trust　himself　among　us；　he　was　friendly
disposed；　but　he　did　not　know　my　intentions　concerning　himself。

The　prisoner　declared　that　the　treachery　of　Kabba　Rega　had　been　planned
from　the　beginning。　The　300　natives　who　had　accompanied　my　party　from
Masindi；　with　the　post　to　Fatiko；　had　attacked　and　killed　some　of　my
men；　but　he　knew　no　particulars；　only　that　they　had　not　gone　on　to
Fatiko　with　my　people。　This　was　a　great　relief　to　my　anxiety；　as　in　that
case　Abdullah　must　be　safe　with　his　detachment。　I　ordered　the　prisoner
to　be　retained；　but　to　be　well　treated。

We　had　rain　nearly　every　day。

At　daybreak　on　1st　July；　after　a　heavy　night's　rain；　a　voice　from　the
high　wet　grass；　about　a　hundred　yards　distant；　cried　out　to　the　sentries
in　Arabic；　〃Don't　fire！　I　am　a　messenger　from　Rionga　to　Malegge！〃　（my
former　nick…name）。

The　man；　cold　and　shivering；　was　brought　before　me。　　He　had　travelled　by
canoe　during　the　night；　but　had　been　afraid　to　approach　the　sentries
until　daylight。

Being　assured　of　my　good…will；　he　informed　me　that　a　nephew　of　Rionga's
was　in　the　grass　waiting　for　my　reply。　He　immediately　ran　out；　and　soon
returned　to　the　camp　with　his　companion。

As　these　people　spoke　Arabic；　I　now　explained　the　whole　affair；　and
assured　them　of　my　repeated　refusal　to　attack　Rionga；　when　I　had　been
pressed　to　do　so　both　by　Kamrasi；　and　by　his　son；　Kabba　Rega。　There
could　be　little　doubt　that；　had　I　allied　with　him　against　Rionga；　the
battle　of　Masindi　would　never　have　taken　place；　and　the　lives　of　some　of
my　best　men　would　have　been　spared。

I　would　now　depose　Kabba　Rega；　and　appoint　Rionga　as　the　vakeel　or
representative　of　the　Egyptian　government；　provided　he　would　swear
allegiance。

I　sent　a　present　to　Rionga　of　entire　pieces　of　Turkey　red　cloth；　blue
twill；　and　four　handkerchiefs；　at　the　same　time　I　explained　that　we　were
very　hungry；　and　required　cattle　and　corn。

Before　the　messengers　returned；　I　inspected　the　troops；　who　marched
round　the　camp　in　their　best　scarlet　uniforms；　to　the　sound　of　the　drums
and　bugles。　This　exhibition　appeared　to　create　quite　an　impression　on
Rionga's　people；　who　would　report　us　fit　for　service　on　their　return　to
their　chief。

Thirty　of　the　men　were　suffering　from　ulcerated　legs；　caused　by　the
sharp；　poisonous　edges　of　the　high　grass。

In　a　couple　of　days；　two　large　canoes　arrived　from　Rionga　with　presents
of　some　corn；　sweet　potatoes；　and　a　cow　and　sheep。　We　killed　the　beef
immediately；　as　we　were　ravenously　hungry。

On　16th　July；　we　started；　in　nine　canoes　that　had　been　supplied　by
Rionga；　to　visit　him　at　his　station。　The　troops　marched　by　land　on　the
south　bank。

After　paddling　for　about　fifteen　miles　along　the　grand　Victoria　Nile；
which　in　the　narrowest　part　was　at　least　300　yards　wide；　we　arrived　at　5
P。M。　at　a　desolate　spot；　exactly　opposite　to　the　tail　of　the　large
island　upon　which　Rionga　resided。

Nothing　had　been　prepared　for　our　reception；　therefore　we　landed　in　the
forest；　and　my　men　set　to　work　to　collect　firewood　for　the　night。　The
troops　who　had　marched　overland　had　not　arrived。　Fortunately　we　had　some
flour　and　a　bottle　of　curry…powder；　therefore　we　dined　off
dhurra…porridge　and　curry；　and　lay　down　on　our　camp…sheets　to　sleep。

This　was　a　thorough　negro　welcome；　nothing　to　eat！

The　next　morning；　at　about　7　A。M。；　the　troops　with　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader
arrived；　they　had　suffered　much　from　high　grass　and　thorns；　as　they　had
been　obliged　to　break　their　way　through　the　jungle；　in　the　total　absence
of　a　path。

A　number　of　Rionga's　natives　now　arrived　to　assist　in　making　our　camp。　
All　hands　set　vigorously　to　work　building　huts；　in　an　excellent　position
that　I　had　selected　on　the　river's　bank。

On　18th　July；　messengers　came　early　to　inform　me　that　Rionga　would
arrive　that　morning　to　give　me　a　warm　welcome。

I　had　already　sent　him；　from　Foweera；　a　beautiful　cloak　of　gold　brocade；
together　with　a　new　tarboosh　and　sky…blue　turban。

At　about　8　A。M。；　drums　were　beating　on　the　island；　and　horns　were
blowing　in　all　directions；　these　were　signals　that　the　renowned　Rionga
was　on　the　move。　We　shortly　perceived　numerous　large　canoes　pushing　off
from　the　island；　and　making　for　our　landing　place；　which　I　had　already
cleared。

A　cow；　sheep；　and　a　load　of　corn　were　first　delivered　as　a　present。　
These　were　followed　by　Rionga；　and　a　large　staff　of　his　principal
headmen。

He　was　a　handsome　man　of　about　fifty；　with　exceedingly　good　manners。　　He
had　none　of　the　stiffness　of　Kamrasi；　nor　the　gauche　bearing　of　Kabba
Rega；　but　he　was　perfectly　at　his　ease。　He　at　once　thanked　me　for　the
handsome　suit　in　which　he　was　dressed；　without　which；　he　assured　me　that
it　would　have　been　difficult　for　him　to　have　appeared　before　me　in　a
becoming　manner。　The　troops　were　drawn　out　to　receive　him；　and　the
conversation　at　once　turned　upon　Kabba　Rega　and　Abou　Saood。

He　had　an　intimate　knowledge　of　all　that　had　taken　place；　which　had　been
reported　to　him　by　his　spies；　and　he　declared　that　Abou　Saood　had　long
ago　arranged　a　plan　with　Kabba　Rega　for　our　destruction　should　we　arrive
from　Gondokoro。

Rionga　was　well　aware　how　often　I　had　refused　to　attack　him；　and　he
confessed　that　I　had　been　his　saviour　by　the　arrest　of　Suleiman；　who
would　have　joined　the　forces　of　Kabba　Rega　to　have　crushed　him。

I　took　a　great　fancy　to　Rionga；　as　he　was　so　perfectly　free　and　easy　in
his　manner。　He　told　me　several　anecdotes　of　the　escapes　he　had　had　from
snares　laid　for　him　by　Kamrasi；　and　he　seemed　quite　rejoiced　that　I；　who
had　always　declined　to　molest　him　before　I　had　known　him　personally；
should　now　have　taken　him　by　the　hand。

He　declared　that　he　would　always　remain　the　faithful　representative　of
the　Khedive's　government；　but　at　the　same　time　we　must　IMMEDIATELY
EXCHANGE　BLOOD；　without　which　ceremony；　the　people　would　not　rise　in　his
favour。　He　said；　〃If　the　natives　of　this　country；　and　also　the　Langgos
and　the　Umiros；　shall　hear　that　I　have　exchanged　blood　with　the　Pacha；
they　will　have　thorough　confidence；　as　they　will　know　that　he　will
always　be　true　to　me；　and　I　to　him；　but　without　this　irrevocable
contract；　they　will　always　suspect　some　intrigue；　either　upon　your　side
or　mine。〃

Rionga　proposed　that　we　should　drink　blood　on　the　following　morning；　as
no　time　should　be　lost；　he　revelled　with　childish　delight　in　the　despair
that　would　seize　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs　when　they　should　hear　the
news　that　the　Pacha；　and　his　friend　Rionga　had　exchanged　blood。

The　preparation　for　the　ceremony　was　to　commence　that　evening。　W