ismailia-第58节

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tin　funnel　inverted　to　form　a　helmet　with　a　feather　in　the　tube；　and　a
pair　of　spectacles。　He　declared　that　he　would　be　〃the　admiration　of　the
women。〃＇

The　natives　selected　some　of　their　best　runners；　but　although　they　ran
well；　they　were　all　beaten　by　Ali　Nedjar　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　who　was
the　champion　runner　of　the　expedition。

The　sheiks　requested　that　the　cannon　might　be　fired　for　their　amusement。
A　shot　with　blank　cartridge　made　them　look　very　serious。　They　then　went
to　look　at　the　two　elephants'　heads；　which　they　believed　had　been　blown
off　by　the　cannon　on　the　day　of　the　hunt。

They　returned　to　the　diahbeeah；　and　ordered　their　people　to　bring　the
present　they　had　prepared　for　me。　This　consisted　of　thirty…one　jars　of
merissa；　each　of　which　was　duly　tasted　by　themselves　as　a　proof　of　the
absence　of　poison。

Before　they　departed；　I　was　assured；　not　only　of　their　regret　that　any
misunderstanding　should　have　taken　place；　but　that　after　their　bean
crop；　which　would　be　in　about　two　months；　they　would　unite　with　Bedden
and　carry　all　my　baggage　into　the　interior。　They　took　leave　and　went　off
in　the　direction　of　the　dead　elephants。

Here　was　a　sudden　change　in　the　politics　of　the　country！　Peace　had　been
effected　by　the　sacrifice　of　two　elephants！

This　peace　was　the　result　of　greediness　and　envy。　The　natives　had　pined
for　the　flesh；　and　envied　the　Baris　of　Bedden　who　were　carrying　it　away；
therefore　they　sued　for　peace。

At　the　same　time；　they　had　originally　declined　my　offer　of　a　large　herd
of　cattle　that　would　have　been　worth　a　hundred　elephants。　Thus　they　had
courted　war；　in　which　they　had　lost　some　of　their　people；　together　with
much　corn；　all　of　which　they　might　have　sold　for　cows；　and　they　now
desired　peace；　only　to　join　in　the　scramble；　like　vultures；　over　the
flesh　of　two　elephants。

African　negroes　are　incomprehensible　people；　and　they　cannot　be　judged
by　the　ordinary　rules　of　human　nature。　It　was　easy　to　understand；　that
if　they　desired　peace　upon　so　frivolous　a　pretext；　they　would　plunge
into　war　with　the　same　frivolitywith　a　〃coeur　leger。〃

As　each　division　of　the　district　quickly　followed　the　example　of　another
in　desiring　peace；　in　like　manner　would　they　follow　an　evil　example　in
provoking　hostilities。

They　had　now　professed　friendship　for　the　sake　of　a　few　steaks。　They　had
promised　to　carry　our　baggage　into　the　interior。　If　they　would　only　be
true　to　this　offer；　I　should　be　able　to　transport　the　steamer；　as　the
natives　could　easily　drag　the　two…wheeled　carts。　Although　I　doubted
their　professions；　I　had　some　secret　hopes　of　success；　and　I　resolved　to
do　all　in　my　power　to　establish　confidence。　I　therefore　invited　two　very
intelligent　natives　to　pay　me　a　visit；　and　to　reside　some　time　at
Gondokoro；　where　they　would　witness　the　general　management　of　the
station；　and　see　the　workshops；　&c。　They　would　also　see　the　vast　herds
of　cattle　belonging　to　the　government；　the　spoil　of　the　Bari　war。　This
would　be　a　sight　most　interesting　to　the　eyes　of　Baris；　as　it　would　be　a
lesson　of　the　great　power　of　the　government　to　either　punish　or　reward。

In　the　afternoon　I　was　visited　by　other　native　headmen　from　the　east
side　of　the　Nile。　These　people　had　swum　the　river；　and　had　followed　the
example　of　the　other　natives　to　sue　for　peace；　and　to　beg　for　elephant's
flesh。

This　extraordinary　craving　for　flesh　would　suggest　that　the　Baris　were
devoid　of　cattle。　On　the　contrary；　there　are　countless　herds　throughout
the　country；　but　the　natives　have　a　great　objection　to　kill　them；　and
merely　keep　the　cows　for　their　milk；　and　the　bullocks　to　bleed。

The　cows　are　also　bled　periodically；　and　the　blood　is　boiled　and　eaten；
much　in　the　same　manner　that　black　pudding　is　used　throughout　Europe。　A
herd　of　cattle　will　thus　provide　animal　food　without　the　necessity　of
slaughtering。

The　great　traveller；　Bruce；　was　discredited　for　having　described　a　fact
of　which　he　was　an　eye…witness。　This　was　the　vivisection　of　a　cow；
driven　by　natives；　who　cut　a　steak　out　of　her　hind…quarters。

I　had　a　bull　with　a　very　large　hump。　（This　bull　was　left　at　Fort
Fatiko。）　This　animal　was　very　handsome；　and　was　kept　for　stock。　I
observed　that　the　skin　of　the　hump　showed　a　long　jagged　scar　from　end　to
end；　and　my　people　assured　me　that　this　bull　had　frequently　been
operated　upon。　It　had　been　the　property　of　one　of　the　slave…hunters'
parties；　and　they　had　been　in　the　habit　of　removing　the　hump　（as　a
surgeon　would　a　tumour）。　This　is　the　most　delicate　portion　of　the　meat；
and　I　was　assured　that　the　hump　would　always　be　replaced　by　a　similar
growth　after　each　operation。

On　18th　November；　I　commenced　the　march　homewards。　The　natives　were　now
friendly　throughout　the　route；　and　my　men　were　strictly　forbidden　to
enter　a　village。　There　was　a　great　change　in　my　officers　and　troops；
they　had　fallen　into　my　ways　and　obeyed　every　order　with　alacrity。　They
had　learned　to　place　thorough　reliance　upon　any　plans　that　were
arranged；　and；　now　that　they　knew　the　necessity　of　obedience　and
discipline；　they　had；　imperceptibly　to　themselves；　changed　from　ruffians
into　very　orderly　soldiers。

On　the　march　homewards；　upon　arrival　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　I　made
an　excursion　inland；　as　this　was　a　portion　of　the　country　that　I　had　not
yet　visited；　though　only　six　miles　from　Gondokoro。　The　natives　were　very
shy；　but　I　at　length　succeeded　in　obtaining　an　interview　with　their
sheik；　a　tall　powerful　fellow；　named　Meri。　I　explained　that　I　required
no　corn；　nor　any　supplies；　except　stone。　（This　sheik　Meri　and　his
people　always　remained　faithful　to　the　government　from　that　day。）

The　country　abounded　with　pieces　of　gneiss　with　a　very　straight
cleavage；　that　suited　them　admirably　for　building　purposes。　All　the
granaries　of　this　country　were　supported　upon　pillars　formed　of　single
stones；　about　three　feet　long。　The　houses　were　also　protected　by　large
flat　stones　arranged　like　tiles　around　the　base；　and　thus　securing　the
sides　from　the　driven　storms　of　rain。

On　19th　November；　I　returned　to　Gondokoro　highly　satisfied　with　the
result　of　the　campaign。　Not　only　were　my　magazines　all　filled　with　more
than　twelve　months'　supply　of　corn；　but　I　had　established　peace
throughout　a　large　and　powerful　district；　and　I　had　received　promises　of
assistance；　and　an　assurance　of　allegiance　to　the　government。

Abou　Saood；　who　had　received　permission　to　go　to　Khartoum；　had　only　gone
down　the　river　as　far　as　his　station　at　the　Bohr。　There　he　had　made
arrangements　with　his　people　that　the　ivory　from　Latooka　station；　100
miles　east　of　Gondokoro；　should　avoid　my　head…quarters；　and　be　conveyed
by　an　oblique　course　to　the　Bohr。　By　this　swindle；　the　government　would
be　cheated　out　of　the　share　of　two…fifths　of　the　ivory　which　belonged　to
them　by　contract　with　Agad　&　Co。

Abou　Saood　having　personally　witnessed　the　departure　of　the　troops　to
Khartoum；　considered　his　game　as　won；　and　that　the　expedition；　now
reduced　to　only　502　officers　and　men；　would　be　compelled　to　centralize
at　Gondokoro；　without　the　possibility　of　penetrating　the　interior。　He
had　thus　started　for　his　stations　in　the　distant　south；　where　he
intended　to　incite　the　natives　against　the　government；　to　prevent　me
from　following　out　my　plans　with　the　small　force　at　my　disposal。

This　was　the　first　time　in　the　career　of　Abou　Saood　that　he　had　ever
travelled　inland。　He　had　for　many　years　been　in　the　habit　of　arriving　at
Gondokoro　from　Khartoum　with　the　annual　vessels　from　Agad　&　Co。；
bringing　new　levies　of　brigands　together　with　fresh　supplies　of　arms　and
ammunition。　He　then　remained　at　Gondokoro　for　several　weeks；　and
received　the　ivory　and　slaves　collected　from　his　various　stations　in　the
interior　with　which　he　returned　to　Khartoum。

The　necessity　of　the　occasion　induced　him　to　use　much　personal　activity。
Knowing　well　the　date　when　my　term　of　service　would　expire；　he　had　only
one　object；　in　which　he　had　already　nearly　succeeded；this　was　to
prevent　the　possibility　of　my　advance　within　the　given　period。

It　was　therefore　necessary　for　him　to　visit　his　stations；　and　to　warn
his　people　to　hold　both　their　slaves　and　ivory　until　I　should　be
withdrawn　from　Gondokoro　by　the　expiration　of　my　term　of　service；　after
which；　he　had　no　doubt　that　things　would　quickly　return　to　their　former
happy　state。　By　these　means　he　would　be　able　to　cheat　the　government　out
of　the　two…fifths　of　all　ivory；　he　would　preserve　his　slaves；　and　a
judicious　present　to　some　high　official　would　reinstate　him　in　his
original　position　as　the　greatest　slave…hunter　of　the　White　Nile；　with
the　additional　kuilos　of　having　battled　the　Christian　Pacha。

I　had　already　written　to　assure　the　Khedive　that；　should　my　work　not　be
satisfactorily　accomplished　at　the　expiration　of　my　term　of　service；　I
should　continue　at　my　post　until　I　could　honourably　resign　the　command；
when　the　government　should　be　firmly　established　in　the　interior。

I　now　devoted　every　energy　to　the　preparations　for　starting；　together
with　the　English　engineers　and　the　steamer。　Having　given　the　necessary
instructions　to　the　engineer　in　chief；　Mr。　Higginbotham；　I　had　no
anxiety；　as　I　felt　sure