ismailia-第64节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


was　equal　to　my　own；　at　once　expressed　her　suspicions。　Had　the　natives
been　honest　and　sincere；　their　women　would　assuredly　have　come　to　visit
her　from　simple　curiosity。

Not　only　was　there　an　absence　of　women　and　children；　but　the　cattle　had
been　driven　from　the　country。　There　were　several　small　cattle　zareebas
within　half　a　mile　of　the　vessels；　situated　upon　the　high　ground。　I　went
to　visit　them；　as　though　simply　strolling　for　my　amusement；　the　dung　of
cattle　was　fresh；　showing　that　the　zareebas　had　been　occupied　during　the
past　night；　but　the　herd　had　evidently　been　driven　far　away。

Bedden's　people　had　never　been　attacked　by　the　slave…traders；　as　his
tribe　was　considered　too　powerful；　he　had　therefore　no　cause　for
suspicion。

Unfortunately；　my　past　experience　of　the　Bari　natives　had　proved　that
kindness　was　thrown　away　upon　them；　and　that　nothing　could　be　done　with
them　until　their　inferiority　had　been　proved　by　force　of　arms。

Bedden　had　never　suffered。　He　had　promised　to　assist；　but　no　promise　of
a　native　is　worth　more　than　the　breath　of　his　mouth。　If　he　failed　me
now；　the　object　of　my　enterprise　would　be　lost。　I　should　not　be　able　to
move。

All　my　care　and　trouble　would　have　been　thrown　away。

I　was　very　anxious；　but；　without　mentioning　my　suspicions；　I　ordered　all
the　heavy　vessels　to　cross　over　to　the　east　side　of　the　river；　to
prepare　for　disembarking　the　carts　and　general　effects。

On　the　following　morning　the　sheik；　Bedden；　arrived　to　visit　me；　with
many　of　his　people。　I　had　erected　a　tent　on　shore　in　which　I　could
receive　him。

I　was　struck　with　a　peculiar　change　in　his　manner；　and　after　a　short
conversation　he　asked　me；　〃Why　I　had　sent　the　vessels　to　the　east　side？〃

I　replied　that　they　would　begin　to　unload　and　prepare　for　the　journey。

〃Who　is　going　to　carry　all　your　baggage？〃　continued　Bedden；　as　though
the　idea　had　occurred　to　him　for　the　first　time。

I　was　perfectly　aghast　at　this　cool　and　prostrating　question。　My
suspicions　had　been　well　founded。

I　explained　to　Bedden　that　I　had　arrived　according　to　his　express
invitation；　given　some　time　before；　when　he　had　promised　that　his　men
should　convey　my　things　as　far　as　Lobore。　I　pretended　that　his　question
had　now　been　asked　simply　to　amuse　me；　and　I　begged　him　in　earnest　to
lose　no　time　in　collecting　his　people；　as　I　should　require　at　least
2；000　carriers。

Bedden　continued　in　a　cold；　stoical　manner；　and　declared　that　his　people
were　determined　not　to　work　for　me；　they　had　never　before　carried　for
〃The　Turks；〃　and　nothing　would　induce　them　to　engage　in　such　a　labour。

I　begged　him　to　remember　the　importance　of　his　promise；　upon　which　I　had
depended　when　making　all　my　arrangements　for　the　journey。　If　he　failed
me　now；　I　should　be　entirely　ruined；　whereas　if　he　assisted　me；　as　I　had
relied　upon　his　honour；　we　should　always　remain　the　firmest　friends；　and
he　would　be　benefited　by　a　grand　herd　of　cattle；　and　would　receive　most
valuable　presents。

He　now　declared　〃that　his　people　had　taken　the　matter　into
consideration；　and　they　were　quite　determined。　They　would　not　listen　to
him；　or　be　persuaded　to　anything　they　disliked。　They　never　had　carried；
and　they　never　would。〃

I　had　the　two　natives　with　me　who　had　resided　for　some　time　in　our
station　at　Gondokoro。　One　of　these　men；　named　Pittia；　endeavoured　to
persuade　Bedden　to　beat　his　nogara　（big　drum）　and　to　summon　his　tribe；
he　might　then；　in　my　presence；　explain　the　work　proposed；　and　his　people
would　see　the　cows　which　they　would　receive　as　payment　for　their　labour。

Bedden　looked　very　ill　at　his　ease；　but　after　some　delay；　he　rose　from
his　seat；　and　declared　his　intention　of　immediately　beating　his　nogara。
He　took　leave　and　departed　with　his　people。

From　my　experience　of　Baris；　I　felt　sure　that　I　should　never　see　Bedden
again。

He　had　hardly　left　the　tent；　when　Pittia　exclaimed；　〃I　will　follow　him
and　listen　to　what　he　says　to　his　people。　I　believe　he　will　tell　them
NOT　to　carry　the　loads。〃　Pittia　immediately　disappeared。

Many　natives　had　collected　on　the　east　side　of　the　river；　where　my
vessels　had　now　formed　a　line　alone　the　bank；　I　therefore　crossed　over
in　the　dingy　to　converse　with　them　in　the　faint　hope　of　securing
carriers。

The　natives　were　squatting　about　in　small　groups；　and　they　listened
coldly　to　all　I　had　to　say。　The　only　answer　I　could　obtain　was；　〃that
they　belonged　to　Bedden；　and　if　he　told　them　to　carry　our　things；　they
would　obey；　but　without　his　order　they　could　do　nothing。〃

This　is　the　regular　African　diplomacy　when　work　is　required。　The　people
say；　〃We　must　receive　orders　from　our　sheik。〃　The　sheik　says；　〃I　am
willing；　but　my　people　will　not　obey　me。〃　It　is　this　passive　resistance
that　may　ruin　an　expedition。

My　first　exploration　in　Africa　must　necessarily　have　failed　had　I　not
been　provided　with　transport　animals。　The　readers　of　〃The　Albert
N'yanza〃　may　remember　that　I　could　not　obtain　a　single　native；　and　that
I　started　from　Gondokoro　by　moonlight　without　even　an　interpreter　or
guide。

The　horrible　state　of　the　White　Nile　had　prevented　all　possibility　of
conveying　camels　from　Khartoum。　My　carts　and　camel　harness　were
prepared；　but　the　invaluable　animals　could　not　be　transported。　I　was
thus　dependent　upon　such　rotten　reeds　as　native　promises。

No　one　who　is　inexperienced　in　African　travel　can　realize　the　hopeless
position　of　being　left　with　a　mass　of　material　without　any　possibility
of　transporting　it。

The　traveller　may　sit　upon　his　box　until　he　stiffens　into　a　monument　of
patience　and　despair；　but　the　box　will　not　move　without　a　carrier。　There
is　only　one　method　of　travelling　successfully；　and　this　necessitates　the
introduction　of　transport　animals；　where　the　baggage　is　heavy　and　upon
an　extensive　scale。

I　felt　perfectly　helpless。　My　colonel；　Abd…el…Kader；　advised　me　to　seize
the　sheik；　Bedden；　and　to　tie　him　up　until　his　people　should　have
delivered　all　the　effects　at　Lobore。

This　I　might　have　done；　but　it　might　also　have　occasioned　war；　which
would　prevent　the　possibility　of　securing　carriers。　I　should　also　incur
the　responsibility　of　having　provoked　the　war　by　an　act　which；　although
necessary；　could　hardly　be　justified　according　to　civilized　ideas。

I　had　very　little　hope；　but　I　had　so　frequently　seen　a　sudden　ray　of
good　fortune　when　all　had　looked　dark　and　cloudy；　that　I　went　to　bed　at
night　trusting　that　something　might　turn　up　in　our　favour　to…morrow。

On　29th　January；　1872；　Pittia　returned　with　bad　news。　Bedden　had　sent　me
a　laconic　message　that　〃he　should　not　call　again；　and　that　his　people
declined　to　carry　the　baggage。〃

Pittia　explained　that　the　natives　had　all　left　the　neighbourhood
together　with　their　sheik；　therefore　it　would　be　well　not　to　allow　the
soldiers　to　stray　far　from　camp。

This　was　the　gross　ingratitude　exhibited　by　Bedden　and　his　people。　Not
only　had　I　scrupulously　respected　all　their　property；　but　I　had　even
placed　sentries　over　their　tobacco　gardens　to　prevent　the　possibility　of
theft。

The　absence　of　the　women　and　children　had　been　a　certain　sign　of
ill…will。

It　was　necessary　to　consider　what　should　be　done。　We　were　perfectly
helpless。

I　had　about　2；500　head　of　cattle　and　1；800　sheep。　These　animals　were
driven　every　evening　to　the　margin　of　the　river；　and　were　only　protected
at　night　by　a　line　of　soldiers　who　slept　around　them。

The　conduct　of　the　natives　filled　me　with　suspicions。　The　sight　of　so
large　a　herd　without　protection　might　have　excited　their　cupidity。　They
had　expected　my　arrival　with　this　grand　supply　of　cattle；　and　instead　of
finding　their　villages　occupied；　I　had　observed　that　their　own　herds　had
been　driven　off　for　concealment；　not　a　woman　or　child　was　to　be　seen　in
the　country；　the　natives　had　refused　to　carry；　and；　lastly；　their　sheik
and　his　people　had　absolutely　absconded。

In　the　mean　time　my　cattle　were　unprotected　at　night；　thus；　should　the
natives　make　a　sudden　attack　in　the　darkness；　there　would　be　a　regular
stampede；　as　the　large　herd　would　be　seized　with　a　panic　at　the　red
flashes　of　the　muskets　during　the　attack；　and　they　would　scatter　all
over　the　country；　and　never　be　seen　again。

The　natives　had　probably　considered　that；　instead　of　carrying　our　loads；
and　thereby　earning　a　cow　per　man；　it　might　save　them　much　trouble
should　they　possess　themselves　of　our　cattle　without　the　necessity　of
carrying　the　baggage。

From　my　knowledge　of　the　brutal　character　of　all　Baris；　I　arrived　at　the
above　conclusion。

I　at　once　gave　orders　to　secure　the　cattle。　At　a　distance　of　about　half
a　mile；　there　were　three　small　villages　on　the　high　sloping　ground；
situated　about　eighty　yards　apart；　and　forming　a　triangle。　I　instructed
my　men　to　make　an　inclosure；　by　connecting　each　village　with　a　strong
hedge　of　thorns。

The　country　was　generally　bare　of　trees；　but　fortunately　there　was　a
grove　of　heglik　not　far　distant；　and　the　troops　at　once　began　to　fell
these　trees；　and　to　form　fences　by　laying　the　prickly　branches　in　the
position　I　had　selected。

The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　all　provided　with　small　and　sharp　Canada　axes；
which　they　carried　under　the　strap　of　their　knapsacks；