ismailia-第73节

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left　him　in　Khartoum　ill　with　guinea…worm　in　the　leg；　he　was　on　his　way
to　Cairo；　but　after　my　departure　he　had　been　tempted　by　the
slave…traders　to　re…engage　in　the　infamous　but　engrossing　career；　and　he
too　had　become　a　slave…hunter。　He　had　never　received　any　pay；　as　the
custom　of　the　slavers　was　to　pay　their　men　in　slaves。　Mohammed　had　never
been　fortunate　in　his　domestic　affairs；　he　was　not　a　favourite　of　the
ladies；　thus　his　female　slaves　had　all　run　away；　his　fortune　had　walked
off；　and　he　was　left　a　beggar；　with　an　overdrawn　account　in　slaves。

Mohammed　had　never　been　a　good　English　scholar；　but　want　of　practice
during　many　years　had　almost　obscured　the　light　of　his　former　learning；
which　was　reduced　to　the　faintest　glimmer。

The　bugles　now　sounded　the　〃advance；〃　and　we　marched　forward　in
admirable　order；　with　the　band　playing。

In　the　meantime；　several　natives　had　approached；　and　having　recognized
Lady　Baker　and　myself；　they　immediately　raced　back　to　the　village　with
the　news。

My　men　looked　remarkably　well；　and　the　advance　into　Fatiko　was　a　sight
that　was　entirely　new　to　Central　Africa。　We　were　in　magnificent　order
for　work；　with　a　hardy　disciplined　force　of　212　men；　and　a　stock　of
cattle　and　merchandise　that　would　carry　us　to　any　direction　I　might
desire。

This　arrival；　in　such　perfect　organization；　was　a　fatal　blow　to　the
hopes　and　intrigues　of　Abou　Saood。　I　was　actually　among　them；　in　the
very　nest　and　hotbed　of　the　slavers；　in　spite　of　every　difficulty。

Abou　Saood　came　to　meet　me；　with　his　usual　humble　appearance；　as　we
neared　his　station；　and　he　cringingly　invited　us　to　rest　in　some　huts
that　had　just　been　prepared　for　our　reception。

I　declined　the　invitation；　and　prepared　to　camp　beneath　some　grand
acacias；　among　the　granite　rocks；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　beyond；
where　I　had　rested　some　years　ago。　I　accordingly　led　the　way；　until　we
arrived　at　a　very　beautiful　spot；　among　some　immense　granite　blocks；
shaded　by　the　desired　foliage。　Here　the　word　was　given　〃Halt！〃　and　the
tent　was　quickly　pitched　in　a　favourable　locality。

We　were　now　distant　from　the　junction　of　the　Un…y…Ame　river　48　miles；
from　Lobore　85　miles；　and　from　Gondokoro　165　miles。

Abou　Saood　ordered　his　people　to　bring　a　number　of　straw…roofs　from　his
station；　to　form　a　protection　for　the　officers。　The　men　quickly　housed
themselves　in　temporary　huts；　and　the　cattle　were　placed　for　the　night
in　a　regular　amphitheatre　of　rock；　which　formed　an　excellent　position。

On　8th　March；　I　reviewed　the　troops；　and　having　given　the　natives
warning　of　my　intention；　I　had　a　sham…fight　and　attack　of　the　Fatiko
mountain。　Having　fired　several　rockets　at　a　supposed　enemy；　the　troops
advanced　in　two　companies　to　the　north　and　south　extremities　of　the
mountain；　which　they　scaled　with　great　activity；　and　joined　their　forces
on　the　clean　plateau　of　granite　on　the　summit　of　the　ridge。　The　effect
was　very　good；　and　appeared　to　delight　the　natives；　who　had　assembled　in
considerable　numbers。　After　firing　several　volleys；　the　troops　descended
the　hill；　and　marched　back；　with　the　band　playing。

The　music　of　our　band　being　produced　simply　by　a　considerable　number　of
bugles；　drums；　and　cymbals；　aided　by　a　large　military　bass…drum；　might
not　have　been　thought　first…rate　in　Europe；　but　in　Africa　it　was
irresistible。

The　natives　are　passionately　fond　of　music；　and　I　believe　the　safest　way
to　travel　in　those　wild　countries　would　be　to　play　the　cornet；　if
possible　without　ceasing；　which　would　insure　a　safe　passage。　A　London
organ…grinder　would　march　through　Central　Africa　followed　by　an　admiring
and　enthusiastic　crowd；　who；　if　his　tunes　were　lively；　would　form　a
dancing　escort　of　the　most　untiring　material。

As　my　troops　returned　to　their　quarters；　with　the　band　playing　rather
cheerful　airs；　we　observed　the　women　racing　down　from　their　villages；
and　gathering　from　all　directions　towards　the　common　centre。　As　they
approached　nearer；　the　charms　of　music　were　overpowering；　and；　halting
for　an　instant；　they　assumed　what　they　considered　the　most　graceful
attitudes；　and　then　danced　up　to　the　band。

In　a　short　time　my　buglers　could　hardly　blow　their　instruments　for
laughing；　at　the　extraordinary　effect　of　their　performance。　A　fantastic
crowd　surrounded　them　as　they　halted　in　our　position　among　the　rocks；
and　every　minute　added　to　their　number。

The　women　throughout　the　Shooli　are　entirely　naked；　thus　the　effect　of　a
female　crowd；　bounding　madly　about　as　musical　enthusiasts；　was　very
extraordinary。　Even　the　babies　were　brought　out　to　dance；　and　these
infants；　strapped　to　their　mothers'　backs；　and　covered　with　pumpkin
shells；　like　young　tortoises；　were　jolted　about　without　the　slightest
consideration　for　the　weakness　of　their　necks；　by　their　infatuated
mothers。

As　usual；　among　all　tribes　in　Central　Africa；　the　old　women　were　even
more　determined　dancers　than　the　young　girls。　Several　old　Venuses　were
making　themselves　extremely　ridiculous；　as　they　sometimes　do　in
civilized　countries　when　attempting　the　allurements　of　younger　days。

The　men　did　not　share　in　the　dance；　but　squatted　upon　the　rocks　in　great
numbers　to　admire　the　music；　and　to　witness　the　efforts　of　their　wives
and　daughters。

The　men　of　Shooli　and　Fatiko　are　the　best　proportioned　that　I　have　seen；
without　the　extreme　height　of　the　Shillooks　or　Dinkas；　they　are　muscular
and　well　knit；　and　generally　their　faces　are　handsome。

The　women　were　inclined　to　a　short　stature；　but　were　very　strong　and
compact。　It　was　singular；　that　throughout　the　great　Shooli　country；　of
which　Fatiko　is　simply　a　district；　while　the　women　are　perfectly　naked；
the　men　are　partially　clothed　with　the　skin　of　an　antelope；　slung　across
the　shoulders；　and　covering　the　lower　part　of　the　body　life　a　scarf。　In
other　countries　that　I　had　passed；　the　men　were　quite　naked；　while　the
women　were　more　or　less　covered。

After　the　dance；　I　was　visited　by　several　natives　who　had　known　me　in
former　years；　among　whom　was　my　old　guide；　Gimoro；　who　had　first　led　me
to　Unyoro。　Another　excellent　man　named　Shoeli　now　gave　me　all　the
intelligence　of　the　country。　Both　these　men　spoke　Arabic。

It　was　a　repetition　of　the　old　story。　The　country　was　half…ruined　by　the
acts　of　Abou　Saood's　people。　The　natives　were　afraid　to　resist　them　in
this　neighbourhood；　as　every　adjacent　country　had　been　plundered；　and
the　women　and　children　carried　off。　Abou　Saood　had　not　expected　that　I
could　leave　Gondokoro；　but　he　had　told　the　Shooli　natives　to　attack　me
if　I　should　arrive；　thus　on　the　day　of　my　appearance；　the　natives；　being
ignorant　of　my　presence；　had　considered　the　dreaded　Pacha　must　be　an
enemy；　until　they　had　recognized　my　wife　and　myself　as　their　old
friends。

Upon　that　day；　when　I　had　observed　the　natives　running　to　and　fro　with
spears　and　shields；　Abou　Saood　had　told　them　to　resist　me　at　once；　and
he　had　promised　that　his　people　should　assist　the　Fatikos；　but　when　the
natives　saw　our　powerful　force；　they　had　known　that　an　attack　would　be
useless；　they　had　accordingly　sent　men　to　discover　our　intentions；　and
these　messengers　had　reported　my　return　to　their　country　in　the　capacity
of　Pacha　commanding　the　expedition。

My　old　friends　now　assured　me；　in　reply　to　my　explanation　of　the
Khedive's　intentions；　that　the　whole　country　would　rally　around　a　good
government；　and　all　that　the　poor　people　desired　was　protection　and
justice。　The　fact　of　my　return　would　give　confidence　throughout　the
country；　and　the　news　had　already　been　carried　to　the　great　sheik；　Rot
Jarma；　who　had　never　visited　Abou　Saood　or　his　people；　but　who　would
quickly　tender　his　allegiance　to　me　as　the　representative　of　the
Khedive。

I　told　Gimoro　and　Shooli　to　inform　the　headmen；　and　the　people　generally
throughout　the　country；　of　my　pacific　intentions；　and　to　have　no　fear
now　that　the　government　was　represented；　as　it　would　be　impossible　that
the　atrocities　committed　by　the　slave…hunters　of　Abou　Saood　should
recur。　At　the　same　time　I　explained；　that　in　about　twenty　days　the
contract　entered　into　between　Agad　and　Co。　with　the　Soudan　government
would　expire；　and　Abou　Saood　would　be　compelled　to　withdraw　all　his
people　from　the　country；　which　would　then　remain　solely　in　the　hands　of
the　Khedive。

Throughout　the　subsequent　expedition；　I　could　always　rely　upon　the
fidelity　of　these　two　men；　Gimoro　and　Shooli。

After　their　departure　to　spread　the　good　news　far　and　wide；　I　had　a　long
conversation　with　my　old　servant；　Mohammed；　who　I　knew　would　give　me
every　information　respecting　the　acts　of　Abou　Saood　and　his　people；　as
he　had　been　among　them　in　these　parts　for　many　years。

He　told　me　that　my　arrival　at　Fatiko　was　supposed　to　be　improbable；　as
the　Gondokoro　natives　were　known　to　be　hostile　to　the　government；
therefore　it　would　be　impossible　to　transport　the　baggage。　Although　the
Baris　were　at　war　with　the　government；　Abou　Saood　had　about　seventy　of
these　natives　at　Fatiko；　armed　with　muskets；　in　his　employ；　thus　he　was
openly　in　league　with　the　enemies　of　the　Khedive's　government。

The　report　among　the　slave　companies　asserted　that　Abou　Saood　had　been
in　league　with　Raoul　Bey