ismailia-第80节

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his　orders。

〃I　told　him　that　my　troops　were　lambs　if　well　fed；　but　they　were　like
lions　if　hungry；　and　to　prove　their　number　I　would　summon　them　before
him。

〃The　bugle　sounded　the　'taboor；'　and　upwards　of　100　men　immediately　fell
in　with　bayonets　fixed；　to　the　no　small　dismay　of　Quonga　and　his　sheiks；
who　began　to　look　very　uneasy　at　the　scarlet　uniforms。　By　a　coup　de
theatre；　I　marched　the　men；　with　bugles　and　drums　playing；　round　the
numerous　huts；　so　that　they　reappeared　twice　before　the　tent；　and　thus
doubled　their　real　number。

〃At　the　halt　and　dismissal；　they　shouted　their　usual　wild　cry　in
Turkish；　in　honour　of　their　commander。

〃'Do　you　understand　what　they　say？'　I　asked　Quonga。　To　his　negative
reply；　I　answered；　'They　say　they　will　eat　from　the　country　if
provisions　are　not　supplied　to…morrow！'

〃Quonga　and　his　sheiks　started　off　immediately　to　give　the　necessary
orders。

〃Upon　his　return　I　told　him　'to　advise　Kabba　Rega　to　behave　in　a
different　manner　to　the　conduct　of　his　father；　the　late　Kamrasi。　I　had
returned　to　this　country　to　bestow　prosperity　upon　the　land；　that　if
Kabba　Rega　meant　fair　dealing　and　legitimate　trade；　he　must　act
honourably　and　sincerely；　if　I　should　find　any　signs　of　unfairness；　I
should　pass　on　direct　to　Uganda；　the　Country　of　M'tese；　and　he　would
receive　the　goods　I　had　intended　for　Unyoro。'

〃Negroes　are　great　deceivers；　especially　the　natives　of　Unyoro。　I　have
beads；　cattle；　merchandise；　and　every　article　necessary　to　purchase
flour　and　potatoes：　nevertheless；　our　wants　are　not　supplied。　The　cattle
are　dying；　as　the　change　of　herbage　does　not　agree　with　them；　this　is　a
sad　loss。　　（One　of　the　African　difficulties　consists　in　the　mortality
of　the　cattle　when　changing　districts。）

〃March　28。　The　great　sheik；　Lokara；　who　is　the　commander…in…chief　of
Kabba　Rega's　forces；　arrived。　This　man　has　left　a　large　army　on　the
banks　of　the　Nile；　a　few　hours'　march　up　stream；　ready　to　attack　Rionga；
who　is　settled；　with　his　people；　on　an　island　in　the　river。　Of　course　he
is　come　to　request　military　aid。　This　is　the　old　story。　Upon　my　last
visit　I　was　bored　almost　to　death　by　Kamrasi；　with　requests　that　I　would
assist　him　to　attack　Rionga。　I　have　only　been　here　for　a　few　days　when　I
am　troubled　with　the　old　tune。

〃March　29。　Provisions　are　very　scarce；　the　people　have　been　fighting
for　so　many　years　that　cultivation　has　been　much　neglected；　and　the
natives　live　principally　upon　plantains。

〃I　gave　Suleiman；　the　vakeel；　five　cows　yesterday。　He　declares　that　Abou
Saood　told　him　that　my　term　of　service　with　the　Egyptian　government　had
expired；　therefore　the　entire　country　was　now　in　his　hands。　This　liar；
Abou　Saood；　will　some　day　reap　the　fruits　of　his　treachery。

〃I　ordered　the　government　flag　to　be　hoisted　in　Suleiman's　camp；　and　the
vakeel；　Suleiman；　called　upon　all　those　who　were　willing　to　enlist　in
the　service　of　the　Khedive　to　assemble　beneath　the　ensign。　Sixty…one　men
registered　their　names。

〃The　only　difficulty　is　the　rate　of　wages。　I　offer　the　privates　sixty
piastres　　（the　piastre　equals　twopence…halfpenny）　per　month；　i。e。；
thirty　piastres　as　equal　pay　to　that　of　the　regulars；　and　thirty
piastres　in　lieu　of　clothes。　Formerly　these　brigands　nominally　received
fifty　and　fifty…five　piastres；　in　addition　to　one　third　of　all　cattle
that　might　be　captured　in　razzias。

〃Should　I　be　able　to　establish　a　small　irregular　corps　as　a
commencement；　the　expense　would　be　considerable　in　proportion　to　the
actual　proceeds　in　ivory。　The　position　is　difficult。

〃A　radical　change　throughout　the　country　is　absolutely　necessary。　The
companies　have　hitherto　purchased　ivory　with　slaves　and　cattle；　thus　all
countries　in　which　this　custom　has　been　established；　must　be　abandoned
until　the　natives　will　sell　ivory　in　exchange　for　goods。

〃The　expenses　will　continue；　or　perhaps　augment；　while　the　ivory　produce
must　decrease　for　the　first　twelve　months；　or　until　the　people　will
understand　and　accept　the　reform。

〃Without　an　irregular　force　it　will　be　impossible　to　hold　the　country；
and　at　the　same　time　to　carry　on　the　work　of　government。　The　force　that
I　originally　proposed；　of　1；650；　is　absolutely　required　to　occupy　a
chain　of　stations　from　Gondokoro。

〃March　30。The　cows　are　dying　in　great　numbers；　and　the　natives　are
bringing　large　quantities　of　potatoes　in　exchange　for　the　flesh；　but
there　is　no　corn　in　the　country。

〃The　days　and　nights　are　now　cloudy　and　showery。

〃Lokara　and　Quonga　came　this　morning；　but　no　messenger　has　yet　arrived
from　Kabba　Rega。

〃I　gave　Lokara　a　blue　shirt；　a　long　red　sash；　and　a　crimson　fez；　to　his
great　delight。　The　chiefs　were　much　struck　with　the　present　intended　for
Kabba　Rega；　this　consisted　of　three　rows　of　roman　pearls　as　large　as
marbles；　with　a　gilt　shield；　and　onyx…pendant　tied　up　with　green　satin
ribbon。

〃March　31。I　sent　all　the　cattle　across　the　river　in　charge　of　Quonga；
two　were　carried　off　by　crocodiles　while　in　the　act　of　swimming。

〃The　great　sheiks　paid　me　a　visit；　together　with　many　of　inferior　rank。
Lokara；　Quonga；　Matonse；　and　Pittia；　were　among　the　principal　chiefs　of
the　country。　As　they　were　sitting　before　me；　Lokara　lighted　a　huge　pipe
and　immediately　commenced　smoking。　This　is　a　great　breach　of　etiquette；
as　smoking　is　strictly　forbidden　in　the　presence　of　Kabba　Rega。

〃My　old　Cairo　dragoman；　Mohammed；　who　was　now　thoroughly　installed　as
one　of　the　expedition；　was　well　up　in　the　customs　of　the　country；　and　he
quietly　resented　the　insult　of　the　pipe。

〃He　gently　approached　with　a　bottle　of　water；　which　he　poured　politely
into　the　bowl；　as　though　he　was　conferring　a　favour；　at　the　same　time；
he　explained　that　in　my　presence　every　one　smoked　water　instead　of
tobacco。　The　hint　was　immediately　taken；　and　the　huge　pipe；　thus
summarily　extinguished；　was　handed　to　a　slave　in　attendance。

〃We　now　entered　upon　geographical　discussions。　All　the　chiefs　declared
that　the　M'wootan　N'zige　extends　beyond　Karagwe；　and　that　it　exceeds　the
Victoria　N'yanza　in　size。　The　native　name；　in　Unyoro；　for　the　Victoria
N'yanza　is　simply　N'yanza；　and　for　the　White　Nile；　Masaba。

〃There　is　a　country　called　Barega　on　the　Albert　N'yanza；　south…west　of
Uganda；　governed　by　a　powerful　king　whose　people　are　armed　with　bows；
and　arrows　that　are　feathered。　I　have　never　yet　seen　feathered　arrows
among　the　White　Nile　tribes。

〃The　great　mountain　Bartooma　is　again　mentioned；　as　on　my　former
journey。　I　imagine　it　must　be　identical　with　the　M'fumbiro　of　Speke。

〃I　shall　send　an　expedition　front　Magungo　to　Ibrahimeyah　by　river　to
prove　the　capabilities　of　the　route。　I　shall　form　a　station　at　Magungo
to　trade　with　Malegga　on　the　opposite　shore。　I　shall　then　thoroughly
explore　the　Albert　N'yanza　in　boats；　and　afterwards　proceed　to　King
M'tese　of　Uganda　。　。　。　。

〃It　rained　last　evening　and　during　the　night。　Seven　cows　died。　I　have
erected　a　comfortable　stable　for　the　horses。

〃April　1。The　people　belonging　to　Suleiman　hesitate　to　accept　the
government　pay；　although　a　day　or　two　ago　they　enlisted。　I　fear　that
these　people　can　never　be　trusted。　I　shall　give　them　a　little　time　to
consider；　after　which；　if　they　refuse　to　serve；　I　shall　turn　them　out　of
the　country。　Every　camp　or　zareeba　is　course　full　of　slaves。

〃There　is　a　curious　custom　throughout　Unyoro：　a　peculiar　caste　are
cattle…keepers。　These　people　only　attend　to　the　herds；　and　the
profession　is　inherited　from　past　generations。　They　are　called　Bohooma；
and　they　are　the　direct　descendants　of　the　Gallas　who　originally
conquered　the　country；　and；　like　the　reigning　family；　they　are　of　an
extremely　light　colour。　If　the　herds　are　carried　off　in　battle；　the
Bohooma；　who　never　carry　arms；　accompany；　them　to　their　new　masters；　and
continue　their　employment。　Nothing　but　death　will　separate　them　from
their　cattle。

〃April　2。The　natives　built　a　zareeba　yesterday　for　the　cattle；　but
they　are　dying　as　rapidly　as　upon　the　north　side　of　the　river。

〃I　tried　to　do　a　little　geography　with　the　sheik；　Pittia。　He　was　the　man
who；　some　years　ago；　first　gave　me　the　information　respecting　the
distance　of　the　Albert　N'yanza　from　M'rooli。　He　would　say　nothing
without　orders　from　the　king；　beyond　telling　me　that　you　might　travel
for　months　upon　the　lake。

〃It　is　very　annoying　in　this　country　that　no　information　can　be
obtained；　neither　can　any　work　be　commenced；　without　the　direct　order　of
the　king。　My　patience　is　sorely　tried。　No　reply　has　as　yet　been
delivered　to　my　message　sent　to　Kabba　Rega；　although　ten　days　have
elapsed。

〃My　desire　is　to　benefit　the　country　by　opening　the　road　for　legitimate
commerce；　but　the　difficulties　are　great；　as　the　king　will　endeavour　to
monopolize　the　market；　and　thus　prevent　free　trade。

〃April　3。I　sent　for　all　the　great　sheiks　to　complain　of　Kabba　Rega's
conduct。　This　young　fellow　was　evidently　aping　the　manners　of　his
father；　Kamrasi；　and　attempting　to　show　his　own　importance　by　keeping　me
waiting。　The　sheiks　explained；　that　before　my　arrival；　Suleiman　had
agreed　to　furnish　soldiers　to　assist　the　forces　of　Kabba　Rega　in　a
united　attack　upon　Rionga；　and　the　army　was　now　only　a　short　distance