ismailia-第1章

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Ismailia



by　Samuel　W。　Baker






Contents。

Chap。

I。　　　　　　Introductory

II。　　　　　English　Party

III。　　　　The　Retreat

IV。　　　　　The　Camp　at　Tewfikeeyah

V。　　　　　　Exploration　of　the　Old　White　Nile

VI。　　　　　The　Start

VII。　　　　Arrival　at　Gondokoro

VIII。　　　Official　Annexation

IX。　　　　　New　Enemies

X。　　　　　　Destruction　of　the　Shir　Detachment

XI。　　　　　Spirit　of　Disaffection

XII。　　　　Vessels　Return　to　Khartoum

XIII。　　　Moral　Results　of　the　Hunt

XIV。　　　　The　Advance　South

XV。　　　　　The　Advance　to　Lobore

XVI。　　　　Arrival　at　Patiko

XVII。　　　The　March　to　Unyoro

XVIII。　　March　to　Masindi

XIX。　　　　Restoration　of　the　Liberated　Slaves

XX。　　　　　Establish　Commerce

XXI。　　　　Treachery

XXII。　　　The　March　to　Rionga

XXIII。　　Build　a　Stockade　at　Foweera

XXIV。　　　No　Medical　Men

XXV。　　　　I　Send　to　Godokoro　for　Reinforcements

XXVI。　　　Arrival　of　M'Tese's　Envoys

XXVII。　　CONCLUSION

　　　　　　　　Appendix

　　　　　　　　Index






PREFACE。


An　interval　of　five　years　has　elapsed　since　the　termination　of　my
engagement　in　the　service　of　His　Highness　the　Khedive　of
Egypt；　〃to　suppress　the　slave…hunters　of　Central　Africa；　and　to
annex　the　countries　constituting　the　Nile　Basin；　with　the　object
of　opening　those　savage　regions　to　legitimate　commerce　and
establishing　a　permanent　government。〃

This　volume〃Ismailia〃gives　an　accurate　description　of　the　salient
points　of　the　expedition。　My　thanks　are　due　to　the　public　for　the　kind
reception　of　the　work；　and　for　the　general　appreciation　of　the　spirit
which　prompted　me　to　undertake　a　mission　so　utterly　opposed　to　the
Egyptian　ideas　of　1869…1873；　at　a　time　when　no　Englishman　had　held　a
high　command；　when　rival　consulates　were　struggling　for　paramount
influence；　when　the　native　officials　were　jealous　of　foreign
interference；　and　it　appeared　that　slavery　and　the　slave　trade　of　the
White　Nile　were　institutions　almost　necessary　to　the　existence　of
Egyptian　society。

It　was　obvious　to　all　observers　that　an　attack　upon　the　slave…dealing
and　slave…hunting　establishments　of　Egypt　by　a　foreigneran
Englishmanwould　be　equal　to　a　raid　upon　a　hornets'　nest；　that　all
efforts　to　suppress　the　old…established　traffic　in　negro　slaves　would　be
encountered　with　a　determined　opposition；　and　that　the　prime　agent　and
leader　of　such　an　expedition　must　be　regarded　〃with　hatred；　malice；　and
all　uncharitableness。〃　At　that　period　（1869）　the　highest　authorities
were　adverse　to　the　attempt。　An　official　notice　was　despatched　from　the
British　Foreign　Office　to　the　Consul…General　of　Egypt　that　British
subjects　belonging　to　Sir　Samuel　Baker's　expedition　must　not　expect　the
support　of　their　government　in　the　event　of　complications。　The
enterprise　was　generally　regarded　as　chimerical　in　Europe；　with
hostility　in　Egypt；　but　with　sympathy　in　America。

Those　who　have　read　〃Ismailia〃　may　have　felt　some　despondency。　Although
the　slave…hunters　were　driven　out　of　the　territory　under　my　command；
there　were　nevertheless　vast　tracts　of　country　through　which　new　routes
could　be　opened　for　the　slave　caravans　to　avoid　the　cruising　steamers　on
the　White　Nile；　and　thus　defeat　the　government。　The　Sultan　of　Darfur
offered　an　asylum　and　a　secure　passage　for　all　slaves　and　their　captors
who　could　no　longer　venture　within　the　new　boundaries　of　Egypt。　It　was
evident　that　the　result　of　the　expedition　under　my　command　was　a
death…blow　to　the　slave　trade；　if　the　Khedive　was　determined　to　persist
in　its　destruction。　I　had　simply　achieved　the　success　of　a　foundation
for　a　radical　reform　in　the　so…called　commerce　of　the　White　Nile。　The
government　had　been　established　throughout　the　newly…acquired
territories；　which　were　occupied　by　military　positions　garrisoned　with
regular　troops；　and　all　those　districts　were　absolutely　purged　from　the
slave…hunters。　In　this　condition　I　resigned　my　command；　as　the　first　act
was　accomplished。　The　future　would　depend　upon　the　sincerity　of　the
Khedive；　and　upon　the　ability　and　integrity　of　my　successor。

It　pleased　many　people　and　some　members　of　the　press　in　England　to
disbelieve　the　sincerity　of　the　Khedive。　He　was　accused　of　annexation
under　the　pretext　of　suppressing　the　vast　organization　of　the　White　Nile
slave…trade。　It　was　freely　stated　that　an　Englishman　was　placed　in
command　because　an　Egyptian　could　not　be　relied　upon　to　succeed；　but
that　the　greed　of　new　territory　was　the　actual　and　sole　object　of　the
expedition；　and　that　the　slave…trade　would　reappear　in　stupendous
activity　when　the　English　personal　influence　should　be　withdrawn。　Such
unsympathetic　expressions　must　have　been　a　poor　reward　to　the　Khedive
for　his　efforts　to　win　the　esteem　of　the　civilized　world　by　the
destruction　of　the　slave…trade　in　his　own　dominions。

Few　persons　have　considered　the　position　of　the　Egyptian　ruler　when
attacking　the　institution　most　cherished　by　his　people。　The　employment
of　an　European　to　overthrow　the　slave…trade　in　deference　to　the　opinion
of　the　civilized　world　was　a　direct　challenge　and　attack　upon　the
assumed　rights　and　necessities　of　his　own　subjects。　The　magnitude　of　the
operation　cannot　be　understood　by　the　general　public　in　Europe。　Every
household　in　Upper　Egypt　and　in　the　Delta　was　dependent　upon　slave
service；　the　fields　in　the　Soudan　were　cultivated　by　slaves；　the　women
in　the　harems　of　both　rich　and　middle　class　were　attended　by　slaves；　the
poorer　Arab　woman's　ambition　was　to　possess　a　slave；　in　fact；　Egyptian
society　without　slaves　would　be　like　a　carriage　devoid　of　wheelsit
could　not　proceed。

The　slaves　were　generally　well　treated　by　their　owners；　the　brutality
lay　in　their　capture；　with　the　attendant　lawlessness　and　murders；　but
that　was　far　away；　and　the　slave　proprietors　of　Egypt　had　not　witnessed
the　miseries　of　the　weary　marches　of　the　distant　caravans。　They
purchased　slaves；　taught　them　their　duties；　fed　and　clothed　themthey
were　happy；　why　should　the　Khedive　of　Egypt　prohibit　the　traffic　and
thus　disturb　every　household　in　his　territory？

There　is　no　Hyde　Park　or　Trafalgar　Square　in　Egypt；　there　are　no
agitators　nor　open…air　meetings；　fortunately　for　the　modern　ruler；　or　he
would　have　had　an　unpleasant　expression　of　the　popular　sentiment　at　the
close　of　my　administration。　The　break…up　of　the　White　Nile　slave…trade
involved　the　depression　of　trade　in　Khartoum；　as　the　market　had　supplied
the　large　bands　of　slave…hunters。　The　ivory　of　the　numerous　adventurers
still　remained　in　the　White　Nile　stations；　as　they　feared　confiscation
should　their　vessels　be　captured　with　the　ever　accompanying　slave　cargo。
Thus　little　ivory　arrived　at　Khartoum　to　meet　the　debts　of　the　traders
to　the　merchants　in　Cairo　and　Alexandria。　These　owed　Manchester　and
Liverpool　for　calicoes　supplied；　which　had　been　forwarded　to　the　Soudan。

The　direct　blow　at　the　White　Nile　slave…trade　was　an　indirect　attack
upon　the　commerce　of　the　country；　which　was　inseparably　connected　with
the　demand　of　the　Soudan　employers　of　brigands。

This　slight　outline　of　the　situation　will　exhibit　the　difficulties　of
the　Khedive　in　his　thankless　and　Herculean　task　of　cleansing　the　Augean
stables。　He　incurred　the　wrath　of　general　discontent；　his　own　officials
accused　him　of　deserting　the　Mahommedan　cause　for　the　sake　of　European
Kudos；　and　while　he　sacrificed　his　popularity　in　Egypt；　his　policy　was
misconstrued　by　the　powers　he　had　sought　to　gratify。　He　was　accused　of
civilizing　〃through　the　medium　of　fire　and　sword〃　by　the　same　English
journals　which　are　now　extolling　the　prowess　of　the　British　arms　in
Caffraria　and　the　newly…annexed　Transvaal！

In　this　equivocal　position　it　would　have　been　natural　either　to　have
abandoned　the　enterprise　at　the　termination　of　my　own　engagement；　or　to
have　placed　a　Mahommedan　officer　in　charge　of　the　new　provinces。　Instead
of　this；　His　Highness　adhered　most　strictly　to　his　original
determination；　and　to　prove　his　sincerity　he　entrusted　the　command　to　an
English　officer　of　high　reputation；　not　only　for　military　capacity；　but
for　a　peculiar　attribute　of　self…sacrifice　and　devotion。　Colonel　C。　E。
Gordon；　R。E。；　C。B。；　was　appointed　Governor…General　of　the　Soudan　and
equatorial　districts；　with　supreme　power。

This　appointment　extinguished　the　delusions　which　had　been　nourished　by
the　Soudan　authorities；　〃that　at　the　expiration　of　Baker　Pacha's　rule
the　good　old　times　of　slavery　and　lawlessness　would　return。〃　There　was
no　longer　any　hope；　the　slave…trade　was　suppressed；　and　the　foundation
was　laid　for　the　introduction　of　European　ideas　and　civilization。　It
will　now　be　interesting　to　trace　an　outline　of　the　advance　of　Egypt
during　the　last　five　years。

The　main　difficulty　in　my　original　enterprise　was　the　obstruction　of　the
White　Nile　by　the　accumulation　of　matted　vegetation；　which　impeded
navigation；　and　actually　closed　the　river。　Upon　arrival　at　Gondokoro；
after　the　tedious　process　of　cutting　through　50　miles　of　swamp　and
vegetable　matter；　via　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　I　had　requested　the
Khedive　to　issue　an　order　that　the　Governor　of　Khartoum　should
immediately　commence　the　great　work　of　re…opening　the　White　Nile。

His　Highness　without　delay　forwarded　the　necessary　instructions；　and　in
two　years　the　work　was　completed　by　Ismail　Ayoob　Pacha；　with　the　loss　of
several　vessels　which　had　been　overwhelmed　by　the　sudden　bursting　of
vast　masses　of　floating　swamps　and　entangled　reeds。　It　had　been
necessary　to　commence　operations　below　stream；　to　enable　the　blocks　of
vegetation　to　escape　when　detached　by　cutting　from　the　main　body。

The　White　Nile　was　restored　to　navigation　a　few　months　after　my　return
to　England；　and　was　clear　for　large　vessels　by　the　time　that　Colonel
Gordon　arrived　in　Khartoum。

I　had　originally　sent　up　six　steamers　from　Cairo　to　ply　between　Khartoum
and　Gondokoro；　these　had　been　simply　employed　as　far　as　Fashoda　station；
but　as　the　Nile　was　now　open；　they　at　once　established　a　rapid　and
regular　communication　with　the　equatorial　provinces。　The　terrible
difficulty　had　vanished；　and　Gondokoro　was　linked　with　the　outer　world
from　which　it　had　been　excluded。　The　appliances　which　had　been　prepared
with　much　care　could　now　be　utilized。　With　the　river　open；　supplies　and
reinforcements　could　be　immediately　forwarded；　and　the　ivory　which　had
accumulated　in　the　government　stations　could　be　brought　to　market。　In
addition　to　the　physical　advantages　of　restored　communication；　a　great
moral　change　was　effected　throughout　the　officers　and　troops；　they　felt
no　longer　banished　from　the　world；　but　accepted　their　position　as
garrisons　in　Egyptian　territory。

At　Gondokoro　I　had　constructed　a　steel　steamer　of　108　tons；　and　I　had
left　ready　packed　for　land　transport　a　steamer　of　the　same　metal　38
tons；　in　addition　to　two　steel　life…boats　of　each　10　tons；　for
conveyance　to　the　Albert　N'yanza。　At　Khartoum　I　had　left　in　sections　a
steamer　of　251　tons。　All　these　vessels　had　been　brought　from　England　and
conveyed　with　incredible　trouble　upon　camels　across　the　deserts　to
Khartoum。

Before　my　arrival　in　the　Soudan　the　entire　river　force　of　steamers　upon
the　Blue　and　White　Niles　was　represented　by　four　very　inferior　vessels。
I　had　added　six　from　Cairo；　and　built　a　s