ismailia-第100章

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daybreak　to　say　that　a　native　had　seen　them　on　the　previous　evening　on
the　north　side　of　Shooa　hill；　about　seven　miles　from　Fatiko。

At　2。30　P。M。；　on　8th　March；　we　distinguished　the　white　uniforms
ascending　the　plateau　at　the　north　end　of　the　Fatiko　plain；　and　shortly
after；　the　main　body　emerged　from　among　the　rocks　and　foliage；　and
formed　on　the　level　ground。　I　at　once　distinguished　with　the　telescope
the　lieutenant…colonel；　Tayib　Agha；　upon　his　well…known　powerful　white
horse。

My　troops　in　full　uniform　went　out　to　meet　the　reinforcements；　which
quickly　marched　up　and　formed　on　the　level　turf　outside　the　fort　upon
the　north　side。

I　rode　out　and　inspected　the　troops。

NOT　ONE　HEAD　OF　CATTLE　HAD　ARRIVED！

The　lieutenant…colonel；　Tayib　Agha；　had　made　a　sad　mess　of　his　command
during　the　march。　He　had　quarrelled　with　Wat…el…Mek；　and　simply　because
some　of　the　native　carriers　had　absconded　in　a　portion　of　the　Bari
country　named　Moogi；　he　had　set　fire　to　the　villages　in　revenge！　This
was　in　a　country；　where　I　had　established　peace。

The　Baris　had　attacked　the　troops；　and　had　not　only　killed　twenty…eight
of　our　men；　but　had　stripped　the　bodies；　and　possessed　themselves　of
clothes；　arms；　and　ammunition。　They　had　also　captured　the　cattle。

Although　Tayib　Agha　had　about　280　men；　he　actually　retreated　and　dared
not　attack　the　natives　to　recover　either　the　bodies　of　his　men　or　their
muskets！　（The　lieutenant　who　commanded　the　unfortunate　detachment　was
killed　while　defending　himself　bravely　to　the　last。　In　addition　to　the
twenty…eight　soldiers；　two　Bari　interpreters　were　also　killed；　making　a
total　loss　of　thirty。）

I　at　once　determined　to　leave　Major　Abdullah　as　commandant　at　Fatiko；
and　to　take　Tayib　Agha　back　to　Gondokoro；　as　he　was　not　fit　for　an
independent　command。

The　immense　delay　in　sending　up　the　reinforcements　had　been　occasioned
by　the　long　voyage　from　Khartoum。

When　Wat…el…Mek　had　reached　Gondokoro；　the　troops　HAD　NOT　ARRIVED　from
Khartoum；　therefore　he　was　obliged　to　wait。

When　at　length　they　did　arrive；　they　had　been　THIRTEEN　MONTHS　on　the
voyage　to　Gondokoro；　and　had　passed　the　rainy　season　with　the
slave…traders　in　the　camp　of　Kutchuk　Ali　on　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　this　river
they　reported　as　navigable；　owing　to　my　canals；　which　had　continued
open。

It　was　the　old　story　of　delay　and　indolence；　unless　I　was　personally
present　to　force　them　forward。

I　had　now　620　men；　therefore　I　reinforced　Rionga　and　the　various
stations。　I　thus　garrisoned　strongly　Fatiko；　Fabbo；　and　Paniadolithe
stockade　opposite　Rionga's　island；　in　N。　lat。　2　degrees　6'。

The　country　of　Unyoro　was　now　completely　in　the　grasp　of　Ali　Genninar
and　Rionga。　Unyoro　extends　to　the　south　of　the　equator　on　the　shores　of
the　Albert　N'yanza；　where　Kabba　Rega　was　supposed　to　be　hiding。

On　14th　March　I　drew　out　the　following　orders　for　Major　Abdullah；　who
would　remain　as　commandant　of　Fatiko：

〃1。　Observe　the　rules　at　present　existing　respecting　sentries。

〃2。　Observe　the　rules　at　present　existing　for　cleanliness　of　camp。

〃3。　Plant　negheel　grass　on　ramparts　during　the　rainy　season。

〃4。　Clean　out　the　fort　ditch　once　every　month。

〃5。　Each　company　of　troops　is　to　cultivate　corn　and　vegetables　at　the
commencement　of　the　rains。

〃6。　Each　company　to　be　exercised　at　musketry　drill　for　one　hour　daily。

〃7。　All　troops　to　be　exercised　at　light…infantry　drill　for　three　hours
on　Mondays　and　Fridays；　upon　which　days　there　will　be　no　other　work。

〃8。　The　corn…tax　is　to　be　regularly　collected；　so　that　three　months'
supply　shall　be　the　minimum　in　the　camp　granaries。

〃9。　The　bugle　to　sound　the　night　alarm　once　every　month；　to　accustom　the
men　to　night　quarters。

〃10。　The　troops　to　occupy　their　stations　at　general　quarters；　according
to　present　practice。

〃11。　Banana　plants　to　be　introduced　upon　every　opportunity　from　Magungo。

〃12。　Coffee…berries　＇*＇　to　be　sown　in　nursery…beds；　when　received　from
M'tese。

＇*Footnote：　I　had　written　to　him　for　a　supply　of　coffee…seed。）

〃13。　The　old　huts　to　be　cleared　away　and　replaced　by　new；　constructed　in
lines　similar　to　those　in　the　south　camp。

〃14。　No　ivory　to　be　purchased　in　exchange　for　cattle；　but　only　in　barter
for　goods。

〃15。　NO　SLAVES　TO　BE　EITHER　PURCHASED　OR　TAKEN。

〃16。　The　bugle　to　sound　'Extinguish　fires'　at　8　p。m。〃

Having　left　everything　in　perfect　order　in　the　new　central　territory；　I
was　ready　to　start　for　Gondokoro　on　20th　March。

I　had　been　two　years　and　five　months　without　any　news　or　communication
with　either　Egypt　or　Europe　when　the　post　arrived　with　Wat…el…Mek。　About
600　copies　of　the　Times　had　arrived　at　once。　We　had　been　introduced　to
the　Tichborne　case；　and　of　course　had；　at　the　earliest　stage　of　the
trial；　concluded　that　the　claimant　was　Arthur　Orton。　The　news　that　is
almost　stereotyped　in　English　newspapers　gave　us　the　striking　incidents
of　civilization。　Two　or　three　wives　had　been　brutally　knocked　about　by
their　husbands；　who　had　received　only　a　slight　punishment。　A　prominent
divorce　case；　a　few　Irish　agrarian　outrages；　a　trial　in　the
ecclesiastical　court　of　a　refractory　clergyman；　the　smash…up　of　a　few
public　companies；　with　the　profitable　immunity　of　the　directors；　a　lady
burnt　to　death；　a　colliery　explosion；　several　hundred　railway　accidents；
which　induced　me　to　prefer　walking；　the　Communists　had　half　destroyed
Paris；　republican　principles　were　fast　spreading　through　England；　the
Gladstone　ministry　would　last　for　ever；　some　babies　had　been　poisoned；
and　the　baby…farmer　had　been　hanged；　deceased　wife's　sisters　were　to
marry　their　disconsolate　brothers；　England　was　to　pay　a　tribute　to
America　（for　the　freaks　of　the　Alabama）；　drunkenness　was　on　the
increase；　ladies　were　to　become　our　physicians；　&c。　I　was　almost　afraid
to　return　home；　but　as　I　had　some　friends　and　relations　that　I　wished　to
see　again；　I　left　my　little　paradise；　Fatiko；　and　marched　for　Gondokoro；
accompanied　by　my　good　natives；　Shooli　and　Gimoro。

After　the　absurd　conduct　and　the　defeat　of　Tayib　Agha　at　Moogi；　I　fully
expected　to　have　to　fight　my　way　through；　but　upon　arrival　in　that
district　the　natives　knew　me；　and　we　were　not　molested。　They　even　sent
me　six　cows　which　had　been　lost　by　Tayib　Agha　on　the　road　during　his
unlucky　march。

I　had　taken　under　my　especial　protection　a　number　of　Bari　women　and
young　girls　whom　Wat…el…Mek　and　Tayib　Agha　had　pressed　into　their
service　to　carry　loads　during　their　journey　from　Gondokoro　to　Fatiko。
There　can　be　no　doubt　that　these　poor　creatures　never　would　have　been
returned　to　their　country；　had　I　not　delivered　them；　but　seeing　their
condition　upon　their　arrival　at　Fatiko；　I　had　ordered　them　to　accompany
me；　and　to　show　me　the　position　of　their　homes　during　the　march。

On　arrival　at　the　broad　dry　bed　of　a　stream　about　two　days'　march　from
Gondokoro；　we　halted　beneath　the　shade　of　a　large　tree　for　breakfast。
The　women　and　children　now　approached；　and　hesitatingly　declared　that
this　was　their　country；　and　their　villages　were　near。　They　evidently
doubted　my　sincerity　in　restoring　them；　which　hurt　me　exceedingly。

〃Go；　my　good　women；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃and　when　you　arrive　at　your　homes；
explain　to　your　people　that　you　were　captured　entirely　against　my　will；
and　that　I　am　only　happy　to　have　released　you。〃

For　a　few　moments　they　looked　around　them；　as　hardly　believing　the　good
news。　In　another　instant；　as　the　truth　flashed　across　their　delighted
minds；　they　rushed　upon　me　in　a　body；　and　before　I　had　time　for
self…defence；　I　found　myself　in　the　arms　of　a　naked　beauty　who　kissed　me
almost　to　suffocation；　and　with　a　most　unpleasant　embrace　licked　both　my
eyes　with　her　tongue。　The　sentries　came　to　my　assistance；　together　with
the　servants；　who　withstood　the　grateful　crowd；　otherwise　both　my　wife
and　myself　would　have　been　subjected　to　this　painful　thanksgiving　from
the　liberated　Bari　women。

Their　freedom　having　been　explained；　we　gave　each　a　present　of　beads　as
a　reward　for　the　trouble　they　had　undergone；　and　they　went　away
rejoicing；　upon　the　road　to　their　own　homes。

We　arrived　at　Gondokoro　on　1st　April；　1873；　without　the　slightest
disturbance　during　the　march。　This　was　the　exact　day　upon　which　my　term
of　service　would　have　expired；　according　to　my　original　agreement　with
the　Khedive。

I　halted　the　troops　about　half　a　mile　from　Gondokoro；　to　allow　them　to
change　their　clothes；　when　I　observed　with　the　telescope　some　of　the
Englishmen　approaching。　Several　of　my　welcome　countrymen　at　length
arrived。

〃Where　is　Mr。　Higginbotham？〃　I　asked；　as　I　was　eager　to　see　my　chief
engineer　and　friend。

There　was　a　slight　pause　before　the　reply〃HE　DIED　ON　THE　LAST　DAY　OF
FEBRUARY！〃

I　was　quite　overpowered　with　the　dreadful　news！　Poor　Higginbotham！　who
had　been　my　right　hand　throughout　the　early　portion　of　the　expedition！
He　was　a　man　who　so　thoroughly　represented　the　character　that　we　love　to
think　is　truly　English；　combining　all　energy；　courage；　and　perseverance。
He　was　gone！

We　marched　into　Gondokoro。　Fourteen　months　had　made　a　change　for　the
worse。　I　had　left　the　station　with　a　neat　ditch　and　earthwork；　the
environs　had　been　clean。　It　was　now　a　mass　of　filth。　Bones　and　remnants
of　old　clothes；　that　would　have　been　a　fortune　to　a　rag…and…bone　shop；
lay　scattered　in　all　directions。　The　ditch　was　filled　up　with　sand；　and
the　fallen　bank　washed　in　by　the　heavy　rains；　as　it　had　never　been
cleansed　during　my　absence。

The　guns　fired　a　salute；　Raouf　Bey　and　the　troops　appeared　in　good
health；　and　I　was　shown　into　poor　Higginbotham's　house　on　the　cliff
above　the　river。

A　beautiful　new　steamer　of　108　tons；　built　of　steel；　with　twin　screws；
was　floating　on　the　stream。　This　was　the　work　of　my　Englishmen；　who　had
taken　a　pride　in　turning　out　the　best　results　that　Messrs。　Samuda
Brothers　and　Messrs。　Penn　&　Co。　could　produce。

I　went　on　board　to　inspect　the　new　vessel　directly　after　breakfast。　She
had　been　admirably　constructed；　and　being　devoid　of　paddles；　she　would
be　able　to　glide　through　the　narrow　channels　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe　like　a
fish。

Although　the　station　was　dirty　and　neglected；　I　must　do　Raouf　Bey
justice　in　acknowledging　that　he　had　paid　much　attention　to　the　gardens
on　the　islands；　which　were　producing　so　abundantly　that　the　troops
received　rations　of　vegetables　daily。

Raouf　Bey　had　also　shown　determination；　and　had　accepted　great
responsibility　in　shooting　a　soldier　for　desertion　during　my　absence。

It　appeared　that　the　reinforcements　lately　received　from　Khartoum　were
merely　slaves　that　had　been　sold　to　the　government；　and　had　rapidly　been
trained　for　soldiers。　Many　of　these　people　had　originally　come　from　the
White　Nile；　therefore　they　were　disposed　to　desert　upon　the　first
opportunity。

A　considerable　number　had　deserted；　with　their　arms　and　ammunition。　They
had　also　stolen　Raouf　Bey's　guns　and　rifles　from　his　house；　and　had
absconded　to　Belinian。　Raouf　Bey　had　called　upon　the　Belinian　to　give　up
the　deserters；　but　the　Belinian　natives　had　only　replied　to　the
summonses　by　making　nightly　demonstrations　of　attack　against　the　station
of　Gondokoro；　which　had　rendered　sound　sleep　impossible　for　the　last
month。　Raouf