ismailia-第102章

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The　news　of　Abou　Saood's　personal　appeal　to　the　government　at　Cairo　was
confirmed　by　the　best　authorities　at　Fashoda。

On　21st　June　I　took　leave　of　Jusef　Effendi；　and　upon　the　28th；　at　11
A。M。；　we　arrived　at　the　large　tree　which　is　within　five　miles　of
Khartoum；　by　the　short　cut　across　the　neck　of　land　to　the　Blue　Nile。

I　stopped　at　this　tree；　and　immediately　wrote　to　Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha；　the
new　governor　of　Khartoum；　to　telegraph　INSTANTLY　to　Cairo　to　arrest　Abou
Saood。

I　sent　this　note　by　a　faithful　officer；　Ferritch　Agha；　with　positive
orders　that　he　was　to　deliver　it　into　the　hands　of　Ismail　Pacha。

This　order　was　immediately　carried　out　before　any　people　in　Khartoum　had
an　idea　of　my　return。　Had　I　at　once　steamed　round　the　point；　some　friend
would　have　telegraphed　my　arrival　to　Abou　Saood　in　Cairo；　and　he　might
have　gone　into　concealment。

In　the　afternoon　we　observed　a　steamer　rounding　the　distant　headland　at
the　point　of　junction　of　the　two　Niles。　She　rapidly　approached；　and　in
about　half　an　hour　my　old　friend；　Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha；　stepped　on　board
my　diahbeeah；　and　gave　us　a　hearty　welcome。

There　was　no　letter　either　from　the　Khedive　or　Cherif　Pacha；　in　reply　to
the　important　communications　that　I　had　written　more　than　two　years　ago。

Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha　was　a　friend　of　eight　years'　date。　I　had　known　him
during　my　first　expedition　to　the　Nile　sources　as　Ismail　Bey；　president
of　the　council　at　Khartoum。　He　had　lately　been　appointed　governor；　and　I
could　only　regret　that　my　excellent　friend　had　not　been　in　that　capacity
from　the　commencement　of　the　expedition；　as　I　should　have　derived　much
assistance　from　his　great　energy　and　intelligence。

Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha　is　a　Circassian。　I　have　observed　that　all　those
officers　who　are　superior　to　the　average　in　intellect　and　general
capacity　belong　to　this　race。　The　Circassians　are　admirably　represented
in　Cherif　Pacha；　who　is　well　known　and　respected　by　all　Europeans　in
Egypt　for　his　probity　and　high　intelligence；　and　Riaz　Pacha；　who　was
lately　the　Minister　for　Public　Instruction；　is　a　Circassian　much　beloved
and　respected。

Ismail　Ayoub　had　commenced　a　great　reform　in　the　Soudan；　in　his
endeavour　to　put　down　the　wholesale　system　of　bribery　and　corruption
which　was　the　ruin　of　the　country。　He　had　also　commenced　a　great　work；
according　to　the　orders　he　had　received　from　the　Khedive；　to　remove　the
sudd　or　obstruction　to　the　navigation　of　the　great　White　Nile。　He
succeeded　in　re…opening　the　White　Nile　to　navigation　in　the　following
season。

The　Khedive　had　given　this　important　order　in　consequence　of　letters
that　I　had　written　on　31st　August；　1870；　to　the　Minister　of　the
Interior；　Cherif　Pacha；　and　to　his　Highness　direct　on　8th　October；　1871；
in　which　communications　I　had　strenuously　advocated　the　absolute
necessity　of　taking　the　work　in　hand；　with　a　determination　to
re…establish　the　river　in　its　original　navigable　condition。

Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha　had　been　working　with　a　large　force；　and　he　had
succeeded　in　clearing；　according　to　his　calculations；　one　half　of　the
obstruction；　which　extended　for　many　miles。

There　was　no　engineering　difficulty　in　the　undertaking；　which　was　simply
a　matter　of　time　and　steady　labour。

The　immense　force　of　the　main　stream；　thus　confined　by　matted　and
tangled　vegetation；　would　materially　assist　the　work；　as　the　clearing
was　commenced　from　below　the　current。

The　work　would　become　lighter　as　the　head　of　the　sudd　would　be　neared。

A　curious　accident　had　happened　to　Ismail　Pacha　by　the　sudden　break…up
of　a　large　portion　of　the　sudd；　that　had　been　weakened　by　cutting　a　long
but　narrow　channel。

The　prodigious　rafts　of　vegetation　were　hurried　before　the　stream　like
ice…floes；　and　these　masses　having　struck　against　a　line　of　six　noggurs；
the　vessels　were　literally　swept　away　and　buried　beneath　the　great
rafts；　until　they　capsized　and　disappeared　for　ever　in　the　deep　channel。

Late　in　the　evening　Ismail　Pacha　took　leave　and　returned　in　his　steamer
to　Khartoum。　We　had　enjoyed　a　long　conversation；　and　I　felt　sure　that
the　Soudan　and　Central　Africa　would　quickly　feel　the　benefit　of　Ismail
Ayoub　Pacha's　administration；　as　he　combined　great　energy　and
determination　with　nine　years'　experience　of　the　requirements　of　his
province。

On　29th　June　the　new　steamer；　the　Khedive；　rounded　the　point　at　full
speed　with　our　diahbeeah　in　tow。

All　the　population　of　Khartoum　thronged　to　the　banks　and　the　new　quay　to
witness　the　arrival　of　the　extraordinary　steamer　that　travelled　without
paddles；　and　which　had　been　constructed　by　the　Englishmen　at　Ismailia
（Gondokoro）。

The　troops　were　in　order；　and　as　the　Khedive　drew　alongside　the　quay　we
were　warmly　welcomed　by　Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha　with　the　usual　formalities。

A　few　days　latter；　a　steamer　arrived　from　Fashoda　with　the　three　vessels
in　tow　belonging　to　Abou　Saood；　which　had　attempted　to　pass　the
government　station　with　more　than　600　slaves　on　board；　about　100　having
died　of　the　small…pox　since　I　had　left　the　Bahr　Giraffe。　The　small…pox
was　still　raging　on　board；　therefore　the　vessels　were　taken　to　the　north
bank　of　the　Blue　Nile　and　placed　in　quarantine。

As　the　guard　passed　by　with　prisoners；　I　recognized　my　friend　the
vakeel；　Wat　Hojoly；　in　irons。　The　unfortunate　man　had　found　a　new
governor　at　Fashoda　instead　of　his　old　acquaintance；　thus　he　did　NOT
pass　free；　as　I　had　anticipated。

Walking　next　to　the　vakeel；　heavily　chained；　with　his　wrists　secured　in
a　block　of　wood　similar　to　stocks；　came　the　cream　of　ruffians；
Salim…Wat…Howah；　nailed　at　last。

This　villainous…looking　fellow　was　afterwards　tried　before　the
medjeldis；　or　tribunal；　and　by　overpowering　evidence　he　was　found　guilty
of　having　first　threatened　to　attack　Major　Abdullah　in　the　government
camp　of　Fatiko；　and　secondly；　with　having　actually　given　the　orders　to
fire；　and　having　fired　himself；　on　2nd　August；　1872；　when　we　had　been
treacherously　attacked　by　Abou　Saood's　company。

I　spoke　in　favour　of　Wat　Hojoly；　as　he　had　otherwise　behaved　well
towards　the　government；　and　he　was　simply　carrying　out　the　orders　of　his
master；　Abou　Saood。

It　had　been　the　usual　custom　in　the　Soudan　to　spare　the　employers；　who
were　the　most　responsible　parties；　but　to　punish　the　small　fry；　such　as
vakeels；　and　the　reis；　or　captains　of　vessels。

Ismail　Pacha　had　made　great　improvements　in　Khartoum；　and　he　had
completed　the　new　government　house　that　had　been　commenced　by　his
predecessor；　Moomtazz　Pacha；　who　was　also　a　most　intelligent　Circassian。
He　had　likewise　made　a　great　change　by　converting　a　large　open　space
into　a　public　garden；　where　it　was　his　intention　that　the　military　band
should　play　every　evening　for　the　amusement　of　the　people。

Steam　irrigation　works　were　also　commenced　on　the　north　side　of　the　Blue
Nile　for　the　cultivation　of　cotton。

After　a　few　days　at　Khartoum　we　took　leave　of　our　good　friend；　Ismail
Ayoub　Pacha；　and　started　for　Cairo　by　steamer。

I　had　left　my　two　boys；　Saat　and　Bellaal；　with　Ismail　Pacha；　to　be
instructed　either　as　musicians　or　soldiers；　the　latter　profession　being
their　great　ambition。　There　was　already　a　school　established　for　the
education　of　the　more　intelligent　negro　boys　that　might　be　liberated
from　the　slave…traders。

Upon　our　arrival　at　Berber；　I　found　a　considerable　improvement　in　the
country。　The　Arabs　were　beginning　to　return　to　the　fertile　banks　of　the
river；　and　to　rebuild　their　sakeeyahs　or　water…wheels。　This　change　was
the　result　of　a　wise　reform　instituted　by　the　Khedive；　in　dividing　the
Soudan　into　provinces；　each　of　which　would　be　governed　by　a　responsible
and　independent　official；　instead　of　serving　under　a　governor…general　at
the　distance　of　Khartoum。

Hussein　Khalifah　was　now　the　governor　of　Berber。　　He　was　the　great　Arab
sheik　of　the　desert　who　had　so　ably　assisted　Mr。　Higginbotham　in
transporting　the　machinery　and　steamer　sections　by　camels　from　Korosko
to　Berber　across　the　great　Nubian　desert；　for　a　distance　of　about　400
miles。　The　Arabs　were　much　pleased　at　his　appointment　as　governor；　as　he
was　one　of　their　race。

In　starting　from　Berber　for　Souakim；　I　had　the　great　misfortune　to　lose
by　death　one　of　my　excellent　Englishmen；　David　Samson。　He　had　been
ailing　for　some　time；　and　the　intense　heat　of　July　was　more　than　he
could　endure　in　riding　across　the　desert。　Poor　Samson　died　on　the　first
day's　march；　and　I　had　his　body　conveyed　to　Berber；　where　it　was　buried
in　the　Coptic　cemetery　with　every　mark　of　respect。

This　was　a　sad　termination　after　a　journey　of　nearly　four　years　and　a
half；　when　he　was　on　the　hopeful　road　towards　home。

We　were　nearly　wrecked　during　the　voyage　from　Souakim　to　Suez；　as　the
engine　of　the　sloop…of…war　was　out　of　repair。　We　then　changed　to　another
steamer；　which　carried　away　the　cap　of　her　rudder　during　a　heavy　sea　and
fresh　northerly　gale。　Fortunately　our　English　shipwrights　were　on　board；
and　Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　knew　his　work；　thus　we　escaped　drowning　on　a
coral　reef；　which　would　assuredly　have　been　our　fate　had　we　been　left　to
the　ignorance　of　the　officers　and　crew。

We　reached　Cairo　on　24th　August　at　4。30　P。M。　　On　25th　I　had　the　honour
of　presenting　myself　to　his　Highness　the　Khedive；　to　explain　the　large
chart　of　his　new　territory　that　I　had　annexed　in　Central　Africa。

I　received　from　his　Highness　the　Imperial　order　of　the　Osmanie；　2nd
class；　as　a　token　of　his　approbation　of　my　services。　I　had　already　had
the　honour　to　accept　from　his　hands　the　order　of　the　Medjidie；　2nd
class；　before　I　had　started　upon　my　mission。　His　Highness　the　Khedive
now　conferred　upon　Lieutenant　Baker　the　order　of　the　Medjidie；　3rd
class。

I　handed　the　botanical　collection　to　his　Highness　the　Khedive；　which　had
been　carefully　prepared　throughout　the　journey　by　Lady　Baker。
Unfortunately　more　than　300　specimens　of　plants　had　been　destroyed　by
the　conflagration　at　Masindi。　The　botanical　specimens；　together　with
samples　of　the　fibres；　skins；　and　the　salt　of　the　new　territory；　were
ordered　to　be　forwarded　to　the　Vienna　Exhibition。

The　Khedive　expressed　his　determination　to　judge　Abou　Saood　by　a　special
tribunal；　composed　of　Cherif　Pacha；　Nubar　Pacha；　and　Ismail　Pacha；　the
Minister　of　Finance。　I　handed　seventeen　documents　to　Nubar　Pacha；　with
evidence　sworn　to　upon　the　Koran　before　witnesses；　and　properly　sealed
by　Wat…el…Mek；　Suleiman；　the　sheiks　of　the　country；　Major　Abdullah；　and
others；　against　Abou　Saood；　charging　him　with　various　crimes；　including
treason　in　having　given　the　orders　that　his　Fatiko　company　should　fire
at　me　and　the　government　troops。　I　took　a　receipt　for　these　important
documents。

I　had　also　brought　up　several　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　as　viva…voce
witnesses；　in　addition　to　Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　Lieutenant…Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　Captain　Mohammed　Deii；　and　two　servants；　Suleiman　and
Mohammed　Haroon。　Thus　all　the　evidence　was　in　official　order：

I　26th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　report　of　Major　Abdullah　（commandant　of
Fatiko）：　threatening　conduct　of　Abou　Saood's　vakeels　during　my　absence。

2。　28th　Jumay　Owal；　1289；　the　declaration　of　the　regimental　officers　of
Fort　Fatiko。

3。　6th　October；　1872；　1st　Shaban；　1289；　the　declarati