ismailia-第104章

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and　much　may　be　effected　by　good　example。　。　。　。

The　geography　of　Central　Africa；　that　has　made　great　strides　within　the
last　few　years；　will　now　be　rapidly　extended。　The　fact　of　an　established
government　under　the　direction　of　my　able　successor；　Colonel　Gordon；
R。E。；　is　sufficient　to　assure　the　most　sceptical　that　the　future　will　be
rich　in　geographical　discoveries。

It　is　hoped　that　the　steamer　which　I　carried　up　to　Gondokoro　will　be
transported　to　the　Albert　N'yanza　early　in　the　year　1875。　It　is
impossible　to　foretell　the　result　of　steam　communication　on　the　great
inland　sea　M'wootan　N'zige。

I　do　not　love　to　dwell　upon　geographical　theories；　as　I　believe　in
nothing　but　actual　observation；　but　I　cannot　quite　disbelieve　my　native
informants；　who　assured　me　that　they　had　travelled　to　Ujiji　by　canoe
from　Chibero　on　the　Albert　N'yanza。

By　the　latest　intelligence　from　Lieutenant　Cameron；　dated　Ujiji；　28th
February；　1874；　the　mean　of　many　observations　for　altitude　of　the
Tanganyika　Lake　taken　with　mercurial　barometer；　aneroids；　and　boiling
water　thermometers；　gives　2；573　feet　above　the　sea…level。

The　corrected　altitude　of　the　Albert　N'yanza；　taken　by　me　at　Vacovia；　N。
lat。　1　degree　14'；　March　14；　1864；　is　2；720。　The　uncorrected　or　the
absolute　observation　of　the　instrument　was　2；448。

Whenever　Lieutenant　Cameron　shall　return　home；　it　will　be　interesting　to
observe　the　results　of　his　corrected　observations；　as　they　already　so
closely　approach　the　level　of　the　Albert　N'yanza。

As　the　Khedive's　expedition　under　Colonel　Gordon　will　shortly　have　the
advantage　of　a　steamer　on　the　Albert　Lake　or　M'wootan　N'zige；　the
question　of　a　connection　between　the　two　lakes　will　be　definitely
settled。

When　that　question　shall　have　been　resolved；　geographers　must　turn　their
attention　to　the　great　river　Sobat；　which　is　by　far　the　most　important
affluent　of　the　Nile。

Although　during　my　recent　expedition　I　have　not　travelled　over　much　new
ground；　the　advantages　to　geography　are　considerable；　owing　to　the
professional　observations　of　Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　to　whom　I　confided
the　entire　charge　of　the　topographical　department。　Some　slight
corrections　have　been　made　in　observations　for　longitude　taken　during　my
first　expedition；　and　as　every　place　is　now　rigidly　attested　on　the　map；
that　portion　of　Central　Africa　is　most　thoroughly　investigated；　and　the
astronomical　positions　of　all　principal　points　and　stations　are
incontestable。

The　fact　of　this　thorough　exploration；　and　the　establishment　of　the
Egyptian　government；　now　afford　a　firm　base　for　all　future　travellers。
The　good　work　of　one　man　can　be　carried　on　by　his　successor。　Formerly　it
was　impossible　to　render　the　necessary　support　to　an　explorer　in　Central
Africa。　A　distant　country　cannot　plunge　into　war　with　a　savage　potentate
of　the　equatorial　Nile　Basin　because　he　has　either　captured　an　explorer
or　devoured　a　missionary。

There　was　only　one　step　practicable　if　the　improvement　of　Africa　were　to
be　attempted。　Egypt　was　the　only　country　that　could　form　a　government　by
the　extension　of　her　frontier　to　the　equator。　This　would　insure　the
safety　of　future　travellers　where　hitherto　the　life　of　an　individual　had
no　guarantee。

This　annexation　is　now　effected；　and　our　relations　with　the　Khedive
assure　us　that　the　heart　of　Africa　will　be　thrown　open　to　the　civilizing
influence　of　the　North。

When　the　railway　shall　be　completed　from　Cairo　to　Khartoum；　there　will
be　direct　communication　by　rail　and　river。　Countries　that　are　eminently
adapted　for　the　cultivation　of　cotton；　coffee；　sugar；　and　other　tropical
productions　will　be　brought　within　the　influence　of　the　commercial
world；　and　the　natives；　no　longer　kidnapped　and　torn　from　their　homes；
will　feel　the　benefits　of　industry；　as　they　now　feel　the　blessings　of
protection。

It　is　well　known　that　the　greatest　difficulties　lie　in　the　first
footsteps　of　a　great　enterprise；　but　those　difficulties　are　overcome；
and　patience　and　perseverance　will　at　length　perfect　the　good　work。　The
impression　of　civilization　must　be　gradually　and　slowly　engraved　upon
Central　Africa；　and　those　who　work　in　this　apparently　hopeless
undertaking　must　not　be　appalled　by　the　difficulties　of　the　task。

In　the　share　that　I　have　taken　during　nine　years　passed　in　Africa；　I
have　simply　represented　one　of　those　atoms　of　which　Great　Britain　is
composed。　I　deeply　regret　that　personally　I　have　not　had　the　honour　of
serving　my　Queen；　but　I　trust　that　indirectly　I　have　worked　out　that
principle；　which　England　was　the　first　to　initiate；　expressed　in　the
word　〃Freedom；〃　which；　we　maintain；　is　the　natural　inheritance　of　man。

Mingled　with　the　regret　that　I　was　not　in　the　service　of　Her　Majesty；　is
the　pleasure　that　I　feel　in　testifying　to　the　able　manner　in　which　the
Royal　Navy　was　represented；　throughout　a　long　and　trying　expedition；　by
Lieutenant　Julian　Alleyne　Baker；　R。N。　This　energetic　young　officer
rendered　me　the　greatest　assistance；　and　has　left　a　vivid　impression　on
the　minds　of　the　natives；　and　of　the　Egyptian　troops；　of　the　activity；
and　the　straightforward；　manly　character　that　has　always　distinguished
British　sailors　in　whatever　duty　they　have　had　to　perform；　whether　on
sea　or　land。

I　return　my　acknowledgments　of　the　faithful　and　courageous　services　of
Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　and　other　officers　who　accompanied　me
through　every　difficulty　with　patience　and　devotion。

I　also　thank　Mr。　Marcopolo；　my　intelligent　and　trustworthy　secretary　and
chief　storekeeper；　at　the　same　tune　that　I　acknowledge　the　services　of
those　industrious　English　engineers　and　mechanics　who　so　thoroughly
supported　the　well…known　reputation　of　their　class　by　a　determination　to
succeed　in　every　work　that　was　undertaken。　Their　new　steamer；　the
Khedive；　remains　upon　the　White　Nile　an　example　of　their　energy　and
capability。

Lastly；　I　must　acknowledge　the　able　assistance　that　I　have　received；　in
common　with　every　person　connected　with　the　inland　expedition；　from　my
wife；　who　cared　for　the　sick　when　we　were　without　a　medical　man；　and
whose　gentle　aid　brought　comfort　to　many　whose　strength　might　otherwise
have　failed。　During　a　period　of　fourteen　months；　with　a　detachment　of
212　officers　and　men；　exclusive　of　many　servants　and　camp…followers；　I
ONLY　LOST　ONE　MAN　FROM　SICKNESS；　and　he　was　at　an　out…station。

In　moments　of　doubt　and　anxiety　she　was　always　a　thoughtful　and　wise
counsellor；　and　much　of　my　success　through　nine　long　years　passed　in
Africa　is　due　to　my　devoted　companion。

The　foundation　for　a　great　future　has　been　laid；　a　remote　portion　of　the
African　race　hitherto　excluded　from　the　world's　history　has　been　brought
into　direct　communication　with　the　superior　and　more　civilized　races；
legitimate　trade　has　been　opened；　therefore；　accepting　commerce　as　the
great　agent　of　civilization；　the　work　is　actually　in　progress。

Fortified　posts　extend　to　within　two　degrees　of　the　equator。　The
alliance　with　M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　enabled　me　not　only　to
communicate　by　letter　（addressed　to　Livingstone）　in　the　distant　country
of　Unyanyembe；　but　a　reply　was　sent　by　Lieutenant　Cameron；　together　with
large　presents　of　ivory；　to　me　at　Gondokoro；　＇*＇　as　I　have　been
informed　by　a　letter　from　Colonel　Gordon。

＇*Footnote：　The　letter　and　the　ivory　from　M'tese　were　received　by
Colonel　Gordon。＇

The　Khedive　of　Egypt；　having　appointed　Colonel　Gordon；　R。E。；　has　proved
his　determination　to　continue　the　work　that　was　commenced　under　so　many
difficulties。　The　Nile　has　been　opened　to　navigation；　and　if　the
troubles　that　I　encountered　and　overcame　shall　have　smoothed　the　path
for　my　able　and　energetic　successor；　I　shall　have　been　well　rewarded。

The　first　steps　in　establishing　the　authority　of　a　new　government　in　a
tribe　hitherto　savage　and　intractable　were　of　necessity　accompanied　by
military　operations。　War　is　inseparable　from　annexation；　and　the　law　of
force；　resorted　to　in　self…defence；　was　absolutely　indispensable　to
prove　the　superiority　of　the　power　that　was　eventually　to　govern。　The
end　justified　the　means。

At　the　commencement　of　the　expedition　I　had　felt　that　the　object　of　the
enterprise〃the　suppression　of　the　slave　trade〃was　one　for　which　I
could　confidently　ask　a　blessing。

A　firm　belief　in　Providential　support　has　not　been　unrewarded。　In　the
midst　of　sickness　and　malaria　we　had　strength；　from　acts　of　treachery　we
were　preserved　unharmed；　in　personal　encounters　we　remained　unscathed。
In　the　end；　every　opposition　was　overcome：　hatred　and　insubordination
yielded　to　discipline　and　order。　A　paternal　government　extended　its
protection　through　lands　hitherto　a　field　for　anarchy　and　slavery。　The
territory　within　my　rule　was　purged　from　the　slave　trade。　The　natives　of
the　great　Shooli　tribe；　relieved　from　their　oppressors；　clung　to　the
protecting　government。　The　White　Nile；　for　a　distance　of　1；600　miles
from　Khartoum　to　Central　Africa；　was　cleansed　from　the　abomination　of　a
traffic　which　had　hitherto　sullied　its　waters。

Every　cloud　had　passed　away；　and　the　term　of　my　office　expired　in　peace
and　sunshine。　In　this　result；　I　humbly　traced　God's　blessing。



FINIS。






APPENDIX。

A　few　extracts　from　the　valuable　work　of　Dr。　Schweinfurth　will　throw　a
light　upon　the　spirit　which　animated　the　authorities；　all　of　whom　were
incensed　at　my　having　presumed　to　understand　the　Khedive's　orders
literally　respecting　the　suppression　of　the　slave　trade。

In　page　485；　vol。　ii。；　he　writes：〃　The　ill…feeling　and　smothered　rage
against　Sir　Samuel　Baker's　interference　nurtured　by　the　higher
authorities；　breaks　out　very　strongly　amongst　the　less　reticent　lower
officials。　In　Fashoda；　and　even　in　Khartoum；　I　heard　complaints　that　we
（the　Franks）　were　the　prime　cause　of　all　the　trouble；　and　if　it　had　not
been　for　our　eternal　agitation　with　the　Viceroy；　such　measures　would
never　have　been　enforced。〃

In　page　477；　vol。　ii。；　he　continues：〃Notwithstanding　that　Sir　Samuel
Baker　was　still　on　the　upper　waters　of　the　river；　the　idea　was　quite
prevalent　in　all　the　seribas；　that　as　soon　as　the　'English　Pacha'　had
turned　his　back　upon　Fashoda　（the　government　station　in　the　Shillook
country）；　the　mudir　（governor）　would　relapse　into　his　former　habits；　and
levy　a　good　round　sum　on　the　head　of　every　slave；　and　then　let　the
contraband　stock　pass　without　more　ado。　But　for　once　the　seriba　people
were　reckoning　without　their　host。　The　mudir　had　been　so　severely
reprimanded　by　Baker　for　his　former　delinquencies；　that　he　thought　it
his　best　policy；　for　this　year　at　least；　to　be　as　energetic　as　he　could
in　his　exertions　against　the　forbidden　trade。〃

In　page　470；　vol。　ii。；　Dr。　Schweinfurth　writes：〃I　knew　that　Sir
Samuel　Baker　was　upon　the　Upper　Nile；　and　did　not　doubt　that　his
presence　would　have　the　effect　of　making　the　government　take　the　most
strenuous　measures　against　any　import　of　slaves。〃

Page　429；　vol。　ii。：〃　Before　Sir　Samuel　Baker's　expedition　put　a　stop
to　it　altogether；　the　slave　trade　that　was　carried　on　down　the　river　was
quite　insignificant　compared　to　the　overland　traffic。〃　〃For　years　there
has　been　a　public　prohibition　against　bringing　slaves　down　the　White
Nile　into　Kh