ismailia-第105章

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quite　insignificant　compared　to　the　overland　traffic。〃　〃For　years　there
has　been　a　public　prohibition　against　bringing　slaves　down　the　White
Nile　into　Khartoum；　and　ever　and　again　stronger　repressive　measures　have
been　introduced；　which；　however；　have　only　had　the　effect　of　raising　the
land　traffic　to　a　premium；　but　as　a　general　rule；　the　Egyptian　officials
connive　at　the　use　of　this　comparatively　unimportant　channel　of　the
trade；　and　pocket　a　quiet　little　revenue　for　themselves　by　demanding　a
sum　varying　from　two　to　five　dollars　a　head　as　hush…money。〃

In　page　429；　vol。　ii。：〃The　expedition　of　Sir　Samuel　Baker　has　stopped
the　source。〃

In　page　410；　vol。　ii。；　Dr。　Schweinfurth　writes：〃Already　had　Sir　Samuel
Baker；　with　praiseworthy　energy；　commenced　scouring　the　waters　of　the
Upper　Nile；　and　by　capturing　all　slave…vessels　and　abolishing　a　large
'chasua'　belonging　to　the　mudir　（governor）　of　Fashoda；　had　left　no　doubt
as　to　the　earnestness　of　his　purpose；〃　&c。

In　page　83；　vol。　i。：〃Beyond　the　true　eastern　shore；　the　Dinka　are　said
to　be　settled　in　extensive　villages；　and　at　that　time　still　furnished　an
inexhaustible　supply　of　slaves　to　the　marauding　expeditions　of　the
garrison　of　Fashoda。　In　1870　Baker　succeeded　in　putting　an　end　to　this
disorder；　the　knowledge　of　which　penetrated　to　the　most　remote　tribes。〃

The　evidence　of　so　trustworthy　a　traveller　as　Dr。　Schweinfurth　is
exceedingly　valuable；　as　he　was　in　the　Western　Nile　districts　at　the
time　that　I　was　actively　engaged；　thus　he　had　opportunities　of
witnessing　the　results　of　my　interference；　and　the　hostility　exhibited
by　the　authorities。　He　is　simply　in　error　concerning　the　importance　of
the　slave　trade　of　the　river；　which　he　much　underrates；　as　will　have
already　been　seen　by　the　fact　of　700　slaves　being　stowed　away　upon　only
three　vessels　belonging　to　Abou　Saood。

These　vessels；　that　were　captured　by　my　orders　at　Fashoda；　on　their　way
towards　Khartoum；　were　an　example　of　the　truth　foretold　by　the　traders
with　whom　Dr。　Schweinfurth　was　travelling　in　the　west〃that　as　soon　as
the　English　Pacha　had　turned　his　back　upon　Fashoda；　the　governor　would
relapse　into　his　former　habits；　and　levy　a　good　round　sum　on　the　head　of
every　slave；　and　then　let　the　contraband　cargo　pass　without　more　ado。〃

There　were　always　well…known　slave　routes　through　Kordofan；　but　these
channels　became　of　extreme　importance　when　I　rendered　the　slave　traffic
of　the　river　impossible。

It　is　quite　unnecessary　to　write　more　on　the　subject　of　the　slave　trade。
The　Khedive　of　Egypt　was　sincere　when　he　gave　me　the　orders　to　suppress
this　horrible　traffic；　and　I　trust；　from　the　simple　description　of　the
expedition；　the　world　will　acknowledge　that　in　this　duty　I　exhibited　the
utmost　leniency　towards　the　ruffianly　lessees　of　the　Soudan　government。

I　am　convinced　that　the　Khedive　is　sincere　at　heart　in　wishing　to
suppress　the　slave　trade；　but　he　requires　unusual　moral　courage　to　enter
the　lists　single…handed　against　Egyptian　public　opinion。


MISSIONARY　LABOUR。

My　opinion　has　been　frequently　asked　on　this　subject；　and　many　have
endeavoured　to　persuade　me　that　a　rapid　change　and　improvement　of　the
natives　may　be　effected　by　such　an　agency。　I　cannot　resist　by　argument
such　fervent　hopes；　but　if　good　and　capable　men　are　determined　to　make
the　attempt；　they　may　now　be　assured　of　peace　and　security　at　Gondokoro；
where　they　will　have　the　advantage　of　the　good　name　left　by　the
excellent　but　unfortunate　members　of　the　late　Austrian　mission。

GEOGRAPHY。

I　have　not　changed　my　opinions　that　have　already　been　expressed　in　〃The
Albert　N'yanza；〃　except　that；　from　the　native　testimony；　I　presume　there
must　be　a　channel　which　connects　either　a　lake　or　series　of　lakes　with
the　Albert　N'yanza。

Without　a　guide；　it　would　be　a　work　of　much　time　and　difficulty　to
discover　the　true　channel　among　the　labyrinth…like　inlets　that
characterize　the　vast　beds　of　floating　water…grass。

Many　years　ago；　when　at　Magungo；　on　the　Albert　N'yanza；　I　could　not　at
first　believe　that　the　raft…choked　entrance　of　the　Victoria　Nile　in
apparently　dead　water　was　indeed　the　mouth　of　that　important　river。　My
subsequent　experience　in　the　marshy　and　lacustrine　Bahr　Giraffe　has
confirmed　my　impressions　of　the　extreme　difficulty　of　deciding　upon　the
non…existence　of　a　channel　until　after　a　lengthened　investigation。

I　cannot　conceive　that　the　Lualaba　of　Livingstone　can　be　included　within
the　Nile　Basin。　Livingstone　decided　the　level　of　the　Tanganyika　lake　to
be　within　72　feet　of　my　level　of　the　Albert　N'yanza。　With　the　same
instruments　he　determined　the　altitude　of　the　Lualaba　to　be　lower　than
the　Albert　N'yanza；　thus　showing　the　impossibility　of　a　connection
between　that　river　as　an　affluent　with　the　lake。

I　will　not　presume　to　assert　that　the　Lualaba　is　a　source　of　the　Congo；
as　I　have　a　strong　objection　to　geographical　theories　or　assertions
unless　proved　by　actual　inspection；　but　if　Livingstone's　observations
for　altitude　are　correct；　it　is　impossible　that　the　Lualaba　can　be
connected　with　the　Nile。　＇*＇

＇*Footnote：　Mr。　Stanley's　discoveries　since　this　was　written　have　
confirmed　my　suppositions。＇

Dr。　Schweinfurth's　discovery　of　the　Welle　river　flowing　towards　the
west；　between　the　3rd　and　4th　deg。　N。　lat。；　is　a　clear　proof　that　no
river　can　be　running　from　the　south　to　the　north…east　towards　the　Nile
Basin；　otherwise　the　Welle　river　would　be　intersected。

In　page　186；　vol。　ii。；　Dr。　Schweinfurth　＇*＇　writes：〃Its　course　＇the
Lualaba＇；　indeed；　was　towards　the　north；　but　Livingstone　was　manifestly
in　error　when　he　took　it　for　a　true　source　of　the　Nile；　a　supposition
that　might　have　some　semblance　of　foundation　originating　in　the
inexplicable　volume　of　the　water　of　Lake　M'wootan　（Albert　N'yanza）；　but
which　was　negatived　completely　as　soon　as　more　ample　investigation　had
been　made　as　to　the　comparative　level；　direction；　and　connection　of
other　rivers；　especially　of　the　Welle。〃

＇*Footnote：　〃The　Heart　of　Africa。〃＇

Although　Dr。　Schweinfurth　was　unprovided　with　astronomical　instruments；
we　may　place　thorough　reliance　in　the　integrity　and　ability　of　this
traveller；　who　has　taken　the　greatest　pains　to　arrive　at　true
conclusions。　I　am　quite　of　his　opinion；　that　the　Welle　is　outside　the
Nile　Basin；　and　drains　the　western　watershed。

In　a　letter　from　Dr。　Livingstone　addressed　to　Sir　Bartle　Frere；　dated
Lake　Bangweolo；　27th　Nov。　1870；　he　writes：〃　The　Tanganyika；　whose
majestic　flow　I　marked　by　miles　and　miles　of　confervae　and　other　aquatic
vegetation　for　three　months　during　my　illness　at　Ujiji；　is；　with　the
lower　Tanganyika；　discovered　by　Baker；　a　riverine　lake　from　twenty　to
thirty　miles　broad。〃

It　is　thus　clear　that　Livingstone　considered　that　the　Tanganyika　and　the
Albert　N'yanza　were　one　water。　On　30th　May；　1869；　dated　Ujiji；　he　writes
to　Dr。　Kirk：〃Tanganyika；　N'zige　Chowambe　（Baker？）　are　one　water；　and
the　head　of　it　is　300　miles　south　of　this。〃

〃The　majestic　flow〃　of　confervae　remarked　by　Livingstone　on　the
Tanganyika　is　beyond　my　comprehension；　if　that　vast　lake　has　no　outlet
at　the　north。

In　Livingstone's　letter　of　27th　Nov。；　1870；　he　writes：〃Speke's　great
mistake　was　the　pursuit　of　a　foregone　conclusion。　When　he　discovered　the
Victoria　N'yanza　he　at　once　leaped　to　the　conclusion　that　therein　lay
the　sources；　but　subsequently；　as　soon　as　he　and　Grant　looked　to　the
N'yanza；　they　turned　their　backs　on　the　Nile　fountains。　Had　they　doubted
the　correctness　of　the　conclusion；　they　would　have　come　west　into　the
trough　of　the　great　valley；　and　found　there　mighty　streams；　not　eighty
or　ninety　yards；　as　their　White　Nile；　but　from　4；000　to　8；000　yards；　and
always　deep。〃

I　was　surprised　that　Livingstone　could　make　such　an　error　in　quoting
Speke's　White　Nile　from　the　Victoria　N'yanza　as　eighty　or　ninety　yards
in　width！　At　M'rooli；　in　latitude　N。　1　degree　37〃；　I　have　seen　that
magnificent　river；　which　is　at　least　A　THOUSAND　YARDS　in　width；　with　a
great　depth。　I　have　travelled　on　the　river　in　canoes；　and　in　the
narrowest　places；　where　the　current　is　naturally　increased；　the　width　is
at　least　300　yards。

From　my　personal　experience　I　must　strenuously　uphold　the　Victoria　Nile
as　a　source　of　enormous　volume；　and　should　it　ever　be　proved　that　the
distant　affluents　of　the　M'wootan　N'zige　are　the　most　remote；　and
therefore　the　nominal　sources　of　the　Nile；　the　great　Victoria　N'yanza
must　ever　be　connected　with　the　names　of　Speke　and　Grant　as　one　of　the
majestic　parents　of　the　Nile　Basin。

Latterly；　when　speaking　of　the　Lualaba；　Livingstone　writes　to　Sir　Henry
Rawlinson：〃The　drainage　clearly　did　not　go　into　Tanganyika；　and　that
lake；　though　it　probably　has　an　outlet；　lost　all　its　interest　to　me　as　a
source　of　the　river　of　Egypt。〃

We　are；　therefore　completely　in　the　dark　concerning　the　flow　of　water
from　the　Lualaba　south　of　the　equator；　and　of　Schweinfurth's　Welle　north
of　the　equator；　but　both　these　large　rivers　were　tending　to　the　same
direction；　north…west。　The　discovery　of　these　two　rivers　in　about　the
same　meridian　is　a　satisfactory　proof　of　the　western　watershed；　which
completely　excludes　them　from　the　Nile　Basin。　If　the　Tanganyika　lake　has
no　communication　with　the　Albert　N'yanza；　the　old　Nile　is　the　simple
offspring　of　the　two　parentsthe　Victoria　and　the　Albert　lakes。　
（This　is　now　proved　to　be　the　case。）

When　the　steamer　that　I　left　at　Gondokoro　in　sections　shall　be　launched
upon　the　Albert　N'yanza；　this　interesting　question　will　be　quickly
solved。

Early　in　November；　1871；　when　I　was　on　the　Nile　south　of　Regiaf；　I
noticed　the　peculiar　change　that　suddenly　took　place　in　the　river。　We
were　then　in　N。　lat。　4　degrees　38〃；　below　the　last　cataracts；　where　the
water　was　perfectly　clear　and　free　from　vegetation；　with　a　stream　of
about　three　and　a　half　or　four　miles　per　hour。

Suddenly　the　river　became　discoloured　by　an　immense　quantity　of　the
Pistia　Stratiotes；　of　which　not　one　plant　was　entire。

This　aquatic　plant　invariably　grows　in　either　dead　water　or　in　the　most
sluggish　stream；　and　none　existed　in　the　part　of　the　river　at　N。　lat。　4
degrees　38〃。

I　examined　many　of　the　broken　plants；　which；　instead　of　floating　as
usual　on　the　surface；　were　mingled　in　enormous　quantities　with　the
rushing　waters。　None　were　rotten；　but　they　had　evidently　been　carried
down　the　numerous　rocky　waterfalls　which　occupy　the　interval　between　N。
lat。　3　degrees　34〃　and　4　degrees　38〃；　and　were　thus　bruised　and　torn
asunder。

The　extraordinary　influx　of　damaged　aquatic　plants　continued　for　many
days；　and　unmistakably　denoted　the　rise　in　the　level　of　the　Albert
N'yanza　at　that　season　（say　1st　Nov。）。　Above　the　falls；　in　N。　lat。　3
degrees　32〃；　there　is　very　little　current　in　the　broad　deep　Nile；　and　in
about　N。　lat。　3　degrees　this　river　is　several　miles　in　width；　with　no
perceptible　stream。　In　those　propitious　calms　the　Pistia　Stratiotes
grows　in　vast　masses　along　the　shores；　and　the　annual　rise　of　the　lake
creates　a　current　which　carries　the　plants　towards　the　cataracts；　and
consequent　destruction。

By　this　sign　I　conclude　that　the　maximum　of　the　Albert　N'yanza　would　be
during　the　month　of　November。


LANGUAGES。

Th