ismailia-第13章

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the　Koordi。　The　looks　of　astonishment　of　the　Koordi's　troops　as　I　passed
through　their　camp　were　almost　comic。　I　shall　report　this　affair　to　the
Khedive　direct；　but　I　feel　sure　that　the　exposure　of　the　governor　of
Fashoda　will　not　add　to　the　popularity　of　the　expedition　among　the　lower
officials。

〃April　23。I　started　with　two　steamers　and　two　diahbeeahs　to　explore　a
favourable　spot　for　a　permanent　station。　We　reached　the　Sobat　junction
in　three　hours　and　a　quarter；　about　twenty…five　miles。　From　the　Sobat；
down　stream；　we　steamed　for　forty　minutes；　arriving　at　a　forest；　on　a
high　bank　to　the　east；　where　some　extraordinary　high　dome　palms　（palma
Thebaica）；　together　with　dolape　palms　（Borassus　Ethiopicus）；　gave　an　air
of　tropical　beauty　to　a　desolate　and　otherwise　uninviting　spot。

〃I　fixed　upon　this　place　for　a　station　as　the　ground　was　hard；　the
position　far　above　the　level　of　high　floods；　and　the　forest　afforded　a
supply　of　wood　for　building　purposes　and　fuel。

〃April　24。We　steamed　for　half…an…hour　down　stream　to　a　large　village
on　the　west　bank；　named　Wat…a…jook。　Thence　I　went　down　stream　for　one
hour　to　the　grove　of　dolape　palms　and　gigantic　India　rubber　trees。　This
was　formerly　a　large　village；　known　as　Hillet…el…dolape；　but　it　has　been
entirely　destroyed　by　the　governor　of　Fashoda。　After　much　difficulty；　I
induced　some　natives　to　come　to　me；　with　whom　I　at　length　made　friends：
they　all　joined　in　accusing　the　Koordi　governor　of　wanton　atrocities。

〃In　the　afternoon；　not　having　discovered　a　spot　superior　to　that　I　had
already　selected　for　a　station；　we　returned；　but　we　had　not　travelled
more　than　an　hour　and　a　half　when　the　engine　of　the　No。　10　steamer　broke
down。　On　examination；　it　appeared　that　the　air　pump　was　broken。
Fortunately　the　accident　occurred　close　to　the　spot　selected　for　a
station。

〃April　25。At　12。30　p。m。　I　sent　back　the　No。　8　steamer　to　call　the
fleet　to　the　station。　I　soon　made　friends　with　the　natives；　great
numbers　of　whom　congregated　on　the　west　bank　of　the　river。　All　these
people　had　heard　that　I　had　liberated　the　women　and　children。

〃April　26。The　steamer　and　entire　fleet　arrived　in　the　afternoon。

〃The　natives　brought　a　bullock　and　a　Pongo　slave　as　a　present　from　the
chief。　I　freed　the　slave；　and　sent　a　piece　of　cloth　as　an　introduction
to　the　chief。

〃April　27。This　was　a　busy　day　passed　in　measuring　out　the　camp。　I　set
several　companies　at　work　to　fell　the　forest　and　to　prepare　timber　for
building。

〃April　28。Pouring　rain。　No　work　possible。

〃April　29。The　Englishmen　set　up　their　forge　and　anvil；　and　we
commenced　unloading　corrugated　iron　sheets　to　form　our　magazines。
Fortunately；　I　had　a　number　of　wall…plates；　rafters；　&c。；　that　I　had
brought　from　Egypt　for　this　purpose；　as　there　is　no　straight　wood　in　the
country。

〃The　sheik　or　head　of　the　Shillook　tribe　sent　envoys　with　a　present　of
four　bullocks　and　two　small　tusks；　with　a　message　that　he　wished　to　see
me；　but　he　was　afraid　to　come。　I　accordingly　sent　the　messengers　back　in
the　No。　8　steamer　with　ten　soldiers　as　an　escort　to　bring　him　to　my
station。

〃April　30。We　commenced　erecting　the　iron　magazines。　Lieutenant　Baker；
Mr。　Higginbotham；　and　the　Englishmen　all　actively　employed；　while　Raouf
Bey　and　his　officers；　instead　of　attending　to　the　pressing　work　of
forming　the　permanent　camp；　sit　under　a　tree　and　smoke　and　drink　coffee
throughout　the　day。

〃The　artillerymen　are　nearly　all　ill；　likewise　many　of　the　Egyptian
regiment；　while　the　black　troops　are　well　and　in　excellent　spirits。
There　is　no　doubt　that　for　this　service　the　blacks　are　very　superior　to
the　Egyptians：　these　are　full　of　religious　prejudices　combined　with
extreme　ignorance；　and　they　fall　sick　when　deprived　of　the　vegetable
diet　to　which　they　are　accustomed　in　Egypt。

〃In　the　evening　the　steamer　returned　with　the　true　Shillook　king；
accompanied　by　two　of　his　wives；　four　daughters；　and　a　retinue　of　about
seventy　people。〃



CHAPTER　IV。

THE　CAMP　AT　TEWFIKEEYAH。

〃May　1。The　camp　is　beginning　to　look　civilized。　Already　the　underwood
has　been　cleared；　and　the　large　trees　which　border　the　river　have　their
separate　proprietors。　There　is　no　home　like　a　shady　tree　in　a　tropical
climate；　here　we　are　fortunate　in　having　the　finest　mimosas；　which　form
a　cool　screen。　I　have　apportioned　the　largest　trees　among　the　higher
officers。　The　English　quarter　of　the　camp　is　already　arranged；　and　the
whole　force　is　under　canvas。　A　few　days　ago　this　was　a　wilderness；　now
there　are　some　hundred　new　tents　arranged　in　perfectly　straight　rows　so
as　to　form　streets。　This　extensive　plot　of　white　tents；　occupying　a
frontage　of　four　hundred　yards；　and　backed　by　the　bright　green　forest；
looks　very　imposing　from　the　river。

〃The　English　quarter　was　swept　clean；　and　as　the　surface　soil　on　the
margin　of　the　river　was　a　hard　white　sand；　the　place　quickly　assumed　a
neat　and　homely　appearance。　I　had　a　sofa；　a　few　chairs；　and　a　carpet
arranged　beneath　a　beautiful　shady　mimosa；　where　I　waited　the　arrival　of
the　true　king　of　the　ShillooksQuat　Kare。

〃In　a　few　minutes　he　was　introduced　by　an　aide…de…camp；　accompanied　by
two　wives；　four　daughters；　and　a　large　retinue。　Like　all　the　Shillooks；
he　was　very　tall　and　thin。　As　his　wardrobe　looked　scanty　and　old；　I　at
once　gave　him　a　long　blue　shirt　which　nearly　reached　to　his　ankles；
together　with　an　Indian　red　scarf　to　wear　as　a　waistband。　When　thus
attired　I　presented　him　with　a　tarboosh　（fez）；　all　of　which　presents　he
received　without　a　smile　or　the　slightest　acknowledgment。　When　dressed
with　the　assistance　of　two　or　three　of　the　soldiers　who　had　volunteered
to　act　as　valets；　he　sat　down　on　the　carpet；　upon　which　he　invited　his
family　to　sit　near　him。　There　was　a　profound　silence。　The　king　appeared
to　have　no　power　of　speech；　he　simply　fixed　his　eyes　upon　myself　and　my
wife；　then　slowly　turned　them　upon　Lieutenant　Baker　and　the　officers　in
attendance。　The　crowd　was　perfectly　silent。

〃I　was　obliged　to　commence　the　conversation　by　asking　him　‘whether　he
was　really　Quat　Kare；　the　old　king　of　the　Shillooks？　as　I　had　heard　his
death　reported。'

〃Instead　of　replying；　he　conferred　with　one　of　his　wives；　a　woman　of
about　sixty；　who　appeared　to　act　as　prime　minister　and　adviser。　This　old
lady　immediately　took　up　the　discourse；　and　very　deliberately　related
the　intrigues　of　the　Koordi　governor　of　Fashoda；　which　had　ended　in　the
ruin　of　her　husband。　It　appeared　that　the　Koordi　did　not　wish　that　peace
should　reign　throughout　the　land。　The　Shillooks　were　a　powerful　tribe；
numbering　upwards　of　a　million；　therefore　it　was　advisable　to　sow
dissension　amongst　them；　and　thus　destroy　their　unity。　Quat　Kare　was　a
powerful　king；　who　had　ruled　the　country　for　more　than　fifty　years。　He
was　the　direct　descendant　of　a　long　line　of　kings；　therefore　he　was　a
man　whose　influence　was　to　be　dreaded。　The　policy　of　the　Koordi
determined　that　he　would　overthrow　the　power　of　Quat　Kare；　and　after
having　vainly　laid　snares　for　his　capture；　the　old　king　fled　from　the
governor　of　Fashoda　as　David　fled　from　Saul　and　hid　in　the　cave　of
Adullam。　The　Koordi　was　clever　and　cunning　in　intrigue；　thus；　he　wrote
to　Djiaffer　Pacha；　the　governor…general　of　the　Soudan；　and　declared　that
Quat　Kare　the　king　of　the　Shillooks　was　DEAD；　it　was　therefore　necessary
to　elect　the　next　heir；　Jangy　for　whom　he　requested　the　firman　of　the
Khedive。　The　firman　of　the　Khedive　arrived　in　due　course　for　the
pretender　Jangy；　who　was　a　distant　connexion　of　Quat　Kare；　and　in　no　way
entitled　to　the　succession。　This　intrigue　threw　the　country　into
confusion。　Jangy　was　proclaimed　king　by　the　Koordi；　and　was　dressed　in　a
scarlet　robe　with　belt　and　sabre。　The　pretender　got　together　a　large
band　of　adherents　who　were　ready　for　any　adventure　that　might　yield　them
plunder。　These　natives；　who　knew　the　paths　and　the　places　where　the　vast
herds　of　cattle　were　concealed；　acted　as　guides　to　the　Koordi；　and　the
faithful　adherents　of　the　old　king；　Quat　Kare；　were　plundered；
oppressed；　and　enslaved　without　mercy；　until　the　day　that　I　had
fortunately　arrived　in　the　Shillook　country；　and　caught　the　Koordi　in
the　very　act　of　kidnapping。

〃I　had　heard　this　story　a　few　days　before；　and　I　was　much　struck　with
the　clear　and　forcible　manner　in　which　the　old　wife　described　the
history。

〃Here　we　have　an　average　picture　of　Soudan　rule。　In　a　country　blessed
with　the　most　productive　soil　and　favourable　climate；　with　a　population
estimated　at　above　a　million；　the　only　step　towards　improvement；　after
seven　years　of　possession；　is　a　system　of　plunder　and　massacre。　Instead
of　peace；　a　series　of　intrigues　have　thrown　the　country　into　hopeless
anarchy。　With　a　good　government；　this　fertile　land　might　produce
enormous　wealth　in　the　cultivation　of　corn　and　cotton。　I　arranged　with
the　king　that　he　should　wait　patiently；　and　that　I　would　bring　the
affair　before　the　proper　authority；　in　the　mean　time；　his　people　should
return　to　their　villages。

〃After　a　feast　upon　an　ox；　and　the　entertainment　of　the　magnetic　battery
and　the　wheel　of　life；　I　gave　Quat　Kare；　and　the　various　members　of　his
family；　an　assortment　of　presents；　and　sent　them　back　rejoicing　in　the
No。　8　steamer。　I　had　been　amused　by　the　stoical　countenance　of　the　king
while　undergoing　a　severe　shock　from　the　battery。　Although　every　muscle
of　his　arms　was　quivering；　he　never　altered　the　expression　of　his
features。　One　of　his　wives　followed　his　example；　and　resisted　a　shock
with　great　determination；　and　after　many　attempts　she　succeeded　in
extracting　a　necklace　from　a　basin　of　water　so　highly　charged；　that　her
hand　was　completely　cramped　and　paralysed。

〃I　have　thoroughly　gained　the　confidence　of　the　natives；　as　vast　herds
of　cattle　are　now　fearlessly　brought　to　graze　on　the　large　island
opposite　the　camp。　The　natives　assure　me　that　all　the　male　children　that
may　be　born　this　year　will　be　called　the　‘Pacha；'　in　commemoration　of
the　release　given　to　the　captives。

〃A　soldier　was　caught　this　afternoon　in　the　act　of　stealing　a　fowl　from
a　native。　I　had　him　flogged　and　secured　in　irons　for　five　days。　I　have
determined　upon　the　strictest　discipline；　in　spite　of　the　old　prejudice。
As　the　greater　portion　of　the　Egyptian　regiment　is　composed　of　felons；
convicted　of　offences　in　Cairo；　and　transported　to　the　White　Nile；　my
task　is　rather　difficult　in　establishing　a　reformation。　The　good　taste
of　the　authorities　might　be　questioned　for　supplying　me　with　a　regiment
of　convicts　to　carry　out　an　enterprise　where　a　high　state　of　discipline
and　good　conduct　are　essential　to　success。〃

I　gave　the　name　Tewfikeeyah　＇*＇　to　the　new　station；　which　rapidly　grew
into　a　place　of　importance。　It　was　totally　unlike　an　Egyptian　camp；　as
all　the　lines　were　straight。　Deep　ditches；　cut　in　every　necessary
direction；　drained　the　station　to　the　river。　I　made　a　quay　about　500
yards　in　length；　on　the　bank　of　the　river；　by　which　the　whole　fleet
could　lie；　and　embark　or　disembark　cargo。　A　large　stable　contained　the
twenty　horses；　which　by　great　care　had　kept　their　condition。　It　was
absolutely　necessary　to　keep　them　in　a　dark　stable　on　account　of　the
flies；　which　attacked　all　animals　in　swarms