ismailia-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Djiaffer　Pacha；　who　would　speedily　give　him　justice。　The　Shillook　king
then　replied；　without　moving　a　muscle　of　his　features；　〃If　I　forget　the
past；　what　is　to　become　of　all　my　cattle　that　the　Koordi　has　stolen　from
me？　Is　he　going　to　return　them；　or　keep　them　himself；　and　forget　the
past？　I　can't　forget　my　cows。〃

This　practical　question　was　difficult　to　answer。　The　Koordi's　pipe　was
out：　he　therefore　rose　from　his　seat　and　retired；　leaving　the　stoical
Quat　Kare　master　of　his　position；　but　not　of　his　cattle。　I　advised　him
to　say　nothing　more　until　he　should　see　Djiaffer　Pacha；　and　he　would
receive　a　direct　reply　from　the　Khedive。

Quat　Kare；　with　his　wives　and　daughters　and　general　retinue；　determined
to　pass　the　night　in　our　station。

I　therefore　ordered　an　ox　to　be　killed　for　their　entertainment。　I　gave
the　king　a　large　Cashmere　scarf；　also　one　of　red　printed　cotton；　and　a
dozen　small　harness　bells；　which　he　immediately　arranged　as　anklets。　His
usually　unchangeable　countenance　relaxed　into　a　smile　of　satisfaction　as
he　took　leave；　and　the　bells　tinkled　at　every　footstep　as　he　departed。

Quat　Kare　never　eats　or　drinks　in　the　presence　of　his　people；　but　his
food　is　taken　to　him　either　within　a　hut　or　to　a　lonely　tree。

On　the　following　morning　both　the　governor　of　Fashoda　and　the　old　king
returned　to　their　respective　homes。

On　the　10th　May；　a　sail　was　reported　by　the　sentries　in　the　south。　　None
of　the　slave…traders　had　any　intelligence　of　my　station　at　Tewfikeeyah。
The　people　of　Kutchuk　Ali；　on　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　were　under　the
impression　that　we　had　returned　direct　to　Khartoum。　I　was　rather　curious
to　know　whether　they　would　presume　to　send　slaves　down　the　White　Nile
during　this　season；　knowing　that　the　Khedive　had　sent　me　expressly　to
suppress　the　trade。　I　could　not　believe　that　the　Koordi　governor　of
Fashoda　would　have　the　audacity　to　allow　the　free　passage　of　slave
vessels　after　the　stringent　orders　that　had　been　given。　Although　I　had
heard　that　this　governor　had　amassed　a　considerable　fortune　by　the
establishment　of　a　toll　per　head　for　every　slave　that　passed　Fashoda；　I
imagined　that　he　would　this　year　make　up　his　mind　that　the　rich　harvest
was　over。

If　any　vessels　should　attempt　to　descend　with　slave　cargoes；　they　must
pass　my　new　station；　of　which　they　were　ignorant；　and　the　fact　would
prove　the　complicity　of　the　governor　of　Fashoda；　as　it　would
substantiate　all　the　reports　that　I　had　heard　concerning　his　connivance
with　the　slave…traders。　The　strange　sail　now　reported　was　rapidly
approaching　on　her　route　to　Khartoum；　without　the　slightest　suspicion
that　a　large　military　station　was　established　within　four　miles　of　the
Sobat　junction。　If　guilty；　she　was　thus　approaching　the　jaws　of　the
lion。

As　she　neared　the　station；　she　must　have　discovered　the　long　row　of
masts　and　yards　of　the　fleet　moored　alongside　the　quay。　Of　these　she
appeared　to　take　no　notice；　and　keeping　well　in　the　middle　of　the　river；
she　would　have　passed　the　station；　and　continued　on　her　voyage。　This
looked　very　suspicious；　and　I　at　once　sent　a　boat　to　order　her　to　halt。

When　she　was　brought　alongside；　I　sent　my　trusty　aide…de…camp；　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　on　board　to　make　the　necessary　inquiries。　She　was　quite
innocent。　The　captain　and　the　vakeel　（agent　and　commander　of　station）
were　amazed　at　my　thinking　it　necessary　to　search　their　vessel。　She　had
a　quantity　of　corn　on　board；　stowed　in　bulk。　There　was　not　a　person
beside　the　crew　and　a　few　soldiers　from　Kutchuk　Ali's　station。

The　vakeel　was　the　same　whom　I　had　seen　at　the　station　at　the　Bahr
Giraffe；　to　whom　I　had　given　advice　that　he　should　not　attempt　to　send
slaves　down　the　river　again。　All　was　in　order。　The　vessel　belonged　to
Kutchuk　Ali；　who　now　commanded　the　government　expedition　sent　by
Djiaffer　Pacha　to　the　Bahr　Gazal。　She　was　laden　with　ivory　beneath　the
corn；　which　was　for　the　supply　of　the　crew　and　soldiers。

Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　was　an　excellent　officer；　he　was　one　of　the
exceptions　who　took　a　great　interest　in　the　expedition；　and　he　always
served　me　faithfully。　He　was　a　fine　powerful　man；　upwards　of　six　feet
high；　and　not　only　active；　but　extremely　determined。　He　was　generally
called　〃the　Englishman〃　by　his　brother　officers；　as　a　bitter　compliment
reflecting　on　his　debased　taste　for　Christian　society。　This　officer　was
not　the　man　to　neglect　a　search　because　the　agent　of　Kutchuk　Ali
protested　his　innocence；　and　exhibited　the　apparently　naked　character　of
his　vessel。　She　appeared　suspiciously　full　of　corn　for　a　boat　homeward
bound。　There　was　an　awkward　smell　about　the　closely…boarded　forecastle
which　resembled　that　of　unwashed　negroes。　Abd…el…Kader　drew　a　steel
ramrod　from　a　soldier's　rifle；　and　probed　sharply　through　the　corn。

A　smothered　cry　from　beneath；　and　a　wriggling　among　the　corn；　was
succeeded　by　a　woolly　head；　as　the　strong　Abd…el…Kader；　having　thrust
his　long　arm　into　the　grain；　dragged　forth　by　the　wrist　a　negro　woman。
The　corn　was　at　once　removed；　the　planks　which　boarded　up　the　forecastle
and　the　stern　were　broken　down；　and　there　was　a　mass　of　humanity
exposed；　boys；　girls；　and　women；　closely　packed　like　herrings　in　a
barrel；　who　under　the　fear　of　threats　had　remained　perfectly　silent
until　thus　discovered。　The　sail　attached　to　the　mainyard　of　the　vessel
appeared　full　and　heavy　in　the　lower　part；　this　was　examined；　and　upon
unpacking；　it　yielded　a　young　woman　who　had　thus　been　sewn　up　to　avoid
discovery。

The　case　was　immediately　reported　to　me。　　I　at　once　ordered　the　vessel
to　be　unloaded。　We　discovered　one　hundred　and　fifty　slaves　stowed　away
in　a　most　inconceivably　small　area。　The　stench　was　horrible　when　they
began　to　move。　Many　were　in　irons；　these　were　quickly　released　by　the
blacksmiths；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　captives；　who　did　not　appear　to
understand　the　proceeding。

I　ordered　the　vakeel；　and　the　reis　or　captain　of　the　vessel；　to　be　put
in　irons。　The　slaves　began　to　comprehend　that　their　captors　were　now
captives。　They　now　began　to　speak；　and　many　declared　that　the　greater
portion　of　the　men　of　their　villages　had　been　killed　by　the
slave…hunters。

Having　weighed　the　ivory　and　counted　the　tusks；　I　had　the　vessel
reloaded；　and　having　placed　an　officer　with　a　guard　on　board；　I　sent　her
to　Khartoum　to　be　confiscated　as　a　slaver。

I　ordered　the　slaves　to　wash；　and　issued　clothes　from　the　magazine　for
the　naked　women。

On　the　following　day　I　inspected　the　captives；　and　I　explained　to　them
their　exact　position。　They　were　free　people；　and　if　their　homes　were　at
a　reasonable　distance　they　should　be　returned。　If　not　they　must　make
themselves　generally　useful；　in　return　for　which　they　would　be　fed　and
clothed。

If　any　of　the　women　wished　to　marry；　there　were　many　fine　young　men　in
the　regiments　who　would　make　capital　husbands。　I　gave　each　person　a
paper　of　freedom；　signed　by　myself。　This　was　contained　in　a　hollow　reed
and　suspended　round　their　necks。　Their　names；　approximate　age；　sex；　and
country　were　registered　in　a　book　corresponding　with　the　numbers　on
their　papers。

These　arrangements　occupied　the　whole　morning。　　In　the　afternoon　I　again
inspected　them。　Having　asked　the　officer　whether　any　of　the　negresses
would　wish　to　be　married；　he　replied　that　all　the　women　wished　to　marry；
and　that　they　had　already　selected　their　husbands！

This　was　wholesale　matrimony；　that　required　a　church　as　large　as
Westminster　Abbey；　and　a　whole　company　of　clergy！

Fortunately；　matters　are　briefly　arrranged　in　Africa。　　I　saw　the　loving
couples　standing　hand　in　hand。　Some　of　the　girls　were　pretty；　and　my
black　troops　had　shown　good　taste　in　their　selection。　Unfortunately；
however；　for　the　Egyptian　regiment；　the　black　ladies　had　a　strong
antipathy　to　brown　men；　and　the　suitors　were　all　refused。　This　was　a
very　awkward　affair。　The　ladies　having　received　their　freedom；　at　once
asserted　〃woman's　rights。〃

I　was　obliged　to　limit　the　matrimonial　engagements；　and　those　who　were
for　a　time　condemned　to　single　blessedness　were　placed　in　charge　of
certain　officers　to　perform　the　cooking　for　the　troops　and　other
domestic　work。　I　divided　the　boys　into　classes；　some　I　gave　to　the
English　workmen　to　be　instructed　in　carpenter's　and　blacksmith's　work；
others　were　apprenticed　to　tailors；　shoemakers；　&c。；　in　the　regiment；
while　the　best　looking　were　selected　as　domestic　servants。　A　nice　little
girl；　of　about　three　years　old；　without　parents；　was　taken　care　of　by　my
wife。

When　slaves　are　liberated　in　large　numbers　there　is　always　a　difficulty
in　providing　for　them。　We　feel　this　dilemma　when　our　cruisers　capture
Arab　dhows　on　the　east　coast　of　Africa；　and　our　government　becomes
responsible　for　an　influx　of　foundlings。　It　is　generally　quite
impossible　to　return　them　to　their　own　homes；　therefore　all　that　can　be
done　is　to　instruct　them　in　some　useful　work　by　which　they　can　earn
their　livelihood。　If　the　boys　have　their　choice；　they　invariably　desire
a　military　life；　and　I　believe　it　is　the　best　school　for　any　young
savage；　as　he　is　at　once　placed　under　strict　discipline；　which　teaches
him　habits　of　order　and　obedience。　The　girls；　like　those　of　other
countries；　prefer　marriage　to　regular　domestic　work；　nevertheless；　if
kindly　treated；　with　a　due　amount　of　authority；　they　make　fair　servants
for　any　rough　employment。

When　female　children　are　about　five　years　old　they　are　most　esteemed　by
the　slave…dealers；　as　they　can　be　more　easily　taught；　and　they　grow　up
with　an　attachment　to　their　possessors；　and　in　fact　become　members　of
the　family。

Little　Mostoora；　the　child　taken　by　my　wife；　was　an　exceedingly　clever
specimen　of　her　race；　and　although　she　was　certainly　not　more　than　three
years　old；　she　was　quicker　than　most　children　of　double　her　age。　With　an
ugly　little　face；　she　bad　a　beautifully　shaped　figure；　and　possessed　a
power　of　muscle　that　I　have　never　seen　in　a　white　child　of　that　age。　Her
lot　had　fallen　in　pleasant　quarters；　she　was　soon　dressed　in　convenient
clothes　and　became　the　pet　of　the　family。

On　June　17；　1　sent　the　No。　9　steamer　to　Khartoum　with　the　post；　together
with　three　sons　of　Quat　Kare；　who　were　to　represent　their　father　at　the
divan　of　Djiaffer　Pacha。　The　old　man　declined　the　voyage；　pleading　his
age　as　an　excuse。　Mr。　Wood　also　returned；　as　his　health　required　an
immediate　change　to　Egypt。　On　the　25th；　four　vessels　arrived　from　the
south；　two　belonging　to　Kutchuk　Ali；　one　to　Agad；　and　one　to　a　trader
named　Assaballa；　from　the　Bahr　Gazal。　The　latter　had　thirty…five　slaves
on　board。　The　others　had　heard；　by　some　vessels　that　had　gone　up　from
Khartoum；　that　I　had　formed　a　station　near　the　Sobat；　and　had　captured
the　vessel　and　slaves　of　Kutchuk　Ali；　thus　they　had　landed　their　slaves
at　the　Bahr　Giraffe　station。　The　Bahr　Gazal　vessel　having　arrived　from　a
different　direction　had　not　received　the　information。　I　seized　the　boat
and　cargo；　and　liberated　the　slaves。

On　board　the　diahbeeah　of　Kutchuk　Ali　were　four　musicians；　natives　of
Pongo；　on　the　river　Djoor。　Their　band　consisted　of　two　iron　bells；　a
flageolet　and　an　instrument　made　of　hard　wood　that　was　arranged　like　the
musical　glasses　of　Europe。　The　latter　was　formed