ismailia-第18章

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conjectured　that　the　large　river　Lualaba　that　he　had　discovered
south…west　of　the　Tanganyika　lake　was　an　affluent　of　the　Bahr　Gazal。　The
Lualaba　is　far　to　the　west　of　the　Nile　Basin；　and　may　possibly　flow　to
the　Congo。　I　have　shown　in　former　works；　in　describing　the　system　of　the
Nile；　that　the　great　affluents　of　that　river　invariably　flow　from　the
south…eastvide；　the　Atbara；　Blue　Nile；　Sobat；　and　the　Asua；　which　is
very　inferior　so　the　three　great　rivers　named。

We　have　lastly　the　Victoria　Nile　of　the　Victoria　N'yanza；　following　the
same　principle；　and　flowing　from　the　south…east　to　the　Albert　N'yanza。
This　proves　that　the　direct　drainage　of　the　Nile　Basin　is　from　the
south…east　to　the　north…west；　it　is　therefore　probable　that；　as　the
inclination　of　the　country　is　towards　the　west；　there　may　be　some　escape
from　the　lake　marshes　of　the　Bahr　Gazal　in　the　same　direction。

On　21st　August；　having　been　absent　ten　days；　during　which　we　had　been
very　hard　at　work；　exploring　in　the　unhealthy　marshes　of　the　Bahr　Gaza＇；
we　returned　hopelessly　to　Tewfikeeyah。

The　great　river　Nile　was　entirely　lost；　and　had　become　a　swamp；　similar
to　the　condition　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe。　It　was　impossible　to　guess　the
extent　of　the　obstruction；　but　I　was　confident　that　it　would　be　simply　a
question　of　time　and　labour　to　clear　the　original　channel　by　working
from　below　the　stream。　The　great　power　of　the　current　would　assist　the
work；　and　with　proper　management　this　formerly　beautiful　river　might　be
restored　to　its　original　condition。　It　would　be　impossible　to　clear　the
Bahr　Giraffe　permanently；　as　there　was　not　sufficient　breadth　of　channel
to　permit　the　escape　of　huge　rafts　of　vegetation　occupying　the　surface
of　perhaps　an　acre；　but　the　great　width　of　the　Nile；　if　once　opened；
together　with　the　immense　power　of　the　stream；　would；　with　a　little
annual　inspection；　assure　the　permanency　of　the　work。

I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　a　special　expedition　must　be　sent　from
Khartoum　to　take　this　important　work　in　hand；　as　it　would　be　quite
useless　to　annex　and　attempt　to　civilize　Central　Africa；　unless　a　free
communication　existed　with　the　outer　world　by　which　a　commercial　channel
could　be　opened。　My　exploration；　in　which　I　had　been　ably　assisted　by
Lieutenant　Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　had　proved　that　for　the　present
it　was　impossible　to　penetrate　south　by　the　main　river；　therefore　I　must
make　all　preparations　for　an　advance　by　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　where　I　hoped
that　our　past　labour　might　have　in　some　degree　improved　the　channel。

The　close　of　August　showed　a　mean　temperature　of　73　6/10　degrees　at　6
a。m。；　and　85　degrees　Fahrenheit　at　noon；　with　seven　days　of　heavy　and
seven　of　light　rain。　Although　the　station　was　admirably　drained；　the
climate　acted　unfavourably　upon　the　people。　On　9th　September　it　was
necessary　for　the　unfortunate　Dr。　Gedge；　my　chief　medical　officer；　to
return　to　Khartoum；　as　his　state　of　health　required　immediate　change。

Just　as　the　diahbeeah　was　leaving　the　station；　a　vessel　arrived　from　the
Bahr　Gazal；　by　which　I　received　a　letter　from　the　German　traveller；　Dr。
Schweinfurth。　This　gentleman；　to　whom　I　was　quite　unknown　personally；
had　the　extreme　courtesy　and　generosity　to　intrust　me　with　all　the
details　of　his　geographical　observations；　collected　in　his　journey　in
the　Western　Nile　Basin。

It　was　necessary　for　me　to　return　personally　to　Khartoum　to　assure
myself　that　my　arrangements　should　be　carried　out　without　delay。　I　had
determined　that　the　expedition　should　start　for　the　south　from
Tewfikeeyah　on　1st　Dec。；　at　which　time　the　Nile　would　be　full；　and　the
wind　strong　from　the　north。　As　Tewfikeeyah　was　nearly　half　way　in　actual
distance　from　Khartoum　to　Gondokoro；　I　trusted　that　we　should　have　time
to　accomplish　the　work　of　cutting　through　the　marshes；　and　be　enabled　to
pass　the　shallows　before　the　river　should　begin　to　fall。　I　therefore
sent　Mr。　Higginbotham　to　Khartoum　to　engage　vessels；　I　followed　on　15th
September；　with　the　No。　10　steamer　towing　my　diahbeeahand　ten　empty
vessels　to　bring　up　a　supply　of　corn。

We　reached　Khartoum　on　the　21st　Sept。　at　9。30　a。m。；　to　the　astonishment
of　the　governor　and　population；　who　could　not　understand　why　I　had
returned。　I　now　met　for　the　first　time　the　Vicomte　de　Bizemont；　who　was
to　accompany　the　expedition。　This　gentleman　had　been　intrusted　by　the
Empress　of　the　French　with　a　very　gracious　token　of　her　interest　in　the
expedition；　which　he　presented　as　a　gift　from　her　Majesty　to　my　wife。　I
now　heard　for　the　first　time　the　startling　news　of　the　war　between
France　and　Prussia。　I　found　Dr。　Gedge　alive；　but　in　a　deplorable　state
of　health。　It　was　impossible　for　him　to　travel　north；　therefore　he　was
carefully　attended　by　the　Greek　physician　to　the　forces；　Dr。　Georgis。　I
at　once　saw　that　there　was　no　hope　of　recovery。　Mr。　Higginbotham　had
been　exceedingly　kind　and　attentive　to　his　wants。

I　was　very　well　received　by　my　old　friend；　Djiaffer　Pacha；　the
governor…general；　but　as　usual　the　work　was　all　behind…hand；　and　Mr。
Higginbotham　had　been　in　despair　until　my　arrival。　Only　seven　vessels
were　forthcoming。　I　had　expected　thirty！　Thus；　it　would　again　be
impossible　to　transport　the　camels　that　were　indispensable　for　the
transport　of　the　steamers　from　Gondokoro。　This　was　very　heart…breaking。
Instead　of　completing　the　expedition　by　a　general　direct　move　south　with
all　material；　transport　animals；　store；　&c。；　in　travelling　order；　the
operation　would　extend　over　some　years；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the
government　had　not　the　means　of　transport。　Even　now　the　steamers　had　not
arrived　from　Cairo。　The　fifteen　large　sloops　had　failed　to　pass　the
cataract；　thus；　I　was　reduced　to　the　miserable　open　vessels　of　Khartoum；
and　even　these　were　of　an　inferior　description　and　few　in　number。
Fortunately　I　had　brought　ten　empty　vessels　with　me　from　Tewfikeeyah；
otherwise　we　should　not　have　had　sufficient　transport　for　the　necessary
supply　of　corn。　However；　now　that　I　had　arrived；　things　began　to　move　a
little　faster。　I　find　this　entry　in　my　journal；　dated　〃1st　October；
1870。　Thermometer；　6　a。m。；　80　degrees；　noon；　94　degrees。　Wind；　north。
The　fact　of　my　having　captured　the　boats　of　Kutchuk　Ali　and　Agad　with
slaves　on　board；　has　determined　a　passive；　but　stubborn；　resistance　in
Khartoum　to　the　expedition。　This　is　shared　by　the　officials。

〃Although　I　wrote　to　Djiaffer　Pacha　months　ago　requesting　him　to　send　me
thirty　vessels；　there　is　not　one　actually　ready；　neither　are　there　more
than　seven　to　be　obtained。　Even　these　are　not　prepared　for　the　journey。
The　object　appears　to　be　to　cause　such　delay　as　shall　throw　me　back
until　the　river　shall　be　too　low　for　the　passage　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe。

〃October　2。I　wrote　an　official　letter　to　Djiaffer　Pacha；　protesting
against　delay；　and　reminding　him　of　the　Khedive's　instructions。〃

The　only　authority　who；　I　believe；　takes　a　real　interest　in　the
expedition　is　Ismail　Bey；　who　is　a　highly　intellectual　and　clever　man。
This　Bey　is　the　President　of　the　Council；　and　I　have　known　him　during
many　years。　He　speaks　excellent　French；　and　is　more　European　in　his
ideas　than　any　of　my　acquaintances。＇*＇　

＇*Footnote：　Since　this　was　written　Ismail　Bey　has　become　Pacha；　and　
is　governor　of　the　Khartoum　province。＇

The　action　that　I　had　taken　against　the　proceedings　of　the　governor　of
Fashoda　was　very　distasteful　to　the　Khartoum　public。　I　much　regretted
the　necessity；　but　I　could　not　have　acted　otherwise。　This　complication
placed　my　friend；　Djiaffer　Pacha；　in　a　most　unpleasant　position；　as　the
Koordi　of　Fashoda　was　his　employee；　it　would　therefore　appear　that　no
great　vigilance　had　been　exercised　by　the　governor…general　at　Khartoum；
and　suspicions　might　be　aroused　that　the　character　and　acts　of　the
Fashoda　governor　must　have　been　previously　known　to　the　Khartoum
authorities。

The　curtain　began　to　rise；　and　disclosed　certain　facts　of　which　I　ought
to　have　been　informed　many　months　ago；　when　I　first　arrived　at　Khartoum。
I　heard　from　Mr。　Higginbotham　that　the　principal　trader　of　the　White
Nile　（Agad）　had　a　contract　with　the　government；　which　gave　him　the
exclusive　right　of　trading　throughout　certain　distant　countries。　This
area　comprised　about　NINETY　THOUSAND　SQUARE　MILES！　Thus；　at　the　same
time　that　I　was　employed　by　the　Khedive　to　suppress　the　slave　trade；　to
establish　commerce；　and　to　annex　the　Nile　Basin；　the　White　Nile
countries　that　were　to　be　annexed　had　already　been　leased　by　the
governor…general　of　the　Soudan　for　several　thousand　pounds　sterling　per
annum；　together　with　the　monopoly　of　the　ivory　trade。

A　country　that　was　in　no　way　connected　with　Egypt；　and　over　which　Egypt
had　no　more　authority　than　England　has　over　China；　had　actually　been
leased…out　to　adventurers　of　the　class　known　as　merchants　at　Khartoum；
but　thoroughly　well　known　to　the　authorities　as　slave…hunters。

It　was　hardly　credible　that　such　dust　should　be　thrown　in　the　eyes　of
the　Khedive；　after　the　stringent　orders　he　had　given；　but　Egypt　is
celebrated　for　dust；　the　Soudan　is　little　else　but　dust；　therefore　we
must　make　some　allowance　for　the　blindness　of　the　authorities。　My　eyes
had　evidently　been　filled　with　Khartoum　dust；　for　it　was　only　now　upon
my　return　from　Tewfikeeyah　that　I　discovered　that　which　should　have　been
made　known　to　me　upon　my　first　arrival　from　Cairo　to　command　the
expedition。　It　was　the　trader　and　lessee；　Achmet　Sheik　Agad；　who　had
applied　to　Mr。　Higginbotham　as　a　mediator；　and　he　stated　clearly　a　case
of　great　hardship。　He　had　paid　annually　about　3000L　for　the　sole　right
of　trading。　Thus；　if　he　paid　rent　for　a　monopoly　of　the　ivory；　and　the
government　then　started　as　traders　in　ivory　in　the　country　leased　to
him；　he　would　be　in　the　same　position　as　a　man　who　rented　a　cow　at　a
fixed　sum　per　week；　but　the　owner；　nevertheless；　insisted　upon　a　right
to　her　milk。

It　would　be　a　hard　case　upon　the　traders　at　any　rate；　even　should　they
trade　with　equal　rights　to　the　government。

There　was　no　actual　bartering　of　merchandise　for　ivory；　neither　was　any
merchandise　shipped　from　Khartoum；　except　that　required　as　clothing　for
the　people　who　belonged　to　the　slave…hunters'　companies。　If　an　honest；
legitimate　trade　were　commenced　by　the　government；　and　law　and　order
thoroughly　established；　it　would　become　impossible　for　the　slave　hunters
to　exist　in　the　White　Nile　districts。　Their　so…called　trade　consisted　in
harrying　one　country　to　procure　cattle　and　slaves；　which　they　exchanged
for　ivory　in　other　districts。　If　a　government　were　established；　such
razzias　must　cease　at　onceand　the　Khartoum　traders　would　be　without　an
occupation。

I　had　originally　proposed　that　the　districts　of　the　White　Nile　south　of
latitude　14　degrees　N。　should　be　placed　under　my　command；　this；　for　some
unexplained　reason；　was　reduced　to　latitude　5　degrees　N。；　thus　leaving
the　whole　navigable　river　free　from　Gondokoro　to　Khartoum；　unless　I
should　assume　the　responsibility　of　liberating　slaves　and　seizing　the
slavers　wherever　I　might　find　them。　This　power　I　at　once　assumed　and
exercised；　although　I　purposely　avoided　landing　and　visiting　the
slave…hunters'　stations　that　were　not　within　my　jurisdiction。　I　regar