ismailia-第19章

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slave…hunters'　stations　that　were　not　within　my　jurisdiction。　I　regarded
the　river　as　we　regard　the　high　seas。

It　was　clearly　contrary　to　all　ideas　of　equity　that　the　government
should　purchase　ivory　in　countries　that　had　been　leased　to　the　traders。
I　was　therefore　compelled　to　investigate　the　matter　with　the　assistance
of　Djiaffer　Pacha；　who　had　made　the　contract　in　the　name　of　the
government。　It　was　then　explained　that　the　entire　White　Nile　was　rented
by　the　traders。　The　government　had　assumed　the　right　and　monopoly　of　the
river；　and　in　fact　of　any　part　of　Africa　that　could　be　reached；　south　of
Khartoum；　thus　no　trader　was　permitted　to　establish　himself；　or　even　to
start　from　Khartoum　for　the　interior；　until　he　should　have　obtained　a
lease　from　the　government。　If　Central　Africa　had　been　already　annexed；
and　the　Egyptian　government　had　been　established　throughout　the　country；
I　should　not　have　complained；　but　I　now　found　that　my　mission　from　the
Khedive　placed　me　within　〃a　house　divided　against　itself。〃　I　was　to
annex　a　country　that　was　already　leased　out　by　the　government。

My　task　was　to　suppress　the　slave　trade；　when　the　Khartoum　authorities
well　knew　that　their　tenants　were　slave…hunters；　to　establish　legitimate
commerce　where　the　monopoly　of　trade　had　already　been　leased　to　traders；
and　to　build　up　a　government　upon　sound　and　just　principles；　that　must
of　necessity　ruin　the　slave…hunting　and　ivory…collecting　parties　of
Khartoum。

It　was　easy　to　conceive　that　my　mission　was　regarded　as　fatal　to　the
interests　of　the　Soudan。　Although　the　actual　wording　of　the　contracts
was　pure；　and　the　lessees　bound　themselves　to　abstain　from
slave…hunting；　and　to　behave　in　a　becoming　manner；　it　was　thoroughly
understood　that　they　were　simply　to　pay　a　good　round　sum　per　annum
punctually；　and　that　no　questions　would　be　asked。　There　were　no
authorities　of　the　government　in　those　distant　countries；　neither
consular　agents　to　send　home　unpleasant　reports；　thus；　when　fairly　away
from　all　restraint；　the　traders　could　act　as　they　pleased。　It　appears
hardly　credible　that　although　the　wording　of　the　contracts　was　almost
holy；　no　examination　of　the　vessels　was　made　before　their　departure　from
Khartoum。　Had　the　Soudan　government　been　sincere　in　a　determination　to
lease　out　the　White　Nile　for　the　purpose　of　benefiting　the　country　by
the　establishment　of　legitimate　commerce；　surely　the　authorities　would
have　convinced　themselves　that　the　traders'　vessels　contained　cargoes　of
suitable　merchandise；　instead　of　being　loaded　with　ammunition；　and
manned　by　bands　of　armed　pirates。

If　the　owner　of　a　pack　of　wolves　were　to　send　them　on　a　commission　to
gather　wool　from　a　flock　of　sheep；　with　the　simple　protection　of　such
parting　advice　as　〃Begone；　good　wolves；　behave　yourselves　like　lambs；
and　do　not　hurt　the　mutton！〃　the　proprietor　of　the　pack　would　be　held
responsible　for　the　acts　of　his　wolves。　This　was　the　situation　in　the
Soudan。　The　entire　country　was　leased　out　to　piratical　slave…hunters；
under　the　name　of　traders；　by　the　Khartoum　government；　and　although　the
rent；　in　the　shape　of　large　sums　of　money；　had　been　received　for　years
into　the　treasury　of　the　Soudan；　my　expedition　was　to　explode　like　a
shell　among　the　traders；　and　would　at　once　annihilate　the　trade。　I　now
understood　the　reason　for　the　alteration　in　my　proposed　territorial
limit　from　the　14　degrees　N。　lat。　to　the　5　degrees。　Khartoum　is　in　lat。
15　degrees　35'　N。　Gondokoro　is　N。　lat。　4　degrees　54'；　thus；　if　my
jurisdiction　should　be　reduced　to　the　south　of　Gondokoro；　the　usual
traffic　of　the　White　Nile　might　continue　in　the　north　during　my　absence
in　the　south；　and　the　original　contracts　would　be　undisturbed。

It　is　a　duty　that　I　owe　to　the　Khedive　of　Egypt　to　explain　these
details。　It　would　at　first　sight　appear　that　the　expedition　to　suppress
the　slave…trade　was　merely　a　theatrical　announcement　to　court　the
sympathy　of　Europe；　but　which；　in　reality；　had　no　solidity。　I　am
perfectly　convinced　that　the　Khedive　was　thoroughly　sincere　in　his
declared　purpose　of　suppressing　the　slave…trade；　not　only　as　a
humanitarian；　but　as　an　enlightened　man　of　the　world；　who　knew；　from　the
example　of　the　great　Powers　of　Europe；　that　the　time　had　arrived　when
civilization　demanded　the　extinction　of　such　horrors　as　were　the
necessary　adjuncts　of　slave…hunting。　The　Khedive　had　thus　determined　to
annex　the　Nile　Basin；　and　establish　his　government；　which　would　afford
protection；　and　open　an　immense　country　to　the　advantages　of　commerce。
This　reform　must　be　the　death…blow　to　the　so…called　traders　of
Khartoum；　who　were　positively　the　tenants　of　the　governor…general　of　the
Soudan。

The　expedition　of　the　Khedive；　launched　with　admirable　determination　on
his　part；　was　thus　inimical　to　every　local　interest；　and　was　in　direct
opposition　to　public　opinion。　It　was　therefore　a　natural　consequence
that　pressure　should　be　exerted　by　every　interest　against　the
governor…general　of　the　Soudan。　Djiaffer　Pacha　was　an　old　friend　of
mine；　for　whom　I　had　a　great　personal　regard；　and　I　regretted　the　false
position　in　which　both　he　and　I　were　placed。　My　title　and　position　as
governor…general　of　Central　Africa　to　a　certain　extent　weakened　his
authority。

He　had　by　the　force　of　circumstances；　and　according　to　former　usages；　so
far　tolerated　the　acts　of　the　White　Nile　traders　as　to　acknowledge　them
as　contracting　parties　with　his　own　government。　The　most　important
lessee　had　no　less　than　ten　stations　situated　within　the　territory　under
my　jurisdiction；　for　which　he　was　paying　a　large　annual　rent。　I　knew；
and　the　lessee；　Achmet　Sheik　Agad；　well　knew；　that　his　so…called　trade
was　simply　brigandage。　My　former　travels；　as　described　in　〃The　Albert
N'yanza；〃　had　led　me　behind　the　curtain；　and　the　traders　were　well　aware
that　I　knew　every　secret　of　their　atrocities；　thus　my　reappearance　upon
the　scene　with　rank　of　pacha　and　major…general；　at　the　head　of　a　small
army；　together　with　the　possession　of　absolute　and　supreme　power；　threw
the　entire　population　into　a　state　of　consternation。　The　traders；　as
Mohammedans　and　subjects；　trusted　to　the　protection　of　their　own
governor…general。　Already　I　had　captured　their　vessels；　imprisoned　their
agents；　liberated　their　slaves；　and　confiscated　the　ivory；　subject　to
the　decision　of　the　Khedive。　Already　I　had　caught　the　governor　himself
（Ali　Bey　of　Fashoda）　in　the　act　of　kidnapping　helpless　women　and
children；　whom　I　had　immediately　insisted　upon　liberating；　although　I
had　no　legal　jurisdiction　in　his　province。　I　simply　depended　upon　the
personal　support　of　the　Khedive；　whose　sincerity　I　never　doubted；　thus　I
acted　as　I　firmly　believed　the　Khedive　would　have　desired　me　to　act
under　the　circumstances。　The　Khedive　proved　that　my　confidence　in　his
sincerity　was　well　founded。　He　at　once　dismissed　from　his　service　and
disgraced　the　governor　of　Fashoda。　These　facts　cast　shadows　of　coming
events。　The　Soudan　authorities　were　compromised；　my　interference　in　the
Shillook　country　was　naturally　distasteful　to　the　governor…general。　Both
the　government　of　the　Soudan　and　the　traders　at　Khartoum　perceived　that
I　should　act　in　strict　accordance　with　the　instructions　I　had　received
from　the　Khedive。　There　was　no　hope　left；　except　in　delays；　that　might
render　an　advance　impossible　with　a　heavily…laden　fleet　through　the
obstructions　of　the　river。

It　was　necessary　to　modify　the　terms　of　the　contract　entered　into
between　the　governor…general　and　Sheik　Achmet　Agad。　This　trader
represented　his　case　to　me　as　one　of　considerable　injustice；　which　I　was
forced　to　acknowledge。　As　a　mark　of　respect　to　Djiaffer　Pacha；　who　had
originally　entered　into　the　contract；　I　requested　him　to　arrange　the
terms　of　the　new　agreement　together　with　myself　in　the　public　divan。　It
was　argued　by　Sheik　Achmet　Agad　that　the　fact　of　the　government　being
established　in　countries　where　he　had　been　independent　would　cause　a
great　loss　to　his　trade；　as　it　would　upset　the　confidence　of　the
natives；　and　they　would　cease　to　bring　ivory　for　sale。　In　reality；　this
argument　should　be　interpreted：　〃If　the　government　is　established；　there
will　be　an　end　to　our　razzias；　and　we　shall　have　neither　slaves　nor
cattle　to　offer　in　exchange　for　ivory。〃

He　also　justly　argued　that　〃it　would　be　unfair　should　the　government
purchase　ivory　from　countries　already　leased　for　trading　purposes　to　the
merchant。〃

I　therefore　arranged　that；　until　the　expiration　of　his　original
contract；　no　ivory　should　be　purchased　by　the　government。

Also；　that　instead　of　the　money　payment　now　annually　made　to　the
government；　the　rent　should　be　paid　in　ivory；　at　the　rate　of　two…fifths
of　the　amount　collected。　The　ivory　was　to　be　delivered　and　weighed　in
Gondokoro；　at　which　place　the　rent　was　to　be　paid　to　the　government　in
tusks。

The　original　contract　would　expire　on　April　9；　1872。

My　hands　were　to　a　certain　extent　tied　by　these　engagements；　but　I
resolved　that　at　the　expiration　of　the　term　I　should　assume　a　monopoly
of　the　ivory　trade　for　the　government；　on　the　principle　of　the　fur　trade
of　the　Hudson's　Bay　Company；　as　it　would　be　impossible　to　permit　the
acts　of　the　Khartoum　traders；　who；　I　was　convinced；　would　never　deal
honestly　with　the　natives。

The　working　representative　of　Achmet　Sheik　Agad　was　his　son…in…lawa
man　named　Abou　Saood：　I　had　seen　this　person　when　at　Tewfikeeyah；　he　had
arrived　in　charge　of　several　vessels　from　Gondokoro　during　the　rainy
season；　when　the　flooded　river　and　strong　south　wind　had　allowed　the
passage　of　his　boats。　At　that　time　he　had　no　slaves　on　board；　but　I
subsequently　discovered　that　upon　hearing　that　I　had　formed　a　station
near　the　Soba；　he　had　discharged　a　large　cargo　of　slaves　at　the　station
of　Kutchuk　Ali　on　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　so　as　to　pass　Tewfikeeyah　in　a　state
of　innocence　and　purity；　and　thus　save　the　confiscation　of　his　ivory。
This　man　was　present　at　the　divan　when　the　final　agreement　was　signed　by
myself　and　his　principal。　He　vowed　fidelity　in　so　forcible　a　manner　that
I　entertained　serious　doubts　of　his　sincerity。　An　arrangement　was
entered　into；　that　he　was　to　supply　the　government　troops　with　beef；
mutton；　butter；　&c。；　together　with　the　native　carriers　for　the　transport
of　baggage；　stores；　&c。；　at　an　established　rate　then　agreed　upon；　the
provisions　were　to　be　delivered　from　the　resources　at　his　command　at　his
various　stations。　In　the　event　of　any　native　war；　he　was　to　furnish
assistance　when　called　upon　by　the　government　for　irregular　troops；　of
which　he　had　about　1；800　in　the　districts　included　in　my　territory。

I　did　not　admire　the　personal　appearance　of　Abou　Saood。　A　judge　of
physiognomy　would　have　objected　to　the　downcast　look　of　humility；　the
un…certain　squint　of　one　eye；　the　furtive　expression　of　countenance；
added　to　the　ultra…holiness　of　his　ejaculations　when　called　upon　for　an
answer；　and　the　pious　cant　of　his　protestation　against　all　wrong…doings。
At　the　same　time　that　he　was　acting　the　part　of　saint；　I　knew　him　to　be
a　bird　of　the　same　feather　as　the　rest　of　the　White　Nile　slave…hunters。

Some　little　diplomacy　was　necessary　to　smooth　the　troubled　waters　of
Khartoum。　I　made　every　allowan