ismailia-第2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！


I　had　added　six　from　Cairo；　and　built　a　seventh；　thus　I　left　a　force　of
eleven　steamers　working　on　the　river；　exclusive　of　two　in　sections。

The　stations　garrisoned　by　regular　troops　were
　　　　1。　Gondokoro；　N。　lat。　4　degrees　54　minutes。
　　　　2。　Fatiko；　N。　lat。　3　degrees　2　minutes。
　　　　3。　Foweera；　N。　lat。　2　degrees　6　minutes。
　　　　4。　Fabbo；　N。　lat。　3　degrees　　8　minutes。

By　the　newly…raised　irregulars
　　　　5。　Farragenia。
　　　　6。　Faloro。

In　this　position　of　affairs　Colonel　Gordon　succeeded　to　the　command　in
the　spring　of　1874。　Although　the　Bari　tribe；　which　had　been　subdued；　was
nominally　at　peace；　it　was　hardly　safe　to　travel　through　the　country
without　an　armed　escort。

Colonel　Gordon's　first　effort　was　in　favour　of　conciliation；　with　the
hope　of　inspiring　a　friendly　spirit　among　the　chiefs。　At　the　same　time
he　resolved　to　offer　a　chance　for　reform　to　the　slave…hunter　Abou　Saood；
who　he　considered　might　amend　his　ways；　and　from　his　knowledge　of　the
people　become　a　useful　officer　to　the　government。　Unfortunately；　the
leopard　could　not　change　his　spots；　and　the　man；　to　whom　every
opportunity　had　been　given；　was　dismissed　and　punished。　It　was
impossible　to　have　discovered　an　officer　more　thoroughly　qualified　for
the　command　than　Colonel　Gordon。　By　profession　a　military　engineer；　he
combined　the　knowledge　especially　required　for　carrying　on　the
enterprise。　He　had　extended　the　hand　of　friendship　to　the　natives；　but
when　rejected　with　contempt　and　opposed　by　hostility；　he　was　prompt　in
chastisement。　The　wet　seasons　and　attendant　high　flood　of　two　years　were
employed　in　dragging　the　108…ton　steel　steamer　up　the　various　cataracts
which　intervened　between　Gondokoro　and　Duflli　（N。　lat。　3　degrees　34
minutes）。　This　portion　of　the　river　formed　a　series　of　steps　caused　by　a
succession　of　cataracts　at　intervals　of　about　25　miles；　between　the
obstacles　the　stream　was　navigable。　The　natives　of　Moogi　treacherously
attacked　and　killed　the　whole　of　a　detachment；　including　the　French
officer　in　command；　during　the　absence　of　Colonel　Gordon；　who　was
engaged　in　the　operation　of　towing　the　steamer　through　the　rapids　only　a
few　miles　distant。　This　open　hostility　necessitated　the　subjugation　of
the　tribe；　and　the　establishment　of　a　line　of　military　posts　along　the
course　of　the　river。

After　much　trouble；　at　the　expiration　of　two　years　the　steamer　was
dragged　to　an　utterly　impassable　series　of　cataracts　south　of　Lobore。
This　line　of　obstruction　extended　for　the　short　distance　of　about　twelve
miles；　beyond　which　the　river　was　navigable　into　the　Albert　N'yanza。

Several　vessels　had　been　towed　up　together　with　the　steamer　from
Gondokoro；　and　the　38…ton　steel　steamer　and　two　life…boats　which　had
been　thus　conveyed；　were　now　carried　in　sections　to　the　spot　above　the
last　cataracts　at　Duffli；　where　they　could　be　permanently　reconstructed。

Signor　Gessi　was　entrusted　with　the　command　of　the　two　life…boats　upon
their　completion；　and　had　the　honour　of　first　entering　the　Albert
N'yanza　from　the　north　by　the　river　Nile。

The　38…ton　steamer　was　put　together；　and　the　108…ton　（Khedive）；　which
had　been　left　a　few　miles　distant　from　Duffli；　below　the　cataracts；　was
taken　to　pieces　and　reconstructed　on　the　navigable　portion　of　the　Nile
in　N。　lat。　3　degrees　34　minutes。

The　plan　of　connecting　the　equatorial　Lake　Albert　with　Khartoum　by　steam
communication　which　I　had　originated；　was　now　completed　by　the　untiring
energy　and　patience　of　my　successor。　The　large　steamer　of　251　tons　was
put　together　at　Khartoum；　to　add　to　the　river　flotilla；　thus　increasing
the　steam　power　from　four　vessels；　when　I　had　arrived　in　1870；　to
THIRTEEN；　which　in　1877　were　plying　between　the　capital　of　the　Soudan
and　the　equator。　The　names　of　Messrs。　Samuda　Brothers　and　Messrs。　Penn
and　Co。　upon　the　three　steel　steamers　and　engines　which　they　had
constructed　for　the　expedition　are　now　evidences　of　the　civilizing　power
of　the　naval　and　mechanical　engineers　of　Great　Britain；　which　has　linked
with　the　great　world　countries　that　were　hitherto　excluded　from　all
intercourse。

There　is　still　some　mystery　attached　to　the　Albert　N'yanza。　It　has　been
circumnavigated　by　Signor　Gessi；　in　the　steel　life…boats；　and
subsequently　by　Colonel　Mason　of　the　American　army；　who　was　employed
under　Colonel　Gordon。　Both　of　these　officers　agree　that　the　southern　end
of　the　lake　is　closed　by　a　mass　of　〃ambatch；〃　and　that　a　large　river
reported　as　400　yards　in　width　flows　INTO　the　Albert　N'yanza。　On　the
other　hand；　the　well…known　African　explorer　Mr。　Stanley　visited　the　lake
SOUTH　of　the　ambatch　limit；　to　which　he　was　guided　by　orders　of　the　King
M'tese；。　At　that　spot　it　was　called　the　〃M'woota　N'zige；；〃　the　same　name
which　the　lake　bears　throughout　Unyoro；　therefore　there　can　be　no
reasonable　doubt　that　it　is　the　same　water。　The　description　of　the
ambatch　block　and　the　river　flowing　into　the　lake　explains　the
information　that　was　given　to　me　by　native　traders；　who　declared　they
had　come　by　canoe　from　Karagwe；；　via　the　Albert　N'yanza；　but　that
it　would　be　difficult　without　a　guide　to　discover　the　passage　where　the
lake　was　extremely　narrow　and　the　channel　tortuous　into　the　next　broad
water。

Colonel　Gordon　has　continued　the　amicable　relations　established　by
myself　with　the　Unyoro　chief　Rionga；　and　with　M'tese；；　King　of　Uganda。

The　commercial　aspect　of　the　equatorial　provinces　is　improving；　but　our
recent　experience　in　South　Africa　must　teach　the　most　sanguine　that　very
many　years　must　elapse　before　the　negro　tribes　become　amenable　to　the
customs　and　improvements　of　civilized　communities。

The　expedition　of　1869　which　His　Highness　the　Khedive　entrusted　to　my
command　laid　the　foundation　for　reforms　which　at　that　time　would　have
appeared　incredible　in　Egypt。　The　slave…trade　has　been　suppressed
through　the　agency　of　British　influence；　persistently　supported　by　the
Khedive；　Darfur；　the　hot…bed　of　slave…hunting；　has　been　conquered　and
annexed；　Colonel　Gordon　has　the　supreme　command　of　the　entire　Soudan；
Malcolm　Pacha　is　commissioned　to　sweep　the　slave　traffic　from　the　Red
Sea。

With　this　determination　to　adopt　the　ideas　of　Europe；　the　Khedive　has
passed　through　the　trying　ordeal　of　unpopularity　in　his　own　country；
but；　by　a　cool　disregard　for　the　hostility　of　the　ignorant；　he　has
adhered　to　a　policy　which　has　gained　him　the　esteem　of　all　civilized
communities。　He　has　witnessed　the　bloody　struggle　between　Russia　and
Turkey；　and　though　compelled　as　a　vassal　state　to　render　military
assistance　to　the　Sultan；　he　has　profited　by　the　lesson；　and　has
determined　by　a　wise　reform　to　avoid　the　errors　which　have　resulted　in
anarchy　and　desolation　throughout　the　Ottoman　Empire。

In　the　year　1870　the　slave…hunting　of　Central　Africa　was　condemned。
Since　that　time　Englishmen　have　been　honoured　with　the　special　attention
of　the　Khedive；　and　have　been　appointed　to　posts　of　the　highest
confidence。　European　tribunals　were　established　in　the　place　of　consular
jurisdiction；　British　government　officials　have　been　invited　to　reform
the　financial　administration；　and　Mr。　Rivers　Wilson　has　been　induced　to
accept　the　responsible　office　of　Minister　of　Finance。　Nubar　Pacha　has
been　recalled　to　office；　and　he　must　regard　with　pride　the　general
confidence　occasioned　throughout　Europe　by　his　reappointment。　The
absolute　despotism　hitherto　inseparable　from　Oriental　ideas　of
government　has　been　spontaneously　abrogated　by　the　Khedive；　who　has
publicly　announced　his　determination　that　the　future　administration
shall　be　conducted　by　a　council　of　responsible　ministers。

England　has　become　the　great　shareholder　in　the　Suez　Canal；　which　is　the
important　link　with　our　Indian　Empire。　At　the　alarm　of　war　we　have
already　seen　the　fleet　of　steam　transports　hurrying　through　the　isthmus；
and　carrying　native　troops　to　join　the　British　forces　in　the
Mediterranean。　We　have　learnt　to　know；　and　the　Khedive　has　wisdom　to
understand；　that　the　bonds　between　Egypt　and　Great　Britain　are
inseparable。　At　the　same　time　we　have　been　aided　by　the　cordial　alliance
of　France　in　promoting　the　advance　of　free　institutions　and　the　growth
of　European　influence　in　the　administration　of　the　country。　England　and
France；　who　struggled　in　hostile　rivalry　upon　the　sands　and　seas　of
Egypt；　are　now　joined　in　the　firm　determination　to　uphold　the　integrity
of　the　great　canal　of　Suez；　and　these　powers　and　leaders　of　civilization
will　become　the　guides　and　guardians　of　Egyptian　interests。　The　reforms
already　sanctioned　with　a　new　era　of　justice　and　economy　will　insure　the
confidence　of　British　capitalists；　the　resources　of　Egypt　will　be
developed　by　engineering　skill　that　will　control　the　impetuosity　of　the
Nile　and　protect　the　Delta　alike　from　the　scarcity　of　drought；　and　from
the　risk　of　inundation。　The　Nile　sources；　which　from　the　earliest　times
had　remained　a　mystery；　have　been　discovered　by　the　patience　and
industry　of　Englishmen；　the　Nile　will　at　no　distant　period　be　rendered
navigable　throughout　its　course；　and　Egypt；　which　for　actual　existence
depends　alone　upon　that　mighty　river；　will　be　restored　by　British
enterprise；　supported　by　the　intelligence　and　good…will　of　its　ruler；　to
the　position　which　it　held　in　the　pages　of　Eastern　history。

1878。

S。　W。　B。






ISMAILIA。

CHAPTER　I。

INTRODUCTORY。

In　the　present　work　I　shall　describe　the　history　of　the　Khedive　of
Egypt's　expedition；　which　I　have　had　the　honour　to　command；　as　the　first
practical　step　that　has　been　taken　to　suppress　the　slave　trade　of
Central　Africa。

I　shall　not　repeat；　beyond　what　may　be　absolutely　necessary；　that　which
has　already　been　published　in　my　former　works　on　Africa；　〃The　Albert
N'yanza〃　and　〃The　Nile　Tributaries　of　Abyssinia；〃　but　I　shall　adhere　to
the　simple　path　taken　by　the　expedition。　This　enterprise　was　the　natural
result　of　my　original　explorations；　in　which　I　had　been　an　eye…witness
to　the　horrors　of　the　slave　trade；　which　I　determined；　if　possible；　to
suppress。

In　my　former　journey　I　had　traversed　countries　of　extreme　fertility　in
Central　Africa；　with　a　healthy　climate　favourable　for　the　settlement　of
Europeans；　at　a　mean　altitude　of　4；000　feet　above　the　sea　level。　This
large　and　almost　boundless　extent　of　country　was　well　peopled　by　a　race
who　only　required　the　protection　of　a　strong　but　paternal　government　to
become　of　considerable　importance；　and　to　eventually　develop　the　great
resources　of　the　soil。

I　found　lands　varying　in　natural　capabilities　according　to　their
position　and　altitudeswhere　sugar；　cotton；　coffee；　rice；　spices；　and
all　tropical　produce　might　be　successfully　cultivated；　but　those　lands
were　without　any　civilized　form　of　government；　and　〃every　man　did　what
seemed　right　in　his　own　eyes。〃

In　this　dislocated　state　of　society；　the　slave　trade　prospered　to　the
detriment　of　all　improvement。　Rich　and　well…populated　countries　were
rendered　desolate；　the　women　and　children　were　carried　into　captivity；
villages　were　burnt；　and　crops　were　destroyed　or　pillaged；　the
population　was　driven　out；　a　terrestrial　paradise　was　converted　into　an
infernal　region；　the　natives　who　were　originally　friendly　were　rendered
hostile　to　all　stran