ismailia-第3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！


infernal　region；　the　natives　who　were　originally　friendly　were　rendered
hostile　to　all　strangers；　and　the　general　result　of　the　slave　trade
could　only　be　expressed　in　one　word〃ruin。〃

The　slave　hunters　and　traders　who　had　caused　this　desolation　were　for
the　most　part　Arabs；　subjects　of　the　Egyptian　government。

These　people　had　deserted　their　agricultural　occupations　in　the　Soudan
and　had　formed　companies　of　brigands　in　the　pay　of　various　merchants　of
Khartoum。　The　largest　trader　had　about　2；500　Arabs　in　his　pay；　employed
as　pirates　or　brigands；　in　Central　Africa。　These　men　were　organized
after　a　rude　military　fashion；　and　armed　with　muskets；　they　were　divided
into　companies；　and　were　officered　in　many　cases　by　soldiers　who　had
deserted　from　their　regiments　in　Egypt　or　the　Soudan。

It　is　supposed　that　about　15；000　of　the　Khedive's　subjects　who　should
have　been　industriously　working　and　paying　their　taxes　in　Egypt　were
engaged　in　the　so…called　ivory　trade　and　slave…hunting　of　the　White
Nile。

Each　trader　occupied　a　special　district；　where；　by　a　division　of　his
forces　in　a　chain　of　stations；　each　of　which　represented　about　300　men；
he　could　exercise　a　right　of　possession　over　a　certain　amount　of　assumed
territory。

In　this　manner　enormous　tracts　of　country　were　occupied　by　the　armed
bands　from　Khartoum；　who　could　make　alliances　with　the　native　tribes　to
attack　and　destroy　their　neighbours；　and　to　carry　off　their　women　and
children；　together　with　vast　herds　of　sheep　and　cattle。

I　have　already　fully　described　this　system　in　〃The　Albert　N'yanza；〃
therefore　it　will　be　unnecessary　to　enter　into　minute　details　in　the
present　work。　It　will　be　sufficient；　to　convey　an　idea　of　the　extended
scale　of　the　slave…hunting　operations；　to　explain　that　an　individual
trader　named　Agad　assumed　the　right　over　nearly　NINETY　THOUSAND　SQUARE
MILES　of　territory。　Thus　his　companies　of　brigands　could　pillage　at
discretion；　massacre；　take；　burn；　or　destroy　throughout　this　enormous
area；　or　even　beyond　this　broad　limit；　if　they　had　the　power。

It　is　impossible　to　know　the　actual　number　of　slaves　taken　from　Central
Africa　annually；　but　I　should　imagine　that　at　least　fifty　thousand　are
positively　either　captured　and　held　in　the　various　zareebas　（or　camps）
or　are　sent　via　the　White　Nile　and　the　various　routes　overland　by　Darfur
and　Kordofan。　The　loss　of　life　attendant　upon　the　capture　and　subsequent
treatment　of　the　slaves　is　frightful。　The　result　of　this　forced
emigration；　combined　with　the　insecurity　of　life　and　property；　is　the
withdrawal　of　the　population　from　the　infested　districts。　The　natives
have　the　option　of　submission　to　every　insult；　to　the　violation　of　their
women　and　the　pillage　of　their　crops；　or　they　must　either　desert　their
homes　and　seek　independence　in　distant　districts；　or　ally　themselves
with　their　oppressors　to　assist　in　the　oppression　of　other　tribes。　Thus
the　seeds　of　anarchy　are　sown　throughout　Africa；　which　fall　among　tribes
naturally　prone　to　discord。　The　result　is　horrible　confusion；distrust
on　all　sides；treachery；　devastation；　and　ruin。

This　was　the　state　of　Central　Africa　and　the　White　Nile　when　I　was　first
honoured　with　the　notice　of　Ismail　Pacha；　the　present　Khedive　of　Egypt。

I　had　received　certain　intimations　from　the　Foreign　Minister；　Nubar
Pacha；　concerning　the　Khedive's　intentions；　a　short　time　previous　to　an
invitation　with　which　I　was　honoured　by　his　Royal　Highness　the　Prince　of
Wales　to　accompany　their　Royal　Highnesses　the　Prince　and　Princess　during
their　tour　in　Egypt。

It　is　almost　needless　to　add　that；　upon　arrival　in　Egypt；　the　Prince　of
Wales；　who　represented　at　heart　the　principles　of　Great　Britain；　took
the　warmest　interest　in　the　suppression　of　the　slave　trade。

The　Khedive；　thus　supported　and　encouraged　in　his　ideas　of　reform；
concluded　his　arrangements　for　the　total　abolition　of　the　slave　trade；
not　only　throughout　his　dominions；　but　he　determined　to　attack　that
moral　cancer　by　actual　cautery　at　the　very　root　of　the　evil。

I　was　accordingly　requested　to　draw　up　a　plan　for　the　proposed
expedition　to　Central　Africa。

After　some　slight　modifications；　I　received　from　the　Khedive　the
following　firman：

〃We；　Ismail；　Khedive　of　Egypt；　considering　the　savage　condition　of　the
tribes　which　inhabit　the　Nile　Basin；

〃Considering　that　neither　government；　nor　laws；　nor　security　exists　in
those　countries；

〃Considering　that　humanity　enforces　the　suppression　of　the　slave…hunters
who　occupy　those　countries　in　great　numbers；

〃Considering　that　the　establishment　of　legitimate　commerce　throughout
those　countries　will　be　a　great　stride　towards　future　civilization；　and
will　result　in　the　opening　to　steam　navigation　of　the　great　equatorial
lakes　of　Central　Africa；　and　in　the　establishing　a　permanent　government
。　。　。　。　We　have　decreed　and　now　decree　as　follows：

〃An　expedition　is　organized　to　subdue　to　our　authority　the　countries
situated　to　the　south　of　Gondokoro；

〃To　suppress　the　slave　trade；　to　introduce　a　system　of　regular　commerce；

〃To　open　to　navigation　the　great　lakes　of　the　equator；

〃And　to　establish　a　chain　of　military　stations　and　commercial　depots；
distant　at　intervals　of　three　days'　march；　throughout　Central　Africa；
accepting　Gondokoro　as　the　base　of　operations。

〃The　supreme　command　of　this　expedition　is　confided　to　Sir　Samuel　White
Baker；　for　four　years；　commencing　from　1st　April；　1869；　to　whom　also　we
confer　the　most　absolute　and　supreme　power；　even　that　of　death；　over　all
those　who　may　compose　the　expedition。

〃We　confer　upon　him　the　same　absolute　and　supreme　authority　over　all
those　countries　belonging　to　the　Nile　Basin　south　of　Gondokoro。〃

It　was　thus　that　the　Khedive　determined　at　the　risk　of　his　popularity
among　his　own　subjects　to　strike　a　direct　blow　at　the　slave　trade　in　its
distant　nest。　To　insure　the　fulfilment　of　this　difficult　enterprise；　he
selected　an　Englishman；　armed　with　a　despotic　power　such　as　had　never
been　intrusted　by　a　Mohammedan　to　a　Christian。

The　slave　trade　was　to　be　suppressed；　legitimate　commerce　was　to　be
introduced；　and　protection　was　to　be　afforded　to　the　natives　by　the
establishment　of　a　government。

The　suppression　of　the　slave　trade　was　a　compliment　to　the　European
Powers　which　would　denote　the　superiority　of　Egypt；　and　would　lay　the
first　stone　in　the　foundation　of　a　new　civilization；　and　a　population
that　was　rapidly　disappearing　would　be　saved　to　Africa。

To　effect　this　grand　reform　it　would　be　necessary　to　annex　the　Nile
Basin；　and　to　establish　a　government　in　countries　that　had　been　hitherto
without　protection；　and　a　prey　to　the　adventurers　from　the　Soudan。　To
convey　steel　steamers　from　England；　and　to　launch　them　upon　the　Albert
Lake；　and　thus　open　the　resources　of　Central　Africa；　to　establish
legitimate　trade　in　a　vast　country　which　had　hitherto　been　a　field　of
rapine　and　of　murder；　to　protect　the　weak　and　to　punish　the　evil…doer；
and　to　open　the　road　to　a　great　future；　where　the　past　had　been　all
darkness　and　the　present　reckless　spoliationthis　was　the　grand　object
which　Ismail；　the　Khedive　of　Egypt；　determined　to　accomplish。

In　this　humane　enterprise　he　was　firmly　supported　by　his　two　Ministers；
Nubar　Pacha　and　Cherif　Pacha　（an　Armenian　and　a　Circassian）。　The　young
princes　his　sons；　who　are　well…educated　and　enlightened　men；　took　the
greatest　interest　in　the　undertaking；　but　beyond　these　and　a　few　others；
the　object　of　the　expedition　was　regarded　with　ill…concealed　disgust。

Having　received　full　powers　from　the　Khedive；　I　gave　orders　for　the
following　vessels　to　be　built　of　steel　by　Messrs。　Samuda　Brothers：

　No。　1。　　　　A　paddle　steamer　of　251　tons；　32…horse　power。
　No。　2。　　　　A　twin　screw　high…pressure　steamer　of　20…horse　power；　108　tons。
　No。　3。　　　　A　twin　screw　high…pressure　steamer　of　10…horse　power；　38　tons。
　Nos。　4；　5。　Two　steel　lifeboats；　each　30　ft。　by　910　tons　each。

These　vessels　were　fitted　with　engines　of　the　best　construction
by　Messrs。　Pond　&　Co。；　and　were　to　be　carried　across　the　Nubian
desert　in　plates　and　sections。

In　addition　to　the　steamers　were　steam　saw　mills；　with　a　boiler　that
weighed　8　cwt。　in　one　pieceall　of　which　would　have　to　be　transported
by　camels　for　several　hundred　miles　across　the　Nubian　desert；　and　by
boats　and　camels　alternately　from　Alexandria　to　Gondokoro；　a　distance　of
about　THREE　THOUSAND　MILES。

In　the　description　of　this　enterprise；　which　terminated　in　the
suppression　of　the　slave　trade　of　the　White　Nile　and　the　annexation　of　a
large　equatorial　territory　to　Egypt；　I　shall　be　compelled　to　expose　many
abuses　which　were　the　result　of　misgovernment　in　the　distant　provinces
of　Upper　Egypt。　It　must　be　distinctly　understood　that　his　Highness　the
Khedive　was　ignorant　of　such　abuses；　and　that　he　took　prompt　and
vigorous　measures　to　reform　the　administration　of　the　Soudan　immediately
upon　receiving　information　of　the　misgovernment　of　that　extensive
territory。　Throughout　the　expedition　his　Highness　has　exhibited　a
determination　to　succeed　in　the　suppression　of　the　slave　trade　in　spite
of　the　adverse　opinion　of　the　public；　therefore；　when　I　expose　the
abuses　that　existed；　it　must　be　accepted　without　hesitation　that　the
Khedive　would　have　been　the　foremost　in　punishing　the　authors　and　in
rectifying　such　abuses　had　he　been　aware　of　their　existence。

As　a　duty　to　the　Khedive；　and　in　justice　to　myself；　I　shall　describe　the
principal　incidents　as　they　occurred　throughout　the　expedition。　The
civilized　world　will　form　both　judge　and　jury；　if　their　verdict　be
favourable；　I　shall　have　my　reward。　I　can　only　assure　my　fellow…men　that
I　have　sought　earnestly　the　guidance　of　the　Almighty　in　the　use　of　the
great　power　committed　to　me；　and　I　trust　that　I　have　been　permitted　to
lay　a　firm　foundation　for　a　good　work　hereafter。



CHAPTER　II。

ENGLISH　PARTY。

The　success　of　an　expedition　depends　mainly　upon　organization。　From　my
former　experience　in　Central　Africa；　I　knew　exactly　the　requirements　of
the　natives；　and　all　the　material　that　would　be　necessary　for　the
enterprise。　I　also　knew　that　the　old　adage　of　〃out　of　sight　out　of　mind〃
might　be　adopted　as　the　Egyptian　motto；　therefore　it　would　be
indispensable　to　supply　myself　with　everything　at　the　outset；　so　as　to
be　independent　of　support　hereafter。

The　English　party　consisted　of　myself　and　Lady　Baker；　Lieutenant　Julian
Alleyne　Baker；　R。N。；　Mr。　Edwin　Higginbotham；　civil　engineer；　Mr。　Wood；
secretary；　Dr。　Joseph　Gedge；　physician；　Mr。　Marcopolo；　chief　storekeeper
and　interpreter；　Mr。　McWilliam；　chief　engineer　of　steamers；　Mr。　Jarvis；
chief　shipwright；　together　with　Messrs。　Whitfield；　Samson；　Hitchman；　and
Ramsall；　shipwrights；　boiler…makers；　&c。　In　addition　to　the　above　were
two　servants。

I　laid　in　stores　sufficient　to　last　the　European　party　four　years。

I　provided　four　galvanized　iron　magazines；　each　eighty　feet　long　by
twenty　in　width；　to　protect　all　material。

Before　I　left　England　I　personally　selected　every　article　that　was
necessary　for　the　expedition；　thus　an　expenditure　of　about　9；000　pounds
was　sufficient　for　the　purchase　of　the　almost　innumerable　items　that
formed　the　outfit　for　the　enterprise。　This　incl