ismailia-第33章

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for　seed；　and　I　had　left　with　him　at　his　request　the　officer　and
soldiers；　to　represent　the　government　and　to　superintend　the
cultivation。

I　now　discovered　that　Abou　Saood　had　attacked　the　natives　without　any
provocation；　and　had　carried　off　the　cattle　from　the　country　adjoining
Niambore's　district。

The　natives　would　naturally　imagine　that　my　officer　and　six　men　were
spies　who　had　directed　Abou　Saood　to　their　cattle；　and　there　would　be　a
great　chance　of　a　conflict　between　Niambore；　their　protector；　and　his
neighbours　who　had　been　robbed。

I　observed　with　the　telescope　that　the　people　of　Abou　Saood　who　arrived
with　the　herd　of　cattle　were　accompanied　by　a　great　number　of　natives；
and　the　Baris　of　Gondokoro；　who　were　at　open　war　with　us；　flocked　to
welcome　the　new　comers　as　old　friends　who　had　been　long　absent。　The
brigands　had　as　usual　arrived　with　a　large　herd　of　cattle；　which　in
Africa　is　always　the　best　introduction；　thus　the　robber　tribe　of
Allorron　was　delighted　at　the　return　of　those　who　had　always　led　them　to
plunder；　and　had　enriched　them　with　the　spoil　of　cows　and　slaves。　I　find
the　following　entry　in　my　journal；　dated

〃June　12；　1871。The　natives　who　are　at　war　with　us　have　been　gathering
in　large　numbers　to　the　spot　on　the　west　bank　occupied　by　Abou　Saood's
people。　The　latter　are　actually　holding　friendly　intercourse　with　them；
and　the　Baris　are　quite　at　home　assisting　these　rascals　in　erecting
their　camp；　although　they　positively　refused　to　work　for　the　government
upon　our　first　arrival。　This　is　the　treasonable　conduct　of　Abou　Saood；
who　knows　perfectly　well　that　we　are　at　open　war　with　the　Baris。

〃His　large　herd　of　about　1；400　fat　cattle　were　driven　along　in　triumph；
followed　by　the　admiring　population　of　thieving　niggers；　who　hail　his
arrival　as　the　harbinger　of　fat　times；　Gondokoro　being　the　general　depot
for　all　stolen　cattle；　slaves。　&c。；　and　the　starting　point　for　every
piratical　expedition。

〃In　the　afternoon　I　started　in　a　dingy；　accompanied　by　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　Lieutenant　Baker；　Monsoor；　and　four　soldiers；　to　visit　the
traders'　camp　on　the　west　side　of　the　river。

〃Seeing　me　approach；　a　great　number　of　Baris　left　the　traders；　and
taking　to　a　precipitate　flight　they　disappeared　in　the　high　reeds。　The
traders'　people　received　me　without　the　slightest　mark　of　respect；　and
one　insolent　fellow　swaggered　up　and　stared　me　in　the　face　with　a　pipe
in　his　mouth　as　a　studied　insult。

〃I　went　to　the　cattle　pens　and　immediately　placed　my　four　soldiers　as
sentries　over　the　herd；　which　I　confiscated；　as　a　warning　to　these
ruffianly　slave…hunters。

〃It　would　be　a　disgrace　to　tolerate　these　thieves；　as　Gondokoro　is
rendered　a　perfect　hell；　and　the　natives　will　naturally　abhor　any　lawful
government　so　long　as　they　can　consort　and　share　spoils　with　such
brigands　as　these　so…called　traders　of　Khartoum。〃

Upon　my　return　home　I　wrote　an　official　letter　to　Abou　Saood　of　which
the　following　is　a　copy　：

〃ISMAILIA；　or　GONDOKORO；　June　12；　1871。

〃To　Abou　Saood；　vakeel　of　the　firm　of　Agad　&　Co。

〃Sir；

〃You　arrived　here　on　the　10th　inst。　with　a　large　number
of　cattle　stolen　by　you　and　your　people。

〃You；　knowing　that　the　Baris　were　at　war　with　the　government；
have　nevertheless　been　in　daily　and　friendly　communication
with　them。

〃The　Baris　of　this　country　are　rendered　hostile　to　all　honest
government　by　the　conduct　of　your　people；　who；　by　stealing
slaves　and　cattle　from　the　interior；　and　delivering　them　here；
have　utterly　destroyed　all　hope　of　improvement　in　a　people
naturally　savage；　but　now　rendered　by　your　acts　thieves　of　the
worst　description。

〃It　is　impossible　that　I　can　permit　the　continuance　of　such　acts。

〃I　therefore　give　you　due　notice　that　at　the　expiration　of
your　contract　you　will　withdraw　all　your　people　from　the　district
under　my　command。　At　the　same　time　I　declare　the　forfeiture
to　the　government　of　the　cattle　you　have　forcibly　captured　under
the　eyes　of　my　authority。

〃SAMUEL　W。　BAKER。〃


The　only　error　that　I　can　acknowledge　throughout　the　expedition　was　my
present　leniency。　I　should　at　once　have　placed　Abou　Saood　in　irons；　and
have　sent　him　to　Khartoum；　instead　of　leaving　him　at　large　to　carry　on
his　intrigues　against　the　government。

I　intended　on　the　first　opportunity　to　send　notice　to　the　Shir　tribe　of
the　safety　of　their　cattle；　but　an　incident　shortly　occurred　that
altered　my　determination。　（These　cattle　were　kept　in　a　separate　pen　or
zareeba；　and　were　guarded　when　at　pasturage　by　special　soldiers　for　some
weeks；　in　order　that　they　should　be　returned　to　the　Shir　tribe　upon　the
first　opportunity。）

At　the　same　time　that　Abou　Saood　was　in　disgrace；　he　was　a　bosom　friend
of　the　colonel；　Raouf　Bey；　who　commanded　my　troops。　They　dined　together
constantly　in　the　house　of　the　latter　officer；　and　their　friendship　had
originally　commenced　in　Khartoum　during　the　long　interval　that　the
regiments　were　awaiting　my　arrival　from　Cairo。　It　was　during　that
interval　that　the　officers　of　the　expedition　had　fraternized　with　the
White　Nile　traders　who　resided　at　Khartoum。

The　result　of　such　intimacy　might　be　imagined。

The　object　of　the　expedition　had　always　been　distasteful　to　both
officers　and　men。　The　traders　had　already　seen　by　the；　examples　made　at
Tewfikeeyah　that　I　should　actually　destroy　their　cherished　slave…trade。
It　was　therefore　natural　that　Abou　Saood　should　exert　himself　to　ruin
the　expedition。　Having　friend　in　Raouf　Bey；　he　was　in　a　position　to
create　division　of　opinion。　He　constantly　associated　with　this　officer；
in　order　that　it　should　be　generally　known　that　he　was　supported　by　an
influential　person　in　the　government　service。　The　scandal　of　the　camp
quickly　assumed　that　the　opinions　concerning　the　slave…traders　between
myself　and　Raouf　Bey　were　at　variance。

The　officers　of　the　expedition　had；　contrary　to　my　express　orders；
purchased　126　slaves　from　the　stations　of　the　traders　during　the　White
Nile　voyage！　I　had　only　learnt　this　on　arrival　at　Gondokoro；　thus　when
corn　was　so　scarce　that　the　rations　were　reduced；　while　those　of　meat
were　increased；　we　had　an　addition　of　126　mouths！

The　policy　of　the　slave…traders　was　identical　with　the　feelings　of　the
officers　and　men；　all　of　whom　wished　to　abandon　the　expedition　and
return　to　Khartoum。　Abou　Saood　worked　molelike　in　his　intrigues。　He
fraternized　secretly　with　Allorron　and　his　Baris。　Many　of　his　men
purchased　tobacco　from　the　natives　in　exchange　for　ammunition。　The
natives　from　Belinian　were　in　daily　communication　with　Abou　Saood's
camp；　and　their　spies　obtained　information　of　our　proceedings；　and
carried　the　news　throughout　the　country　that　〃they　would　be　supported　by
Abou　Saood　against　my　authority。〃

I　learnt　everything　that　occurred　through　trustworthy　agents。　It　quickly
became　known　that　Raouf　Bey　was　desirous　to　terminate　the　expedition。
The　contagion　spread　rapidly；　and　the　men　worked　languidly　and　without
the　slightest　interest：　they　had　made　up　their　minds　that　the　expedition
was　a　failure；　and　that　a　scarcity　of　corn　would　be　their　excuse　for　a
return　to　Khartoum。　Abou　Saood　fanned　the　flame　among　the　officers；　and
discontent　became　general。

In　the　mean　time　the　Baris　were　very　active　in　annoying　the　camp　at
night。　Although　these　natives　could　not　stand　against　the　troops　in　the
open；　they　harassed　them　by　necessitating　a　perpetual　vigilance　both　by
night　and　day。　It　was　necessary　to　have　strong　patrols　in　two　parties　at
all　hours；　and　I　regret　to　say　the　Egyptian　officers　and　men　did　not
appear　to　enjoy　a　state　of　war　where　activity　and　good　discipline　were
absolutely　necessary。　The　Soudani　officers　and　men；　although　ignorant；
were　far　superior　to　the　Egyptians　in　activity　and　courage。

Unfortunately　the　camp　was　sickly。　The　men　now　suffered　from　the　fatigue
of　the　long　voyage　through　slush　and　marsh。　Many　had　fever　and
dysentery。　Ulcerated　legs　were　prevalent；　and　this　disease　appeared　to
be　contagious。　Many　men　died　from　these　malignant　ulcers；　which　in　some
cases　entirely　destroyed　the　foot。　The　women　did　not　suffer　from　this
complaint。　It　originated　from　a　poisonous　grass　that　festered　the　wound
it　gave；　and　rapidly　produced　an　incurable　sore。　As　the　women　had　not
been　exposed　to　the　work　in　the　marshes；　they　had　escaped　the　scourge
inflicted　by　the　sharp　edges　of　the　grass。

There　was　no　rest　for　the　people；　they　had　to　build　their　camp　and　fight
the　Baris　at　the　same　time。　A　scarcity　of　corn　stared　them　in　the　face。
The　officers　and　men　were　well　aware　that　we　could　not　hope　for　regular
supplies　of　corn　and　reinforcements　of　troops　from　Khartoum　in　the
dreadful　state　of　the　river：　thus　they　felt　their　position　keenly；　as
sick；　dispirited；　in　the　midst　of　enemies；　with　approaching　famine　of
corn；　and　no　communication　with　the　Soudan。　All　these　difficulties　were
to　be　endured　for　the　sake　of　an　object　which　they　detested〃the
suppression　of　the　slave　trade。〃



CHAPTER　IX。

NEW　ENEMIES

Our　enemies　were　not　confined　to　the　land　only：　the　crocodiles　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro　were　exceedingly　ferocious。　As　the　natives
were　so　much　in　the　habit　of　swimming　to　and　fro　with　their　cattle；
these　wily　creatures　had　been　always　accustomed　to　claim　a　toll　in　the
shape　of　a　cow；　calf；　or　nigger。　Two　of　Abou　Saood's　sailors　were
carried　off　on　two　consecutive　days。　One　of　my　soldiers；　while　engaged
with　many　others　in　water；　only　hip　deep；　was　seized　by　a　crocodile。　The
man；　being　held　by　the　leg　below　the　knee；　made　a　good　fight；　and　thrust
his　fingers　into　the　creature's　eyes；　his　comrades　at　the　same　time
assisted　and　rescued　him　from　absolute　destruction；　but　the　leg…bone　was
so　mashed　and　splintered　in　many　places　that　he　was　obliged　to　submit　to
amputation。

One　of　my　sailors　had　a　narrow　escape。　He　and　many　others　were　engaged
in　collecting　the　leaves　of　a　species　of　water…convolvulus　that　make　an
excellent　spinach；　this　plant　is　rooted　on　the　muddy　bank；　but　it　runs
upon　the　surface　of　the　water；　upon　which　its　pink　blossoms　are　very
ornamental。

The　sailor　was　stooping　from　the　bank　to　gather　the　floating　leaves；
when　he　was　suddenly　seized　by　the　arm　at　the　elbow…joint；　his　friends
immediately　caught　him　round　the　waist；　and　their　united　efforts
prevented　him　from　being　dragged　into　the　water。　The　crocodile；　having
tasted　blood；　would　not　quit　its　hold；　but　tugged　and　wrenched　the　arm
completely　off　at　the　elbow…joint；　and　went　off　with　its　prize。　The
unfortunate　man；　in　excruciating　agony；　was　brought　to　the　camp；　where
it　was　necessary　to　amputate　another　piece　slightly　above　the　lacerated
joint。

I　made　a　point　of　carrying　a　rifle　at　all　times；　simply　to　destroy　these
terrible　reptiles。　There　never　was　a　better　rifle　than　〃the　Dutchman；〃
made　by　Holland；　of　Bond　Street。　This　little　weapon　was　a
double…barrelled　breechloader；　and　carried　the　Boxer　bullet　of
government　calibre；　with　a　charge　of　three　drachms　of　powder。　The
accuracy　of　both　barrels　was　extraordinary；　it　was　only　sighted　up　to
250　yards；　but　by　taking　the　head　very　full；　it　carried　with　great
precision　up　to　300。　I　could　generally　make　certain　of　crocodiles　if
basking　on　a