ismailia-第5章

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Villages　once　crowded　had　entirely　disappeared；　the　population　was　gone。
Irrigation　had　ceased。　The　night；　formerly　discordant　with　the　creaking
of　countless　water…wheels；　was　now　silent　as　death。　There　was　not　a　dog
to　howl　for　a　lost　master。　Industry　had　vanished；　oppression　had　driven
the　inhabitants　from　the　soil。

This　terrible　desolation　was　caused　by　the　governor　general　of　the
Soudan；　who；　although　himself　an　honest　man；　trusted　too　much　to　the
honesty　of　others；　who　preyed　upon　the　inhabitants。　As　a　good　and　true
Mohammedan；　he　left　his　territory　to　the　care　of　God；　and　thus；　trusting
in　Providence；　he　simply　increased　the　taxes。　In　one　year　he　sent　to　the
Khedive　his　master　100；000　pounds　in　hard　dollars；　wrung　from　the　poor
peasantry；　who　must　have　lost　an　equal　amount　in　the　pillage　that
accompanies　the　collection。

The　population　of　the　richest　province　of　the　Soudan　fled　from
oppression；　and　abandoned　the　country；　and　the　greater　portion　betook
themselves　to　the　slave　trade　of　the　White　Nile；　where；　in　their　turn；
they　might　trample　upon　the　rights　of　others；　where；　as　they　had　been
plundered；　they　would　be　able　to　plunder；　where　they　could　reap　the
harvest　of　another's　labour；　and　where；　free　from　the　restrictions　of　a
government；　they　might　indulge　in　the　exciting　and　lucrative　enterprise
of　slave…hunting。　Thousands　had　forsaken　their　homes；　and　commenced　a
life　of　brigandage　on　the　White　Nile。

This　was　the　state　of　the　country　when　I　arrived　at　Khartoum。　The
population　of　this　town；　which　was　about　30；000　during　my　former　visit；
was　now　reduced　to　half　the　number。　The　European　residents　had　all
disappeared；　with　the　exception　of　the　Austrian　Mission；　and　Mr。　Hansall
the　Austrian　Consul；　also　an　extremely　tough　German　tailor；　who　was
proof　against　the　climate　that　had　carried　off　his　companions。

I　had　given　the　necessary　orders　for　vessels　and　supplies　six　months
previous；　thus；　I　naturally　expected　to　find　a　fleet　ready　for
departure；　with　the　troops　and　stores　waiting　for　instructions。　To　my
surprise；　I　discovered　that　my　orders　had　been　so　far　neglected；　that
although　the　troops　were　at　hand；　there　were　no　vessels　prepared　for
transport。　I　was　coolly　informed　by　the　governor…general　that　〃it　was
impossible　to　procure　the　number　of　vessels　required；　therefore　he　had
purchased　a　house　for　me；　as　he　expected　that　I　should　remain　that　year
at　Khartoum；　and　start　in　the　following　season。〃

There　literally　was　not　one　vessel　ready　for　the　voyage；　in　spite　of　the
positive　instructions　that　had　been　given。　At　the　same　time　I　found　that
the　governor…general　had　just　prepared　a　squadron　of　eleven　vessels；
with　several　companies　of　regular　troops；　for　an　expedition　to　the　Bahr
Gazal；　where　it　was　intended　to　form　a　settlement　at　the　copper…mines　on
the　frontier　of　Darfur。　This　expedition　had　been　placed　under　the
command　of　one　of　the　most　notorious　ruffians　and　slave…hunters　of　the
White　Nile。　This　man；　Kutchuk　Ali；　originally　of　low　extraction；　had
made　a　fortune　in　his　abominable　traffic；　and　had　accordingly　received
promotion　from　the　governor；　thus；　at　the　same　time　that　the　Khedive　of
Egypt　had　employed　me　to　suppress　the　slave　trade　of　the　Nile；　a
government　expedition　had　been　intrusted　to　the　command　of　one　of　the
most　notorious　slave…hunters。

I　at　once　perceived　that　not　only　was　my　expedition　unpopular；　but　that
it　would　be　seriously　opposed　by　all　parties。　The　troops　had　been
quartered　for　some　months　at　Khartoum；　during　this　time　the　officers　had
been　intimate　with　the　principal　slave…traders　of　the　country。　All　were
Mohammedansthus　a　coalition　would　be　natural　against　a　Christian　who
commanded　an　expedition　avowedly　to　annihilate　the　slave　trade　upon
which　Khartoum　subsisted。

It　was　a　〃house　divided　against　itself；〃　the　Khedive　in　the　north　issued
orders　that　would　be　neutralized　in　the　distant　south　by　his　own
authorities。

As　in　the　United　States　of　America　the　opinion　of　the　South　upon　the
question　of　emancipation　was　opposed　to　that　of　the　North；the
opposition　in　Soudan　was　openly　avowed　to　the　reform　believed　to　have
been　suggested　to　the　Khedive　by　England。

The　season　was　already　far　advanced。　There　is　no　weapon　so　fatal　as
delay　in　the　hands　of　Egyptians。　I　knew　the　intentions　of　the
authorities　were　to　procrastinate　until　the　departure　of　the　expedition
would　become　impossible。　It　was　necessary　to　insist　upon　the　immediate
purchase　of　vessels　which　should　have　been　prepared　months　before。

None　of　the　steamers　from　Cairo　had　passed　the　cataracts。　The　fifteen
large　sloops　upon　which　I　had　depended　for　the　transport　of　camels　had
actually　given　up　the　attempt　and　returned　to　Cairo。　Only　the　smaller
vessels　had　mounted　the　cataracts；　and　they　could　not　arrive　at　Khartoum
for　some　months。

The　first　division；　consisting　of　all　merchandise　that　I　had　sent　from
Cairo；　had　arrived　in　Khartoum　under　the　charge　of　a　Syrian　to　whom　I
had　given　the　command。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Higginbotham；　accompanied　by　Dr。
Gedge　and　the　English　party；　together　with　all　the　Egyptian　mechanics；
was　on　his　way　across　the　desert　in　charge　of　the　steamers　and
machinery；　carried　by　some　thousand　camels。　The　third　division；　brought
up　by　Mr。　Marcopolo；　arrived　from　Souakim　a　few　days　later　than
ourselves；　thus　every　arrangement　that　had　been　intrusted　to　my　own
officers　was　well　executed。

After　some　pressure；　the　governor　began　to　purchase　the　vessels。　It　may
be　imagined　that　a　sudden　necessity　gave　a　welcome　opportunity　to
certain　officials。　Old　vessels　were　purchased　at　the　price　of　new；　and
the　government　agent　received　a　bribe　from　the　owners　to　pass　the
vessels　on　survey。　We　were　now　fitting　out　under　difficulties；　and
working　at　a　task　that　should　have　been　accomplished　months　before。
Sailcloth　was　scarce；　hempen　ropes　were　rarities　in　Khartoum；　where　the
wretched　cordage　was　usually　obtained　from　the　leaves　of　the　date…palm。
The　highest　prices　were　paid　for　everything；　thus　a　prearranged　delay
caused　an　immense　expense　for　the　expedition。　I　studiously　avoided　any
purchases　personally；　but　simply　gave　the　necessary　instructions　to　be
executed　by　the　governor。　It　is　only　fair　to　admit　that　he　now　worked
hard；　and　took　great　interest　in　the　outfit　of　the　flotilla。　This
governor…general；　Djiaffer　Pacha；　had　formerly　shown　me　much　kindness　on
my　arrival　at　Souakim；　during　my　first　journey　in　Africa。　I　had
therefore　reckoned　upon　him　as　a　friend；　but　no　personal　considerations
could　palliate　the　secret　hatred　to　the　object　of　the　expedition。

From　morning　till　night　I　was　occupied　in　pushing　on　the　work；　in　this　I
was　ably　assisted　by　Lieutenant　J。　A。　Baker；　R。N。；　whose　professional
experience　was　of　much　service。　A　new　spirit　seemed　to　move　in　Khartoum；
hundreds　of　men　were　at　work；　a　row　of　masts　and　yards　rose　up　before
the　government　house；　and　in　a　few　weeks　we　had　thirty…three　vessels　of
fifty　or　sixty　tons　each；　caulked；　rigged；　and　ready　for　the　voyage　of
1；450　miles　to　Gondokoro。

If　the　same　energy　had　been　shown　some　months　ago；　I　should　have　found　a
fleet　of　fifty　ships　awaiting　me。　I　had　lost　a　month　at　Khartoum　at　a
season　when　every　day　was　precious。

I　reviewed　the　troops；　about　1；400　infantry；　and　two　batteries　of
artillery。　The　men　were　in　fine　condition；　but　I　had　no　means　of
transport　for　the　entire　force。　I　therefore　instructed　Djiaffer　Pacha　to
continue　his　exertions　in　preparing　vessels；　so　that　on　Dr。
Higginbotham's　arrival　he　might　follow　with　the　remaining　detachment。

I　reviewed　the　irregular　cavalry；　about　250　horse。　These　were　certainly
VERY　irregular。　Each　man　was　horsed　and　armed　according　to　his
individual　notion　of　a　trooper's　requirements。　There　were　lank；
half…starved　horses；　round　short　horses；　very　small　ponies；　horses　that
were　all　legs；　others　that　were　all　heads；　horses　that　had　been　groomed；
horses　that　had　never　gone　through　that　operation。　The　saddles　and
bridles　were　only　fit　for　an　old　curiosity　shop。　There　were　some　with
faded　strips　of　gold　and　silver　lace　adhering　here　and　there；　others
that　resembled　the　horse　in　skeleton　appearance；　which　had　been
strengthened　by　strips　of　raw　crocodile　skin。　The　unseemly　huge
shovel…stirrups　were　rusty；　the　bits　were　filthy。　Some　of　the　men　had
swords　and　pistols；　others　had　short　blunderbusses　with　brass　barrels；
many　had　guns　of　various　patterns；　from　the　long　old…fashioned　Arab　to
the　commonest　double…barrelled　French　gun　that　was　imported。　The
costumes　varied　in　a　like　manner　to　the　arms　and　animals。

Having　formed　in　line；　they　now　executed　a　brilliant　charge　at　a
supposed　enemy；　and　performed　many　feats　of　valour　in　dense　clouds　of
dust；　and　having　quickly　got　into　inconceivable　confusion；　they　at
length　rallied　and　returned　to　their　original　position。

I　complimented　their　officer；and　having　asked　the　governor　if　these
brave　troops　represented　my　cavalry　force；　and　being　assured　of　the
fact；　I　dismissed　them；　and　requested　Djiaffer　Pacha　to　inform　them　that
〃I　regretted　the　want　of　transport　would　not　permit　me　the　advantage　of
their　services。　‘Inshallah！'　（Please　God！）　at　some　future　time；〃　&c。；
&c。

I　thus　got　rid　of　my　cavalry；　which　I　never　wished　to　see　again。　I　had
twenty…one　good　horses　that　I　had　brought　from　Cairo；　and　these　together
with　the　horses　belonging　to　the　various　officers　were　as　much　as　we
could　convey。

The　flotilla　was　ready　for　the　voyage。　We　had　engaged　sailors　with　the
greatest　difficulty；　as　a　general　stampede　of　boatmen　had　taken　place。
Every　one　ran　from　Khartoum　to　avoid　the　expedition。

This　was　a　dodge　of　the　slave…traders；　who　had　incited　the　people　to
escape　from　any　connection　with　such　an　enterprise。　It　was　supposed　that
without　boatmen　we　should　be　unable　to　start。

The　police　authorities　were　employed；　and　by　degrees　the　necessary　crews
were　secured；all　unwilling；　and　composed　of　the　worst　material。

I　had　taken　the　precaution　of　selecting　from　the　two　regiments　a
body…guard　of　forty…six　men。　Their　numbers　were　equal　black　and　white；
as　I　considered　this　arrangement　might　excite　an　esprit　de　corps；　and
would　in　the　event　of　discontent　prevent　a　coalition。

The　men　having　been　well　chosen　were　fine　examples　of　physique；　and
being　armed　with　the　snider　rifle　and　carefully　drilled；　such　a　body　of
picked　troops　would　form　a　nucleus　for　further　development；　and　might
become　a　dependable　support　in　any　emergency。　This　corps　was　commanded
by　an　excellent　officer；　my　aide…de…camp；　Lieut。…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；
but　owing　to　the　peculiar　light…fingered　character　of　the　men；　I　gave　it
the　name　of　〃The　Forty　Thieves。〃

Eventually　the　corps　became　a　model　of　morality；　and　was　distinguished
for　valour　and　fidelity　throughout　the　expedition。

Six　months'　rations　were　on　board　for　all　hands；　in　addition　to　the
general　stores　of　corn；　and　cases；　bales；　&c。；　innumerable。

On　the　8th　February；　1870；　the　bugles　announced　the　departure。　The
troops　hurried　on　board　their　respective　transports　according　to　the
numbers　painted　on　their　sides　and　sails。　The　official　parting　was
accomplished。　I　had　had　to　embrace　the　governor；　then　a　black　pacha；　a