ismailia-第61章

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are　purchasing　by　legitimate　dealing　ivory　that　should；　geographically
speaking；　belong　to　Cairo。

〃While　fair　dealing　is　the　rule　south　of　the　equator；　piracy　and　ruin
are　the　rule　of　the　north。

〃Abou　Saood　and　his　people　are　now　in　a　dilemma。　For　many　years　they
have　pillaged　the　country；　and　after　having　taught　the　natives　to　regard
cows　as　the　only　medium　of　exchange　for　ivory；　they　have　at　length
exhausted　the　cattle。　Thus　the　transport　of　their　large　stock　of　ivory
has　for　a　time　become　impossible；　as　sufficient　cows　cannot　be　collected
for　the　purpose。

〃Every　load　from　Fatiko　to　Ismailia　（Gondokoro）　requires　two　cows；　one
to　Lobore；　and　another　thence　to　the　journey's　end。

〃By　the　Nile　traders'　arrangements；　the　companies　of　Abou　Saood　receive
as　their　perquisite　one…third　of　all　the　cattle　that　may　be　stolen　in
successful　razzias。

〃The　consumption　of　cattle　by　these　brigands　is　enormous。　All　flour　is
purchased　in　exchange　for　flesh；　while　flesh　is　also　necessary　for　food；
thus　the　cow　is　being　eaten　at　both　ends。

〃The　frightful　drain　upon　the　country　may　be　imagined　by
the　following　calculation；　which　is　certainly　below　the　truth：

〃If　1；000　loads　of　ivory　must　be　carried　to　Ismailia；
　　　　2；000　cows　are　required　as　payment　of　carriers；

　　　　　　　　To　capture　in　a　razzia　3；000　cows；
1000　　　　belong　to　the　brigands　as　their　perquisite；
　300　　　　are　necessary　to　feed　the　native　carriers　and　soldiers
_____　　　during　the　journey；
3；300　　　cows　are　required　to　deliver　1；000　loads　of　ivory　a
　　　　　　　　distance　of　165　miles；　from　Fatiko　to　Ismailia　（Gondokoro）。

　　　　　　　　A　station　of　350　men　consumes
　　　　　　　　daily　　。　　。　　。　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　700　lbs。
　　　　　　　　In　addition；　they　require　to
　　　　　　　　exchange　for　flour　　。　　。　　。　　。　　　　　350　lbs。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…
　　　　　　　　Daily　consumption　of　flesh　　。　　。　　1；050　lbs。

　　　　　　　　〃The　oxen　of　the　country　do　not　average　more
　　　　　　　　than　170　lbs。　cleaned。
2；255　　　beasts　are　thus　required　annually。
…
5；555　　　oxen　are　necessary　to　feed　and　pay　for　the　transport
　　　　　　　　from　a　station　only　350　strong；　according　to　the
　　　　　　　　customs　of　White　Nile　brigandage。

〃It　must　be　remembered　that　at　least　a　thousand；　and　sometimes　double
that　number　of　slaves；　are　prisoners　in　each　station。　All　these　must　be
fed。　The　same　principle　is　adopted　in　the　exchange　of　flesh　for　flour；
thus　the　expenditure　of　cattle　is　frightful。　Not　only　oxen；　but　all　the
breeding　cows　and　young　calves　are　killed　without　the　slightest
reflection。　No　country　can　support　such　wilful　waste；　thus　after　many
years　of　ravage；　this　beautiful　province　has　become　almost　barren　of
cattle。　The　central　districts　occupied　by　the　slave…traders　having　been
denuded　of　cattle；　it　has　become　necessary　to　make　journeys　to　distant
countries。〃

The　slave…hunters　of　Abou　Saood　had　recently　suffered　a　terrible　defeat；
at　the　hands　of　the　warlike　tribe　of　Umiro；　which　was　a　just　reward　for
the　horrible　treachery　of　their　party。

A　man　named　Ali　Hussein　was　a　well…known　employee　of　Abou　Saood。　This
ruffian　was　an　Arab。　He　was　a　tall；　wiry　fellow；　with　a　determined　but
brutal　cast　of　countenance；　who　was　celebrated　as　a　scoundrel　among
scoundrels。　Even　his　fellows　dreaded　his　brutality。　There　was　no　crime
that　he　had　not　committed；　and　as　his　only　virtue　was　extreme　daring；
his　reputation　was　terrible　among　the　native　population。

This　fellow　had　waited　upon　my　orders　daily　since　my　arrival　at　Fatiko。

At　the　death　of　the　former　vakeel　of　Fatiko；　Ali　Hussein　had　succeeded
to　the　command　of　the　station。

He　had　arranged　to　make　a　descent　upon　the　Umiro　tribe；　about　six　days'
march　to　the　south…east。

He　accordingly　sent　natives　as　spies；　with　specious　messages　to　the
Umiro；　announcing　his　intention　of　visiting　them　to　purchase　ivory。

With　a　party　increased　by　volunteers　from　other　stations　to　a　force　of
about　300　men；　he　arrived　at　Umiro。

The　simple　natives　received　him　gladly；　and　showed　extreme　hospitality。
The　country　was　thickly　populated；　and　abounded　with　vast　herds　of　the
finest　cattle。

After　a　week's　sojourn　among　the　Umiro；　during　which　he　had　received
large　presents　of　elephants'　tusks；　and　seventy　head　of　oxen　from　the
confiding　natives；　the　treacherous　ruffian　gave　an　order　to　his　brigands
at　sunset。　They　were　to　be　under　arms　an　hour　before　daybreak　on　the
following　morning；　to　set　fire　to　the　adjacent　villages　of　their
generous　hosts；　and　to　capture　their　large　herds　of　cattle；　together
with　their　women　and　children。

At　the　time　appointed；　while　every　Umiro　slept　unconscious　of
approaching　danger；　several　villages　were　surrounded；　and　volleys　of
musketry　were　poured　upon　the　sleeping　inmates。　The　straw　huts　were
ignited；　and　the　flames　rapidly　spread；　while　a　massacre　commenced
similar　to　the　butcheries　to　which　the　slave…hunters　were　so　well
accustomed。

The　Umiro；　thus　taken　by　surprise；　and　appalled　by　so　dastardly　a
treachery；　were　easily　defeated。　Their　children　and　wives　were　captured；
together　with　large　herds　of　cattle；　which　are　celebrated　for　their
size。　All　these　were　driven　in　triumph　to　Fatiko。

The　success　of　this　infernal　scheme；　raised　the　reputation　of　Ali
Hussein　to　the　highest　pitch。　The　reports　of　the　vast　pastoral　wealth　of
the　Umiro　excited　the　cupidity　of　the　various　companies　in　the　stations
of　Abou　Saood。

It　was　determined　to　make　a　grand　attack　upon　a　people；　who；　in　spite　of
their　warlike　character；　had　exhibited　a　total　want　of　power　to　resist。

Ali　Hussein　sent　an　expedition　of　about　350　men；　in　addition　to　a　large
number　of　Fatiko　allies。　They　arrived　on　the　borders　of　Umiro；　within
about　an　hour's　march　of　the　villages　doomed　to　pillage。　The　party　was
under　the　command　of　a　notorious　ruffian　named　Lazim；　whom　I　had　known
during　my　former　exploration。

Upon　arrival　in　the　Umiro　country；　during　the　night　after　a　forced
march；　he　sent　a　detachment　of　103　men；　together　with　about　150　natives；
to　attack　the　villages　by　a　surprise　at　dawn；　and　to　capture　the　slaves
and　cattle　in　the　usual　manner。

The　party　started　at　the　early　hour　of　first　cock…crow；　while　the　main
body　under　Lazim　waited　for　the　result。

Hours　passed；　but　the　company　did　not　return。　A　few　shots　had　been　heard
in　the　distance。

The　country　was　clear　and　open；　but　nothing　could　be　seen。　There　was　no
lowing　of　cattle；　neither　did　the　heavy　clouds　of　smoke；　usual　on　such
occasions；　point　out　the　direction　of　burning　villages。

Presently；　drums　were　heard　in　every　direction；　the　horns　and　whistles
of　the　Umiro　sounded　the　alarm；　and　large　bodies　of　natives　rushed
across　the　plain　to　the　attack　of　Lazim's　main　body。

They　had　just　time　to　form；　and　to　post　the　men　around　the　strong　cattle
kraal；　which　they　had　occupied；　when　the　stream　of　enemies　came　down
upon　them。

Upon　the　open　plain；　the　Umiro　had　no　chance　in　attacking　so　well
defended　a　position；　and　the　muskets；　loaded　with　heavy　mould　shot；　told
with　great　effect　upon　the　naked　bodies　of　the　assailants。

The　Umiro　were　beaten　back　with　some　loss；　and　the　slave…hunters　held
the　position；　although　in　a　state　of　terror；　as　they　felt　that　some
terrible　calamity　must　have　befallen　the　party　which　had　started　to
surprise　the　villages。

After　dark；　a　Bari　native　cried　out　to　the　sentries　to　let　him　pass。
This　was　a　wounded　man　of　their　own　people；　the　only　survivor　of　all
those　who　had　left　the　main　body　on　that　morning。

The　Bari　described；　that　the　Umiro；　having　gained　information　of　the
intended　attack；　had　lain　in　ambush　within　high　withered　grass；　in　which
they　had　awaited　the　arrival　of　their　assailants。

The　slave…hunters　were　advancing　as　usual；　in　single　file；　along　the
narrow　track　through　the　high　grass；　unsuspicious　of　an　enemy；　when　the
Umiro　rushed　from　both　sides　of　the　ambuscade　upon　them。

Taken　by　surprise；　a　panic　seized　the　slave…hunters；　very　few　of　whom
had　time　to　fire　their　muskets　before　they　were　speared　by　the　pitiless
Umiro；　who　wreaked　wholesale　vengeance　by　the　massacre　of　103　of　Abou
Saood's　men　and　about　150　of　their　allies。

The　main　body　under　Lazim　were　completely　cowed；　as　they　feared　an
overwhelming　attack　that　might　exhaust　their　ammunition。　The　Umiro　had
now　become　possessed　of　103　guns　and　several　large　cases　of　cartridges；
in　addition　to　those　in　the　pouches　of　the　soldiers。

Night　favoured　the　retreat；　and　the　remnant　of　the　expedition　under
Lazim　returned　by　forced　marches　to　Fatiko。

The　defeat　had　spread　consternation　among　the　various　stations；　as　it
followed　closely　upon　the　destruction　of　a　station　belonging　to　Abou
Saood　in　the　Madi　country。

This　zareeba　had　been　under　the　command　of　a　vakeel　named　Jusef；　who　had
exasperated　the　natives　by　continual　acts　of　treachery　and
slave…hunting。　They　had　accordingly　combined　to　attack　the　station　at
night；　and　had　set　fire　to　the　straw　huts；　by　shooting　red…hot　arrows
into　the　inflammable　thatched　roofs。

These　calamities　had　happened　since　the　arrival　of　Abou　Saood　in　the
Shooli　country；　and　it　was　he　who　had　given　the　order　to　attack　the
Umiro。　His　own　people；　being　naturally　superstitious；　thought　he　had
brought　bad　luck　with　him。

It　appeared　that　when　Abou　Saood　had　first　arrived　at　Fatiko　from
Gondokoro；　the　vakeels　of　his　different　stations　were　all　prepared　for
the　journey　to　deliver　the　ivory。　They　had　given　the　cattle　obtained　in
the　first　attack　upon　Umiro　to　the　native　carriers　of　Madi　and　Shooli；
and　the　tusks　had　been　arranged　in　about　2；000　loads　for　transport。

The　sudden　arrival　of　Abou　Saood　changed　all　their　plans；　as　he
immediately　gave　orders　to　return　the　ivory　to　the　store　huts；　he　did
not　intend　to　deliver　it　at　Gondokoro　that　year。　He　also　sent　a　letter
to　his　Latooka　station；　nine　days'　march　to　the　north…east；　together
with　a　party　of　eighty　men；　with　instructions　to　his　vakeel　to　deliver
the　ivory　at　the　Bohr　station　below　Gondokoro。

He　thus　hoped　to　defraud　the　government　out　of　the　two…fifths　due　to
them　by　contract　with　Agad。　At　the　same　time；　he　had　intended　to　remain
concealed　in　the　interior　of　the　country　until　I　should　have　returned　to
England；　after　which　he　had　no　doubt　that　affairs　would　continue　in
their　original　position。

It　may　be　imagined　that　my　sudden　arrival　at　Fatiko　had　disconcerted　all
his　plans。

In　spite　of　his　extreme　cunning；　he　had　over…estimated　his　own　power　of
intrigue；　and　he　had　mismanaged　his　affairs。

According　to　the　agreement　with　Agad　&　Co。；　the　representative　of　that
firm；　Abou　Saood；　had　contracted　to　supply　the　government　troops　with
all　provisions　at　a　given　price；　including　even　sheep　and　butter；　as　he
declared　that　he　was　in　possession　of　these　articles　in　his　various
stations。　He　was　also　to　assist　the　government　expedition　in　every
manner；　and　to　supply　not　only　carriers；　but　even　troops；　should　they　be
necessary。

I　read　this　contract　to　some　of　his　principal　men；　who　fairly　laughed
outright　at　the　audacity　of　Abou　Saood　in　subscribing　to　such　utter
falsehoods。

Not　only　had　he　secretly　fraternized　with　the　enemy；　instead　of
assisting　the　government；　but　he　had　cautioned　the　Baris　not　to　carry
our