ismailia-第64章

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His　conversation　was　merely　a　repetition　of　the　old　story　being　a　series
of　complaints　against　the　slave…hunters。　He　declared　that　he　had　never
visited　Abou　Saood　or　any　of　his　people；　but　that　when　he　had　heard　of
my　arrival；　he　had　determined　at　once　to　offer　his　allegiance；　and　he
and　all　adjacent　countries　would　serve　the　government　faithfully；　in
return　for　protection　and　justice。

I　assured　him　that　he　had　nothing　to　fear　from　the　slave…hunters　in
future；　as　I　should　leave　Major　Abdullah　and　a　detachment　of　troops　to
represent　the　government　during　my　absence。　He　was　to　supply　them　with
corn；　and　to　yield　the　same　obedience　to　Major　Abdullah　as　he　would　to
me。　I　gave　him　nine　yards　of　red　cotton　cloth；　six　pounds　of　beads；　two
razors；　one　comb；　two　horn　snakes　in　boxes；　one　knife；　one　burning
glass；　one　zinc　mirror；　two　nickel　spoons；　three　rods　of　thick　brass
wire；　two　finger　rings；　two　pair　of　ear…rings；　two　red　and　yellow　cotton
handkerchiefs。

The　total　value　of　this　extensive　present　was　about　twenty…one
shillings。

Before　he　had　arrived；　he　had　requested　that　a　goat　might　be　sent　to　be
slaughtered　at　a　stream　before　he　should　cross　over；　otherwise　bad　luck
would　attend　his　visit。　Of　course　this　was　acceded　to；　and　the　goat　was
sacrificed　and　eaten　by　his　people。

I　gave　him；　according　to　my　usual　custom　with　all　sheiks　and　headmen；
seeds　of　the　best　Egyptian　cotton；　tomatoes；　pumpkins；　cucumbers；
water…melons；　sweet…melons；　barmian；　maize；　&c。；　&c。

Before　parting；　I　amused　and　shocked　him　with　the　magnetic　battery；　and
he　went　away　surprised　and　delighted。

I　subsequently　discovered　that　a　large　quantity　of　flour；　together　with
some　fowls　which　he　had　forwarded　to　me；　had　been　stopped　and
appropriated　by　the　renowned　Ali　Hussein。　The　intriguing　spirit　of　these
slave…hunters　was　extraordinary。　It　is　their　custom　never　to　receive　a
sheik　unless　he　brings　a　present。　He　therefore　considered　that　if　Rot
Jarma　should　appear　for　the　first　time　before　me　empty…handed；　I　should
either　not　admit　him；　or　perhaps　be　prejudiced　against　him；　thus　he　had
stolen　the　customary　gift　of　introduction　in　order　to　create　ill…will　on
my　part　towards　Rot　Jarma；　who　had　never　yet　condescended　to　visit　the
station　of　Abou　Saood　。　。　。　。　。

Wat…el…Ajoos；　with　the　assistance　of　Shooli　and　Gimoro；　had　collected
200　carriers；　all　of　whom　had　received　each　a　cow。

I　had　assorted　the　luggage；　and　although　I　had　not　the　slightest
suspicion　of　any　fighting；　nevertheless　my　ammunition　formed　a
considerable　portion　of　the　heavier　baggage。

Major　Abdullah　had　received　his　instructions；　and　a　site　had　been　chosen
for　his　station　within　a　hundred　yards　of　the　south　extremity　of　that　of
Abou　Saood。　This　position　was　backed　by　a　high　rock；　upon　which　I　had
already　commenced　to　build　a　powder　magazine　of　solid　masonry。

Abou　Saood　having　as　usual　sworn　upon　the　eyes　and　head　of　the　Prophet
to　do　all　that　was　right　and　virtuous；　and　the　natives　throughout　the
country　being　confident　of　protection；　I　prepared　for　the　journey　to
Unyoroa　distance　across　the　uninhabited　prairies　of　seventy…eight
miles　from　Fatiko；　due　south。

Our　excellent　and　trusty　friend　Shooli　was　to　be　our　guide。　Gimoro　was
prevented　from　accompanying　us　owing　to　a　wounded　foot。



CHAPTER　XVII。

THE　MARCH　TO　UNYORO。

On　18th　March；　1872；　we　were　all　in　order　for　the　march　to　the　south；
under　the　direction　of　our　guide；　Shooli。

Having　taken　leave　of　Major　Abdullah；　I　left　him　a　good　supply　of　sheep
and　cattle　for　his　detachment；　and　at　2　p。m。　we　started　for　the　prairie
march　to　Unyoro。

The　descent　from　the　table　land　of　Fatiko　was　rapid　for　the　first　seven
miles；　at　which　point　we　reached　a　stream　of　clear　running　water；　which
is　one　of　the　channels　of　the　Un…y…Ame　river。

The　limit　of　the　inhabited　country　is　about　three　miles　from　the　camp　at
Fatiko；　after　which　all　is　wilderness　to　Unyoro。

This　fertile　country　has　been　left　uninhabited；　on　account　of　the
disturbance　occasioned　by　the　diversity　of　tribes。　On　the　east　it　is
bounded　by　Umiro；　on　the　south　by　Unyoro；　and　on　the　west　by　Madi。　This
large　tract　of　land；　about　eighty　miles　from　north　to　south；　is
accordingly　the　resort　of　wild　animals；　and　it　forms　the　favourite
hunting…ground　of　the　various　tribes；　who　generally　come　into　conflict
with　each　other　during　their　excursions　in　pursuit　of　game。

We　halted　for　the　night　at　the　clear　stream　of　the　Un…y…Ame；　as　the
native　carriers　expected　their　wives　to　bring　them　provisions　for　the
journey。　It　was　only　five　o'clock；　therefore　I　strolled　along　the　banks
of　the　stream　accompanied　by　Shooli；　and　shortly　came　upon　game。

At　this　season　the　country　was　very　lovely；　as　the　young　grass　was
hardly　a　foot　high。　Stalking　was　extremely　difficult；　as　the　land　was
clear　of　trees；　and　the　long　sweeping　undulations　exposed　every　object
to　view　when　upon　the　face　of　the　inclines。　I　managed　at　length　to　get　a
tolerable　shot　at　one　of　the　beautiful　teel　antelopes　（Leucotis）；　by
creeping　up　the　broken　bed　of　a　water…course　until　I　arrived　at　a
white…ant　hill。　On　my　way　home　I　shot　a　gazelle；　thus　the　natives　all
had　flesh　from　the　two　animals　on　the　first　night　of　the　march。

The　wives　appeared　to　be　excellent　women；　as　they　arrived　in　great
numbers　with　a　quantity　of　hard　porridge　made　of　dhurra　flour；　which　was
to　form　the　commissariat　for　a　journey　of　nearly　160　miles　to　Unyoro　and
back。

If　a　native　travels　through　wilderness；　he　will　always　make　forced
marches；　thus　the　Fatikos　would　only　sleep　one　night　upon　the　road　of
seventy…eight　miles　when　on　the　return　journey。

On　the　following　morning；　we　were　rather　late　in　starting；　as　more　women
arrived　with　food；　and　certain　farewells　took　place。　The　Fatiko　natives
appeared　to　be　very　superior　to　the　Lobore；　as　not　one　man　absconded。　In
fact；　one　native　who　had　a　swollen　leg　which　prevented　him　from　walking；
actually　sent　back　his　cow　with　an　explanation　of　the　cause　of　absence。

On　19th　March　we　started　at　6。50　a。m。；　all　our　carriers　being　well
provided　with　food。　The　country　was　as　usual　a　well…watered　undulating
prairie；　abounding　in　game。　At　this　season　the　journey　was　very
delightful；　but　when　the　grass　is　about　nine　feet　high　it　is　simply
detestable　travelling。

On　the　march；　we；　as　usual；　led　the　way。　Lieutenant　Baker　dismounted　for
a　shot　at　a　splendid　buck　（Leucotis）；　which　he　wounded　somewhere　behind；
and　the　animal　made　off　in　evident　discomfort。　This　was　a　signal　for　the
natives；　who　immediately　put　down　their　loads　and　started　off　in
pursuit；　like　a　pack　of　hounds。

Although　the　animal　was　badly　hit；　the　pace　was　very　great；　and　it　went
along　the　face　of　the　opposite　undulation　followed　by　the　extraordinary
runners；　who；　with　their　long　springing　strides；　kept　up　a　speed　for
about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　that　at　length　brought　the　leading　native
sufficiently　near　for　throwing　his　lance。　The　next　moment　a　crowd　of
hungry　fellows　fell　upon　the　welcome　name　like　starving　wolves。

After　a　march　of　twelve　miles　we　arrived　at　a　rocky　stream　of　clear
water；　which　is　another　channel　of　the　Un…y…Ame　river；　that　carries　off
the　main　drainage　of　this　country。　We　halted　to　refresh　the　people　and
to　have　our　breakfast　on　the　clean　rock　that　bordered　the　stream；　and
started　for　the　afternoon　march　at　2　p。m。

During　the　march　I　endeavoured　to　stalk　a　large　bull　tetel　（Antelope
bubulis）；　but　there　was　very　little　chance　in　so　open　a　country。　The
animal　galloped　off　exactly　in　a　straight　line　from　me　at　about　200
yards。　I　put　up　the　last　leaf　of　the　sight；　and　I　distinctly　heard　the
bullet　strike。　The　next　moment　I　saw　the　animal　was　wounded。　It　was　just
disappearing　over　the　next　undulation；　and　upon　arriving　at　the　spot；　I
saw　the　wounded　bull　standing　about　200　yards　before　me。

I　approached　from　behind　until　within　100　paces；　without　being　observed
by　the　tetel；　who　was　evidently　very　bad。　Moving　slightly　to　my　right；　I
was　quickly　seen；　and　the　animal　turned　its　flank　preparatory　to　making
off。　A　shot　from　the　〃Dutchman〃　through　the　shoulder　killed　it　on　the
spot。

I　now　found　that　my　first　bullet　had　struck　the　spine　exactly　above　the
root　of　the　tail。　This　large　animal　was　a　good　supply　for　the　people；
who　quickly　divided　it　and　continued　the　march；　until；　having　crossed
another　stream；　we　left　the　open　prairie　gad　entered　a　low　forest。
Halted　for　the　night。　The　march　during　this　day　bad　been　nineteen　miles。

On　the　20th　we　marched；　from　6　A。M。　till　9。45；　through　undulating
forest；　and　halted　upon　high　ground；　which　commanded　a　fine　view　of　the
mountain　that　borders　the　west　shore　of　the　Albert　N'yanza；　opposite
Magungo；　about　fifty…five　miles　S。　S。　W。　From　our　elevated　point　we
looked　down　over　a　fine　extent　of　country；　and　the　Fatiko　natives
pointed　out　the　course　of　the　White　Nile　from　the　great　lake；　along
which　was　a　line　of　smoke；　caused；　according　to　their　accounts；　by　the
fishermen　who　were　at　this　season　burning　the　high　reeds　on　the　river's
bank。

The　natives　were　thoroughly　conversant　with　the　country；　as　they　had　on
several　occasions　accompanied　the　slave…hunters　in　razzias　along　the
river　to　Foquatch　and　Magungo。　Just　as　we　halted；　a　party　of　Umiro
hunters　came　across　our　path；　but　immediately　took　to　flight；　as　they
supposed　we　were　enemies。

The　day's　march　had　been　thirteen　miles；　and　we　were　requested　by　our
guide；　Shooli；　to　halt　for　the　night；　as　there　was　no　water　for　a
considerable　distance　to　the　south。

I　immediately　employed　the　soldiers　in　the　construction　of　a　cattle
kraal；　lest　the　prowling　Umiro　should　endeavour　to　scare　the　animals
during　the　night。

On　21st　March　we　started　at　6　A。M。；　and　marched　thirteen　miles　through
forest。　We　at　length　reached　water；　but　it　was　so　thick　with　mud　that
the　horses　refused　to　drink　it。

On　the　22nd　we　were　compelled　to　march　twenty…three　miles；　as　the　water
was　quite　undrinkable；　the　few　muddy　pools　having　been　stirred　into
paste　by　the　buffaloes　and　elephants。

We　now　reached　the　grand　Victoria　Nile；　flowing　beneath　cliffs　of
seventy　or　eighty　feet　in　depth；　through　magnificent　forest。　It　was
refreshing　for　all　parties　to　obtain　pure　water　after　the　miserable
fluid　we　had　lately　been　compelled　to　drink。

In　the　evening　a　sheik　and　several　people；　who　had　known　me　formerly；
crossed　the　river　from　the　Unyoro　side；　and　desired　an　interview。　They
reported　that　the　Khartoum　traders　had　almost　destroyed　the　country；　and
they　begged　me　simply　to　judge　with　my　own　eyes。

I　must　now　extract　from　my　journal　the　entry　of　the　date；　as；　although
briefly　written；　it　will　convey　the　impression　of　the　moment：

〃March　23；　1872。We　marched　three　miles　east；　along　the　banks　of　the
beautiful　Victoria　Nile；　through　fine　open　forest；　until　we　halted　on　a
high　cliff　exactly　opposite；　the　last　station　of　Abou　Saood；　commanded
by　a　vakeel　named　Suleiman。

〃It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　change　that　has　taken　place　since　I
last　visited　this　country。　It　was　then　a　perfect　garden；　thickly
populated；　and　producing　all　that　man　could　desire。　The　villages　were
numerous；　groves　of　plantains　fringed　the　steep　clif