ismailia-第68章

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There　was　a　large　tract　of　potato　cultivation；　a　supply　of　these　welcome
roots　was　with　difficulty　obtained　from　the　natives。

It　appeared　to　be　a　repetition　of　my　former　experience　in　this　country；
which　unpleasantly　reminded　me　of　the　scarcity　of　food　during　my　first
exploration　of　Unyoro。

On　the　following　morning　（12th　April）；　when　the　horses　were　saddled　and
we　were　ready　to　start；　not　a　single　native　was　forthcoming。　Every　man
of　about　200　carriers　had　absconded！

〃Although　Rahonka　had　assured　me；　previous　to　starting　from　the　river；
that　food　would　be　ready　for　the　troops　at　every　halting…place；　nothing
has　been　prepared。　We　are　thus　left　as　much　neglected　as　during　my
former　voyage　in　this　detestable　country。　There　is　not　one　sheik　with
us；　although　three　principal　chiefs　were　told　off　to　accompany　us　to
Masindi。　I　therefore　told　our　friend　Pittia　that　I　should　not　proceed
farther；　as　I　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　so　miserable　a　king　as　Kabba
Rega。

〃I　immediately　sent　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　back　to　Foweera　with　thirty
men；　and　a　letter　to　Suleiman；　ordering　him　to　collect　300　men　at　once
to　return　my　effects　to　his　zareeba。　I　tied　Pittia；　the　guide；　by　a
small　cord　attached　to　the　neck；　as　I　feared　he　also　might　escape。　What
can　be　done　with　these　treacherous　people？

〃There　is　a　report；　now　confirmed　by　the　dragoman；　Umbogo；　that　a　plan
had　been　arranged　between　Suleiman　and　Rahonka　that　I　should　be　led　out
of　their　way；　and　they　would　then　join　their　forces　and　attack　Rionga。

〃I　do　not　believe　that　Suleiman　would　place　his　head　in　such　a　halter。

〃Very　heavy　rain　at　1　P。M。

〃April　13。The　soil　is　wonderfully　fertilethis　is　a　chocolate…
coloured　vegetable　loam。　Among　the　crops　is　a　species　of　esculent
solanum；　with　large　orange…coloured　berries；　both　the　fruit　and　leaves
are　eaten　by　the　natives。

〃I　repaired　my　boots　to…day　with　the　milk　from　the　india…rubber…tree。
Julian　（Lieutenant　Baker）　had　fever。　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　party
returned　at　2。40　P。M。；　having　marched　rapidly；　and　accomplished　their
mission　and　a　journey　of　forty…two　miles　in　twenty…seven　hours　and　forty
minutes。

〃This　excellent　officer　brought　with　him；　secured　by　a　small　leather
thong；　by　the　neck；　the　great　sheiks　Kittakara；　Matonse；　and　several
smaller　fry。

〃The　royal　sheik；　Rahonka；　escaped　by　breaking　through　the　side　of　his
hut。

〃The　report　was　as　follows：

〃Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　his　party　of　thirty　men　had　arrived　at
Suleiman's　zareeba　at　about　8　P。M。　He　found　the　vakeels；　Suleiman　and
Eddrees；　surrounded　by　many　of　their　men；　apparently　in　consultation。

〃Upon　Abd…el…Kader's　appearance；　the　men　moved　off；　one　by　one；　and
quietly　packed　up　their　effects；　preparatory　to　a　general　flight。

〃Abd…el…Kader　informed　Suleiman　of　the　desertion　of　our　carriers。　He
then　at　once　proceeded　to　the　native　zareeba；　about　200　yards　from　the
camp。　He　there　found　the　principal　sheiks　in　the　hut　of　Rahonka。

〃Abd…el…Kader　immediately　informed　them　of　the　purport　of　his　arrival；
and　requested　the　sheiks　to　accompany　him　to　the　zareeba　of　Suleiman。
Rahonka　begged　to　be　left　alone　for　a　short　time　to　enable　him　to　dress。

〃Abd…el…Kader　waited　outside　the　door　of　the　hut；　and；　becoming　tired　of
so　long　a　delay；　he　re…entered；　and　to　his　astonishment　found　the
dwelling　_empty。_　Rahonka　had　escaped　by　a　hole　in　the　straw　wall。

〃Suspicion　being　raised　by　the　incomprehensible　flight　of　Rahonka；　the
colonel　placed　the　remaining　sheiks　under　a　guard；　and　led　them　to
Suleiman's　zareeba。　He　then　applied　to　Suleiman　for　a　guard　of　eight　men
to　watch　the　sheiks　during　the　night；　as　his　own　party　required　rest。

〃Suleiman　now　informed　him　that　he　could　not　supply　the　men；　as　all　his
people　had　absconded　from　fear　（of　Abd…el…Kader）。

〃On　the　following　morning　the　colonel　perceived；　from　the　smoke　above
our　old　camp　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river　（which　in　this　part　is
500　yards　broad）；　that　Suleiman's　people　had　escaped　during　the　night；
and　had　crossed　the　river　with　all　their　slaves　and　effects。

〃This　was　the　first　act　of　my　new　irregular　levythey　had　positively
run　away　from　the　colonel　like　a　parcel　of　hostile　natives！

〃Suleiman　and　Eddrees　declared　that　they　could　not　control　their　men；
who　were　afraid　that　I　had　ordered　my　officer　to　release　the　slaves　that
were　in　their　possession。　（The　truth　was　they　considered　that　I　had
heard　of　the　murder　of　the　prisoner　committed　to　the　care　of　Suleiman；
and　that　I　had　sent　the　colonel　and　his　party　to　make　inquiries。）

〃Abd…el…Kader　ordered　Suleiman　to　accompany　him　to　my　halting…place　at
Kisoona。　Suleiman　declined　upon　the　excuse　that　he　had　some　business；
but　that　he　would　present　himself　to…morrow。〃

〃I　can　stand　these　scoundrels'　conduct　no　longer。　I　have　tried　lenient
measures；　and　I　had　hoped　that　by　forming　Suleiman's　party　into　an
irregular　corps　I　might　be　able；　by　degrees；　to　change　their　habits；　and
to　reduce　them　by　good　discipline　into　useful　troops；　but　'Can　the
Ethiopian　change　his　skin；　or　the　leopard　his　spots？'

〃I　immediately　released　and　examined　the　captive　sheiks；　who　one　and　all
declared　that　the　fault　lay　with　Suleiman；　who　had　previously　arranged
the　plan　with　Rahonka：　that　when　I　should　be　led　away　a　distance　of　two
days'　journey；　he　would　assemble　his　men　and　attack　Rionga　in
conjunction　with　Rahonka's　army。

〃The　report　of　Umbogo；　the　dragoman；　is　thus　corroborated　by
overwhelming　evidence。　This　man；　Umbogo；　declares　that　Abou　Saood　wrote
to　Suleiman；　instructing　him　to　wait　until　I　should　have　passed　on；　and
then　to　bring　all　his　slaves　to　Fabbo。

〃I　immediately　sent　Captain　Mohammed　Deii　with　fifty　men；　including
twenty…five　of　the　'Forty　Thieves；'　with　orders　to　liberate　all　slaves
that　might　be　discovered　within　the　zareeba。　He　was　to　summon　all　the
people　of　Suleiman；　and　to　disarm　those　who　had　run　away　from　the
colonel；　Abd…el…Kader。

〃In　the　event　of　resistance；　he　was　to　use　the　force　at　his　disposal；
and　at　all　hazards　to　prevent　the　escape　of　the　slavers　across　the
river。

〃Suleiman　and　Eddrees　were　to　be　brought　before　me。

〃A　heavy　shower　fell　just　after　the　troops　started。

〃April　14。Julian's　horse；　Gazelle；　died　last　night；　the　poor　animal
had　been　ill　for　some　days。

〃Quonga；　who　is　the　sheik　of　this　district；　came　this　morning　and
excused　his　absence　in　rather　a　lame　fashion；　by　saying　that　he　had　been
collecting　food　for　the　troops；　together　with　carriers；　who　are　now
ready　to　transport　the　baggage　to　Masindi。　He　declared　that　Kabba　Rega
was　impatient；　and　had　sent　three　of　Suleiman's　people　to　deliver　the
message　to　me；　but　these　rascals　had　passed　on　this　morning　direct　to
the　zareeba　of　Suleiman；　without　communicating　with　us　on　the　way。

〃Quonga　not　only　corroborated　the　testimony　of　the　sheiks　and　the
dragoman；　Umbogo；　against　Suleiman；　as　having　conspired　to　attack　Rionga
after　my　departure；　but　he　gave　additional　evidence；　that　'Suleiman　had
told　Rahonka　and　the　great　sheiks　that　I；　the　Pacha；　knew　nothing　about
war；　that　none　of　the　government　troops　could　shoot；　and　that　I　should
only　travel　and　subsist　upon　the　country；　but　that　he　（Suleiman）　would
join　them　and　kill　Rionga　after　I　should　have　departed。'

〃This　I　believe　to　be　true；　as　a　few　days　ago；　when　speaking　of　the
troops；　I　told　Suleiman　that　the　Soudanis　were　very　hardy　soldiers　for
marching　and　resisting　climate；　but　that　generally　they　were　bad　shots。
Thus；　in　a　treacherous　manner；　he　has　informed　the　natives　that　the
soldiers　of　the　government　cannot　shoot。　In　the　afternoon；　fresh　reports
reached　me　that　Suleiman　had；　with　his　own　hands；　murdered　the　native　to
whom　I　had　given　protection。　He　had　committed　this　horrible　act　the
instant　that　my　back　was　turned；　and　he　had　exhibited　the　crime　before
the　great　sheiks　in　derision　of　my　authority！

〃At　4。30　P。M。　Captain　Mohammed　Deii　returned　with　his　party　of　fifty
men；　together　with　the　vakeels；　Suleiman　and　Eddrees；　with　six　of　their
men　who　had　been　met　upon　their　road　from　Masindi；　and　eight　slaves。

〃As　I　had　expected；　the　greater　number　of　Suleiman's　people　had　escaped
with　their　slaves　to　Fabbo；　when　the　Colonel；　Abd…el…Kader；　had　suddenly
appeared　among　them；　his　arrival　had　disconcerted　all　Suleiman's
arrangements；　and　my　detention　at　Kisoona　had　completely　upset　all　his
plans　respecting　an　alliance　with　Rahonka's　army。　That　cunning　general
had　gone　off　straight　to　Kabba　Rega　after　his　escape　through　the　wall　of
his　hut。

〃I　summoned　the　great　sheiks；　Kittakara；　Quonga；　together　with　Pittia；
and　several　others。　These　men　gave　their　evidence　most　clearly　as
witnesses　to　the　plan　arranged　by　Suleiman　for　the　attack　upon　Rionga；
and　as　eye…witnesses　to　the　murder　of　the　prisoner；　whom　they　saw
dragged　by　Suleiman　and　his　men　to　the　grove　of　bananas；　where　he　was
beheaded。

〃I　ordered　Suleiman　and　his　people　to　be　disarmed；　and　secured　both　him
and　Eddrees　in　shebas。

〃The　sun　had　set；　and；　the　sky　being　over…cast；　it　had　become　extremely
dark。

〃I　proceeded　at　once　to　the　trial　of　Suleiman　and　Eddrees；　as　the
witnesses　were　all　present。

〃The　bugler　sounded　the　'taboor'　（assembly）；　and　the　officers　and　troops
quickly　appeared；　and　formed　in　line　two　deep；　facing　the　table　at　which
we　sat。　I　ordered　half…a…dozen　large　port…fires　to　be　brought；　these
were　lighted　and　held　by　six　men　who　stepped　forward　from　the　ranks。　The
blaze　of　red　light　illumined　the　whole　neighbourhood；　and　cast　a
peculiar　glow　upon　the　dark　foliage　of　the　bananas　and　the　forms　of　the
dusky　chiefs　who　sat　in　a　line　opposite　the　troops。

〃Suleiman　and　Eddrees　were　led　by　the　guard；　and　appeared　before　the
tribunal。　Suleiman；　although　pinioned；　retained　the　same　haughty　swagger
that　had　always　distinguished　him。　The　charges　against　him　were　as
follows：

〃1。　For　having　conspired　to　attack　Rionga；　in　direct　opposition　to　my
positive　orders。

〃2。　For　treasonably　speaking　against　the　government　of　the　Khedive　to
the　native　chiefs。

〃3。　For　arranging　and　abetting　the　escape　of　the　irregular　new　levy；　who
had　enlisted　in　the　government　service；　together　with　that　of　the
slaves。

〃4。　For　having　murdered；　with　his　own　hands；　a　native　whom　I　had
confided　to　his　care。

〃After　a　careful　trial　the　prisoner　was　found　guilty　upon　every　charge；
and　the　second　vakeel；　Eddrees；　was　proved　to　have　been　an　accomplice。

〃I　immediately　sentenced　Suleiman　to　receive　200　lashes　upon　the　spot；
as　a　first　instalment　of　future　punishment。　Blue　lights　had　been
substituted　for　the　port…fires　that　had　burned　out；　and　the　haughty
brigand；　Suleiman；　was　laid　upon　the　ground　by　the　ready　troops　to
receive　his　punishment。

〃My　ever…present　attendant；　Monsoor；　volunteered　to　be　one　of　the
whippers；　and　the　pride　and　audacity　of　the　prisoner　were　soon　exchanged
for　effeminate　cries　for　pardon。　It　was　this　same　man；　Suleiman；　who　had
flogged　a　poor　boy　nearly　to　death　during　my　former　journey；　and　the
life　of　the　child　had　with　difficulty　been　saved　by　the　kind　attention
of　my　wife。　When　he　now　cried　for　mercy；　I　recalled　to　his　recollection
the　unfortunate　boy　whose　posterior　he　had　literally　CUT　OFF　with　a　wh