ismailia-第70章

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farthest　station　of　Abou　Saood；　and　I　should　certainly　insist　upon　the
return　of　every　slave　that　had　been　kidnapped　from　this　country。　This
would　at　once　prove　to　the　inhabitants　of　Unyoro　the　benefit　of　the
Khedive's　protection。　（The　subsequent　attack　made　by　the　slave…traders
upon　the　government　troops　and　myself　at　Fatiko　was　due　to　this
declaration　that　all　slaves　should　be　taken　away　from　their　captors　and
returned　to　their　homes。　It　will　be　seen　later　that　I　sent　orders　to　the
commandant　of　my　station　at　Fatiko　to　release　all　slaves；　and　this
command　was　resisted　by　Abou　Saood　and　his　people。）

〃April　27。…Kabba　Rega　had　arranged　to　return　my　visit。

〃I　had　ordered　a　broad　roadway　to　be　cleared　from　Kabba　Rega's　divan　to
my　tent；　which　was　pitched　beneath　an　enormous　fig…tree　or　banian　（Ficus
Indica）。　The　troops　were　lined　on　either　side　of　this　approach　in　their
best　uniforms。

〃The　band　was　stationed　near　the　tent；　which　was　spread　with　skins　and
small　carpets；　all　the　sides　being　open。

〃An　hour　and　a　half　passed　away　after　the　first　messenger　had　arrived
from　Kabba　Rega　to　announce　his　visit。　One　after　another；　messengers　had
hurried　to　assure　me　that　the　king　was　just　now　approaching；　but　still
the　troops　remained　in　expectation；　and　no　king　made　an　appearance。

〃At　length；　after　this　long　delay；　he　sent　Rahonka　to　say　that　'if　it
was　all　the　same　to　me；　he　would　rather　see　me　at　his　own　house。'

〃This　unmannerly　young　cub　was　actually　suspicious　of　foul　play；　and　was
afraid　to　enter　my　tent！

〃I　immediately　told　Rahonka　that　his　king　was　evidently　not　old　enough
to　have　learnt　good　manners；　therefore　I　should　at　once　dismiss　the
troops；　who　had　already　been　waiting　for　nearly　two　hours　to　do　him
honour。

〃I　ordered　the　bugler　to　sound　the　'destoor；'　and　the　troops　at　once
obeyed　the　signal。

〃Terrified　at　the　sound　of　the　bugle；　which　was　known　to　be　some
mysterious　order；　Rahonka　implored　me　not　to　be　angry；　and　he　would　at
once　bring　Kabba　Rega　to　the　tent。　The　troops　resumed　their　position。

〃In　a　few　minutes　a　great　din　of　horns；　drums；　and　whistles　announced
his　approach；　and　we　observed　him　walking　down　the　road　with　an
extraordinary　gait。　He　was　taking　enormous　strides；　as　though
caricaturing　the　walk　of　a　giraffe。　This　was　supposed　to　be　an　imitation
of　M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　whose　ridiculous　attempt　to　walk　like　a
lion　has　been　described　by　Speke。

〃Kabba　Rega　thus　stalked　along；　followed　by　his　great　chiefs；　Kittakara；
Matonse；　Rahonka；　Quonga；　and　a　number　of　others。　Upon　arrival　opposite
the　band；　the　bugles　and　drums　suddenly　commenced　with　such　a　clash　of
cymbals　that　he　seemed　rather　startled；　and　he　entered　the　tent　in　the
most　undignified　manner；　with　an　air　of　extreme　shyness　half　concealed
by　audacity。

〃He　was　trembling　with　nervous　anxiety；　and　with　some　hesitation　he　took
his　seat　upon　the　divan　that　had　been　prepared　for　him。　His　principal
chiefs　sat　upon　skins　and　carpets　arranged　upon　the　ground。

〃A　crowd　of　about　2；000　people　had　accompanied　him；　making　a　terrific
noise　with　whistles；　horns；　and　drums。　These　were　now　silenced；　and　the
troops　formed　a　guard　around　the　tent　to　keep　the　mob　at　a　respectful
distance。　Every　now　and　then　several　men　of　Kabba　Rega's　body…guard
rushed　into　the　crowd　and　laid　about　them　with　bludgeons　five　feet　long；
hitting　to　the　right　and　left。　This　always　chased　the　people　away　for　a
few　minutes；　until；　by　degrees；　they　resumed　their　position。　Everybody
was　dressed　up　for　a　grand　occasion；　mostly　in　new　clothes　of　bark…
cloth；　and　many　were　in　skins　of　wild　animals；　with　their　heads
fantastically　ornamented　with　the　horns　of　goats　or　antelopes。　The
sorcerers　were　an　important　element。　These　rascals；　who　are　the　curse　of
the　country；　were；　as　usual；　in　a　curious　masquerade　with　fictitious
beards　manufactured　with　a　number　of　bushy　cows'　tails。

〃Kabba　Rega　was　about　five　feet　ten　inches　in　height；　and　of　extremely
light　complexion。　His　eyes　were　very　large；　but　projected　in　a
disagreeable　manner。　A　broad　but　low　forehead　and　high　cheek…bones；
added　to　a　large　mouth；　with　rather　prominent　but　exceedingly　white
teeth；　complete　the　description　of　his　face。　His　hands　were　beautifully
shaped；　and　his　finger…nails　were　carefully　pared　and　scrupulously
clean。　The　nails　of　his　feet　were　equally　well　attended　to。　He　wore
sandals　of　raw　buffalo…hide；　but　neatly　formed；　and　turned　up　round　the
edges。

〃His　robe　of　bark…cloth；　which　completely　covered　his　body；　was
exquisitely　made；　and　had　been　manufactured　in　Uganda；　which　country　is
celebrated　for　this　curious　production。

〃This　was　Kabba　Rega；　the　son　of　Kamrasi；　the　sixteenth　king　of　Unyoro；
of　the　Galla　conquerors；　a　gauche；　awkward；　undignified　lout　of　twenty
years　of　age；　who　thought　himself　a　great　monarch。　He　was　cowardly；
cruel；　cunning；　and　treacherous　to　the　last　degree。　Not　only　had　he
ordered　the　destruction　of　his　brother；　Kabka　Miro；　but　after　his　death；
he　had　invited　all　his　principal　relations　to　visit　him；　these　he　had
received　with　the　greatest　kindness；　and　at　parting；　he　had　presented
them　with　gifts；　together　with　an　escort　of　his　body…guard；　called
bonosoora；　to　see　them　safe　home。　These　men；　by　the　young　king's
instructions；　murdered　them　all　in　the　high　grass　during　their　return
journey。　By　these　means　he　had　got　rid　of　troublesome　relations；　and　he
now　sat　securely　upon　the　throne　with　only　one　great　enemy；　this　was
Rionga；　the　stanch　and　determined　foe　of　his　father；　who　had　escaped
from　every　treachery；　and　still　lived　to　defy　him　in　the　north…eastern
provinces　of　Unyoro。

〃It　was　easy　to　understand　that　he　would　welcome　my　arrival　with　a　force
sufficiently　large　to　assist　him　against　Rionga；　and　at　the　same　time　to
rid　him　of　Suleiman's　party。　He　made　use　of　the　latter　force　as
mercenary　troops；　to　which　he　was　obliged　to　allow　boundless　license；
otherwise　he　might　be　invaded　by　the　whole　power　of　the　combined
companies　of　Fabbo；　Faloro；　Fatiko；　and　Farragenia。　These　companies
might　at　any　time　change　sides　and　ally　themselves　with　Rionga；　thus；
could　I　clear　the　country　of　such　doubtful　allies；　he　would　be　relieved
from　all　cause　of　alarm。〃

Notwithstanding　these　advantages；　the　young　king　sat　uneasily　upon　his
divan；　and　appeared　timid　and　suspicious。　According　to　Turkish
etiquette；　a　handsome　chibouque；　trimmed　with　blue　silk　and　gold；　was
handed　to　him。　He　examined　the　amber　mouth…piece　but　declined　to　smoke；
as　〃tobacco　would　blacken　his　teeth；〃　this　was　a　curious　excuse　from　a
Central　African　dandy。

I　begged　him　to　accept　the　long　pipe　as　a　reminiscence　of　my　arrival。
Coffee　and　sherbet　were　then　handed　to　him；　but　he　declined　both；　and
insisted　upon　two　of　his　chiefs　drinking　the　whole；　during　which
operation　he　watched　them　attentively；　as　though　in　expectation　of　some
poisonous　effect。

This　was　conduct　that　boded　no　good　for　future　relations。　My　wife　tried
to　converse　with　him　through　the　interpreter；　Umbogo。　Kabba　Rega　then
explained　that　he　recollected　us　both；　as　he　was　one　of　a　crowd　when　a
boy　on　the　day　we　started　from　M'rooli　for　the　Albert　N'yanza。

The　conversation　quickly　turned　upon　Rionga；　whom　he　declared　must　be
either　captured　or　killed；　before　any　improvement　could　take　place　in
the　country。　The　young　king　assumed　that　it　was　already　arranged　that　I
should　assist　him　in　this　laudable　object。　I　now　changed　the
conversation　by　ordering　a　large　metal　box　to　be　brought　in。　This　had
already　been　filled　with　an　assortment　of　presents；　including　a　watch。　I
explained　to　him　that　the　latter　had　been　intended　for　his　father；
Kamrasi；　in　the　recollection　of　his　constant　demands　for　my　watch　during
my　former　visit。　The　new　toy　was　ticking　loudly；　and　it　was　of　course
handed　round　and　held　to　the　ear　of　each　chief　before　it　was　replaced　in
the　box。

Kabba　Rega　replied　that　he　knew　I　had　been　a　great　friend　of　his　father；
Kamrasi；　and　that　I　had　now　brought　many　valuable　presents　for　him；　but
I　must　not　forget；　that；　although　the　father　was　dead；　the　son　（himself）
was　still　alive；　therefore　I　might　at　once　hand　over　to　him　all　that　I
had　intended　for　his　parent。

This　was　a　true　son　of　his　father　in　the　art　of　begging。　I　replied；　that
〃hens　did　not　lay　all　their　eggs　in　one　day；　but　continued　one　by　one；
and　that　I　hoped；　when　I　should　know　him　better；　he　would　discover　the
advantage　of　commerce；　as　the　various　goods　that　had　now　been　introduced
were　intended　to　exhibit　the　manufactures　of　my　own　country。　These　would
continue　to　arrive　in　Unyoro　to　be　exchanged　for　ivory。〃

I　then　exhibited　the　large　musical　box　with　drums　and　bells。　This　was
one　of　the　best　instruments　of　its　kind；　and　it　played　a　remarkably　good
selection　of　airs；　which　quite　charmed　the　audience。　Among　the　presents
I　had　given　to　Kabba　Rega　was　a　small　musical　snuff　box。　This　was　now
wound　up　and　exhibited；　but　the　greedy　young　fellow　at　once　asked　〃Why　I
did　not　give　him　the　large　box？〃

I　gave　him　a　regular　lecture　upon　the　advantages　of　commerce　that　would
introduce　an　important　change　in　this　extraordinary　country；　at　the　same
time　I　recalled　to　his　recollection；　that　I　had　promised　his　father　to
open　up　a　commercial　route　by　which　the　productions　and　manufactures　of
the　north　should　arrive　in　Unyoro；　and　render　that　country　even　more
prosperous　than　Uganda。　I　had　now　arrived；　as　the　lieutenant　of　the
Khedive；　according　to　my　promise；　and　the　whole　of　the　equatorial　Nile
basis　would　be　taken　under　his　protection。　No　unnecessary　wars　would　be
permitted；　but　he　（Kabba　Rega）　would　remain　as　the　representative　of　the
government；　and　the　affairs　of　the　country　would　be　conducted　through
him　alone。

I　assured　him　that　no　country　could　prosper　without　industry　and　a　good
government；　that　agriculture　was　the　foundation　of　a　country's　wealth；
and　that　war　or　civil　disturbance；　which　interfered　with　agricultural
employment；　would　ruin　the　kingdom。　He　replied　that　〃Rionga　was　the　sole
cause　of　war；　therefore　it　would　be　necessary　to　destroy　him　before　any
improvements　could　be　made。　If　Rionga　were　killed　and　the　slave…hunters
expelled　from　the　country；　there　might　be　some　hope　of　progress；　but
that　it　was　wasting　breath　to　talk　of　commerce　and　agriculture　until
Rionga　should　be　destroyed。〃

This　was　Kamrasi's　old　tune　once　more　dinned　into　my　ears。　In　my　former
journey　I　had　been　deserted　by　my　carriers　and　starved　for　three　months
at　Shooa　Moru；　simply　to　induce　me　to　yield　to　this　repeated　demand：
〃Kill　Rionga；　or　give　me　your　men　to　assist　me　against　him。〃

From　what　I　had　heard　I　considered　that　Rionga　must　be　a　very　fine
fellow；　and　much　superior　to　either　Kamrasi　or　his　son。

In　my　former　journey　I　had　accomplished　a　long　and　difficult　exploration
without　firing　a　shot　at　a　human　being；　and　I　had　studiously　avoided
meddling　in　native　politics；　which　is　certain　to　involve　a　traveller　in
difficulty。　It　had　always　been　a　source　of　great　satisfaction　when　I
looked　back　to　my　past　adventures；　and　reflected　that　I　had　never　pulled
a　trigger　at　a　native；　thus　the　arrival　of　a　white　man　in　these
countries　would　be　regarded　without　susp