ismailia-第71章

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a　trigger　at　a　native；　thus　the　arrival　of　a　white　man　in　these
countries　would　be　regarded　without　suspicion。

In　my　present　expedition　I　had　always　endeavoured　to　preserve　peace；
but；　as　this　work　will　show；　I　was　in　every　instance　forced　to　war　in
absolute　self…defence。　I　was　therefore　determined　not　to　attack　Rionga；
unless　he　should　presume　to　defy　the　government。

In　reply　to　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs；　who　all　had　joined　in　the
argument；　I　declared　that　I　would　find　means　to　establish　peace；　and
that　Rionga　would　assuredly　come　to　terms。　Nothing　would　induce　me　to
use　force　against　him　or　any　other　person；　unless　absolutely　necessary。
I　suggested　to　Kabba　Rega　that　he　should　for　a　moment　change　positions
with　Rionga。　What　would　his　feelings　be　should　I　wantonly　attack　him；
simply　because　I　had　been　requested　to　do　so　by　his　enemy？

No　argument　was　of　any　avail。　Kabba　Rega　replied；　〃You　were　my　father's
friend　and　brother：　your　wife　was　the　same。　You　drove　back　the
slave…hunters　under　Wat…el…Mek　by　hoisting　your　flag。　Since　you　left　us；
the　slave…hunters　have　returned　and　ruined　the　country。　My　father　is
dead；　but　Rionga　is　still　alive。　Now　you　are　my　father；　and　your　wife　is
my　mother：　will　you　allow　your　son's　enemy　to　live？〃

It　was　quite　useless　to　attempt　reason　with　this　hardened　young　fellow；
who　had　not　an　idea　of　mercy　in　his　disposition。　As　he　had　murdered　his
own　relatives　by　the　foulest　treachery；　so　he　would　of　course　destroy
any　person　who　stood　in　his　way。　I　therefore　changed　the　conversation　to
Abou　Saood。

Kabba　Rega　and　his　sheiks　all　agreed　that　he　had　arrived　here　some　time
ago　in　a　very　miserable　plight；　exceedingly　dirty；　and　riding　upon　a
donkey。　He　was　without　baggage　of　any　kind；　and　he　introduced　himself　by
giving　a　present　to　Kabba　Rega　of　an　old；　battered　metal　basin　and　jug；
in　which　he　washed；　together　with　a　very　old　and　worn…out　small　carpet；
upon　which　he　was　accustomed　to　sit。　With　these　magnificent　presents　he
declared　that　he　was　〃the　son　of　a　sultan；　who　had　come　to　visit　the
king　of　Unyoro。〃

Kabba　Rega　had　replied　that　〃he　did　not　believe　it；　as　he　had　heard　that
he　was　simply　a　trader。〃

Reports　had　reached　Unyoro　that　I　had　arrived　at　Gondokoro；　and　that　I
was　on　my　way　to　visit　Kamrasi；　and　to　explore　the　Albert　N'yanza；
therefore　Kabba　Rega　had　questioned　Abou　Saood　concerning　me。

〃Oh；〃　Abou　Saood　replied；　〃that　man　whom　we　call　'the　traveller'？　Oh
yes；　he　was　a　very　good　fellow　indeed；　but　he　is　dead。　He　died　long　ago。
The　Pacha　is　a　very　different　person；　and　I　hope　he　will　never　be　able
to　reach　this　country。　If　he　does；　it　will　be　a　bad　time　for　YOU。〃

〃Indeed！〃　replied　Kabba　Rega。　〃I　heard　that　the　Pacha　and　the　traveller；
the　friend　of　my　father；　were　the　same　person。〃

〃You　have　been　deceived；〃　said　Abou　Saood。　〃The　Pacha　is　not　like　the
traveller；　or　any　other　man。　He　is　a　monster　with　three　separate　heads；
in　each　of　which　are　six　eyesthree　upon　each　side。　Thus　with
eighteen　eyes　he　can　see　everything　and　every　country　at　once。　He　has
three　enormous　mouths；　which　are　furnished　with　teeth　like　those　of　a
crocodile；　and　he　devours　human　flesh。　He　has　already　killed　and　eaten
the　Bari　people　and　destroyed　their　country。　Should　he　arrive　here；　he
will　pull　you　from　the　throne　and　seize　your　kingdom。　You　must　fight
him；　and　by　no　means　allow　him　to　cross　the　river　at　Foweera。　My
soldiers　will　fight　him　on　the　road　from　Gondokoro；　as　will　all　the
natives　of　the　country：　but　I　don't　think　he　will　be　able　to　leave
Gondokoro；　as　he　has　a　large　amount　of　baggage；　_and　I　have　told　the
Baris　not　to　transport　it：thus　he　will　have　no　carriers。〃

This　was　the　actual　report　that　Abou　Saood　had　given　to　Kabba　Rega；　as
the　dragoman　Umbogo　had　been　the　interpreter；　in　the　presence　of
Mohammed；　my　old　Cairo　dragoman。

I　laughed　outright　at　this　absurdity：　at　the　same　time　it　corroborated
all　that　I　had　already　heard　of　Abou　Saood's　treachery。　I　immediately
asked　Kabba　Rega　if　he　was　satisfied　now　that　he　had　seen　me？　He
replied；　〃Abou　Saood　is　a　liar；　and　you　are　Kamrasi's　friend；　and　my
father：　therefore　you　will；　I　am　sure；　assist　me；　and　relieve　me　from　my
great　enemy；　Rionga。　I　shall　then　know　that　you　are　indeed　my　true
friend。〃

Once　more　it　was　necessary　to　change　the　conversation。　A　number　of
buffoons　that　were　kept　about　the　court　for　the　amusement　of　the　young
king　now　came　forward。　The　crowd　was　driven　back；　and　an　open　space
having　been　thus　cleared；　they　performed　a　curious　theatrical　scene；
followed　by　a　general　fight　with　clubs；　until　one　man；　having　knocked
down　all　the　party；　remained　the　victor。　The　scene　terminated　with　an
act　of　disgusting　indecency；　which　created　roars　of　laughter　from　the
immense　crowd；　who　evidently　considered　this　was　the　great　joke　of　the
piece。

〃Kabba　Rega　now　took　leave；　and　retired　as　he　had　before　arrived；　with
drums；　whistles；　horns；　flageolets；　making　a　horrid　din　。　。　。　。〃

The　spot　that　I　had　selected　for　a　station　was　at　the　southern　edge　of
the　town；　from　which　site　the　land　sloped　into　a　valley　about　a　hundred
feet　below。　I　had　at　once　commenced　clearing　away　the　high　grass；　and；
as　usual　when　first　settling；　I　had　broken　up　a　few　small　plots；　and　had
already　sown　seeds　of　English　cucumbers；　sweet　melons；　&c。

The　soil　was　wonderfully　rich；　at　the　same　time　it　was　very　easily
worked。　When　the　tall　rank　grass　was　torn　out　by　the　roots；　a　fine
surface　was　exposed　that　resembled　dark　chocolate。　This　was　a　vegetable
loam；　with　a　minimum　of　two　feet　thickness；　resting　upon　a　bright　red
quartz　gravel。

The　quartz　was　not　rounded；　and　appeared　to　be　only　the　residue　of
decayed　rock　that　had　never　been　subjected　to　the　action　of　running
water。　When　washed；　a　handful　remained　of　sharp　and　clear　white
fragments。

With　such　a　subsoil　the　country　must　be　healthy；　as　the　heaviest　shower
drained　rapidly　through　the　gravel。

I　employed　the　prisoners　in　clearing　the　grass；　while　the　soldiers
commenced　cultivation；　and　dug　up　the　ground　with　a　number　of　hoes　that
I　borrowed　from　Kabba　Rega。

These　implements　are　nearly　the　same　in　shape　as　those　in　Gondokoro　and
throughout　the　Madi　country；　but　smaller；　and　the　iron　is　very　brittle
and　inferior。　They　are　not　used　like　the　Dutch　hoe；　with　a　long　handle；
but　are　fixed　upon　a　piece　of　wood　with　a　bend　of　natural　growth；　so　the
hoe　can　be　used　with　a　downward　stroke　like　a　pick…axe。

On　29th　April　I　commenced　building　a　government　house　and　public　divan。

The　king　of　Uganda　（M'tese）　has　envoys　throughout　the　countries　which
surround　his　dominions。　One　of　these　chiefs；　who　represented　M'tese　at
Masindi；　paid　me　a　visit；　and　gave　me　a　good　deal　of　information。

He　described　the　M'wootan　N'zige　（Albert　N'yanza）　as　forming　the　western
frontier　of　Karagwe；　from　which　point　it　turned　westward　for　a　distance
unknown。　This　was　a　similar　description　to　that　given　by　Kamrasi　some
years　ago。

I　gave　the　envoy　a　red　and　yellow　handkerchief　to　tie　around　his　head。
The　man　was　neatly　dressed　in　Indian　clothes　that　had　arrived　from
Bombay　via　Zanzibar。

On　30th　April；　Kabba　Rega　sent　a　present　of　twelve　elephants'　tusks；
forty…one　loads　of　tullaboon；　twelve　pots　of　sour　plantain　cider；　and
thirty…four　cows。　At　the　same　time；　he　complained　that　some　of　Abou
Saood's　people　were　taking　slaves　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Foweera　and
Kisoona。

The　principal　chiefs；　together　with　Kabba　Rega；　assured　me　that　Abou
Saood's　people　had　been　in　the　habit　of　torturing　people　to　extract　from
them　the　secret　of　the　spot　in　which　their　corn　was　concealed。
Throughout　Unyoro　there　are　no　granaries　exposed　at　the　present　time；　as
the　country　has　been　ravaged　by　civil　war；　thus　all　corn　is　buried　in
deep　holes　specially　arranged　for　that　purpose。　When　the　slave…hunters
sought　for　corn；　they　were　in　the　habit　of　catching　the　villagers　and
roasting　their　posteriors　by　holding　them　down　on　the　mouth　of　a　large
earthen　water　jar　filled　with　gloving　embers。　If　this　torture　of
roasting　alive　did　not　extract　the　secret；　they　generally　cut　the
sufferer's　throat　to　terrify　his　companion；　who　would　then　divulge　the
position　of　the　hidden　stores　to　avoid　a　similar　fate。　This　accusation
was　corroborated　by　Mohammed；　the　Cairo　dragoman。

It　is　difficult　to　conceive　the　brutality　of　these　brigands；　who；　thus
relieved　from　the　fear　of　a　government；　exhibit　their　unbridled　passions
by　every　horrible　crime。

Umbogo；　the　interpreter；　was　now　regularly　installed　in　a　hut　within
call　of　my　tent。　This　man　appeared　to　be　exceedingly　fond　of　us；　and　he
was　the　main　source　of　information。

He　had　a　very　lovely　wife；　a　Bahooma；　who　was　a　light　brown　colour；　with
beautiful　Abyssinian　eyes；　she　had　been　given　to　him　by　Kabba　Rega；　with
whom　he　was　a　great　favourite。

Umbogo　was　very　intelligent；　and　he　took　a　great　interest　in　all　my
plans　for　establishing　free　trade　throughout　the　country：　but　he　told　me
privately　that　he　thought　the　idea　would　be　opposed　secretly　by　Kabba
Rega；　who　would　wish　to　monopolize　all　the　ivory　trade；　in　order　to　keep
up　the　price；　and　to　obtain　the　whole　of　the　merchandise。

The　great　variety　of　goods　much　astonished　him；　and　he　advised　me
strongly　to　send　for　a　large　supply　of　soap；　for　which　there　would　be　a
great　demand；　as　a　light　complexion　was　greatly　admired　in　Unyoro。　He
said　that　Mohammed；　the　Cairo　dragoman；　was　several　shades　lighter　since
I　had　supplied　him　with　soap；　this　was　true；　as　he　had　been　very　filthy
before　my　arrival；　but　Umbogo　was　persuaded　that　the　difference　between
white　and　black　people　was　caused　by　the　fact　of　our　ancestors　having
always　used　soap；　while　the　blacks　used　only　plain　water。　This
ethnological　fact　having　been　established；　I　gave　him　a　small　piece；　to
his　great　delight；　as　he　expressed　his　intention　to　become　a　white　man。

I　was　always　chatting　with　Umbogo　and　the　various　chiefs；　especially
with　my　favourite；　Kittakara；　who　was　Kabba　Rega's　most　confidential
counsellor。　They　gave　me　a　graphic　account　of　the　royal　funeral　that　had
taken　place　a　few　months　ago；　when　Kamrasi　has　interred。

When　a　king　of　Unyoro　dies；　the　body　is　exposed　upon　a　framework　of
green　wood；　like　a　gigantic　gridiron；　over　a　slow　fire。　It　is　thus
gradually　dried；　until　it　resembles　an　over…roasted　hare。

Thus　mummified；　it　is　wrapped　in　new　bark…cloths；　and　lies　in　state
within　a　large　house　built　specially　for　its　reception。

The　sons　fight　for　the　throne。　The　civil　war　may　last　for　years；　but
during　this　period　of　anarchy；　the　late　king's　body　lies　still　unburied。

At　length；　when　victory　has　decided　in　favour　of　one　of　his　sons；　the
conqueror　visits　the　hut　in　which　his　father's　body　lies　in　state。　He
approaches　the　corpse；　and　standing　by　its　side；　he　sticks　the　butt…end
of　his　spear　in　the　ground；　and　leaves　it　thus　fixed　near　the　right　hand
of　the　dead　king。　This　is　symbolical　of　victory。

The　son　now　ascends　the　throne；　and　the　funeral　of　his　father　must　be
his　first　duty。

An　immense　pit　or　trench　is　dug；　capable　of　containing　several　hundred
people。

This　pit　is　neatly　lined　with　new　bark…cloths。

Several　wives　of　the　late　king　ar