ismailia-第75章

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irregular　corps；　who　were　now　at　liberty；　presented　themselves　in　the
town　with　their　hands　full　of　beads　to　purchase　the　necessary
bark…cloths。　These　cloths　are　prepared　from　the　bark　of　a　species　of
fig…tree　in　a　very　simple　manner；　which　I　have　personally　witnessed。

A　piece　of　bark　about　six　feet　long；　and　as　wide　as　possible；　is
detached　from　the　trunk　of　the　tree。　The　outside　rind　is　pared　off　by　a
lance…head　used　with　two　hands；　like　a　cooper's　drawing…knife。　The　bark
is　then　laid　upon　a　beam　of　wood　on　the　ground；　on　which　it　is　hammered
with　a　mallet　grooved　in　fine　cuts；　so　that　the　repeated　blows　stamp　the
bark　with　lines　somewhat　resembling　corduroy。　This　hammering　expands　the
bark；　which　is　repeatedly　turned　and　hammered　again；　until　at　length　it
is　beaten　into　a　cloth　of　rather　fine　texture。　The　action　of　the　air
colours　the　material；　which；　although　white　when　first　stripped　from　the
tree；　quickly　assumes　a　delicate　shade　of　brown；　as　a　slice　of　an　apple
oxydizes　upon　exposure　in　our　own　climate。

The　finest　cloths　are　ornamented　with　patterns　in　black。　These　are
simply　produced　by　drawing　the　design　with　water　from　iron　springs；
which　combining　with　the　tannin　of　the　bark　immediately　stains　it。

The　sheets　of　bark…cloth　are　frequently　dyed　this　colour　by　immersing
them　for　a　short　time　in　springs　of　the　same　water。

The　finest　cloths　are　produced　in　Uganda；　and　all　that　are　used　for
royal　wear　are　brought　from　that　country　in　exchange　for　ivory。

My　new　men；　the　late　slave…hunters；　who　I　hoped　were　〃wicked　men　that
had　turned　away　from　their　wickedness；〃　had　succeeded　in　purchasing　a
quantity　of　new　cloths　ready　for　the　day　of　annexation。

That　night；　at　about　nine　o'clock；　just　before　we　were　going　to　bed；　we
had　remarked　an　extraordinary　stillness　in　the　town　of　Masindi。　There
was　not　a　whisper　to　be　heard　throughout　the　capital；　where　generally
the　night　was　passed　in　the　uproar　of　drunken　singing　and　blowing　of
horns。

Suddenly　this　extraordinary　silence　was　broken　by　the　deep　notes　of　a
nogara　or　drum。　This　sounded　for　a　second　or　two；　and　ceased。　Again　all
was　still　as　death。

A　sudden　burst　of　hellish　noise；　such　as　I　have　never　heard　before　or
since；　now　startled　every　soldier　to　his　feet；　and　without　orders；　every
man　armed　and　fell　into　position！

Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　with　his　sword　belted　on　and　a　rifle　in　his　hand；
came　to　me　for　orders　on　the　instant。　The　ever…ready　Monsoor　was　armed
and　by　my　side。

In　the　mean　time　the　din　of　very　many　thousands　continued；　yelling　and
shrieking　as　though　maniacs；　I　should　imagine　that　at　least　a　thousand
drums　were　beating；　innumerable　horns　were　blowing；　with　whistles；
fifes；　and　every　instrument　that　would　add　to　the　horrible　uproar。

At　the　same　time　not　a　human　being　was　visible。

Mohammed；　the　dragoman；　appeared；　together　with　Umbogo。　In　reply　to　my
question　as　to　the　cause　of　such　a　sudden　irruption　of　noise；　Umbogo
laughed；　and　said　it　was　〃TO　MAKE　ME　AFRAID；　and　to　exhibit　the　great
numbers　of　people　that　were　collected　at　Masindi。〃

This　was　all。　I　therefore　at　once　ordered　the　band　to　play；　as　I
determined　to　accept　the　carefully　planned　surprise　as　a　compliment　that
I　would　return。

The　band　struck　up；　the　cymbals　clashed；　the　big　drum　thundered；　and　the
buglers　blew　their　loudest；　while　the　regimental　drums　rattled　away　as
hard　as　the　sticks　could　roll　upon　the　skins。

In　a　short　time　the　noise　of　the　town　ceased；　and　the　only　sound　was
occasioned　by　our　own　band。

I　ordered　them　to　cease　playing。　Once　more　there　was　perfect　stillness。

I　ordered　the　sentries　to　keep　a　sharp　look…out；　and　we　all　went　to　bed。

This　was　a　practical　joke　that　did　not　please　me；　as　it　smacked　of
distrust　and　defiance。　It　took　place　on　the　same　day　upon　which　I　had
liberated　the　slave…hunter's　people；　and　engaged　them　as　irregular
troops。

On　the　following　morning　I　sent　several　messengers　to　Kabba　Rega　to　beg
him　to　pay　me　a　visit。　They　all　returned；　some　saying　that　he　was
asleepothers；　that　he　was　drunk。　It　was　the　usual　habit　of　this　young
man　to　get　very　drunk　every　night；　and　to　sleep　until　about　2　p。m。；　when
he　dressed　and　attended　at　his　public　divan。

I　now　heard　that　native　messengers　had　arrived　from　the　country　of
Faieera；　which　formed　one　of　the　districts　within　nine　miles　of　Fatiko；
under　the　charge　of　the　great　sheik；　Rot　Jarma；　who　had　sworn　allegiance
to　the　government；　and　was　under　the　protection　of　Major　Abdullah。

These　messengers　had　brought　some　guns　and　ammunition　to　sell　to　Kabba
Rega。　They　wished　particularly　to　see　me；　as　they　had　important　news。

When　they　appeared　in　the　divan；　I　at　once　recognized　them　as　people
that　I　had　seen　at　Fatiko。

They　informed　me　that　since　my　departure；　Abou　Saood　and　his　people　had
ridiculed　the　authority　of　my　commandant；　Major　Abdullah；　and　to　prove
to　the　natives　how　powerless　he　was　to　protect　them；　Abou　Saood　had　sent
his　men　to　attack　Rot　Jarma；　and　they　had　carried　off　his　cattle　and
slaves。

The　messengers　declared　that　both　Rot　Jarma　and　all　the　natives　were
delighted　with　Major　Abdullah　and　his　troops；　as　they　were　very
different　from　the　slave…hunters；　but　the　latter　were　too　numerous　and
strong　for　Abdullah　to　contend　against。

I　told　them　that　Abdullah　was　only　waiting　for　orders；　but　if　such　was
the　state　of　things　〃why　had　he　not　written　a　letter　by　this
opportunity？〃

The　natives　asserted　that　the　slave…hunters　of　Abou　Saood　had　lost　five
of　their　party；　killed　in　the　attack　upon　Rot　Jarma；　therefore　they　（the
messengers）　were　afraid　to　go　near　the　station　of　Major　Abdullah。　They
had　accordingly　travelled　fast　to　bring　me　the　news　（160　miles）；　at　the
same　time　they　brought　the　guns　for　sale　to　Kabba　Rega。

It　was　the　old　story　of　deception　and　rebellion。　Before　my　face　Abou
Saood　would　cringe　to　the　earth；　but　he　became　an　open　rebel　in　my
absence。　It　was　absolutely　necessary　to　place　this　man　under　arrest。
When　the　Baris　were　at　open　war　with　the　government；　he　had　not　only
associated　with　their　chief；　but　he　had　armed　parties　of　these　natives
with　muskets；　which　he　employed　in　his　zareebas。

He　now　attacked；　in　defiance　of　government　protection；　those　friendly
natives　of　Faieera　who　had　become　peaceable　subjects　of　the　Khedive。
This　was　the　same　spirit　of　defiance　that　had　been　exhibited　by　Suleiman
when　he　slaughtered　the　prisoner　to　whom　I　had　granted　an　asylum。

Unless　I　should　arrest　Abou　Saood；　it　would　be　ridiculous　to　attempt　the
establishment　of　a　government。　This　scoundrel　knew　the　weakness　of　my
military　force。　He　had　himself　requested　Kabba　Rega　to　attack　me　upon　my
arrival　in　his　country。　He　was　now　plundering　and　kidnapping　in　the
districts　that　were　under　government　protection；　this　would　immediately
be　known　to　Kabba　Rega　and　his　people；　who　would　naturally　conclude　that
my　assurances　of　protection　were　valueless；　and　that　Abou　Saood　was
stronger　than　the　government　of　the　Khedive。

I　determined　to　send　orders　to　Major　Abdullah　to　arrest　Abou　Saood　if
the　reports　were　true　concerning　Faieera；　at　the　same　time　he　was　to
insist　upon　the　liberation　of　all　the　Unyoro　slaves；　which　he　was　to
escort　with　his　detachment　to　Foweera　on　the　Victoria　Nile。

There　was　no　doubt　that　this　fellow；　Abou　Saood；　was　confident　of
support　from　some　Egyptian　authority　behind　the　scenes；　he　had　therefore
determined　to　be　humble　before　my　face；　to　avoid　being　pounced　upon　at
once；　but　to　have　his　own　way　when　my　back　was　turned；　as　he　trusted
that　after　the　advice　he　had　given　to　Kabba　Rega　I　should　never　return
from　Unyoro。　It　would　then　be　said　that　I　had　been　killed　by　the
natives；　the　affair　would　be　ended；　and　the　official　supporters　of　Abou
Saood　would　reinstate　him　in　his　original　business　for　a　sufficient
CONSIDERATION。

I　made　arrangements　for　the　departure　of　my　new　irregulars。　After　many
invitations　I　at　length　succeeded　in　allaying　Kabba　Rega's
apprehensions；　and　he　promised　to　pay　me　a　visit　on　the　11th　May。
Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　went　to　meet　him；　and　escorted　him　to
the　new　house。

On　arrival　in　the　divan　he　was　much　astonished　and　delighted。　The　room；
twenty…eight　feet　by　fourteen；　was　arranged　with　double　rows　of　metal
boxes　on　all　sides；　so　closely　packed　that　they　formed　either　low　tables
or　seats；　as　might　be　required。　These　were　all　covered　with　blue
blankets；　which　gave　a　neat　appearance；　upon　which；　at　the　east　end　of
the　room；　were　exhibited　samples　of　the　various　goods　that　I　had　brought
for　the　establishment　of　a　regular　trade　in　Unyoro。　There　were　tin
plates　as　bright　as　mirrors；　crockery　of　various　kinds；　glasses；　knives
of　many　varieties；　beautiful　Manchester　manufactures；　such　as　Indian
scarfs；　handkerchiefs；　piece…goods；　light　blue　serge；　chintzes；　scarlet
and　blue　blankets；　blue　and　crimson　cotton　cloth；　small　mirrors；
scissors；　razors；　watches；　clocks；　tin　whistles；　triangles；　tambourines；
toys；　including　small　tin　steamers；　boats；　carriages；　Japanese　spinning
tops；　horn　snakes；　pop…guns；　spherical　quicksilvered　globes；　together
with　assortments　of　beads　of　many　varieties。

〃Are　these　all　for　me？〃　asked　Kabba　Rega。

〃Certainly；〃　I　replied；　〃if　you　wish　to　exchange　ivory。　All　these　things
belong　to　the　Khedive　of　Egypt；　and　any　amount　remains　in　the　magazines
of　Gondokoro。　These　are　simply　a　few　curiosities　that　I　have　brought　as
an　experiment　to　prove　the　possibility　of　establishing　a　trade。〃

Among　other　things；　the　wheel　of　life　attracted　his　attention。　This　had
frequently　been　exhibited；　but　neither　Kabba　Rega　nor　his　chiefs　ever
tired　of　the　performance。

The　magnetic　battery　was　now　called　for；　and　Kabba　Rega　insisted　upon
each　of　his　chiefs　submitting　to　the　operation；　although　he　was　afraid
to　experiment　upon　himself。　He　begged　Lieutenant　Baker；　who　managed　the
instrument；　to　give　as　powerful　a　shock　as　he　could；　and　he　went　into
roars　of　laughter　when　he　saw　a　favourite　minister　rolling　on　his　back
in　contortions；　without　the　possibility　of　letting　the　cylinders　fall
from　his　grasp。

Every　individual　of　his　headmen　had　to　suffer；　and　when　all　had　been
exhausted；　the　ministers　sought　outside　the　divan　among　the　crowd　for
any　particular　friends　that　might　wish　to　try　〃the　magic。〃

At　length　one　of　the　wires　of　the　instrument　gave　way；　as　a　patient
kicked　and　rolled　frantically　upon　the　ground；　this　was　a　good　excuse
for　closing　the　entertainment。

Kabba　Rega　now　requested　permission　to　see　our　private　residence。　I　told
him　that　only　himself　together　with　four　of　his　chiefs　and　the
interpreter；　Umbogo；　could　be　permitted　to　enter。　These　were　Rahonka
（his　maternal　uncle）；　Neka　（his　uncle；　Kamrasi's　brother）；　Kitakara；　and
Quonga。　On　that　occasion　the　tall　chief；　Matonse；　endeavoured　to　push
his　way　through；　but　was　immediately　turned　back　by　the　sentry　and
Monsoor。　（This　little　incident　must　be　remembered；　as　the　man　took　a
dislike　to　Monsoor　from　that　moment。）　The　first　exclamation　upon
entering　the　room　was　one　of　surprise〃Wah！　Wah！〃and　Kabba　Rega　and
his　chiefs　covered　their　mouths　with　one　hand；　according　to　their　custom
when　expressing　astonishment。

The　large　l