ismailia-第78章

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The　real　fact　was；　that　so　long　as　the　slave…trader's　people　were　in　the
country；　both　the　king　and　his　people　knew　that　we　were　independent　of
native　guides；　as　Suleiman's　men　knew　all　the　paths；　from　their　long
experience　of　the　country　when　engaged　in　the　civil　wars。　It　was
considered　that　in　the　absence　of　the　new　levy　of　irregulars　we　should
be　perfectly　helpless　to　move；　as　we　were　dependent　upon　Kabba　Rega　for
guides。

From　the　general　conduct　of　the　people　since　the　departure　of　my　party
with　the　post　to　Fatiko；　I　had　a　strong　suspicion　that　some　foul　play
was　intended；　and　that；　when　the　300　native　carriers　should　have　taken
the　people　across　the　Victoria　Nile；　they　would　desert　them　in　the
night；　and　return　with　the　boats。　I　therefore　wrote　a　letter　addressed
to　the　second　vakeel；　Eddrees；　ordering　him　to　return　at　once　to　Masindi
with　the　entire　party　if　he　had　any　suspicion　of　treachery。

I　concealed　this　note　in　a　packet　of　blue　cloth；　together　with　a　few
little　presents　for　Shooli　and　Gimoro；　at　Fatiko；　but　I　had　written　on
the　brown　paper　cover　of　the　parcel；　instructions　that　Eddrees　or
Mohammed；　the　dragoman；　should　search　the　contents；　as　a　letter　was
hidden　within。　I　gave　this　packet　to　Umbogo；　telling　him　that　it　was　a
present　for　Shooli；　and　begging　him　to　despatch　a　messenger　without
delay　to　overtake　the　party　before　they　should　have　crossed　the　Victoria
Nile。　The　native　messenger；　to　whom　I　gave　a　small　gratuity；　immediately
started；　thus　I　should　be　able　to　forewarn　my　people　in　the　event　of
trouble。

In　the　afternoon　Kabba　Rega　sent　for　me　to　repair　the　small　musical　box
that　I　had　given　him；　which　was　slightly　deranged。　I　replied　that；　until
he　fulfilled　his　agreement　to　clear　the　high　grass　from　the
neighbourhood；　I　could　not　think　of　attending　to　any　request；　as　he　had
broken　all　his　promises。

In　half　an　hour　after　this　answer　he　sent　forty　men；　under　Kittakara；　to
commence　the　clearing；　as　he　was　in　despair　about　his　musical　box。

Two　native　merchants　from　the　distant　country　of　Karagwe；　who　had　been
sent　by　their　king；　Rumanika；　to　purchase　ivory　from　Unyoro；　had　arrived
at　Masindi。　These　people　were　brought　to　me　on　26th　May；　accompanied　by
Kittakara；　together　with　Umbogo；　the　interpreter。　I　observed　that
Kittakara　was　acting　the　part　of　spy；　to　overhear　and　to　report　the
substance　of　the　conversation。　Some　excitement　had　been　caused　by　the
report　that　two　travellers　were　residing　with　Rumanika；　and　that　these
people　had　arrived　from　the　M'wootan　N'zige。　I　was　in　hopes　that　one　of
these　travellers　might　be　Livingstone。

The　Karagwe　merchants　were　well…dressed；　and　very　civilized…looking
people。　They　stared　upon　arrival　in　the　divan；　and　were　shortly　seated
upon　a　mat　before　me。

After　some　conversation；　I　questioned　them　concerning　the　travellers；
and　I　immediately　wrote　both　questions　and　replies　in　my　journal；　which
I　now　give　verbatim。

〃Have　you　personally　seen　the　travellers？〃

Answer：　〃Yes；　one　is　tall；　with　a　long　beard　and　white　hair。　The　other
is　a　very　black　man　（an　African）；　and　short。〃

Question：　〃How　do　they　eat？〃

Answer：　〃With　a　knife　and　fork　and　plate。〃

Question：　〃Have　they　a　compass〃　（Compass　exhibited）？

Answer：　〃No；　but　they　have　a　small　mirror　like　those　in　your
possession。〃

Question：　〃Do　they　purchase　ivory？〃

Answer：　〃Yes。　We　are　now　sent　by　Rumanika　to　buy　ivory　for　them。〃

Question：　〃Have　they　a　large　quantity？〃

Answer：　〃An　immense　quantity。　They　have　a　large　house；　which　is　quite
full。〃

Question：　〃How　will　they　transport　it？〃

Answer：　〃They　are　building　a　vessel　of　iron　on　the　M'wootan　N'zige；　upon
the　borders　of　which　they　are　now　staying。〃

Question：　〃Do　they　know　that　I　am　commanding　this　expedition？〃

Answer：　〃Yes；　they　have　frequently　asked　‘whether　you　had　arrived；'　and
they　wish　to　go　to　Khartoum。〃

〃There　is　no　trace　of　poor　Livingstone　in　their　description。　I　imagine
that　some　enterprising　Portuguese　trader　is　building　a　ship　to　trade
upon　M'wootan　N'zige。　God　help　him　if　he　tries　to　transport　his　ivory　by
this　route。

〃I　shall　write　to　Livingstone　by　the　first　opportunity。　Like　all　other
of　my　informants；　these　native　merchants　told　me　that　the　M'wootan
N'zige　extended　to　Karagwe；　after　a　long　turn　to　the　west。　It　varied
much　in　width；　and　at　Karagwe　it　was　narrow。〃

For　some　days　I　had　conversations　with　these　intelligent　people。　They
brought　me　two　elephants'　tusks　to　sell；　as　they　wished　to　show　Rumanika
the　quality　of　goods　that　were　now　introduced　from　the　north。　I　made
them　a　few　presents；　after　the　bargain；　to　create　a　favourable
impression；　and　I　once　more　cross…examined　them　upon　geographical
questions。

Their　description　of　the　east　shore　of　the　M'wootan　N'zige　was　as
follows：

Geographical　Information：

〃South　of　Unyoro　　　　is　a　country　　　Kabboya；
　　　〃　　〃　　　Kabboyu　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　Tambooki；
　　　〃　　〃　　　Tambooki　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　M'Pororo；
　　　〃　　〃　　　M'Pororo　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　Ruanda；
　　　〃　　〃　　　Ruanda　　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　Baroondi；
　　　〃　　〃　　　Baroondi　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　Chibbogora；
　　　〃　　〃　　　Chibbogora　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　Watuta；
　　　〃　　〃　　　Watuta　　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　Manchoonda；〃

〃Beyond　the　Machoonda　they　knew　nothing；　except　that　the　lake　extends
for　an　enormous　and　unknown　distance。

〃On　the　west　shore；　opposite　Kabboyu　and　Tambooki；　is　situated　the
cannibal　country　of　Booamba。

〃The　route　to　Karagwe　from　Masindi；　via　the　M'wootan　N'zige　（Albert
N'yanza）；　istake　boat　from　Chibero　（a　day's　long　march　from　Masindi）
to　M'Pororoat　which　spot　you　leave　the　boat；　and　proceed　overland　in
one　day　to　the　Karagwe　frontier。

〃The　Kittangide　river　passes　through　M'Pororo；　N'Kole；　and　Kishakka；
and；　after　a　very　winding　course；　it　cuts　through　Karagwe；　and　falls
into　the　Victoria　N'yanza。

〃'Baroondi'　must　be　Speke's　'Urundi；'　as　I　find　that　many　names　that　he
has　prefixed　with　'U'　are　here　pronounced　as　'B。'

〃By　Speke's　map　Urundi　is　in　about　3　degrees　south　latitude。　The
M'wootan　N'zige　is　therefore　known　to　pass　through　Ruanda；　Baroondi；　and
the　Watutaor　beyond　the　north　end　of　the　Tanganyika　Lake。

〃This　looks　as　though　the　Tanganyika　and　the　M'wootan　N'zige　were　only
one　vast　lake　bearing　different　names　according　to　the　localities
through　which　it　passes。〃

I　have　extracted　this　from　my　journal；　as　it　was　written　at　the　moment
that　the　information　was　given。　I　have　no　theory；　as　I　do　not　indulge　in
the　luxury　of　geographical　theories；　but　I　shall　give　my　information　in
the　same　words　in　which　I　received　it　from　the　natives。　Speculative
geographers　may　then　form　their　own　opinions。

From　the　day　when　Kabba　Rega　had　denied　the　possession　of　the　guns　and
ammunition　belonging　to　the　irregular　levy；　he　had　never　appeared　at　his
new　divan；　neither　had　I　seen　him。

Upon　many　occasions　I　had　sent　to　request　his　attendance；　but　he　was
always　in　the　sanctuary　of　his　own　private　house；　or　rather
establishment　of　houses；　these　were　a　series　of　enormous　beehive…shaped
straw　and　cane　dwellings　in　a　courtyard　of　about　an　acre；　surrounded　by
a　fence；　and　guarded　by　many　sentries；　each　of　whom　had　a　small　but
built　in　the　middle　of　the　hedge。

Since　the　departure　of　the　irregular　levy；　I　had　noticed　a　decided
change　in　the　demeanour　of　the　chiefs。　Kittiakara；　who　had　been　our
greatest　friend；　could　never　look　me　in　the　face；　but　always　cast　his
eyes　upon　the　ground　when　speaking　or　listening。

The　food　for　the　troops　was　obtained　with　the　greatest　difficulty；　after
constant　worry　and　endless　applications。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　insisted
upon　the　right　of　paying　for　a　supply　of　corn；　the　chiefs　replied：　〃Is
not　Kabba　Rega　your　son？　can　a　son　sell　corn　to　his　own　father〃

At　the　same　time　we　never　had　two　days'　provisions　in　store；　and　we　were
simply　living　from　hand　to　month。　This　looked　suspicious；　as　though　the
troops　were　to　be　rendered　helpless　by　the　absence　of　supplies　in　the
event　of　hostilities。

My　few　Baris　consisted　of　my　good　interpreter　Morgian；　together　with
three　other　natives；　who　had　been　for　some　years　in　the　employ　of
Suleiman。　I　had　kept　these　people　with　me；　as　they　knew　something　about
the　country　and　the　Unyoros。　They　were　all　armed　and　were　tolerably　good
shots。　One　of　these　fellows　（Molodi）；　a　native　of　the　Madi　country；　was
extremely　useful　and　intelligent。　He　now　told　me　that　I　could　never
depend　upon　Kabba　Rega；　and　that　he　had　simply　begged　me　to　send　the
irregulars　out　of　the　country　in　order　that　I　should　not　hear　the　truth
of　his　former　conduct　from　them；　also；　in　their　absence；　I　should　be
quite　ignorant　of　the　paths　that　were　now　completely　overgrown　with
immensely　high　grass　throughout　the　country。

An　incident　occurred　on　the　31st　May　which　caused　me　serious　anxiety。

The　station　was　in　complete　order：　the　cultivation　was　thriving；　and　the
general　appearance　of　the　government　settlement　was　a　strong　contrast　to
the　surrounding　wilderness　of　high　grass；　and　the　large　and　dirty　town
of　Masindi。

My　troops　were　now　without　occupation；　therefore　I　instructed　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader　to　drill　them　every　morning。

It　had　been　the　daily　practice　of　the　band　to　march　up　and　down　the
broad　approach；　and　to　perform　nearly　opposite　Kabba　Rega's　public
divan。

There　was　no　clear　place　in　which　the　troops　could　be　drilled；　except　in
the　public　square　at　the　back　of　Kabba　Rega's　divan；　this　was　about　the
centre　of　the　town。

The　square　was　an　open　space　of　about　two　acres；　and　was　the　spot　at
which　all　public　festivities　were　held；　and　where；　upon　many　occasions；
Kabba　Rega　delighted　to　sit；　in　a　large　open　shed；　to　witness　the　absurd
performance　of　his　buffoons。

This　open　space　was　well　adapted　for　the　exercise　of　a　company　of
troops。　I　therefore　ordered　the　men　on　parade；　and　I　accompanied　them
myself　together　with　Lieutenant　Baker。

The　band　played；　as　usual；　at　the　head　of　the　company；　and　we　marched
through　the　town　to　the　open　square。

Here　the　troops　were　put　through　their　musketry　drill；　and　commenced
various　evolutions。

To　my　astonishment；　I　saw　the　natives　hurrying　off　in　all　directions。　I
was　perfectly　unarmed；　as　were　also　the　officers　（excepting　their　side
arms）　and　Lieutenant　Baker。

Almost　immediately　the　huge　war…drum　sounded　in　the　house　of　Kabba　Rega；
and　the　dull　hollow　notes　continued　to　beat　the　alarm！

In　less　than　ten　minutes；　horns　were　blowing　and　drums　were　beating　in
all　directions；　and　with　extraordinary　rapidity；　some　five　or　six
thousand　men　came　pouring　down　from　every　quarter；　fully　armed　with
spears　and　shields；　in　a　state　of　frantic　excitement；　and　at　once
surrounded　the　troops。　Fresh　bands　of　natives；　all　of　whom　were　in　their
costume　of　war；　continued　to　concentrate　from　every　side。　The　crowd　of
warriors　leapt　and　gesticulated　around　my　little　company　of　men　as
though　about　to　attack。

I　immediately　gave　the　order　to　form　a　square　with　fixed　bayonets。　This
manoeuvre　puzzled　the　natives　extremely。

They　danced　around　the　square；　within　a　few　feet　of　the　glistening　row
of　bayonet…points；　which　were　lowered　so　as　to　form　an　impenetrable
fence。

The　officers　were　of　course　inside　the　square。　I　gave　the　men　strict
o