ismailia-第90章

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had　none　of　the　stiffness　of　Kamrasi；　nor　the　gauche　bearing　of　Kabba
Rega；　but　he　was　perfectly　at　his　ease。　He　at　once　thanked　me　for　the
handsome　suit　in　which　he　was　dressed；　without　which；　he　assured　me　that
it　would　have　been　difficult　for　him　to　have　appeared　before　me　in　a
becoming　manner。　The　troops　were　drawn　out　to　receive　him；　and　the
conversation　at　once　turned　upon　Kabba　Rega　and　Abou　Saood。

He　had　an　intimate　knowledge　of　all　that　had　taken　place；　which　had　been
reported　to　him　by　his　spies；　and　he　declared　that　Abou　Saood　had　long
ago　arranged　a　plan　with　Kabba　Rega　for　our　destruction　should　we　arrive
from　Gondokoro。

Rionga　was　well　aware　how　often　I　had　refused　to　attack　him；　and　he
confessed　that　I　had　been　his　saviour　by　the　arrest　of　Suleiman；　who
would　have　joined　the　forces　of　Kabba　Rega　to　have　crushed　him。

I　took　a　great　fancy　to　Rionga；　as　he　was　so　perfectly　free　and　easy　in
his　manner。　He　told　me　several　anecdotes　of　the　escapes　he　had　had　from
snares　laid　for　him　by　Kamrasi；　and　he　seemed　quite　rejoiced　that　I；　who
had　always　declined　to　molest　him　before　I　had　known　him　personally；
should　now　have　taken　him　by　the　hand。

He　declared　that　he　would　always　remain　the　faithful　representative　of
the　Khedive's　government；　but　at　the　same　time　we　must　IMMEDIATELY
EXCHANGE　BLOOD；　without　which　ceremony；　the　people　would　not　rise　in　his
favour。　He　said；　〃If　the　natives　of　this　country；　and　also　the　Langgos
and　the　Umiros；　shall　hear　that　I　have　exchanged　blood　with　the　Pacha；
they　will　have　thorough　confidence；　as　they　will　know　that　he　will
always　be　true　to　me；　and　I　to　him；　but　without　this　irrevocable
contract；　they　will　always　suspect　some　intrigue；　either　upon　your　side
or　mine。〃

Rionga　proposed　that　we　should　drink　blood　on　the　following　morning；　as
no　time　should　be　lost；　he　revelled　with　childish　delight　in　the　despair
that　would　seize　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs　when　they　should　hear　the
news　that　the　Pacha；　and　his　friend　Rionga　had　exchanged　blood。

The　preparation　for　the　ceremony　was　to　commence　that　evening。　We　were
to　drink　a　large　quantity　of　plaintain　cider。　〃Not　such　stuff　as　Kabba
Rega　gave　you；〃　exclaimed　Rionga；　〃but　a　drink　such　as　a　friend　will
partake　with　you。〃　I　was　not　to　eat　anything　on　the　morrow；　until　the
sun　should　be　in　a　certain　position　in　the　heavens；　at　which　time　he
would　call　upon　me。　I　was　to　exchange　blood　with　Rionga；　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader　and　Lieutenant　Baker　were　to　go　through　the　same
interesting　ceremony　with　his　minister　and　his　son　at　the　same　time。

I　recommended　him　at　once　to　summon　the　chiefs　of　the　Langgos　and　the
Umiros；　as　I　should　wish　to　secure　their　alliance　and　allegiance　without
loss　of　time。

Many　large　jars　of　the　best　quality　of　plantain　cider　were　now　brought
from　the　island。

The　night　passed　in　nothing　but　singing　and　dancing　as　Rionga　gave　an
entertainment　in　honour　of　our　arrival；　and　as　a　preliminary　to　the
ceremony　of　exchanging　blood　on　the　following　morning。

At　about　9　A。M。　the　unpleasant　task　was　to　be　performed。　Rionga　arrived
and　begged　me　to　accompany　him　within　a　tent；　together　with　Lieutenant
Baker；　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　Karmissua；　and　Majobi。

Several　of　his　first…class　people　were　admitted　as　witnesses；　these　were
Inqui；　Kimata；　Ulendu；　Singoma；　Kibera；　and　some　others。

Fortunately　I　had　a　small　lancet　in　the　handle　of　my　knife；　therefore　I
made　a　slight　incision　on　my　left　fore…arm；　from　which　a　few　drops　of
blood　flowed。　Rionga　immediately　seized　my　arm　and　greedily　sucked　the
scratch。　I　had　to　perform　upon　his　arm；　and　I　took　care　to　make　so
slight　a　puncture　that　only　a　drop　of　blood　appeared；　this　was　quite
enough　for　my　share　of　the　ceremony。　We　were　now　friends　for　ever；　and
no　suspicion　of　foul　play　could　possibly　be　entertained。　Lieutenant
Baker　and　Abd…el…Kader　went　through　the　same　operation　with　their
respective　partners；　and　cemented　an　indissoluble　friendship。

It　was　rather　a　disgusting　performance；　but　at　the　same　time　it　was
absolutely　necessary　for　the　success　of　the　expedition。　I　had　now　really
secured　a　trustworthy　man；　who　would　act　as　my　vakeel。

When　we　emerged　from　the　hut；　a　minstrel　appeared；　who　played　upon　a
species　of　harp；　and　sang　praises　of　myself　and　Rionga；　and；　of　course；
abused　Kabba　Rega　with　true　poetical　licence。

I　gave　the　minstrel　a　considerable　present　of　beads；　and　he　went　away
rejoicing；　singing　and　twanging　his　instrument　to　the　discomfiture　of
all　our　enemies。

It　was　fortunate　that　I　had　been　able　to　carry　so　much　as　300　lbs。　of
beads。　The　soldiers　could　now　purchase　fish　and　potatoes。

On　the　23rd　July；　two　great　sheiks　were　introduced　by　Rionga：　〃Gonah〃；
the　chief　of　a　Langgo　district；　and　〃Okooloo〃；　a　renowned　warrior　of　the
Umiros。

The　naked　body　of　Okooloo　was　covered　with　small　tattoo　marks；　each　of
which　I　was　assured　represented　a　victim　to　his　lance。

If　he　had　really　killed　half　that　enormous　number　of　men；　he　must　have
considerably　reduced　the　population；　and　he　could　have　been　doing　little
else　during　his　life。　Samson's　feat　of　killing　1；000　men　was　hardly　to
be　compared　to　the　slaughter　that　had　been　accomplished　by　Okooloo。

The　prospect　of　a　general　attack　upon　Kabba　Rega　with　fire　and　lance　was
delightful　to　the　taste　of　this　warlike　old　chief；　who　would；　at　the　end
of　the　campaign；　have　no　more　room　on　his　own　skin；　and　would　have　to
keep　the　list　of　his　game　either　upon　the　back　of　a　son　or　a　favourite
wife。

I　soon　made　friends　with　these　tribes。　　A　few　red　and　yellow
handkerchiefs；　and　two　or　three　pounds　of　red　and　white　beads；　were
sufficient　to　gain　their　alliance。　I　proclaimed　Rionga　as　the　vakeel　of
the　government；　who　would　rule　Unyoro　in　the　place　of　Kabba　Rega；
deposed。　Rionga　was　accepted　by　acclamation；　and　if　the　young　traitor；
Kabba　Rega；　could　have　witnessed　this　little　projet　de　traite；　he　would
have　shivered　in　his　shoes。

Rionga　was　a　general　favourite；　and　the　natives　were　sincerely　glad　to
see　him　at　length　supported　by　the　government。　Throughout　his　life　he
had　striven　bravely　against　every　species　of　treachery　and　persecution；
the　day　of　his　revenge　had　arrived。

I　did　not　wish　to　overrun　Unyoro　until　the　grass　should　be　fit　to　burn；
this　would　not　be　until　the　end　of　November。

I　therefore　arranged　that　I　would　leave　Abd…el…Kader　with　sixty…five　men
in　a　powerful　stockade　that　I　had　constructed　on　the　edge　of　the　river
in　this　spot；　N。　lat。　2　degrees　6'　17〃；　to　support　Rionga；　and　to
organize　the　native　forces；　while　I　would　take　forty　men　（sniders）　and
march　to　Fatiko；　to　inquire　into　all　that　had　happened　during　my
absence。　It　would　be　necessary　to　form　a　corps　of　irregulars　under　the
command　of　Wat…el…Mek；　which　I　should　immediately　send　to　occupy　Unyoro。

Rionga　told　me　that　he　should　attack　M'rooli　in　company　with　the　Langgos
and　Umiros；　who　would　quickly　overrun　the　country　now　that　Kabba　Rega
was　unsupported　by　the　slave…hunters。

He　at　once　collected　fifty　natives　to　carry　our　loads　to　Fatiko。

On　27th　July；　having　left　all　beads；　&c。；　with　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　for
the　purchase　of　provisions；　we　took　a　cordial　leave　of　Rionga；　and
started；　in　six　canoes；　at　12。30　P。M。；　paddling　down　the　stream；　we
arrived　at　our　deserted　zareeba　at　3。12　P。M。　We　found　the　camp　quite
undisturbed；　no　one　appeared　to　have　entered　it　since　we　had　left　it
some　days　ago。　The　palm　outrigger　canoes　were　lying　in　the　same　spot；
secured　to　the　rushes；　and　all　that　had　belonged　to　us　was　rigidly
respected。

Rionga　had　given　us　a　sheep　to　eat　during　our　march　of　seventy…nine
miles　from　Foweera　to　Fatiko。　This　did　not　seem　very　generous；　but　his
cattle　had　been　mostly　carried　off　by　the　slave…hunters　under　Suleiman。

Fortunately；　just　as　we　entered　our　old　station；　I　shot　a　guinea…fowl；
which　made　a　good　curry；　and　saved　our　store　of　dried　fish　for　the
uninhabited　wilderness　before　us。

The　best　fish　（as　I　before　mentioned　in　〃The　Albert　N'yanza〃）　is　the
Lepidosiren　annectens；　and　this　fat　and　delicate　meat　is　excellent　when
smoked　and　dried。

We　slept　in　our　old　camp；　and　early　on　the　following　morning　we　prepared
to　cross　the　river。

Rionga's　people　did　not　quite　trust　the　inhabitants　on　the　other　side；　I
accordingly　sent　a　strong　party　of　rifles　across　first　to　occupy　the
high　rocky　landing…place。

On　the　return　of　the　canoes；　we　were　just　preparing　to　cross　with　the
remainder　of　the　party；　when　I　observed　eight　natives　walking　very　fast
along　the　forest…covered　cliff　on　the　other　side。　We　immediately　gave
the　alarm　to　our　men　who　occupied　the　rocks。　The　telescope　now
discovered　that　the　arrangement　of　the　hair　of　these　natives　was　the
fashion　of　Shooli　and　Fatiko。

The　eight　strangers；　who　had　not　before　observed　us；　now　halted　in
astonishment；　and　presently　they　shouted　in　good　Arabic

〃Are　you　the　Pacha's　soldiers？　We　are　sent　by　Abdullah　to　look　for　the
Pacha！〃

This　was　great　good　fortune；　then　Abdullah　was　alive；　and　I　hoped　my
detachment　was　all　right！

We　crossed　the　broad　river；　and　upon　close　arrival；　we　discovered　that
two　of　the　messengers　were　well　known　to　us；　one　of　whom　was　Iarro；　the
interpreter　of　the　great　sheik；　Rot　Jarma。

The　first　gleam　of　pleasure　with　which　I　had　welcomed　these　messengers
quickly　changed　to　considerable　anxiety。

I　was　now　informed　that　the　attempt　to　destroy　us　by　poison；　and
subsequently　by　a　treacherous　attack　at　Masindi；　was　mainly　due　to　the
intrigues　of　Abou　Saood；　who　had　originally　advised　Kabba　Rega　to　resist
me　should　I　arrive　in　his　country。　This　traitor　Abou　Saood　had
considered　that　we　should　be　certainly　massacred　when　once　in　the　heart
of　Unyoro。　He　had　therefore　assumed　a　despotic　command　of　Fatiko　and　all
the　neighbouring　countries　shortly　after　my　departure；　and　he　had　given
orders　‘　to　the　natives　and　to　the　sheik；　Rot　Jarma；　that　〃no　supplies
of　corn　should　be　provided　for　Major　Abdullah's　troops。〃

Rot　Jarma　had　been　faithful　to　the　government；　and　his　people　had
carried　corn　to　Major　Abdullah。　Abou　Saood　had　therefore　ordered　his　men
to　attack　Rot　Jarma。　They　had　accordingly　surprised　him　while　believing
in　the　protection　of　the　government；　and　had　captured　his　cattle；
together　with　a　number　of　slaves。　In　that　attack　the　brigands　had　lost
five　men；　whose　guns　had　been　subsequently　taken　to　Kabba　Rega　for　sale
by　the　natives　we　had　seen　at　Masindi。

Abou　Saood　then；　enraged　at　the　loss　of　five　men；　together　with　their
guns；　had　sent　for　Wat…el…Mek　from　Faloro；　and　had　given　him　the　command
above　the　well…known　Ali　Hussein；　with　orders　to　carry　fire　and　sword
through　the　country。

Major　Abdullah　had　vainly　expostulated。　　Abou　Saood　had　personally
threatened　him；　and　Ali　Hussein　and　an　officer　named　Lazim；　with　some
others；　had　gone　armed　into　the　government　camp；　and　had　actually　seized
natives　who　had　taken　refuge　with　Abdullah；　from　whose　house　they　were
thus　dragged　by　force　in　defiance　of　authority。

When　the　news　arrived　from　Foweera　that　I　had　punished　Suleiman　for　the
murder　of　the　prisoner；　both　Abou　Saood　and　his　people　had　declared；
that　they　〃would　secure　Major　Abdullah　in　a　forked　pole；