ismailia-第91章

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murder　of　the　prisoner；　both　Abou　Saood　and　his　people　had　declared；
that　they　〃would　secure　Major　Abdullah　in　a　forked　pole；　or　sheba；　and
treat　hiin　in　a　similar　manner。〃　They　had　also　threatened　to　attack　the
government　camp。

Major　Abdullah　had　written　to　me　at　Masindi　requesting　instructions；　he
had　intrusted　the　letter　to　a　native　of　Faieera。　This　man　had　most
unfortunately　arrived　at　Masindi　late　in　the　evening　upon　which　the
troops　had　been　poisoned。　On　the　following　morning　he　was　a　witness　to
the　murder　of　poor　Monsoor　and　Ferritch　Bagara；　and　when　the　general
action　commenced；　he　climbed　up　a　tree　at　no　great　distance　from　the
station；　and　cried　out　that　〃he　was　the　bearer　of　a　letter　from
Abdullah。〃

The　bullets　whizzed　so　thickly　about　him　that　he　descended　from　his
post；　and　then；　being　alarmed　lest　he　might　be　killed　by　the　natives
should　his　mission　be　discovered；　he　had　run　away　as　fast　as　possible；
and　returned　160　miles　to　Fatiko。　Thus　I　never　received　Major　Abdullah's
letter。

The　letter…carrier　having　seen　our　handful　of　men　surrounded　by　many
thousands　of　the　enemy　in　Masindi；　and　knowing　that　the　perfect
organization　of　Unyoro　would　bring　countless　enemies　upon　us；　who　would
occupy　the　routes　by　ambuscades；　had　considered　our　position　hopeless。

The　report　was　spread　〃that　we　were　all　destroyed：〃　thus　Abou　Saood　was
delighted。

Some　days　later；　my　party　arrived　at　Fatiko　that　had　left　Masindi　on　the
23rd　May　with　the　post；　together　with　the　prisoner　Suleiman。

These　people　had　suffered　terribly；　and　had　lost　eleven　men　killed；
exclusive　of　one　who　had　died　on　the　way　from　fatigue。

The　treacherous　plan　arranged　by　Kabba　Rega　had　failed；　and　the　natives
had　attacked　them　before　the　time　appointed。　This　will　be　described
hereafter。

Suleiman　was　no　longer　a　prisoner；　but　he　commanded　the　Fabbo　station
for　Abou　Saood。

Wat…el…Mek　had　received　my　letter；　and　he　wished　to　serve　the
government；　but　Abou　Saood　had　prevented　him；　and　now　that　I　was
supposed　to　be　dead；　it　would　be　impossible。

This　man；　Wat…el…Mek；　had　nevertheless　behaved　well；　as　he　had
immediately　demanded　100　men　from　Abou　Saood；　and　fifty　men　from
Abdullah；　in　order　to　march　to　Unyoro；　join　Rionga；　and　with　a　native
army　he　would　have　searched　for　us　throughout　the　country。

Abou　Saood　had　refused　to　give　the　100　men；　therefore　we　had　been　left
to　our　fate。

The　result　of　the　story　was　that　I　must　hurry　on　to　Fatiko；　Rot　Jarma
had　sent　his　messengers　to　discover　me　whether　dead　or　alive；　and　should
I　not　march　quickly；　Abdullah　might　be　attacked　and　overpowered；　and　the
slave…hunters　would　possess　themselves　of　all　the　ammunition　and　stores。

。　。　。　This　was　not　very　refreshing　news；　after　all　the　troubles　we　had
gone　through。

Had　I　received　this　important　intelligence　during　my　stay　with　Rionga；　I
should　not　have　left　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　with　sixty　men　behind　me。　It
would　not　do　to　waste　time　by　halting：　and　should　I　send　to　recall
Abd…el…Kader　immediately　after　my　departure；　the　effect　upon　Rionga
would　create　suspicion。　The　withdrawal　of　the　troops　would　destroy　all
confidence　on　the　part　of　his　native　allies。

I　gave　the　order　to　march　forward　at　once。

My　horse；　Jamoos；　now　the　only　survivor　of　all　those　that　I　brought　from
Cairo；　was　in　good　condition；　but　he　suffered　from　a　woeful　sore　back；
occasioned　by　the　heavy　load　that　he　had　carried　from　Masindi。　My　wife
was　therefore　obliged　to　walk；　as　the　mud　was　too　deep　for　the　solitary
donkey；　who　was　weak　and　ill。

For　more　than　a　mile　and　a　half　we　had　to　wade　through　flooded　marshes
nearly　hip　deep；　the　heavy　rains　had　made　the　country　boggy　and
unpleasant。

We　had　one　sheep　for　the　journey　of　seventy…nine　miles；　but　this　was
missing　upon　the　second　day's　march；　and　we　subsequently　discovered　that
it　had　been　stolen　and　eaten　by　our　guide　and　the　carriers　supplied　by
Rionga。　We　were　thus　reduced　to　dried　fish　in　the　place　of　our　lost
mutton；　for　which　we　felt　inclined　to　go　into　mourning。

Although　we　had　been　badly　fed　of　late；　and　for　twenty…three　days　had
been　without　solid　animal　food　（since　the　march　from　Masindi）；　we　were
nevertheless　in　excellent　health；　and　always　hungry。

We　marched　well　through　the　uninhabited　wilderness　of　forest；　high
grass；　and　swamps；　and　arrived　at　the　village　of　Sharga；　ten　miles　from
Fatiko；　on　August　1st；　1872。

The　people　had　collected　in　considerable　numbers　to　receive　us；　and　we
were　presented　with　a　fat　ox　for　the　troops；　thirteen　large　jars　of
merissa；　and　a　very　plump　sheep　for　ourselves。

The　soldiers　were　delighted；　poor　fellows；　and　we　likewise　looked
forward　with　no　small　pleasure　to　a　good　stew。

Numerous　sheiks　had　collected　to　receive　us；　and　a　formal　complaint　and
protest　was　made　against　Abou　Saood　and　his　people。

An　attack　had　been　planned　by　the　slavers；　and　Abdullah　and　his　small
detachment　of　100　men　would　be　overpowered。　They　were　already
disheartened；　as　they　believed　that　we　were　dead；　and　they　had　been
daily　taunted　with　this　fact　by　the　brigands；　who　asked　them；　〃what　they
were　going　to　do　now　that　the　Pacha　was　killed。〃

Abou　Saood；　having　given　his　orders　to　Wat…el…Mek；　and　to　the　ruffian
Ali　Hussein；　had　withdrawn　to　the　station　of　Fabbo；　twenty…two　miles
west　of　Fatiko；　to　which　place　he　had　carried　all　the　ivory。　He　was　not
fond　of　fighting；　PERSONALLY。

The　natives　corroborated　the　information　I　had　received　from　Rot　Jarma's
messengers。　They　declared　that　not　only　had　women　and　children　been
carried　off；　but　that　the　slave…hunters　under　Ali　Hussein　had　cut　the
throats　of　many　of　their　women　before　their　eyes；　and　had　dashed　the
brains　of　the　young　children　upon　the　rocks　in　derision　of　my　power；
saying；　〃Now　see　if　the　Nuzzerani　（Christian）　can　protect　you！〃

They　declared　that　Wat…el…Mek　really　wished　to　join　the　government；　but
that　when　he　got　drunk；　both　Abou　Saood　and　others　could　induce　him　to
behave　badly。

There　were　several　hundred　people　present　at　this　meeting；　and　the
sheiks　wound　up　in　a　cool　and　temperate　manner；　by　advising　me　〃not　to
judge　from　what　they　had　told　me；　but　simply　to　march　early　on　the
following　morning　to　Fatiko；　and　to　receive　the　report　direct　from　my
own　commandant；　Major　Abdullah。

〃If　he　contradicts　us；　you　may　say　that　we　are　liars；　then　never　believe
us　again。〃

This　was　the　conclusion　of　the　palaver。

The　morning　of　2nd　August　arrived；　and　we　started　at　6。20　A。M。；　and
marched　fast　over　a　beautiful　country　of　dells；　woods；　and　open
park…like　lands；　until　we　ascended　the　hill　that　rose　towards　the　high
plateau　at　Fatiko。

As　we　passed　the　numerous　villages　we　were　joined　by　curious　bands　of
natives；　who　by　degrees　swelled　our　party　to　nearly　a　thousand　persons。
There　was　no　doubt　that　these　people　expected　to　witness　a　row；　as　they
knew　that　Abdullah　had　been　threatened。　It　was　therefore　highly　probable
that　we　might　be　attacked；　as　the　slave…hunters　would　imagine　that　my
small　force　of　forty　men　was　the　last　remnant　of　my　detachment。

No　one　at　Fatiko　had　an　idea　of　my　existence：　thus　we　should　arrive　as
though　risen　from　the　dead。

I　halted　the　men　on　a　large　flat　rock　about　a　mile　and　a　half　south　of
Fatiko。　Here　they　changed　their　clothes；　and　dressed　in　their　best
scarlet　uniforms　and　white　linen　trousers。

We　again　marched　forward；　until；　upon　gaining　the　racecourselike
plateau；　we　perceived　the　station　in　the　distance。

The　bugles　now　sounded　the　〃assembly〃；　to　apprise　Major　Abdullah　of　our
approach。　We　then　marched；　while　the　natives；　who　delight　in　music；
struck　up　an　accompaniment　on　their　whistles。　My　wife　was　riding　the
horse；　as　his　back　was　nearly　recovered。

With　the　telescope；　I　now　perceived　a　great　stir　in　Major　Abdullah's
camp。　The　men　were　running　to　and　fro；　presently　red　clots　appeared；
these　rapidly　increased；　until　a　thin　line　of　scarlet　showed　me　that　his
troops　were　drawn　up　outside　the　camp　to　receive　us。

We　arrived　at　9。30　A。M。　　The　first　formalities　having　been　gone　through；
the　troops　embraced　their　friends；　and　I　shook　Major　Abdullah　warmly　by
the　hand；　and　asked　him　for　immediate　news。　He　merely　replied：　〃Thank
God；　sir；　you　are　safe　and　arrived　here；　all　will　go　well　now　that　you
are　alive　again。　I　have　kept　a　journal；　and　when　you　have　rested；　I　will
hand　you　my　report　in　writing。〃

My　old　dragoman；　Mohammed；　had　burst　out　crying　with　joy　at　our　arrival；
and　he　assured　me　that　it　was　most　fortunate　that　I　had　appeared；　as
affairs　had　become　worse　than　ever。

The　natives　that　had　accompanied　us　had　ascended　the　large　flat　rock
which　commanded　the　station　（and　which　now　forms　the　citadel）；　upon
which　they　had　squatted　down　like　a　flock　of　cormorants；　to　observe　all
that　passed。

No　one　had　come　to　salute　me　from　Abou　Saood's　station；　which　was　almost
a　portion　of　that　belonging　to　the　government；　as　it　was　only　separated
by　a　level　turf　ninety　yards　across。

The　absence　of　the　vakeel　and　his　people　was　a　studied　insult；　as　it　was
his　duty　to　have　at　once　appeared；　with　his　men　in　line　to　receive　us。

A　hut　having　been　swept　out；　I　entered　to　change　my　dress；　as　I　wished
to　inspect　the　troops。　I　never　wore　a　uniform　in　this　country；　except
upon　state　occasions；　but　a　simple　Norfolk　shirt　of　thick　white　cotton；
and　trousers　of　the　same　material。　This；　with　an　Egyptian　silk　coffeeah
arranged　over　my　own　old　helmet　hat　was　sufficient　for　Central　Africa。

I　ordered　Major　Abdullah　to　form　the　troops　in　line；　as　I　wished　to
inspect　them。

At　the　sound　of　the　bugle；　they　formed　two　deep　on　the　beautiful　turf
outside　the　slight　fence　which　surrounded　the　camp。　My　horse；　having
been　rubbed　down　and　quickly　saddled；　was　led　through　the　narrow　wicket；
having　mounted；　I　rode　down　the　line　and　made　a　short　inspection　of　the
troops；　who　appeared　to　be　in　excellent　health。

I　was　just　returning　to　the　camp；　and　was　about　to　dismount；　as　I　could
not　ride　through　the　extremely　narrow　wicket；　when　I　was　begged　by　Major
Abdullah　to　wait　a　little　longer；　as　the　people　of　Wat…el…Mek　were　now
approaching　with　their　numerous　flags；　to　salute　me　according　to　the
usual　custom。

Seven　large　silk　crimson　flags　upon　tall　staffs　headed　with　lance
points；　and　ornamented　with　balls　of　black　ostrich　feathers；　marked　the
intervals　of　the　advancing　line　of　ruffians。

They　were　about　270　strong；　and；　they　formed　a　line　in　very　open　order；
exactly　facing　the　government　troops；　at　about　forty　yards'　distance。
Two　principal　officers；　Wat…el…Mek　and　the　celebrated　Ali　Hussein；　were
exceedingly　busy　running　up　and　down　the　line；　and　forming　their　men；　so
as　to　make　the　greatest　display　of　force。　Wat…el…Mek　was　dressed　in
bright　yellow　with　loose　flowing　trousers。　Ali　Hussein　was　in　a
snow…white　long　robe　with　black　trousers。　The　officers　were
distinguished　by　clean　clothes；　but　the　men　were　clad　in　various
costumes；　generally　formed　of　tanned　leather。

By　way　of　complimenting　me；　they　had　brought　out　two　LARGE　CASES　OF
AMMUNITIONeach　a　load　for　a　native！

These　boxes　were　placed　with　a　guard　beneath　a　tree。　　My　wife；　who　had
as　usual　come　to　watch　the　proceedings；　now　begged　me　to　di