ismailia-第93章

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rightly　punished。　This；　he　said；　was　〃God's　hand。〃　He　had　been　in
countless　fights　with　natives　during　many　years；　and　he　was　possessed　of
powerful　charms　and　spells；　including　numerous　verses　from　the　Koran
suspended　from　his　arms：　these　had　always　protected　him　until　the　day
when　he　had　raised　his　hand　against　the　government。　His　charms　had　at
once　failed　him；　and　he　had　lost　both　his　finger　and　the　gun　with　which
he　had　fired　at　me。

My　officers　and　soldiers　really　believed　that　I　had　purposely　cut　his
finger　off；　and　smashed　his　gun　by　a　rifle　shot；　to　prove　to　him　what　I
could　accomplish　with　a　rifle；　and　thus　to　warn　a　man　who　would　be
useful　to　me；　instead　of　killing　him。

Wat…el…Mek　now　offered　to　swear　upon　the　Koran　fidelity　and　allegiance
if　I　would　pardon　him；　and　he　would　at　once　prove　his　sincerity　by
raising　an　irregular　corps。

This　man　was　a　curious　character；　his　superstitious　nature　had　been
seized　with　the　conviction　that　his　present　position　was　a　special
visitation　of　divine　wrath。　He　was　a　courageous　fellow；　and　he　knew　the
country　and　the　natives　better　than　any　man　living。　I　had　always　wished
to　engage　his　services；　and　I　considered　this　an　excellent　opportunity。

The　officers　now　begged　me　to　forgive　him。　He　was　led　away　to　a　stream
of　clear　water；　where　he　went　through　the　process　of　washing　with　a　cake
of　soap；　which　was　sorely　needed。　He　was　then　dressed　in　clean　clothes
that　were　lent　to　him　for　that　purpose；　and　the　Koran　was　brought　and
laid　open　at　a　particular　passage。

Placing　his　wounded　hand　upon　the　page；　he　repeated　with　great　devotion
the　formal　oath。　（Wat…el…Mek　always　behaved　well　from　that　time。）

I　now　gave　him　a　few　words　of　good　advice；　encouraging　his　preconceived
idea　that　God　had　chastised　him　specially；　and　that　the　future　would
depend　upon　his　own　conduct。

Having　thus　secured　this　valuable　man；　whom　I　had　always　wished　to
engage　at　the　commencement　of　the　expedition；　there　was　much　to　be　done；
and　it　will　be　necessary　to　make　a　few　extracts　from　my　journal　that
will　better　explain　the　position：

〃August　5；　1872。I　ought　to　hang　Abou　Saood；　but　much　diplomacy　is
necessary。　The　rebels　in　their　three　stations；　Fabbo；　Faloro；　and
Farragenia　number　about　600；　exclusive　of　armed　Baris。

〃I　have　with　me　146　men；　including　officers。　Should　I　raise　the　whole
country；　the　difficulty　would　be　to　prevent　the　natives　from
exterminating　Abou　Saood　and　the　whole　of　his　forces。　Should　such　an
event　occur；　how　should　I　be　able　to　occupy　this　extensive　country　with
so　small　a　force？　I　have　lately　had　a　painful　lesson　in　the　treachery　of
Kabba　Rega；　who；　when　I　had　relieved　him　of　his　enemies；　the
slave…traders；　immediately　turned　against　ME。　These　natives　might
probably　do　the　same。　Negroes　respect　nothing　but　force；　and　the　force
that　now　exists；　if　removed；　will　leave　them　free　to　act　against　the
government。　Already　they　have　benefited　by　the　fight　with　the
slave…hunters；　by　running　off　with　the　arms　and　ammunition；　together
with　a　number　of　cattle；　while　our　troops　were　engaged　with　the　enemy。〃

I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　would　be　unwise　to　get　rid　of　the
slave…hunters　by　physical　force。　Although　I　felt　that　they　were　entirely
in　my　power；　as　I　could　bombard　their　stations　with　Hale's　rockets；　if
they　should　refuse　to　turn　out；　the　natives　would；　in　the　event　of　a
flight；　most　assuredly　possess　themselves　of　the　guns　and　ammunition。

With　146　men；　I　could　not　take　more　than　eighty　men　to　act　against　600；
as　the　small　force　of　sixty…six　would　be　the　minimum　that　I　could　leave
to　protect　the　Fatiko　station。　If　with　eighty　men；　together　with　a　wild
army　of　natives；　I　should　attack　Fabbo　（in　which　I　had　heard　that　Abou
Saood　was　concentrating　his　people　from　the　other　stations）；　every　one
of　the　slave…traders　would　be　massacred。　It　would　be　impossible　for
eighty　men　to　fight；　and　to　secure　at　the　same　time　the　600　stand　of
arms　that　would　be　in　the　hands　of　the　rebels。　These；　together　with　the
muskets　belonging　to　the　Baris；　would　all　fall　into　the　possession　of　my
native　allies；　who　would　immediately　scatter　and　disappear　with　their
prize。

Should　I　attack　Fabbo；　the　result　would　simply　arm　the　natives　with　800
or　900　stand　of　muskets；　together　with　a　large　amount　of　ammunition；
which　they　might　probably　use　against　me　at　some　future　time。

I　resolved　to　work　diplomatically；　and　to　keep　the　slave…hunters'　party
as　a　rod　above　the　backs　of　the　natives；　until　I　should　discover　their
real　character。

It　had　been　necessary　to　establish　a　corn　tax　＇*＇　for　the　support　of　the
troops。　Possibly　the　natives；　if　entirely　relieved　from　their
oppressors；　might　refuse　to　acknowledge　government　taxation！　At　all
events　I　determined　to　proceed　cautiously。

＇*Footnote：　The　corn　tax　was　thus　established。　Each　house　was　taxed　to
pay　a　small　basket　of　corn　every　full　moon。　All　old　and　infirm　people
and　also　strangers　were　exempted　from　taxation。　The　headman　of　each
village　was　responsible　for　the　tax；　and　he　delivered　a　bundle　of　small
pieces　of　reed；　the　size　of　drawing　pencils　which　represented　the　number
of　houses　belonging　to　able…bodied　men。　This　tax　was　always　paid
cheerfully；　in　gratitude　for　the　protection　afforded　by　the　government。＇

The　first　step　was　to　summon　Abou　Saood　and　to　hear　his　defence　from　his
own　mouth。

I　had　given　the　prisoners　their　choice；　of　either　enlisting　in　the
government　service；　or　returning　to　Khartoum。

Of　course　they　ought　to　have　been　shot　in　a　batch；　but　I　could　not
afford　to　shoot　them。　I　had　to　catch　and　tame　my　wild　beasts　instead　
of　destroying　them。

A　considerable　number　agreed　to　serve　under　Wat…el…Mek。

I　wrote；　on　5th　August；　a　letter　addressed　to　Abou　Saood；　summoning　hum
to　appear　instantly　at　Fatiko：　at　the　same　time　I　promised　him　a　free
exit；　without　which　written　assurance　I　might　as　well　have　summoned　the
〃man　in　the　moon〃。

It　was　difficult　to　procure　natives　who　would　accompany　the　new
irregulars　with　the　letter；　as　news　had　arrived　that　Abou　Saood's　people
were　plundering　and　laying　waste　the　neighbourhood　of　Fabbo。

At　length　I　arranged　that　eight　of　the　new　levy；　together　with　the
native　blacksmith　and　several　others　from　Fatiko；　who　were　well　known　in
the　Madi　country；　should　go　to　Fabbo　（22　miles）　with　my　letter　to　Abou
Saood。　The　blacksmith　would　protect　the　irregulars　by　explaining　their
new　position　to　any　natives　who　might　desire　to　molest　them。

I　also　sent　a　proclamation　to　be　read　publicly　in　the　zareeba；　summoning
all　subjects　of　the　Khedive　to　declare　their　allegiance　to　the
government。

On　the　following　day　（6th　August）　the　blacksmith　and　his　people　returned
to　Fabbo　thoroughly　disgusted。　Upon　their　arrival　near　the　zareeba　of
Abou　Saood　they　had　cried　out　to　the　slave…hunters　that　they　had　brought
〃a　letter　from　the　Pacha　to　Abou　Saood！〃　The　slave…hunters　had　replied
with　a　well…known　form　of　abuse　in　that　country；　and　had　immediately
fired　a　volley　into　the　blacksmith　and　the　eight　men　of　their　own
people！

The　blacksmith　and　his　natives　had　lost　no　time　in　running　back　to
Fatiko；　and　the　eight　irregulars　having　thrown　themselves　on　the　ground；
had　（the　blacksmith　supposed）　at　length　explained　who　they　were。

The　patience　and　forbearance　that　I　was　obliged　to　assume　were　far　more
trying　to　my　feelings　than　the　march　from　Masindi。

It　has　always　been　an　intense　satisfaction　to　me　that　I　had　reliable
witnesses　to　every　incident　of　the　expedition；　otherwise；　I　might
perhaps　have　been　suspected　of　some　prejudice　against　Abou　Saood　and
certain　Egyptian　authorities　that；　unknown　to　myself；　might　have
discoloured　the　true　aspect　of　affairs。　I　can　only　refer　to　Lieutenant
Baker；　R。N。；　and　that　gallant　officer；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；
and　many　others；　including　all　soldiers　and　servants　who　belonged　to　the
detachment　at　Fatiko。

These　persons　subsequently　gave　their　evidence；　which　they　will　be　ready
at　all　times　to　repeat。

On　7th　August；　at　about　5　P。M。；　Abou　Saood　appeared　with　about　forty　of
his　men。　He　was　afraid　to　enter　my　camp　without　a　second　assurance　in
writing　that　he　should　not　be　made　prisoner。

Of　course　he　swore　that　he　had　not　given　orders　to　fire　at　me；　and　he
declared　that　his　people　of　Fatiko　had　only　fired　because　they　were
afraid　that　the　natives　who　had　accompanied　me　were　about　to　attack
them。

I　asked　him；　〃If　that　were　the　case；　why　had　they　not　communicated　with
me；　as　I　was　only　ninety　yards　distant？〃　He　said　his　people　had　not
fired　at　the　government　troops；　but　only　at　the　natives　who　were　upon
the　rock。

He　could　not　quite　explain　in　that　case　〃how　it　was　that　1；000　natives
perched　upon　the　rock　close　together；　had　escaped　without　a　man　being
wounded；　while　not　only　were　seven　of　the　government　troops　knocked　down
by　bullets；　but　the　huts　and　furniture　of　our　camp；　including　boxes　in
the　magazine；　&c；　had　been　completely　riddled　with　balls。〃　He　then　began
to　lay　the　blame　on　Wat…el…Mek；　and　even　had　the　audacity　to　declare
that　〃he　had　nothing　to　do　with　slaves；　but　that　he　could　not　restrain
his　people　from　kidnapping。〃　I　never　heard　any　human　being　pour　out　such
a　cataract　of　lies　as　this　scoundrel。　His　plausibility　and　assurance
were　such　that　I　stood　aghast；　and　after　he　had　delivered　a　long　speech；
in　which　he　declared　that　〃he　was　the　innocent　victim　of　adverse
circumstances；　and　that　every　one　was　against　him；〃　I　could　merely　reply
by　dismissing　him　with　the　assurance　that　there　was　〃only　one　really
good　and　honest　man　in　the　world；　who　invariably　spoke　the　truth；　this
man　was　ABOU　SAOOD。　All　other　men　were　liars。〃

On　the　following　morning　Abou　Saood　came　to　take　leave。　He　pretended　to
devote　himself　to　my　service；　and　declared　that　he　should　now　at　once
return　to　Fabbo　and　organize　the　best　of　his　people　into　an　irregular
corps　for　the　government；　and　he　should　act　with　energy　as　my　vakeel；
and　assist　me　in　every　manner　possible。　He　begged　me　not　to　believe　a
word　that　any　one　might　say　EXCEPT　HIMSELF；　and　he　swore　by　the　eyes　and
head　of　the　Prophet　（this　was　his　favourite　oath　whenever　he　told　the
biggest　lie）　that　there　was　no　one　so　true　to　me　as　he；　which　he　would
prove　by　his　acts。　He　then　went　back　to　Fabbo。

This　is　the　last　time　that　I　ever　saw　Abou　Saood。　　He　took　200　men　upon
his　arrival　at　Fabbo；　and　after　having　told　his　men　to　cut　the　throat　of
the　sheik　Werdella；　who　was　a　prisoner　in　the　Fabbo　camp　under　my
special　orders　for　protection；　he　went　straight　to　Gondokoro　to　his
friend　Raouf　Bey。

This　officer；　who　commanded　at　head…quarters　during　my　absence；　although
he　heard　from　Abou　Saood's　people　of　the　attack　made　upon　me　at　Fatiko；
and　Abou　Saood　had　arrived　without　either　a　passport　or　letters　from
myself；　positively　allowed　him　to　depart　to　Khartoum。

At　Khartoum　Abou　Saood　spread　every　conceivable　false　report。　　Thence　he
travelled　to　Cairo；　expressly　to　complain　to　the　Khedive's　government　of
the　manner　in　which　he　had　been　treated　by　me。

Thus　the　greatest　slave…trader　of　the　White　Nile；　who　was　so　closely
connected　with　the　Soudan　government　that　he　was　a　tenant　who　had　rented
a　count