ismailia-第95章

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They　now　unlashed　the　arms　of　the　prisoner；　and　insisted　upon　his
paddling　the　canoe　across　the　river。　Two　journeys　were　necessary。　The
first　was　successful；　and　the　regular　troops；　together　with　the　post　and
Suleiman　and　others；　were　safely　landed。　During　the　second　journey；　as
the　canoe　was　passing　a　rock　above　some　dangerous　rapids；　the　native
suddenly　upset　the　boat　by　throwing　his　weight　quickly　to　one　side；　and
plunged　the　whole　party　in　the　river。　Some　of　them　were　carried　over　the
cataracts　and　drowned。　The　others；　including　Ali　Genninar；　were　good
swimmers；　and　they　reached　the　shore。

Although　the　irregulars　thoroughly　knew　the　country；　they　now　found
themselves　in　the　immense　wilderness　that　separates　Unyoro　from　the
Shooli　and　Madi　tribes。

In　this　sea　of　high　grass　they　wandered　for　some　days；　lost；　until　they
at　length　discovered　the　regular　path；　and；　after　great　suffering；
reached　Fatiko。

Eddrees；　who　had　been　appointed　vakeel；　became　a　traitor；　and　upon
meeting　Abou　Saood　and　his　people；　who　had　come　out　to　receive　the　party
upon　their　arrival；　he　cried　out；　〃Look　sharp　for　your　neck；　Abou　Saood：
the　Pacha　has　sent　an　order　to　arrest　you。〃

A　short　time　after　this；　Eddrees　died　of　dysentery。　　Suleiman　behaved　in
an　honourable　manner。　Instead　of　going　into　Abou　Saood's　camp；　he
immediately　presented　himself　before　Major　Abdullah；　and　confessed　his
sins；　acknowledging　that　he　had　been　justly　punished。　He　surrendered
himself　into　the　hands　of　the　commandant；　according　to　the　oath　he　had
taken　on　the　road。

Although　Major　Abdullah　had　now　received　the　post；　together　with　my
orders；　he　thought　it　advisable；　considering　the　danger　of　a　collision
with　Abou　Saood's　people；　to　allow　Suleiman　his　liberty　on　parole；　and
he　had　returned　to　his　position　of　vakeel　at　Fabbo。　Ali　Genninar　had　at
once　offered　to　continue　his　duties　as　a　government　soldier。

A　few　days　after　the　arrival　of　the　post；　the　news　was　brought　of　the
battle　of　Masindi；　and　that　our　escape　from　Unyoro　was　impossible。

The　almost　open　hostility　of　Abou　Saood　and　his　numerous　forces　had
paralyzed　Major　Abdullah；　who；　fearing　the　responsibility　of　an
outbreak；　kept　quiet；　and　trusted　in　Providence；　until　I　had　fortunately
appeared。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　plan　laid　by　Kabba　Rega　for　securing　the
arms　and　effects　of　Major　Abdullah　and　his　detachment　broke　down　through
a　premature　attack　on　the　part　of　the　natives；　who　had　neither　the
courage　nor　the　patience　to　go　to　Fatiko　on　the　chance　of　success　in
such　a　distant　enterprise。

Suleiman　had　written　me　a　letter　imploring　forgiveness。　Wat…el…Mek
arrived　at　Fatiko　after　the　seizure　of　the　ammunition　by
Salim…Wat…Howah；　and　he　begged　pardon　for　Suleiman；　assuring　me　that　he
was　truly　penitent；　that　the　devil　had　misled　him；　and　Abou　Saood　was
that　devil。　If　I　would　grant　him　a　free　pardon；　no　man　would　be　more
faithful；　and　the　irregular　force　now　established　would　be　delighted　at
such　an　act　of　clemency。

Although　Suleiman　was　a　great　ruffian；　he　was　like　everybody　else　in
that　respect。　If　I　had　refused　the　enlistment　of　all　immoral　characters
in　the　middle　of　Africa；　I　should　have　had　what　is　now　known　in　England
as　a　〃skeleton　regiment。〃　I　had　already　punished　him　severely。　In　every
case　of　defiance　of　the　government；　the　people　had　seen　that　so　small　an
organized　force　as　200　regulars；　amongst　innumerable　enemies；　and
without　any　communication　with　head…quarters；　had　been　able　to　beat　down
and　crush　every　enemy；　whether　native　or　rebel。　In　times　of　real
weakness；　it　is　frequently　necessary　to　be　severe；　that　a　grave　example
may　establish　authority；　but　after　victory　and　success；　I　felt　that　an
act　of　clemency　might；　even　among　half　savages；　be　more　binding　than
fetters。

I　therefore　told　Wat…el…Mek　that　I　could　not　give　any　promise　until
Suleiman　should　present　himself　before　me　at　Fatiko。　It　was　his　duty　to
deliver　himself　up　as　a　prisoner　upon　parole。

On　3rd　October　Wat…el…Mek　arrived　at　Fatiko　accompanied　by　Suleiman；　who
came　to　surrender。

The　prisoner　was　dressed　in　a　filthy　brown　woollen　cloak；　and　his　head
was　covered　with　a　greasy　and　almost　black　tarboosh　he　had　the
appearance　of　having　slept　on　a　dust…heap。　This　beggarly　outside　was　a
token　of　repentance　and　humiliation。

Suleiman　was　brought　before　me；　and　he　immediately　rushed　forward　and
knelt　to　kiss　my　feet；　exhibiting　at　the　same　time　considerable　emotion；
which　surprised　me；　as　he　was　notorious　as　a　stern；　hard…hearted　Kurd。

I　said　a　few　words　to　him；　explaining　that　he　must　not　think　me
impenetrable　if　I　doubted　his　sincerity；　as　I　had　been　already　deceived；
after　having　shown　him　much　kindness；　yet　the　same　time　I　did　not　wish
to　exert　severity；　if　I　could　win　him　to　obedience　by　good　advice。
（Suleiman　always　remained　faithful　from　that　moment；　and　became　a
dependable　officer。）　I　offered　him　a　free　pardon　if　he　would　swear　upon
the　Koran　fidelity　to　the　Khedive。　Should　he　deceive　me；　and　become　a
rebel　after　this；　he　knew　the　consequences。

Suleiman　now　declared；　and　swore　upon　the　Koran；　that　he　had　acted　only
upon　orders　he　had　received　from　Abou　Saood。　It　was　he　who；　in　spite　of
my　written　command　that　the　sheik　Werdella　should　be　spared；　had　ordered
two　of　his　slaves　to　take　him　from　the　Fabbo　zareeba；　and　to　cut　his
throat。

Both　Wat…el…Mek　and　Suleiman；　as　late　vakeels　of　Abou　Saood；　swore　to
their　written　evidence；　to　which　they　attached　their　seals　in　the
presence　of　witnesses；　that　Abou　Saood　had　given　orders　to　his　vakeels
to　harry　the　country　and　to　capture　slaves　and　cattle；　that　none　of　the
people　employed　by　him　received　wages　in　money；　but　that　they　were
invariably　paid　in　slaves；　valued　at　a　certain　sum。

〃All　the　opposition　that　I　had　met　with　had　been　caused　by　Abou　Saood。〃

Suleiman；　having　received　a　written　pardon；　made　his　salaam　and　retired。
An　hour　later　he　was　washed　beautifully　clean；　and　was　gorgeously
dressed　in　a　Turkish　costume　of　light　blue　woollen　cloth；　trimmed　with
gold　and　black　braid；　with　a　new　tarboosh；　a　handsome　silk　shawl　in
thick　folds　around　his　waist；　and　his　sabre　dangling　by　his　side。　This
sudden　metamorphosis　from　dirt　and　ashes　to　dazzling　attire　was
symbolical　of　disgrace　and　humiliation　succeeded　by　pardon　and
restoration　to　office。

Suleiman　was　to　continue　as　vakeel　of　the　Fabbo　station；　under　the
command　of　Wat…el…Mek。　In　the　magazines　of　Fabbo　were　3；200　elephants'
tusks。　These；　I　had　no　doubt；　would　be　confiscated　by　the　Khedive。

A　short　time　before　the　arrival　of　Suleiman；　an　extraordinary　incident
had　occurred　at　the　Fatiko　camp。

One　morning；　when　the　bugles　blew　the　usual　call；　it　was　discovered　that
the　prisoner　Lazim　had　escaped；　although　he　had　been　secured　in　irons。

Fortunately；　it　had　rained　slightly　during　the　night；　thus　it　would　not
be　difficult　to　track　his　footsteps。　I　immediately　sent　for　Shooli　and
Gimoro；　whose　village　was　only　700　yards　distant；　to　whom　I　promised　a
reward　of　a　cow；　should　they　succeed　in　capturing　the　escaped　felon。
They　quickly　got　upon　the　track　of　the　fugitive；　and　followed　like
bloodhounds。

I　have　already　described　this　fellow　Lazim　as　having　been　one　of　the
ringleaders　in　the　rebellion　of　the　slave…hunters；　and　he　was　almost　as
notorious　a　character　as　Ali　Hussein。　He　was　originally　himself　a　slave；
and　had　escaped　from　his　master　at　Khartoum　many　years　ago；　after　which
he　became　one　of　the　most　determined　slave…hunters。

I　felt　sure　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　him　to　have　escaped
without　the　connivance　of　the　sentry。　I　therefore　ordered　all　the
soldiers　that　had　formed　the　various　night…guards　over　the　prisoner　to
be　brought　before　me。　As　they　stood　in　line；　I　simply　told　them　that
〃the　prisoner　had　escaped；　and　that　one　of　the　men　now　present　was
guilty　of　aiding　and　abetting。　I　could　discover　the　fellow　who　had　thus
disgraced　himself　as　a　soldier　by　simply　looking　at　his　face。〃

Having　carefully　examined　the　countenance　of　each　man；　I　felt　confident
that　I　had　fixed　upon　the　guilty　person；　as　one　individual　quailed
beneath　my　eye；　and　at　length　looked　down　upon　the　ground。　This　happened
to　be　one　of　the　worst　characters　in　the　force。　I　therefore　at　once
ordered　him　to　be　flogged。

During　the　infliction　of　punishment；　this　fellow　not　only　confessed　that
he　had　assisted　in　the　escape　of　Lazim；　but　he　made　a　clean　breast　of
several　other　delinquencies。　He　was　accordingly　put　in　irons；　and
condemned　to　break　stones　for　the　new　roads。

In　the　evening　Shooli　returned；　but　without　the　prisoner。　Before　he　gave
his　report；　he　begged　me　〃not　to　be　angry。〃　He　then　described　that　he
had　tracked　Lazim's　footsteps　for　a　long　way　along　the　Fabbo　road　until
he　had　at　length　met　several　natives；　who　were　coming　towards　him。　These
men　declared　that　they　had　met　Lazim；　who　had　managed　to　get　rid　of　his
irons；　but　as　he　was　unarmed；　they　knew　that　he　must　have　run　away。　They
accordingly　asked　him　for　his　pass　from　me；　as　it　was　well　known　that　I
never　allowed　a　man　to　go　alone　without　a　written　order。

Lazim　of　course　was　unable　to　produce　a　paper。　　The　natives；　therefore；
insisted　upon　his　returning　with　them　to　Fatiko；　and　upon　his
remonstrating　they　seized　him。　A　struggle　ensued；　and　they　at　length
knocked　him　upon　the　head　with　au　iron　mace　and　killed　him。　Thus　ended
one　of　the　greatest　scoundrels；　and　the　government　was　relieved　by　his
escape　from　custody；　which　had　so　quickly　terminated　his　career。



CHAPTER　XXV。

I　SEND　TO　GONDOKORO　FOR　REINFORCEMENTS。

On　25th　November；　1872；　I　started　Wat…el…Mek　to　Gondokoro　with　a　force
of　irregulars；　in　addition　to　a　captain　and　twenty　regular　troops　in
charge　of　the　post。　His　party　consisted　of　100　men。

The　fleet　from　Gondokoro　had　left　on　the　3rd　of　November；　1871：　thus　it
was　natural　to　suppose　that　reinforcements　had　arrived　from　Khartoum；
according　to　my　written　instructions　on　that　date。　I　now　wrote　to　Raouf
Bey　at　head…quarters；　to　send　up　200　men　under　the　command　of
Lieutenant…Colonel　Tayib　Agha；　of　the　Soudani　regiment。　I　also　wrote　for
a　supply　of　cattle；　as　my　stock　had　dwindled　to　a　small　herd　of　milch
cows；　and　the　people　at　Fabbe　had　no　meat　except　the　flesh　of　any　game
that　might　be　killed。

A　short　time　after　the　departure　of　Wat…el…Mek　and　his　party　for
Gondokoro；　Suleiman　the　vakeel　arrived　from　Fabbo　with　the　intelligence
that　a　large　body　of　Abou　Saood's　slave…hunters；　including　3；000
Makkarika　cannibals；　had　arrived　on　the　Nile　from　the　far　west；　with　the
intention　of　taking　the　ivory　from　Fabbo！

It　appeared　that　Abou　Saood　had　gone　from　Gondokoro　to　his　station　at
the　Bohr；　upon　the　White　Nile；　from　thence　he　had　sent　a　party　with　a
letter　to　Atroosh；　the　vakeel　of　the　Makkarika　station；　about　200　miles
distant；　with　orders　that　he　should　send　a　powerful　force；　with
sufficient　carriers；　to　take　the　ivory　by　violence　from　Fabbo。

Abou　Saood　had　not　expected　that　the　people　whom　he　had　left　at　that
station　would　have　enlisted　under　the　government　standard。　Thus　he
imagined　they　would　at　once　fraternize　with　the　invading　force。

The　natives　of　the　country　were　thoroughly　alar