ismailia-第96章

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imagined　they　would　at　once　fraternize　with　the　invading　force。

The　natives　of　the　country　were　thoroughly　alarmed；　as　the　cannibals
were　eating　the　children　of　the　Koshi　country　on　the　west　bank　of　the
Nile；　in　about　3　degrees　latitude；　and　should　they　cross　the　river；　the
Madis　and　Shoolis　expected　the　same　fate。

I　ordered　Suleiman　（who　had　received　a　letter　from　Atroosh）　to　take　a
letter　from　me　to　Ali　Emmeen；　the　vakeel　of　the　invading　force；
instructing　him　to　present　himself　before　me　at　Fatiko　instantly　with　an
escort　of　his　own　people；　limited　to　twenty…five　men。　At　the　same　time　I
gave　instructions　to　the　natives　upon　no　account　to　furnish　boats　for　a
larger　party。

After　some　days'　absence　Suleiman　returned；　but　without　Ali　Emmeen；　who
was　afraid　to　appear。　This　vakeel　had　received　my　verbal　assurance　from
Suleiman　that；　should　any　persons　attempt　the　passage　of　the　river
without　my　permission；　they　would　be　instantly　shot；　at　the　same　time；
if　he　wished　to　convey　the　ivory　to　Gondokoro　by　the　usual　route；　he
could　do　so　with　an　escort　of　regulars。

This　was　an　awkward　position　for　Ali　Emmeen；　who　had　expected　to　find
allies　at　Fabbo；　but　who　now　found　a　faithful　corps　of　irregulars　with
Suleiman　at　their　head　acting　under　my　orders。

He　accordingly　took　100　men　and　returned　about　180　miles　to　the　camp　of
Atroosh　for　fresh　instructions。　The　3；000　Makkarika　cannibals　were　left
with　the　remainder　of　his　company　on　the　west　bank　of　the　Nile　to　feed
upon　the　natives　of　Koshi　until　his　return。

Every　day　people　arrived　at　Fatiko　with　horrible　reports　of　the
cannibals；　who　were　devouring　the　children　in　the　Koshi　district。　Spies
went　across　the　river　and　brought　me　every　intelligence。　It　appeared
that　the　3；000　Makkarikas　had　been　engaged　by　Ali　Emmeen　under　the
pretence　that　they　were　〃to　go　to　Fatiko　and　fight　a　chief　called　'the
Pacha；'　who　had　enormous　flocks　and　herds；　together　with　thousands　of
beautiful　women　and　other　alluring　spoil；〃　but　they　had　not　heard　that
they　were　to　carry　3；000　elephants'　tusks　to　the　station　of　Atroosh。

My　spies　now　told　them　the　truth。　　〃Fight　the　Pacha！〃　they　exclaimed：
〃do　you　not　know　who　he　is？　and　that　he　could　kill　you　all　like　fowls；
as　he　did　the　people　of　Ali　Hussein？　He　has　no　cows　for　you　to　carry
off；　but　he　has　guns　that　are　magic；　and　which　load　from　behind　instead
of　at　the　muzzle！〃

This　was　a　terrible　disappointment　to　the　deluded　Makkarikas；　which　at
once　spread　dissension　among　them；　when　they　found　that　they　had　been
cajoled　in　order　to　transport　the　heavy　loads　of　ivory。

A　providential　visitation　suddenly　fell　upon　them。　　The　small…pox　broke
out　and　killed　upwards　of　800　bloodthirsty　cannibals　who　had　been
devouring　the　country。

The　Nile　was　reported　to　be　about　six　miles　in　width　opposite　their
station；　in　about　3　degrees　latitude；　which　is　only　a　few　miles　from　the
Albert　N'yanza。　This　visitation　of　small…pox　created　a　panic　which
entirely　broke　up　and　dispersed　the　invading　force；　and　defeated　their
plans。

We　were　now　in　frequent　communication　with　Rionga；　who　was　always
represented　in　my　Fatiko　camp　by　the　presence　of　one　of　his　sheiks　and
several　men。

Ali　Genninar　had　made　a　combined　attack　upon　Kabba　Rega；　together　with
Rionga　and　the　Langgo　tribe；　and　had　utterly　defeated　him。　His　people
were　now　deserting　him　in　great　numbers；　and　were　flocking　to　the
winning　side。　Kabba　Rega　had　taken　to　flight；　and　was　supposed　to　be
hiding　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Chibero；　on　the　borders　of　the　Albert
N'yanza。

M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　had　invaded　Unyoro　from　the　south；　and
having　heard　of　Kabba　Rega's　treachery　towards　myself；　he　had　sent　an
army　of　6；000　men　under　his　general；　Congow；　to　be　placed　at　my
disposal。

This　friendship　was　the　result　of　my　diplomacy　in　having　sent　him
valuable　presents　from　Masindi；　together　with　a　letter　warning　him
against　Kabba　Rega；　who　wished　to　prevent　the　goods　of　the　north　from
reaching　Uganda；　in　order　that　he　might　monopolize　the　trade　in　Unyoro。

The　subsequent　conduct　of　Kabba　Rega　had　proved　this　accusation；　and
M'tese　had　heard　with　rage　and　dismay　that　I　had　been　forced　to　burn　all
the　numerous　goods；　which　otherwise　would　have　passed　to　him　in　Uganda。

On　the　25th　December　the　fort　of　Fatiko　was　completed。　This　was
commenced　on　the　28th　August；　thus　my　men　had　been　four　months　engaged
in　the　work；　owing　to　the　extreme　hardness　of　the　subsoil；　which　was　a
compact　gravel　resembling　concrete。

The　three　faces　of　the　fort　measured　455　yards　of　fosse　and　earthen
rampart。　The　fosse　was　eight　feet　wide；　eight　feet　deep；　and　the　face　of
the　rampart　was　protected　by　chevaux…de…frise　of　sharpened　stakes。　The
west　base　of　the　fort　was　the　rock　citadel；　which　commanded　the
surrounding　country。　Upon　this　solid　foundation　I　had　built　an　excellent
powder…magazine　and　store；　of　solid　masonry。　This　fire…proof　building
was　roofed　with　a　thick　cement　of　clay　from　the　white…ant　hills；　that
had　been　tempered　for　some　weeks　and　mixed　with　chopped　straw。

All　my　work　was　completed；　and　I　could　do　nothing　until　the
reinforcements　should　arrive　from　Gondokoro。　The　natives　paid　their
trifling　corn…tax　with　great　good　humour；　and　they　generally　arrived　in
crowds　of　several　hundreds；　singing　and　dancing；　with　large　baskets　of
tullaboon　upon　their　heads；　with　which　they　filled　our　rows　of
granaries。

The　grass　was　fit　to　burn；　and　the　bunting　season　had　fairly　commenced。　
All　the　natives　now　devoted　themselves　to　this　important　pursuit。　The
chase　supplies　the　great　tribe　of　Shooli　with　clothing。　Although　the
women　are　perfectly　naked；　every　man　wears　the　skin　of　an　antelope　slung
across　his　shoulders；　so　arranged　as　to　be　tolerably　decent。　The　number
of　animals　that　are　annually　destroyed　may　be　imagined　from　the　amount
of　the　skin…clad　population。

Although　the　wilderness　between　Unyoro　and　Fatiko　is　uninhabited；　in
like　manner　with　extensive　tracts　between　Fabbo　and　Fatiko；　every
portion　of　that　apparently　abandoned　country　is　nominally　possessed　by
individual　proprietors；　who　claim　a　right　of　game　by　inheritance。

This　strictly　conservative　principle　has　existed　from　time　immemorial；
and　may　perhaps　suggest　to　those　ultra…radicals　who　would　introduce
communistic　principles　into　England；　that　the　supposed　original　equality
of　human　beings　is　a　false　datum　for　their　problem。　There　is　no　such
thing　as　equality　among　human　beings　in　their　primitive　state；　any　more
than　there　is　equality　among　the　waves　of　the　sea；　although　they　may
start　from　the　same　level　of　the　calm。

In　a　state　of　savagedom；　the　same　rules　of　superiority　which　advance
certain　individuals　above　the　general　level　in　civilized　societies　will
be　found　to　exert　a　natural　influence。　Those　who　become　eminent　will　be
acknowledged　by　their　inferiors。　The　man　who　is　clever　and　wise　in
council　will　be　listened　to：　the　warrior　who　leads　with　courage　and
judgment　will　be　followed　in　the　battle；　the　hunter　who　excels　in
tracking　up　the　game　will　be　sent　to　the　front　when　the　party　are　on　the
blood…track。　In　this　way　superiority　will　be　generally　admitted。
Superiority　of　intellect　will　naturally　tend　to　material　advancement。
The　man　of　sense　will　gather　more　than　the　fool。　That　which　he　gathers
becomes　property；　which　must　be　acknowledged　by　society　as　an　individual
right　that　must　be　protected　by　laws。

In　tribes　where　government　is　weak；　there　is　a　difficulty　in　enforcing
laws；　as　the　penalty　exacted　may　be　resisted；　but　even　amidst　those　wild
tribes　there　is　a　force　that　exerts　a　certain　moral　influence　among　the
savage　as　among　the　civilized：　that　force　is　public　opinion。

Thus；　a　breach　of　the　game…laws　would　be　regarded　by　the　public　as　a
disgrace　to　the　guilty　individual；　precisely　as　an　act　of　poaching　would
damage　the　character　of　a　civilized　person。

The　rights　of　game　are　among　the　first　rudiments　of　property。　Man　in　a
primitive　state　is　a　hunter；　depending　for　his　clothing　upon　the　skins
of　wild　animals；　and　upon　their　flesh　for　his　subsistence；　therefore　the
beast　that　he　kills　upon　the　desert　must　be　his　property；　and　in　a
public　hunt；　should　he　be　the　first　to　wound　a　wild　animal；　he　will　have
gained　an　increased　interest　or　share　in　the　flesh　by　having　reduced　the
chance　of　its　escape。　Thus　public　opinion；　which　we　must　regard　as　the
foundation　of　EQUITY；　rewards　him　with　a　distinct　and　special　right；
which；　becomes　LAW。

It　is　impossible　to　trace　the　origin　of　game…laws　in　Central　Africa；　but
it　is　nevertheless　interesting　to　find　that　such　rights　are　generally
acknowledged；　and　that　large　tracts　of　uninhabited　country　are　possessed
by　individuals　which　are　simply　manorial。　These　rights　are　inherited；
descending　from　father　to　the　eldest　son。

When　the　grass　is　sufficiently　dry　to　burn；　the　whole　thoughts　of　the
community　are　centred　upon　sport；　but　should　a　person　set　fire　to　the
grass　belonging　to　another　proprietor；　he　would　be　at　once　condemned　by
public　opinion；　and　he　would　（if　such　establishments　existed）　be
certainly　expelled　from　his　club。

There　was　no　more　work　undone　in　my　charming　Fatiko　station。　The　roads
from　the　three　gates　were　so　far　completed　as　to　form　respectable
approaches。　The　gardens　had　produced　abundantly；　and　the　troops　were　all
in　excellent　health　and　good　discipline。　On　Mondays　and　Fridays　they
were　exercised　at　light…infantry　drill　for　several　hours。　Every　man　had
his　post；　which　he　occupied　like　lightning　when　the　bugle　suddenly
sounded　the　alarm。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　held　the　rock　citadel；　as　they
could　fire　over　the　heads　of　those　in　the　camp　without　fear　of　accident。
The　night　alarm　sounded　unexpectedly；　and　as　I　went　the　rounds；　every
man　was　at　his　quarters　without　a　whisper。　The　cleanliness　and　general
order　of　the　camp　were　perfect。

I　now　associated　with　the　natives　as　a　hunter。　It　was　in　this　capacity
that　I　had　first　won　their　hearts　many　years　ago。　We　were　so　short　of
meat　that　I　began　to　feel　the　necessity　that　first　turned　the　hand　of
savage　man　against　the　beasts　of　the　forest。

The　chase　throughout　the　Shooli　country　was　carried　on　as　a　profession；
and　was　conducted　by　general　rules　under　an　admirable　organization。

The　favourite　method　of　hunting　was　by　means　of　nets。　Every　man　in　the
country　was　provided　with　a　net　of　strong　cord。　This　was　twelve　yards
long；　and　about　eleven　feet　deep；　if　stretched　to　its　maximum。　The
meshes　were　about　six　inches　square。　There　was　no　promiscuous
net…hunting；　but　the　chief　of　the　district　organized　the　chase　in　the
following　manner：

The　big　nogara　was　sounded；　and　the　news　rapidly　spread　that　an　assembly
was　desired　at　the　village　of　their　headman。　At　Fatiko　the　chief　was
Wat…el…Ajoos　Omare。　A　few　hours　after　the　drum　had　summoned　the　headmen；
natives　might　be　seen　approaching　from　all　sides　to　the　appointed　spot
at　which　the　council　was　to　be　held。

After　much　talking；　it　was　at　length　decided　that　the　hunt　should　take
place　upon　the　manors　of　certain　individuals　whose　property　was
contiguous。　The　day　of　the　hunt　was　arranged；　and　the　headmen　of　the
villages　retired　to　make　the　necessary　arrangements。

Should　a