ismailia-第99章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


as　he　might　possibly　be　killed　by　a　lion　or　a　buffalo。〃　〃What　would
happen　to　us？〃　continued　the　women；　〃if　any　accident　should　befall　our
father？　Would　not　the　slave…hunters　immediately　return　to　the　country
and　destroy　us；　simply　because　he　had　protected　us？　Do　we　not　now　sleep
in　peace？　and　were　we　not　always　awake　at　night　before　he　came　among
us？〃

The　women　decided　that　I　was　to　be　kept　in　the　camp　as　a　cojoor　or
talisman；　and　that　the　natives　were　not　to　lead　me　into　danger　of　wild
animals。

This　declaration　of　the　ladies　of　Fatiko　could　hardly　be　called
PETTICOAT　government；　as　their　total　independence　of　attire　precluded
any　reference　to　such　a　garment；　but　it　was　a　distinct　assertion　of
women's　right　to　protect　the　person　who　had　protected　them。　They　were
excellent　people；　and　were　always　well　cared　for　and　kindly　treated　by
the　men。

My　fort　at　Fatiko　was　within　call　of　two　large　villagesthose　of　Gimoro
and　the　sheik　of　the　country：　during　my　sojourn　of　seven　months；　I　never
heard　a　woman　scream；　neither　was　there　any　domestic　or　civil
disturbance。

There　were　no　police　required　in　that　country；　there　was　no　pickpockets；
as　there　were　no　pockets　to　pickwhich　was　one　advantage　in　favour　of
nudity。　A　London　police　magistrate　would　have　died　of　ennui；　the
constables　could　not　even　have　sworn　to　a　case　of　intoxication；　merely
as　a　matter　of　form　to　afford　employment。　There　were　no　immoral　females
to　disgrace　the　public　streets；　neither　were　there　any　beggars；
vagrants；　organ…grinders；　or　perambulators　to　worry；　deafen；　or　upset
you。　My　country　was　a　picture　of　true　harmony。　We　had　no　complex
machinery　of　law；　there　was　no　such　difficulty　as　an　estate　in　Chancery；
no　Divorce　Court；　or　cases　of　crim。　con。　that　necessitated　an　appeal。
Adultery　would　be　settled　by　flogging　respondent　and　co…respondent；　with
a　judicial　separation　after　the　punishment。

I　had　no　ecclesiastical　difficulties；　no　High　Church；　Ritualists；　Low
Church；　Broad　Churchmen；　Philosophers；　Wesleyans；　Baptists；
Presbyterians；　Roman　Catholics；　Episcopalians；　Independents；　nor　even　a
Jesuit　or　a　descendant　of　Israel　to　bring　discord　into　my　harmonious
tabernacle。

My　troops　were　Mohammedans；　without　an　opposing　sect；　therefore；　for
lack　of　opposition；　they　were　lukewarm　believers。

The　natives　believed　in　nothing。

The　curious　fact　remained；　that　without　the　slightest　principle　of
worship；　or　even　a　natural　religious　instinct；　these　people　should　be
free　from　many　vices　that　disgrace　a　civilized　community。　I　endeavoured
to　persuade　the　most　intelligent　of　the　existence　of　a　Deity　who　could
reward　or　punish；　but　beyond　this　I　dared　not　venture；　as　they　would
have　asked　practical　questions；　which　I　could　not　have　explained　to
their　material　understanding。

I　extract　verbatim　from　my　journal　the　short　entry　of　31st　December；
1872　：

〃The　close　of　the　year　finds　us；　thank　God；　at　peace　in　this　country；
with　every　prospect　of　prosperity。〃



CHAPTER　XXVI。

ARRIVAL　OF　M'TESE'S　ENVOYS。

ON　15th　January；　1873；　the　sentry　on　the　rock　citadel　reported　a　party
arriving　from　the　Unyoro　road。　Shortly　after；　the　reports　of　guns　were
heard；　and　it　was　made　known　that　envoys　had　arrived　from　M'tese；　the
king　of　Uganda；　together　with　an　escort　of　natives；　and　two　of　my
soldiers　from　Rionga。　M'tese's　people　were　armed　with　guns。

The　envoys　were　quickly　ushered　into　the　new　divan；　which　was　a
circular；　lofty　building；　twenty　feet　in　diameter；　neatly　plastered；　and
painted　light　grey　with　a　mixture　of　wood…ashes。

Ali　Jusef；　the　principal　envoy；　was　a　native　of　Sishuaali；　on　the　coasts
of　the　Red　Sea　entrance；　and　the　Indian　Ocean。　I　had　several　officers
who　were　natives　of　the　same　country；　including　the　gallant　Ferritch
Agha　and　Said　Agha：　thus　I　had　excellent　interpreters。

The　envoys　were　beautifully　clean；　in　white　Bombay　cotton　clothes；　and
they　were　quite　civilized；　and　as　intelligent　as　Europeans。　They
appeared　to　have　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　route　to　India；　and　the
various　tribes　along　the　eastern　coast　of　equatorial　Africa。

These　people　gave　me　much　useful　information；　and　I　shall；　as　usual　in
this　work；　simply　extract　from　my　journal　the　exact　entry　made　at　the
moment　whenever　I　received　geographical　reports　from　the　natives：　thus　I
shall　give　to　the　public　the　unpolished　statements　precisely　as　I　heard
them；　upon　which　data　theoretical　geographers　may　form　their　own
opinions。

〃The　envoys　report；　that　from　Ujiji　（pronounced　by　them　Uyeye）　you　can
travel　by　lake　direct　to　Magungo；　the　lake　being　the　M'wootan　N'zige。

〃The　Victoria　N'yanza　is　called　by　two　names；　'Sessy'　or　'Kurewe。'
Although　large；　it　is　small　in　comparison　with　the　M'wootan　N'zige〃

There　was　no　news　of　Livingstone；　but；　according　to　my　request　from
Masindi；　M'tese　had　sent　everywhere　in　search　of　him；　and　he　had
forwarded　my　two　letters　addressed　to　him　in　different　directions。

The　king；　M'tese；　had　written　me　a　letter　expressing　great　friendship；
and　declaring　that　when　the　news　of　Kabba　Rega's　treachery　had　reached
him；　he　had　sent　an　army　under　General　Congow；　to　be　placed　at　my
disposal。

This　army　was　now　quartered　at　Mashudi；　（two　days'　march　from
Rionga's　island；　on　the　road　to　Masindi）　waiting　for　my　orders。　M'tese
begged　me　to　visit　him　as　soon　as　possible；　as　he　only　had　one　desire；
i。e。　〃to　see　my　face；〃　and　that　he　〃did　not　wish　for　presents。〃

This　was　a　model　African　potentate；　at　the　same　time　I　could　not
possibly　visit　him；　as　my　term　of　service　would　expire　upon　the　1st　of
April。

I　was　much　disappointed　at　this　impossibility；　as　M'tese　can　do　more　for
Central　Africa　than　any　other　potentate。　He　behaved　well　to　Speke　and
Grant；　and　he　had　been　very　true　to　me。

On　11th　February；　fresh　envoys　arrived　from　M'tese；　including　my　old
friend　Waysooah；　who　was　as　usual　dressed　very　carefully　in　Indian
costume；　with　a　handsomely…worked　cotton　robe。

M'tese　had　written　me　another　letter　in　Arabic；　begging　me　to　send　him
one　of　my　soldiers　as　my　representative；　if　I　could　not　come　personally。

The　road　was　now　declared　to　be　practically　open　between　Fatiko　and
Zanzibar　by　means　of　M'tese's　friendship。

This　excellent　man；　who　was　now　a　Mohammedan；　and　kept　an　Arab
secretary；　had　already　sent　to　Ujiji　in　search　of　Livingstone；　according
to　my　request；　and　his　messengers　had　returned　with　the　news；　〃that　he
had　been　at　Ujiji；　and　had　crossed　the　lake　to　the　west；　since　which；
nothing　had　been　heard　of　him。〃

M'tese's　people　were　still　in　search　of　Livingstone。　Ujiji　was　declared
to　be　on　the　〃M'wootan　N'zige；〃　i。　e。　the　Albert　N'yanza。

I　give　this　information　exactly　as　I　received　it。

I　now　wrote　a　letter　to　Dr。　Livingstone；　of　which　the　following　is　a
copy：

〃FORT　FATIKO。
（〃N。　lat。　3　degrees　1　minute；　E。　long。　32　degrees　36　minutes；）
〃February　13th；　1875。

〃MY　DEAR　LIVINGSTONE；

〃M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　has　been　searching　for　you；　according　to　my
instructions　sent　to　him　in　June　1872。

〃He　also　forwarded　my　letters　to　be　given　to　you　when　met　with。

〃His　envoys　have　now　visited　me　at　Fatiko；　with　the　report　that　M'tese's
messengers　heard　of　you　as　having　formerly　been　at　Ujiji；　but　that　you
had　left　that　station　and　crossed　the　Tanganyika　to　the　west。

〃Nothing　more　is　known　of　you。

〃I　have　sent　a　soldier　with　the　envoys　who　convey　this　letter；　he　will
remain　with　M'tese。　This　soldier　（Selim）　was　one　of　Speke's　men；　who
travelled　from　Zanzibar　to　Cairo。

〃M'tese　will　take　the　greatest　care　of　you。　He　has　behaved　very　well　to
the　government。

〃Since　I　wrote　to　you　in　June；　Kabba　Rega　treacherously　attacked　me　with
many　thousand　men。

〃I　thrashed　him　thoroughly；　and　I　have　set　up　Rionga；　the　old　enemy　of
his　family；　who　is　now　sheik　of　the　government。

〃M'tese　sent　Congow　with　several　thousand　men　to　assist　the　troops。

〃I　trust；　my　dear　Livingstone；　that　this　letter　may　reach　you。　Do　not
come　down　the　lake。　It　is　now　well　known　that　the　Tanganyika　is　the
Albert　N'yanza；　both　known　as　the　great　lake　M'wootan　N'zige。

〃A　steamer　will；　I　trust；　be　on　the　lake　this　year。

〃Ever　yours　most　sincerely；

〃SAM。　W。　BAKER。〃

On　13th　February；　after　a　few　days'　pleasant　sojourn　at　Fatiko；　M'tese's
envoys　returned　to　Uganda；　accompanied　by　my　representative；　Selim；　who；
although　a　private；　was　a　very　intelligent　Suachli；　he　had　formerly
accompanied　Speke　from　Zanzibar。　I　gave　Selim　instructions　to　impress
upon　M'tese　the　necessity　of　assisting　Livingstone　without　a　moment's
delay。

It　is　interesting　to　remember；　now　that　the　great　traveller　is　dead；
that　the　arrangements　I　had　made　for　his　assistance　would　have　secured
his　safety；　and　would　have　enabled　him　to　pursue　his　geographical
investigations　northward；　without　the　slightest　risk　or　difficulty；
beyond　the　bodily　fatigue　which　is　inseparable　from　African　travel。

My　letter　was　not　only　delivered　by　M'tese's　orders　into　the　hands　of
Lieutenant　Cameron；　R。N。　at　Unyamyembi；　but　M'tese　actually　sent　me　his
reply　through　the　weary　distance　to　Gondokoro！　This　reply　was　received
by　my　successor；　Colonel　Gordon；　and　was　forwarded　to　the　Khedive；　as　a
proof　of　the　effect　of　the　expedition　under　my　command；　in　opening
through　postal　communication　in　the　heart　of　Africa。　People　who　are
unacquainted　with　the　difficulties　of　Africa　cannot　sufficiently
appreciate　this　grand　result。　The　intelligent　king；　M'tese；　should
receive　a　present　from　our　government；　as　a　reward　for　having　exerted
himself　to　assist　an　English　consul　in　distress。　The　small　sum　of　200
pound　Sterling；　judiciously　expended；　would　procure　trifles　that　would
be　treasures　to　M'tese；　and　would　do　more　to　open　up　Central　Africa　to
travellers　than　any　other　means。

I　fear　this　may　be　forgotten；　and　that　M'tese　will　be　neglected　after
this　truly　philanthropic　effort　to　relieve　an　English　traveller　and
CONSUL　when　in　difficulty。

I　wrote　a　letter　thanking　M'tese　for　all　that　he　had　done；　and　assuring
him　that　our　country　would　be　grateful　to　him　for　any　assistance　that　he
might　render　Livingstone。　At　the　same　time　that　I　thanked　him　for　his
aid　to　myself；　I　begged　he　would　recall　his　army　from　Unyoro；　as　my
troops；　although　few；　were　strong；　and　that；　having　already　defeated
Kabba　Rega；　I　required　no　assistance。

I　sent　General　Congow　a　present　of　a　sword；　and　a　few　articles　to
M'tese；　in　return　for　a　specimen　of　beautifully…dressed　skins；　sewn
together　as　neatly　as　the　work　of　a　French　glover。。。

The　time　wore　on　in　considerable　anxiety　concerning　the　party　that　I　had
sent　to　Gondokoro　under　Wat…el…Mek　for　reinforcements。

I　had　allowed　them　forty…two　days　for　their　return　to　Fatiko　with　the
cattle　and　troops；　but　no　intelligence　had　been　received　of　their
movements　from　the　week　they　had　started。　Fortunately　the　abundance　of
game　in　the　neighbourhood　had　supplied　the　troops　with　meat。

At　length；　after　ninety…three　days'　absence；　news　was　brought　that
Wat…el…Mek　and　the　troops　were　close　at　hand。　Shooli　had　arrived　at
daybreak　to　say　that　a　native　had　seen　them　on　the　previous　evening　on
the　north　side　of　Shooa　hill；　about　seven　miles　from　Fatiko。

At　2。30　P。M。；　on　8th