ismailia-第12章

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twenty　minutes　later　we　saw　three　vessels　belonging　to　the　mudir；　or
governor；　of　Fashoda。　We　heard　from　the　people　on　these　boats　that　the
governor　（Ali　Bey；　the　Koordi）　was　making　a　razzia　on　the　Shillook
tribe。　The　banks　of　the　river　were　crowded　with　natives　running　away　in
all　directions；　women　were　carrying　off　all　their　little　household
goods；　and　children　were　following　their　parents；　each　with　a　basket　on
their　heads　containing　either　food　or　something　too　valuable　to　be　left
behind。　I　immediately　went　off　in　a　rowing　boat；　and；　after　much
difficulty；　I　succeeded　in　inducing　some　of　the　natives　who　could　speak
Arabic　to　stop　and　converse　with　me。　They　declared　that　the　Turks　had
attacked　them　without　provocation；　and　that　the　Koordi　（as　the　governor
of　Fashoda　was　called）　had　stolen　many　of　their　women　and　children；　and
had　killed　their　people；　as　he　was　generally　plundering　the　country。　I
begged　the　natives　not　to　fly　from　their　district；　but　to　wait　until　I
should　make　inquiries　on　the　following　day；　and　I　promised　to　restore
the　women　and　children；　should　they　have　been　kidnapped。

〃I　halted　at　a　forest　about　nine　miles　from　the　junction　of　the　Bahr
Giraffe；　where　a　bend　of　the　river　concealed　the　steamers　and　diahbeeah。

〃Late　at　night；　when　most　people　were　asleep；　I　sent　orders　to　the　chief
engineer　of　the　No。　10　steamer　to　have　the　steam　up　at　five　on　the
following　morning。

〃April　20。We　started　punctually　at　the　appointed　hour；　my　diahbeeah；
as　usual；　being　towed　by　the　steamer。　As　we　rounded　the　point　and
quickly　came　in　sight　of　the　governor's　vessels；　I　watched　them　with　a
powerful　telescope。　For　some　time　we　appeared　to　be　unobserved。　I　knew
that　the　troops　were　not　celebrated　for　keeping　a　sharp　lookout；　and　we
arrived　within　three…quarters　of　a　mile　before　the　sound　of　our　paddles
attracted　their　attention。　The　telescope　now　disclosed　some　of　the
mysteries　of　the　expedition。　I　perceived　a　considerable　excitement　among
the　troops　on　shore。　I　made　out　one　tent；　and　I　distinguished　men
hurrying　to　and　fro　apparently　busy　and　excited。　During　this　time　we
were　rapidly　approaching；　and　as　the　distance　lessened；　I　could
distinctly　see　a　number　of　people　being　driven　from　the　shore　on　board　a
vessel　that　was　lying　alongside　the　bank。　I　felt　convinced　that　these
were　slaves；　as　I　could　distinguish　the　difference　in　size　between　the
children　and　adults。　In　the　mean　time　we　were　travelling　at　full　speed
（about　eight　miles　an　hour）　in　the　broad　but　slack　current　of　that
portion　of　the　White　Nile。

〃At　6。35　we　ranged　up　alongside　the　bank　opposite　the　tent　which
belonged　to　the　Koordi　governor　of　Fashoda。　We　had　passed　close　to　the
three　vessels；　but　no　person　was　visible　except　their　crews。　My　arrival
was　evidently　quite　unexpected；　and　not　very　agreeable。

〃The　governor　shortly　appeared；　and　was　invited　on　the　poop　deck　of　my
diahbeeah；　this　was　always　furnished　with　carpets　and　sofas　so　as　to
form　a　divan。

〃After　a　pipe　and　coffee；　I　commenced　the　conversation　by　describing　the
impossibility　of　an　advance　at　this　season　via　the　Bahr　Giraffe；
therefore　I　had　found　it　necessary　to　return。　He　simply　replied；　‘God　is
great！　and；　please　God；　you　will　succeed　next　year。'

〃I　now　asked　him　how　many　troops　he　had　with　him；　as　I　noticed　two　brass
guns；　and　a　number　of　irregular　cavalry；　in　addition　to　some　companies
of　infantry。　He　replied　that　he　had　five　companies　in　addition　to　the
cavalry　and　mounted　Baggara　Arabs；　and　that　he　was　‘collecting　the
taxes。'

〃I　begged　him　to　explain　to　me　his　system　of　taxation；　and　to　inform　me
whether　he　had　established　a　poll；　or　a　house　tax；　or　in　what　special
form　the　dues　were　represented。　This　seemed　to　be　a　great　puzzle　to　the
mind　of　the　governor；　and　after　applying　to　my　colonel；　to　whom　he　spoke
in　Turkish；　he　replied　that　the　people　were　very　averse　to　taxation；
therefore　he　made　one　annual　tour　throughout　the　country；　and　collected
what　he　thought　just。

〃I　asked　him　whether　he　captured　women　and　children　in　the　same　way　in
which　he　annexed　the　natives'　cattle。　To　this　he　replied　by　a　distinct
negative；　at　the　same　time　assuming　an　expression　of　horror　at　such　an
idea。

〃I　immediately　ordered　my　aide…de…camp；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；
to　visit　the　vessels　that　were　lying　a　few　yards　astern。　This　was　a　very
excellent　and　trustworthy　officer；　and　he　immediately　started　upon　an
examination。　In　the　mean　while　the　Koordi　governor　sat　rigidly　upon　the
sofa；　puffing　away　at　his　long　pipe；　but　evidently　thinking　that　the
affair　would　not　end　in　simple　smoke。

〃In　a　few　minutes　I　heard　the　voice　of　my　colonel　angrily　expostulating
with　the　crew　of　the　vessel；　who　had　denied　that　any　slaves　were　on
board。　Almost　at　the　same　time　a　crowd　of　unfortunate　captives　emerged
from　below；　where　they　had　been　concealed；　and　walked　singly　along　the
plank　to　the　shore；　being　counted　by　the　officer　according　to　sex　as
they　disembarked。　The　Koordi　governor　looked　uncomfortable；　as　this
happened　before　our　eyes。　I　made　no　remark；　but　simply　expressed　a　wish
to　walk　round　his　encampment。

〃Having　passed　through　the　place　of　bivouac；　where　the　foulest　smells
attacked　us　from　all　sides；　I　thoroughly　examined　the　spot；　accompanied
by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　a　few　officers　of　my　staff。　There　was　no
military　order；　but　the　place　was　occupied　by　a　crowd　of　soldiers；
mingled　with　many　native　allies；　under　the　command　of　an　extremely
blackguard…looking　savage；　dressed　in　a　long　scarlet　cloak　made　of
woollen　cloth。　This　was　belted　round　his　waist；　to　which　was　suspended　a
crooked　Turkish　sabre；　he　wore　a　large　brass　medal　upon　his　breast；
which　somewhat　resembled　those　ornaments　that　undertakers　use　for　giving
a　lively　appearance　to　coffins。　This　fellow　was　introduced　to　me　by　the
Koordi　as　the　‘king　of　the　Shillooks。'

〃In　the　rear　of　the　party；　to　which　spot　I　had　penetrated　while　the
Koordi　was　engaged　in　giving　orders　to　certain　officers；　I　came　suddenly
upon　a　mass　of　slaves；　who　were　squatted　upon　the　ground；　and　surrounded
by　dirty　clothes；　arranged　like　a　fence；　by　the　support　of　lances；
pieces　of　stick；　camel　saddles；　&c。　These　people　were　guarded　by　a
number　of　soldiers；　who　at　first　seemed　to　think　that　my　visit　was　one
of　simple　curiosity。

〃Many　of　the　women　were　secured　to　each　other　by　ropes　passed　from　neck
to　neck。　A　crowd　of　children；　including　very　young　infants；　squatted
among　the　mass；　and　all　kept　a　profound　silence；　and　regarded　me　with
great　curiosity。　Having　sent　for　my　notebook；　I　divided　the　slaves　into
classes；　and　counted　them　as　follows：

Concealed　in　the　boat　we　had　discovered；　71　Those　on　shore　guarded　by
sentries　were　84　　155

including　65　girls　and　women；　80　children；　and　10　men。　The　governor　of
Fashoda；　whom　I　thus　had　caught　in　the　act　of　kidnapping　slaves；　was　the
person　who；　a　few　weeks　before；　had　assured　me　that　the　slave　trade　was
suppressed；　as　the　traders　dared　not　pass　his　station　of　Fashoda。　The
real　fact　was；　that　this　excellent　example　of　the　Soudan　made　a
considerable　fortune　by　levying　a　toll　upon　every　slave　which　the
traders'　boats　brought　down　the　river；　this　he　put　into　his　own　pocket。

〃I　immediately　informed　him　that　I　should　report　him　to　the　Khedive；　at
the　same　time　I　insisted　upon　the　liberation　of　every　slave。

〃At　first　he　questioned　my　authority；　saying　that　he　held　the　rank　of
bey；　and　was　governor　of　the　district。　I　simply　told　him　that　‘if　he
refused　to　liberate　the　slaves；　he　must　give　me　that　refusal　in
writing。'　This　was　an　awkward　fix；　and　he　altered　his　tone　by　attempting
to　explain　that　they　were　not　slaves；　but　only　held　as　hostages　until
the　people　should　pay　their　taxes。　At　the　same　time　he　was　obliged　to
confess　that　there　was　no　established　tax。　I　heard　that　he　had　received
from　one　native　ten　cows　for　the　ransom　of　his　child；　thus　the　stolen
child　was　sold　back　to　the　father　for　ten　cows！　and　this　was　the　Soudan
method　of　collecting　taxes！　If　the　unfortunate　father　had　been　shot　dead
in　the　razzia；　his　unransomed　child　would　have　been　carried　away　and
sold　as　a　slave；　or　should　the　panic…stricken　natives　be　afraid　to
approach　with　a　ransom　for　fear　of　being　kidnapped　themselves；　the　women
and　children　would　be　lost　to　them　for　ever。

〃I　was　thoroughly　disgusted。　I　knew　that　what　I　had　happened　to　discover
was　the　rule　of　the　Soudan；　and　that　the　protestations　of　innocence　of
governors　was　simply　dust　thrown　into　the　eyes。　It　was　true　that　the
Shillook　country　was　not　in　my　jurisdiction；　but　I　was　determined　to
interfere　in　behalf　of　the　slaves；　although　I　should　not　meddle　with　the
general　affairs　of　the　country。　I　therefore　told　the　Koordi　that　I　had
the　list　of　the　captives；　and　he　must　send　for　some　responsible　native
to　receive　them　and　take　them　to　their　homes。　In　the　mean　time　I　should
remain　in　the　neighbourhood。　I　then　returned　to　the　fleet　that　I　had
left　at　the　forest。　In　the　evening　we　were　joined　by　most　of　the　rear
vessels。

〃April　21。At　9。30　a。m。　we　sighted　eleven　vessels　in　full　sail；
approaching　from　Khartoum；　with　a　strong　N。E。　wind；　and　shortly
afterwards　we　were　delighted　by　the　arrival　of　Mr。　Higginbotham；　Dr。
Gedge；　and　the　six　English　engineers；　shipwrights；　&c。；　all　in　good
health。

〃April　22。I　paid　a　visit　to　the　Koordi's　camp；　accompanied　by　Mr。
Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　as　I　wished　to　have　European　witnesses　to
the　fact。　Upon　arrival；　I　explained　to　the　governor　that　he　had
compromised　the　Egyptian　Government　by　his　act；　and　as　I　had　received
general　instructions　from　the　Khedive　to　suppress　all　slave…hunters；　I
could　only　regard　him　in　that　category；　as　I　had　actually　found　him　in
the　act。　I　must；　therefore；　insist　upon　the　immediate　and　unconditional
release　of　all　the　slaves。　After　an　attempt　at　evasion；　he　consented；
and　I　at　once　determined　to　liberate　them　personally；　which　would
establish　confidence　among　the　natives。

〃Accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　and　the　various
officers　of　the　staff；　I　ordered　the　ropes；　irons；　and　other
accompaniments　of　slavery　to　be　detached；　and　I　explained　through　an
interpreter　to　the　astonished　crowd　of　captives；　that　the　Khedive　had
abolished　slavery；　therefore　they　were　at　liberty　to　return　to　their　own
homes。　At　first；　they　appeared　astounded；　and　evidently　could　not
realize　the　fact；　but　upon　my　asking　them　where　their　homes　were；　they
pointed　to　the　boundless　rows　of　villages　in　the　distance；　and　said；
‘Those　are　our　homes；　but　many　of　our　men　are　killed；　and　all　our　cattle
and　corn　are　carried　off。'　I　could　only　advise　them　to　pack　off　as
quickly　as　possible；　now　that　they　had　the　chance　of　freedom。

〃The　women　immediately　took　up　their　little　infants　（one　had　been　born
during　the　night）；　others　led　the　very　small　children　by　the　hand；　and
with　a　general　concert；　they　burst　into　the　long；　quavering；　and　shrill
yell　that　denotes　rejoicing。　I　watched　them　as　they　retreated　over　the
plain　to　their　deserted　homes；　and　I　took　a　coldly　polite　farewell　of
the　Koordi。　The　looks　of　astonishment　of　the　Koordi's　troops　as　I　passed
through　their　camp　were　almost　comic。　I　shall　rep