ismailia-第26章

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corner。

〃At　5。15　P。M。　we　arrived　at　a　forest　on　the　west　bank。　　At　6。45　P。M。　we
stopped；　as　I　was　afraid　we　might　pass　the　station　of　Wat…el…Shambi　in
the　dark。

〃March　21。At　8。25　A。M。　we　started。　　Three　natives　came　to　the　vessel
and　reported　the　zareeba　to　be　close　ahead。

〃I　served　out　fifteen　rounds　of　snider　ammunition　per　man　to　the　'Forty
Thieves；'　thus　filling　up　their　pouches　to　thirty　rounds。　The　banks　are
now　dry；　and　about　two　feet　six　inches　above　the　river's　level。　The
country　is　as　usual　flat；　but　covered　with　forest　on　the　west。　Cattle
numerous；　and　bellowing　in　all　directions。

〃At　9。15　A。M。　we　arrived　at　Wat…el…Shambi。　　The　forest　is　distant　from
the　river；　therefore　at　10　we　started　with　light　south…east　wind；　and　at
10。30　we　returned　to　a　good　station　for　cutting　fuel　in　the　forest　about
four　miles　below　Wat…el…Shambi。

〃The　few　representatives　of　Ali　Amouri；　the　trader　at　the　latter
station；　declared　that　they　could　not　supply　us　with　cattle；　they　being
hard　up　for　provisions　themselves。　Their　looks　belied　the　excuse。　Wind
south　all　day；　but　changed　to　north　at　6。30　P。M。　The　boat　of　the　French
trader；　Jules　Poncet；　that　had　accompanied　the　fleet；　arrived　in　the
evening。

〃A　number　of　natives；　stark　naked；　and　smeared　with　wood　ashes；　came　as
usual　to　beg　for　corn。　I　have　given　strict　orders　that　on　no　account
shall　corn　be　exchanged　in　purchases　from　the　nativesotherwise　our
supply　will　be　stolen　wholesale。　This　order　was　broken　through　by
Mustapha　Ali；　who　therefore　received　a　hundred　lashes；　as　I　was
determined　to　enforce　obedience。

〃March　22。Much　lightning　and　wind　from　the　south　during　the　night。　　I
fear　rain。　At　daybreak　we　found　Raouf　Bey's　vessel　close　up；　and　many
others　near。　The　north　wind　of　last　night　must　have　aided　them。　The
natives　came　in　some　numbers。

〃March　23。All　hands　yesterday　and　to…day　busied　in　cutting　wood　for
steamer。

〃March　24。Poor　Jusef；　one　of　the　horsekeepers；　died。

〃March　25。Started；　with　the　steamer　towing　a　noggur　and　my　diahbeeah
with　about　fifty　hours'　fuel　on　board；　at　12。50　P。M。

〃There　has　been　wholesale　theft　of　stores　on　No。　50　noggur。　I　caught　and
punished　the　captain　in　the　act　of　selling　our　ammunition　to　the　slave
traders'　people　in　their　zareeba。

〃March　26。We　travelled　throughout　last　night；　the　stream　is　nearly
three　miles　per　hour。　We　lost　an　hour　last　evening　in　taking　wood　from
the　noggur　in　tow；　as　she　leaks　dangerously。　I　took　six　men　and　their
effects　from　her；　and　placed　them　on　the　steamer；　as　she　is　quite
unsafe。

〃Arrived　at　the　station　of　Abou　Kookah　at　10。25　A。M。；　having　travelled
badly　against　the　strong　south　wind；　and　our　bottom　dirty。　At　3。10　P。M。
we　left　Abou　Kookah；　and　at　9。50　P。M。　we　arrived　at　the　forest；　close　to
the　deserted　mission　station　of　St。　Croix；　where　we　halted　for　the
night。　There　were　vast　herds　of　cattle　and　many　natives　on　the　east
bank。〃



CHAPTER　VII。

ARRIVAL　AT　GONDOKORO。

After　the　usual　voyage　upon　the　White　Nile；　during　which　we　passed　the
Bohr　and　the　Shir　tribes；　and　had　excellent　sport　in　antelope　shooting
when　the　steamer　stopped　at　forests　to　cut　fuel；　we　arrived　opposite　the
old　mission　station　at　Gondokoro　on　April　15；　1871。

I　found　a　great　change　in　the　river　since　my　last　visit。　　The　old
channel；　which　had　been　of　great　depth　where　it　swept　beneath　the
cliffs；　was　choked　with　sand…banks。　New　islands　had　formed　in　many
places；　and　it　was　impossible　for　the　vessels　to　approach　the　old
landing…place。　We　therefore　dropped　down　the　stream　to　a　spot　where　high
ground　and　a　few　trees　invited　us　to　the　east　bank。　At　this　place　the
traders　had　founded　a　new　settlement　that　was　now　without　in　habitants；
and　was　represented　by　half…a…dozen　broken…down　old　huts。

〃The　country　is　sadly　changed；　formerly；　pretty　native　villages　in　great
numbers　were　dotted　over　the　landscape；　beneath　shady　clumps　of　trees；
and　the　land　was　thickly　populated。　Now；　all　is　desolate：　not　a　village
exists　on　the　mainland；　they　have　all　been　destroyed；　and　the
inhabitants　have　been　driven　for　refuge　on　the　numerous　low　islands　of
the　river；　these　are　thronged　with　villages；　and　the　people　are　busily
cultivating　the　soil。

〃I　sent　for　the　chief；　Allorron；　who；　upon　arrival　with　some　other
natives；　explained　that　his　country　had　been　destroyed　by　the　attacks　of
the　people　of　Loquia　at　the　instigation　of　the　traders。　I　promised　him
protection　if　he　and　his　people　would　return　to　the　mainland　and　become
true　subjects　to　the　Khedive。　At　the　same　time　I　informed　him　that；　in
return　for　protection；　his　people　must　cultivate　corn；　and　build　the
huts　required　for　the　troops　upon　arrival。　This　he　promised　to　do；　and　I
arranged　that　he　should　summon　a　general　meeting　of　the　headmen　and
their　people　to…morrow；　or　as　soon　as　possible。

〃I　at　once　cleared　a　small　plot　of　ground　and　sowed　some　garden　seeds　on
the　new　soil　now　annexed　to　Egypt。　My　soldiers　took　a　great　interest　in
the　operation；　and　as　we　covered　the　seeds　with　light　earth；　we
concluded　the　sowing　with　the　usual　ejaculation…'Biamillah！'　（in　the
name　of　God）。

〃I　walked　up　to　the　old　mission　station。　Not　one　brick　remains　upon
anotherall　is　totally　destroyed。　The　few　fruit…trees　planted　by　the
pious　hands　of　the　Austrian　Missionaries　remain　in　a　tangled　wilderness
by　the　river's　bank。　The　beautiful　avenue　of　large　lemon　trees　has　been
defaced　by　the　destruction　of　many　boughs；　while　the　ground　beneath　is
literally　covered　by　many　thousands　of　withered　lemons　that　have　fallen
neglected　from　the　branches　without　a　hand　to　gather　them。　The　natives
will　not　eat　them；　thus　the　delicious　fruit　has　been　wasted；　perhaps
sixty　or　eighty　bushels　have　rotted　on　the　earth。　I　trust　that　the　seeds
I　have　already　sown　will　have　a　more　useful　result　than　the　lost　labour
of　the　unfortunate　missionaries。　It　would　be　heartbreaking　to　them　could
they　see　the　miserable　termination　of　all　their　good　works。

April　16。　The　mileage　from　the　junction　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe　I　have
calculated　at　364　to　this　point　（Gondokoro）；　but　I　deduct　10　per　cent。；
as　we　took　several　wrong　turns　of　the　river。　The　distance　may　be　about
330　miles。


From　Bahr　Giraffe；　junction　to　Gondokoro　　　　　　　　　　　330　miles
Upper　Nile　junction　to　Dubba　on　Bahr　Giraffe　　　　　　　　48　miles
Dubba　to　Lower　Nile　junction　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　300　miles
Lower　Nile　junction　to　Sobat　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　38　miles
Sobat　to　Khartoum　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　693　miles
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1；409　miles　to　Gondokoro。〃

The　chief　Allorron　arrived　with　a　number　of　his　people；　and　asked　for
〃araki　and　cognac！〃　He　is　a　big　and　savage…looking　naked　brute　of　the
lowest　description；　his　natural　vices　having　been　increased　by　constant
associations　with　the　slave…hunters。　This　man　declared　that　his　people
could　not　prepare　materials　for　the　camp；　as　the　neighbouring　tribes
were　hostile；　and　he　could　not　venture　to　collect　bamboos。

I　told　him　that　if　my　orders　were　not　obeyed；　the　troops　would　be
obliged　to　be　sheltered　in　his　villages　upon　arrival；　as　I　could　not
allow　them　to　be　exposed　to　the　rains。

Both　Allorron　and　his　people　looked　extremely　sullen；　and　although　I
always　knew　the　Baris　to　be　the　worst　tribe　in　the　Nile　basin；　I　was　not
prepared　for　such　a　morose　welcome。　I　explained　to　him　the　object　of　the
expedition。　He　seemed　quite　incredulous；　and　made　some　remark　to　his
followers　in　his　own　language　with　a　contemptuous　smile。　He　rather
approved　of　the　idea　that　slave…taking　would　be　suppressed　in　his　own
tribe；　but　he　could　not　sympathize　with　the　general　principle；　and　he
asked　〃What　will　the　slave…traders　do？〃　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　replied　to
the　question　by　explaining　to　him　my　exact　position；　and　the　relative
position　of　the　traders。　At　this　he　burst　out　laughing　in　the　rudest
manner。　He　had　seen　me　and　my　wife　on　our　former　voyage；　and　he　well
remembered　that　in　those　days　we　had　been　not　only　helpless　in
Gondokoro；　but　that　the　traders　had　spoken　of　all　Europeans　with
contempt。　He　had　already　hoard　from　Abou　＇*＇　Saood's　people　of　my
expected　arrival；　by　whom　he　had　been　incited　against　the　expedition。　It
had　been　explained　to　him；　that　if　baffled；　we　should　soon　become
disgusted；　and　return　to　Khartoum。　He　also　remembered　that　many
Europeans　had　visited　Gondokoro　like　myself；　but　none　had　remained。　It
was　therefore　natural　that　a　brutal　savage；　whose　people　were　allied
with　the　slave…traders；　to　attack　and　pillage　outlying　countries；　should
not　regard　with　favour　a　new　government　that　would　establish　law　and
order。　For　many　years　Allorron's　tribe　had　been　associated　with　the
slavers；　and　now　that　the　entire　country　had　been　leased　to　one　man；
Abou　Saood；　he　had　become　the　vakeel；　or　representative　of　this
individual；　by　whom　he　had　been　thoroughly　prepared　for　our　arrival。　We
had　been　expected　long　ago；　but；　as　already　described；　the　delays
attending　the　opening　of　the　Suez　canal　had　prevented　us　from　starting。

＇*Footnote：　The　agent　of　the　great　company　of　Agad　&　Co。；　who　
farmed　the　district　from　the　government。＇


I　quickly　perceived　the　real　state　of　affairs。　A　great　number　of
Allorron's　people　were　absent　in　the　interior；　employed　by　Abou　Saood's
companies　as　mercenary　soldiers。　The　Baris　are　a　most　warlike　tribe；　and
would　make　excellent　troops；　thus　they　were　valuable　allies　of　the
slave…hunters；　as　the　geographical　position　of　Gondokoro　rendered　it　the
only　spot　that　was　adapted　for　an　important　station。　The　traders　now
possessed　of　the　monopoly　of　the　ivory　trade；　found　no　necessity　for　a
permanent　station　at　Gondokoro；　as　their　interests　were　watched　during
their　absence　in　the　interior　by　their　ally　Allorron；　they　accordingly
only　visited　Gondokoro　when　they　returned　periodically　from　the　interior
with　their　ivory　and　slaves　to　meet　the　vessels　from　Khartoum。

Allorron　was　in　the　habit　of　despatching　messengers　to　their　various
camps　（seven　or　eight　days'　march　for　a　running　negro）　to　give　the
vakeels　notice　of　the　arrival　of　the　expected　vessels。　Many　hundreds　of
his　people　had　been　armed　with　guns　by　the　traders；　therefore　his　tribe
and　the　companies　of　Abou　Saood　were　thoroughly　incorporated；　brigands
allied　with　brigands；　and　Gondokoro　had　become　the　nucleus　to　which　the
spoil　was　concentrated。

These　were　people　by　whom　the　blessings　of　a　good　government　were　hardly
to　be　understood。

Unfortunately　for　Allorron；　he　had　joined　the　slave…hunters　of　Abou
Saood　against　neighbours　that　were　unpleasantly　close　to　Gondokoro。　The
Loquia；　a　most　powerful　tribe；　only　three　days'　march　to　the　south…east；
had　lost　slaves　and　cattle　by　these　depredations；　thus；　when　the
slave…hunters'　parties　had　quitted　Gondokoro　and　returned　to　their
station　in　the　interior；　Loquia　had　invaded　the　unprotected　Allorron；
and　had　utterly　destroyed　his　district　on　the　eastern　mainland。　For　many
miles　the　country　now　resembled　a　very　lovely　park。　Every　habitation　had
disappeared；　and　this　formerly　populous　position　was　quite　deserted　by
the　surviving　inhabitants；　who　had　taken　refuge　in　the　islands；　or　on
the　west　side　of　the　river。　At　this　season　the