ismailia-第29章

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had　only　a　few　cows　that　had　been　given　during　the　voyage　by　the　vakeel
of　the　Bohr　station。　The　troops　were　without　rations　of　meat。　At　the
same　time　there　were　thousands　of　cattle　on　the　islands　before　their
eyes；　not　one　of　which　could　be　purchased　from　the　natives。　Although　the
natives　refused　to　assist　us　in　any　way；　or　to　supply　us　with　cattle　at
any　price；　they　drove　their　herds　across　from　the　island　to　the　mainland
to　fatten　on　the　fine　pasturage　under　the　government　protection。　This
pasturage；　having　been　abandoned　by　them　and　occupied　by　the　government
troops；　had　naturally　become　the　property　of　the　Khedive。　The　natives
had　no　more　right　to　the　soil　from　which　they　had　been　driven；　than　the
French　would　have　to　Alsace　and　Lorraine；　should　those　provinces　be
occupied　by　a　foreign　Power　which　had　driven　out　the　Germans。

The　last　vessels　having　arrived；　terminated　the　voyage　from　Tewfikeeyah；
which　had　occupied　five　months　and　twenty…two　days。　The　troops；　who　had
suffered　much　by　fatigue　in　cutting　through　the　marshes；　had　not　been
absolutely　relieved　by　their　arrival　in　the　clear　White　Nile。　The　north
wind　changed　suddenly　to　the　south；　in　which　unfavourable　quarter　it
continued　steadily　for　a　month；　thus　my　unfortunate　men　had　to　tow　the
vessels　along　the　banks　against　wind　and　stream　for　about　300　miles　from
Wat…el…Shambi　to　Gondokoro。　Upon　arrival　at　that　station；　which　I　had
described　to　them　as　the　〃Promised　Land；〃　they　found　a　lovely　park；　but
without　a　single　dwelling。　Instead　of　being　received　as　deliverers　by　a
friendly　and　grateful　population；　they　met　with　neglect　and　ill…will
from　a　tribe　of　robbers；　allies　of　the　traders；　who　fattened　upon　the
spoil　of　weaker　neighbours。

After　all　their　hard　work　and　suffering　in　attaining　the　promised
paradise；　they　found　only　additional　labour　awaiting　them；　as　they　had
to　wander　several　miles　in　search　of　long　thatch…grass　and　timber　to
construct　the　new　station；　in　which　fatigue　they　were　entirely
unassisted　by　the　sullen　inhabitants。

Added　to　these　disappointments；　the　men　were　hungry；　and　no　cattle　could
be　purchased　from　my　new　subjects；　who　were　obstinate　and　refractory。

I　had　a　serious　conversation　with　Sheik　Allorron；　during　which　I　clearly
defined　our　relative　positions；　and　represented　to　him　in　the　strongest
terms　the　folly　of　trusting　to　the　support　of　Abou　Saood　and　his　people
against　the　government；　as　they　were　all　subjects　of　the　Khedive　and
bound　to　obey　my　orders。　At　the　same　time　I　informed　him　of　the　absolute
necessity　of　cattle　for　the　supply　of　the　troops；　which　I　promised　to
pay　for。

I　clearly　saw　that　the　miserable　policy　of　these　people　was　to　starve
the　troops　into　the　supposed　necessity　of　evacuating　the　position；　and
returning　to　Khartoum。　I　represented　to　Allorron　the　danger　of　trifling
with　a　hungry　lion；　at　which　he　grinned；　as　a　good　joke；　and　immediately
replied：　〃If　you　want　cattle；　I　will　give　you　some　of　my　people　as
guides；　and　you　can　attack　a　neighbour　of　mine；　and　capture　his　herds；
which　will　last　you　for　a　long　time。〃　I　replied；　that　I　could　not　injure
any　one　who　had　not　committed　an　offence；　but　as　he　for　the　last　time
refused　assistance；　I　should　not　permit　his　herds　to　graze　upon　my
pasturage；　therefore　I　begged　they　might　be　confined　to　the　island。

At　the　same　time　I　officially　invited　Allorron　and　all　the　headmen　of
the　country；　including　the　sheik　of　Belinian；　to　an　entertainment。　I
intended；　formally　and　officially；　to　annex　the　country　to　Egypt。

On　May　26；　1871；　all　was　in　order。　A　flag…staff　about　eighty　feet　high
had　been　neatly　erected　by　Lieut。　Baker　on　the　highest　point　of　land
overlooking　the　river。　Every　small　bush　had　been　cleared　away；　and　the
position　in　the　centre　of　an　open　park…like　country　would　have　formed　an
admirable　race…course。　The　troops；　having　had　two　days'　rest　to　wash
their　clothes　and　burnish　up　their　arms　and　accoutrements；　marched　from
the　station　at　Gondokoro　at　6　A。M。

I　had　1；200　men　on　the　ground；　including　ten　mountain　rifled　guns
throwing　8　and　1/4　lbs。　shell。

In　their　clean　white　uniforms；　with　the　neat　koofeeia　or　sun…cloth；
which；　covering　the　head；　drooped　gracefully　upon　the　shoulders；　the
troops　showed　to　great　advantage；　as　they　marched　with　the　band　playing
from　head…quarters　to　the　flagstaff　above　my　station。　As　they　filed
through　the　green　trees；　and　then　formed　into　sections　of　companies　as
they　emerged　into　the　open　ground；　the　effect　was　exceedingly　good；　and
the　sheik；　Allorron；　and　his　friends；　the　headmen　of　many　villages；
looked　with　amazement　upon　a　scene　that　was　altogether　new　to　them。

Having　arrived　opposite　the　flag…staff；　the　troops　formed　in　line　two
deep　on　the　flat　grassy　surface　of　the　heights　above　my　station。　The
long　row　of　glittering　bayonets　and　the　gay　uniforms　of　the　officers
bewildered　the　astonished　natives。　All　the　sailors；　servants；　and
camp…followers　were　dressed　in　their　best　clothes。　The　prevailing
colours；　white　and　red；　looked　exceedingly　gay　upon　the　close　and　even
surface　of　the　green　turf。　My　staff　was　composed　of　my　aides…de…camp；
Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　Lieut。…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　together　with　three
other　officers；　and　Mr。　Higginbotham。　At　that　time　the　horses　were　all
in　excellent　condition。

Having　ridden　along　the　line　and　halted　beneath　the　flag；　the　troops
formed　three　sides　of　a　square　with　the　flag…staff　in　the　centre。　The
fourth　side；　facing　the　river；　was　then　occupied　by　the　artillery；　with
ten　guns。

The　formality　of　reading　the　official　proclamation；　describing　the
annexation　of　the　country　to　Egypt　in　the　name　of　the　Khedive；　then　took
place　at　the　foot　of　the　flag…staff。　At　the　termination　of　the　last
sentence；　the　Ottoman　flag　was　quickly　run　up　by　the　halyards　and
fluttered　in　the　strong　breeze　at　the　mast…head。　The　officers　with　drawn
swords　saluted　the　flag；　the　troops　presented　arms；　and　the　batteries　of
artillery　fired　a　royal　salute。

This　ceremony　being　completed；　the　troops　marched　past；　after　which；
they　formed　in　order　for　a　supposed　attack　upon　an　imaginary　enemy；　and
fired　away　about　ten　thousand　rounds　of　blank　cartridge　in　the　advance
down　the　long　slope　which　led　to　the　temporary　camp　and　tents　erected
for　the　entertainment。　Here　the　bugle　sounded　〃disperse；〃　and　all　the
men　immediately　set　to　work　to　light　fires　and　prepare　the　food　that　had
been　already　supplied　for　their　dinners。　I　believe　this　was　the　only　day
of　real　enjoyment　that　the　troops　had　had。　The　hours　passed　in　rest　and
sleep　until　sunset。

I　had　invited　fourteen　of　the　officers　to　dine　with　me；　and　our　party　of
eighteen　was　easily　accommodated　on　the　roomy　poop…deck　of　my　diahbeeah。

The　Englishmen　had　a　table　to　themselves　in　the　garden；　and　were　regaled
with　roast　beef　and　real　English　plum…pudding；　that；　having　been　brought
out　in　tins　for　Christmas　Day；　could　not　be　found　during　the　voyage；
therefore　it　added　to　the　feast　of　the　〃day　of　annexation；〃　and　was
annexed　accordingly　by　English　appetites。　This　was　washed　down　and
rendered　wholesome　by　a　quantity　of　pure　filtered　water　from　the　river
Nile；　which　was　included　in　the　annexation；　and　was　represented　in　the
Nile　Basin　mixed　with　Jamaica　rum；　sugar；　nutmeg；　and　lemon…juice　from
the　fruit　of　the　trees　planted　by　the　good　Austrian　missionaries　at
Gondokoro。　Little　did　they　think；　poor　fellows；　of　the　jollification　to
which　their　lemons　would　subscribe　when　they　first　sowed　the　good　seeds。

When　dinner　was　over；　we　repaired　to　the　large　divan　tents；　where
refreshments　were　arranged；　and　the　magic　lantern　was　prepared　for　the
amusement　of　officers　and　men。　This　was　an　admirable　machine；　and　was
well　explained　by　Lieutenant　Baker。　No　one　had　ever　seen　such　an
exhibition　before；　therefore　it　caused　immense　satisfaction。　One　of　the
representations　that　was　most　applauded；　was；　Moses　going　through　the
Red　Sea　with　the　Israelites；　followed　by　Pharaoh。　The　story　being　well
known　to　all　Mohammedans；　the　performance　was　encored　with　such　energy
that　Moses　had　to　go　through　the　Red　Sea　twice；　and　they　would　have
insisted　upon　his　crossing　a　third　time；　had　the　slide　not　been　rapidly
exchanged　for　another　subject。

The　formal　ceremony　of　annexation　was　over；　and　it　was　necessary　to
decide　upon　the　future。

I　had　issued　the　following　Camp　Regulations：

1。　〃No　person　shall　cut　or　in　other　ways　destroy　any　tamarind　or　oil
tree　under　any　pretext　whatever。　Neither　shall　any　tree　whatsoever　be
either　cut　or　damaged　within　a　distance　of　2；000　paces　from　the
flag…staff　or　camp。

2。　〃No　person　shall　stray　beyond　2；000　paces　of　the　flag…staff　or　camp
without　permission　either　from　the　Pacha　or　Raouf　Bey。

3。　〃No　person　shall　trade　in　ivory；　neither　shall　any　person　accept
ivory　as　a　present　or　in　exchange；　neither　shall　any　person　shoot；　or
cause　to　be　shot；　elephants：　all　ivory　being　the　property　and　monopoly
of　the　government　of　His　Highness　the　Khedive　of　Egypt。

4。　〃No　person　shall　either　purchase　or　receive　slaves　as　presents　or　in
exchange。

〃Any　person　transgressing　by　disobedience　of　the　above　laws　will　be
punished　as　the　will　of　Baker　Pacha　may　direct。　〃S。　W。　BAKER。〃

My　men　were　hard　at　work　erecting　magazines　and　building　the　station；
and　had　I　not　issued　the　above　regulations；　they　would　have　cut　down
every　ornamental　tree　in　the　neighbourhood。　Although　the　mission…house
had　disappeared；　the　foundations　remained；　I　dug　them　up　and　procured
sufficient　sound　bricks　to　build　a　powder…magazine；　which　I　covered　with
a　galvanized　iron　roof　and　protected　my　ammunition。

Several　of　the　Egyptian　soldiers　deserted。　These　people；　who　were　for
the　most　part　convicts；　although　professing　Islamism　preferred　to　live
with　the　natives；　to　the　steady　discipline　of　military　life。

One　evening；　the　sentry；　on　guard　before　the　house　of　Lieutenant　Baker
and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　was　observed　by　Mr。　Baker's　soldier　servant　（a
black）　to　lay　his　rifle　on　the　ground　and　to　enter　stealthily　the
doorway　of　his　hut。　Abdullah　Maseri；　the　servant；　lost　no　time　in
running　towards　the　hut；　which　he　quietly　entered　in　the　dusk；　without
being　perceived　by　the　thief　within；　who　in　the　absence　of　Mr。　Baker　was
pillaging　his　boxes。

Abdullah　quietly　crept　up　behind　him；　pinned　him　by　the　back　of　the
neck；　and　held　him　until　he　obtained　assistance。　There　was　no　escape
from　conviction；　therefore　I　sentenced　the　thief　to　receive　100　lashes
and　to　be；　confined　in　irons。

While　he　was　undergoing　the　punishment　he　yelled　for　mercy；　saying；　〃I
will　confess…I　will　confess　all。　It　was　I　who　entered　the　Pacha's　room
at　Tewfikeeyah。　It　was　at　me　that　the　Pacha　fired　the　pistol！　Put　me　in
irons；　but　don't　flog　me；　I　will　confess　all。〃

This　man　was　an　Egyptian　belonging　to　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　and　he　now
confessed　his　former　delinquency。　He　was　secured　in　irons　and　placed
under　a　guard。　The　fellow　had　been　a　professional　thief；　and　during　the
night　he　managed　to　slip　off　his　irons　and　make　his　escape；　no　doubt
with　the　connivance　of　the　sentry。

The　fact　of　the　natives　receiving　the　deserters　was　enough　to　suggest
the　suspicion　that　they　were　tampering　with　the　tr