ismailia-第48章

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driven　by　natives；　who　cut　a　steak　out　of　her　hind…quarters。

I　had　a　bull　with　a　very　large　hump。　（This　bull　was　left　at　Fort
Fatiko。）　This　animal　was　very　handsome；　and　was　kept　for　stock。　I
observed　that　the　skin　of　the　hump　showed　a　long　jagged　scar　from　end　to
end；　and　my　people　assured　me　that　this　bull　had　frequently　been
operated　upon。　It　had　been　the　property　of　one　of　the　slave…hunters'
parties；　and　they　had　been　in　the　habit　of　removing　the　hump　（as　a
surgeon　would　a　tumour）。　This　is　the　most　delicate　portion　of　the　meat；
and　I　was　assured　that　the　hump　would　always　be　replaced　by　a　similar
growth　after　each　operation。

On　18th　November；　I　commenced　the　march　homewards。　The　natives　were　now
friendly　throughout　the　route；　and　my　men　were　strictly　forbidden　to
enter　a　village。　There　was　a　great　change　in　my　officers　and　troops；
they　had　fallen　into　my　ways　and　obeyed　every　order　with　alacrity。　They
had　learned　to　place　thorough　reliance　upon　any　plans　that　were
arranged；　and；　now　that　they　knew　the　necessity　of　obedience　and
discipline；　they　had；　imperceptibly　to　themselves；　changed　from　ruffians
into　very　orderly　soldiers。

On　the　march　homewards；　upon　arrival　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　I　made
an　excursion　inland；　as　this　was　a　portion　of　the　country　that　I　had　not
yet　visited；　though　only　six　miles　from　Gondokoro。　The　natives　were　very
shy；　but　I　at　length　succeeded　in　obtaining　an　interview　with　their
sheik；　a　tall　powerful　fellow；　named　Meri。　I　explained　that　I　required
no　corn；　nor　any　supplies；　except　stone。　（This　sheik　Meri　and　his
people　always　remained　faithful　to　the　government　from　that　day。）

The　country　abounded　with　pieces　of　gneiss　with　a　very　straight
cleavage；　that　suited　them　admirably　for　building　purposes。　All　the
granaries　of　this　country　were　supported　upon　pillars　formed　of　single
stones；　about　three　feet　long。　The　houses　were　also　protected　by　large
flat　stones　arranged　like　tiles　around　the　base；　and　thus　securing　the
sides　from　the　driven　storms　of　rain。

On　19th　November；　I　returned　to　Gondokoro　highly　satisfied　with　the
result　of　the　campaign。　Not　only　were　my　magazines　all　filled　with　more
than　twelve　months'　supply　of　corn；　but　I　had　established　peace
throughout　a　large　and　powerful　district；　and　I　had　received　promises　of
assistance；　and　an　assurance　of　allegiance　to　the　government。

Abou　Saood；　who　had　received　permission　to　go　to　Khartoum；　had　only　gone
down　the　river　as　far　as　his　station　at　the　Bohr。　There　he　had　made
arrangements　with　his　people　that　the　ivory　from　Latooka　station；　100
miles　east　of　Gondokoro；　should　avoid　my　head…quarters；　and　be　conveyed
by　an　oblique　course　to　the　Bohr。　By　this　swindle；　the　government　would
be　cheated　out　of　the　share　of　two…fifths　of　the　ivory　which　belonged　to
them　by　contract　with　Agad　&　Co。

Abou　Saood　having　personally　witnessed　the　departure　of　the　troops　to
Khartoum；　considered　his　game　as　won；　and　that　the　expedition；　now
reduced　to　only　502　officers　and　men；　would　be　compelled　to　centralize
at　Gondokoro；　without　the　possibility　of　penetrating　the　interior。　He
had　thus　started　for　his　stations　in　the　distant　south；　where　he
intended　to　incite　the　natives　against　the　government；　to　prevent　me
from　following　out　my　plans　with　the　small　force　at　my　disposal。

This　was　the　first　time　in　the　career　of　Abou　Saood　that　he　had　ever
travelled　inland。　He　had　for　many　years　been　in　the　habit　of　arriving　at
Gondokoro　from　Khartoum　with　the　annual　vessels　from　Agad　&　Co。；
bringing　new　levies　of　brigands　together　with　fresh　supplies　of　arms　and
ammunition。　He　then　remained　at　Gondokoro　for　several　weeks；　and
received　the　ivory　and　slaves　collected　from　his　various　stations　in　the
interior　with　which　he　returned　to　Khartoum。

The　necessity　of　the　occasion　induced　him　to　use　much　personal　activity。
Knowing　well　the　date　when　my　term　of　service　would　expire；　he　had　only
one　object；　in　which　he　had　already　nearly　succeeded；this　was　to
prevent　the　possibility　of　my　advance　within　the　given　period。

It　was　therefore　necessary　for　him　to　visit　his　stations；　and　to　warn
his　people　to　hold　both　their　slaves　and　ivory　until　I　should　be
withdrawn　from　Gondokoro　by　the　expiration　of　my　term　of　service；　after
which；　he　had　no　doubt　that　things　would　quickly　return　to　their　former
happy　state。　By　these　means　he　would　be　able　to　cheat　the　government　out
of　the　two…fifths　of　all　ivory；　he　would　preserve　his　slaves；　and　a
judicious　present　to　some　high　official　would　reinstate　him　in　his
original　position　as　the　greatest　slave…hunter　of　the　White　Nile；　with
the　additional　kuilos　of　having　battled　the　Christian　Pacha。

I　had　already　written　to　assure　the　Khedive　that；　should　my　work　not　be
satisfactorily　accomplished　at　the　expiration　of　my　term　of　service；　I
should　continue　at　my　post　until　I　could　honourably　resign　the　command；
when　the　government　should　be　firmly　established　in　the　interior。

I　now　devoted　every　energy　to　the　preparations　for　starting；　together
with　the　English　engineers　and　the　steamer。　Having　given　the　necessary
instructions　to　the　engineer　in　chief；　Mr。　Higginbotham；　I　had　no
anxiety；　as　I　felt　sure　that　everything　would　be　in　order。

The　carts　were　to　be　thoroughly　examined；　and　the　No。　3　steamer　of　38
tons　was　to　be　divided　in　parcels；　the　small　work　secured　in　loads　of
fifty　pounds；　each　sewn　up　in　raw　hide；　and　the　heavier　portions　divided
among　the　carts。

The　officers　were　now　perfectly　resigned　to　their　lot。　The　remnant　of
the　Egyptian　force　had　been　converted　into　artillery…men；　and　all　the
Soudanis　formed　one　regiment。

While　Mr。　Higginbotham　was　engaged　in　the　work　of　arranging　and　packing；
my　masons　were　busy　in　making　bricks；　as　I　wished　eventually　to　build
the　barracks　of　this　solid　material；　instead　of　trusting　to　the
dangerously　inflammable　straw…huts。　I　had　already　written　to　England　for
sufficient　galvanized　iron　for　3；000　feet　of　building　in　actual　length。

Although　galvanized　iron　is　hot　in　a　tropical　climate；　it　can　easily　be
protected　from　the　sun　by　a　light　framework　of　canes　slightly　thatched。
My　Soudanis　were　never　overpowered　by　heat；　as　they　had　been　born　in　a
high　temperature。

On　my　return　to　Gondokoro；　I　found　that　Meri's　natives　had　collected　a
large　quantity　of　stones；　and　they　had　sent　to　request　a　vessel　to
transport　them。　I　gave　them　a　cow；　and　they　had　a　general　dance。　This
reception　seemed　to　delight　them；　and　they　returned　to　their　villages；
accompanied　by　a　noggur　with　an　officer　and　twenty　men。　I　gave　strict
orders　that　no　soldier　should　enter　a　native　hut　under　any　pretext。

The　Bari　war　was　over。　Upon　every　side　the　natives　had　been　thoroughly
subdued。　I　now　heard　from　our　Bari　interpreters；　Sherroom　and　Morgian；
that　the　Sheik　Allorron　was　willing　to　sue　for　peace；　and　to　declare　his
allegiance　to　the　government。

Abou　Saood　and　his　people　had　departed；　thus　the　evil　spirit　was
withdrawn　that　had　hitherto　covertly　incited　the　natives　against　the
government；　and　the　effect　of　his　absence　was　immediately　apparent。

I　devoted　my　attention　to　the　final　preparations　for　the　start；　and　to
the　necessary　instructions　for　the　command　of　the　station　during　my
absence。　The　officers　found　that　it　was　now　impossible　to　resist　their
destiny；　and　Raoul　Bey；　the　colonel；　who　had；　against　orders；　sent　off
so　many　troops　to　Khartoum　who　were　in　good　health；　now　discovered　that
he　would　be　left　with　a　comparatively　small　force　to　hold　the　important
position　at　head…quarters。

The　troops　who　had　been　employed　under　my　personal　command；　were　very
anxious　to　accompany　me　into　the　equatorial　district。

There　was　no　more　fighting。　All　my　hopes　of　peace　were　at　length
realized。　The　nights　were　always　undisturbed；　and　the　sentries　might
have　indulged　in　sleep　without　the　slightest　danger。　A　dead　calm　had
succeeded　to　the　excitement　of　constant　watchfulness。

I　now　employed　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　in　making　salt。　There　were　peculiar
surface　mines　within　a　mile　of　my　little　station。　These　were　situated
upon　a　sandy　loam　on　the　banks　of　a　brackish　lake；　that　swarmed　with
crocodiles。

The　salt　always　showed　upon　the　surface　after　a　shower　of　rain　had　been
evaporated　by　the　sun。　This　efflorescence；　together　with　sand　and　other
impurities；　was　scraped　from　the　earth　with　large　mussel　shells。　It　was
then　placed　in　earthen…ware　vessels　containing　about　five　gallons。　There
were　pierced　with　holes　in　the　bottom；　which　were　covered　with　a　wisp　of
straw　as　a　strainer。　The　jars；　being　full　of　salt　and　sand；　were　watered
occasionally；　and　the　brine　accordingly　filtered　through　to　a　receiver。
The　contents　were　boiled；　and　produced　the　finest　chloride　of　sodium。

The　natural　productions　of　the　neighbourhood　were　salt；　iron；　tamarinds；
the　oil…nut　tree；　and　the　cultivation　of　the　natives　was　principally
Hibiscus　hemp；　tobacco；　varieties　of　beans；　sesame；　dhurra；　and　dochan
（millet）。　I　endeavoured　to　persuade　the　Baris　to　cultivate　and　prepare
large　quantities　of　the　Hibiscus　hemp；　which　would　be　extremely　valuable
in　the　Soudan。　The　Baris　used　it　for　nets　and　fishing…lines。

The　tamarinds　were　of　two　varieties；　and　were　produced　in　extraordinary
quantities。　About　two　miles　from　head…quarters；　there　was　an　extensive
portion　of　the　forest　composed　almost　exclusively　of　these　magnificent
trees。

The　forest　was　also　rich　in　the　tree　known　by　the　Arabs　as　〃heglik〃　This
bears　a　fruit　about　the　size　of　a　date　（lalobe）；　which　is　a　combination
of　sweet；　bitter；　and　highly　aromatic。　My　men　collected　several
hundredweight；　as　I　wished　to　try　an　experiment　in　distilling。　There　was
an　excellent　copper　still　in　the　magazine；　and　I　succeeded　in　producing
a　delicious　spirit　somewhat　resembling　kirschenwasser。

My　cotton　was　now　ripe；　and　I　cleaned　it　with　a　small　hand　gin　that
could　be　worked　by　two　men。　This　greatly　interested　the　Bari　visitors；
who；　by　my　special　invitation；　had　been　residing　for　some　time　at
Gondokoro。

The　dry　season　had　been　very　unfavourable　for　cotton；　nevertheless；　the
quality　was　good；　and　proved　that　it　would　thrive　in　the　locality。　The
species　that　was　indigenous　grew　to　a　great　size；　and　seemed　to　defy　the
drought。　This　bore　a　red　blossom；　and　the　pod　was　small。　The　native
cotton　was　of　short　staple；　and　adhered　strongly　to　the　seed。

On　29th　November；　two　Arabs　arrived　from　Abou　Saood's　Latooka　station；
100　miles　east　of　Gondokoro：　they　had　travelled　at　night；　and　were
deserters　from　the　vakeel。　One　of　these　fellows　turned　out　to　be　my　old
follower　during　my　former　journey；　Mohammed　the　camel…driver；　and　he
literally　cried　with　joy　when　he　saw　my　wife　and　me　again。　He　gave　me
all　the　news　from　the　slave…traders'　camp；　which　was　full　of　slaves；　and
they　were　afraid　that　I　might　arrive；　as　they　were　aware　that　I　knew　the
road。　The　vakeel　of　Latooka　had　received　and　harboured　two　of　my
Egyptian　soldiers；　who　had　deserted　from　Gondokoro　and　joined　the
slave…hunters　under　the　guidance　of　a　Bari。

On　1st　December；　Lieutenant　Baker　shot　a　fine　bull　elephant；　with　very
large　tusks；　this　was　within　four　miles　of　head…quarters。　At　this
season　they　were　very　numerous　in　th