ismailia-第67章

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appeared　that　he　was　a　native　of　Koitch；　near　Fatiko；　and　that　he　had
attached　himself　to　Suleiman's　party　at　some　former　time；　but　now　he　had
just　escaped　from　the　Foweera　station；　as　Suleiman　wished　to　kill　him。

〃In　a　few　minutes　Suleiman　himself　appeared：　he　was　pale　with　rage。

〃Suleiman　was　a　thorough　brigand　in　appearance。　His　father　was　a　Kurd：
thus　his　complexion　would　have　been　white　had　he　not　been　for　many　years
exposed　to　the　African　climate。　He　was　a　powerful　dare…devil…looking
fellow；　but　even　among　his　own　people　he　was　reputed　cruel　and
vindictive。

〃He　was　so　overpowered　with　passion　that　he　approached　and　kissed　my
hand　at　the　same　time　imploring　me；　'as　a　favour；　to　allow　him　to　cut
off　the　native's　head　with　his　sabre。'

〃Upon　a　trial　of　the　case；　I　found　that　the　native　was　a　thief；　and　that
upon　a　former　occasion　he　had　stolen　a　gun　and　two　pistols　from　the
camp；　which；　after　some　trouble；　had　been　recovered。　He　was　now　accused
of　aiding　and　abetting　at　the　escape　of　five　female　slaves　from　the
zareeba　during　the　past　night；　therefore　he　was　to　be　beheaded　without
delay。

〃As　this　was　not　my　form　of　punishment；　especially　for　the　crime　of
_releasing　slaves_　that　had　been　captured　by　force；　I　ordered　the　native
to　be　secured　in　the　zareeba　until　further　orders；　but　on　no　account
should　he　be　injured。

〃Although　I　had　heard　from　my　old　Cairo　dragoman；　Mohammed；　that　the
prisoner　was　a　bad　character；　I　did　not　wish　to　punish　him　severely；　as
the　effect　among　the　natives　of　the　country　would　be　disastrous。　He　had
run　to　me　for　protection；　therefore；　should　he　suffer；　a　precedent　would
be　established　that　would　deter　others　from　appealing　to　me　for　mercy。

〃The　man　was　led　away　under　a　guard　and　was　secured　in　the　zareeba。
Suleiman　acknowledged　that　he　was　in　an　inexcusable　rage；　but　that　I　had
been　just　in　my　decision；　and　he　would　keep　the　prisoner　in　safe　custody
until　further　orders。　Suleiman　was　to　accompany　me　on　the　journey　to
Masindi　on　the　following　morning；　as　Rahonka　had　collected　the　native
carriers。

〃That　evening；　after　a　heavy　shower；　we　witnessed　one　of　those
remarkable　appearances　of　the　winged　white　ants　that　issued　from　a　mound
within　a　few　yards　of　our　tent。　Millions　of　these　large　fat　insects
struggled　into　their　ephemeral　flight；　and　were　quickly　caught　by　our
people　with　lighted　wisps　of　straw。　The　ant　disengages　its　wings　a　few
minutes　after　its　appearance　from　the　parent　mound。

〃The　exodus　from　the　ant…hill　takes　place　annually　at　the　commencement
of　the　rainy　season；　and　the　collection　of　the　insects　is　considered　to
be　an　important　harvest　throughout　all　Central　Africa。　The　white　ant；　in
this　stage　of　its　existence；　is　esteemed　as　a　great　delicacy　when　fried
in　a　little　butter。

〃We　tasted　a　considerable　number；　and　found　them　tolerably　good；　but
with　a　slight　flavour　of　burnt　feathers。

〃On　April　11　we　were　ready　to　start；　but　at　the　last　moment　the　vakeel；
Suleiman；　who　was　to　accompany　us；　excused　himself　until　the　next　day；
as　he　had　some　important　business　to　transact　with　his　people。　I
accordingly　gave　him　permission　to　remain；　but　I　ordered　him　to　follow
me　quickly；　as　it　would　be　necessary　to　present　him　to　Kabba　Rega　in　his
new　position　as　vakeel　of　the　government。〃　。　。　。　。

It　will　now　be　necessary　to　explain　the　true　position　of　affairs；　which
at　that　time　I　did　not　suspect。

Upon　my　first　arrival　at　the　river；　when　I　had　explained　my　views　to
Suleiman；　he　had　immediately　despatched　a　letter　to　Abou　Saood　at
Fatiko。　His　party　had　travelled　fast；　and　they　returned　with　an　answer。

I　could　never　discover　the　actual　contents　of　the　letter　in　reply；　but　I
heard　that　it　cautioned　Suleiman　not　to　part　with　the　slaves；　and　to
join　Abou　Saood　with　his　ivory　and　all　his　people　at　the　station　of
Fabbo；　a　day's　march　west　of　Fatiko。

Suleiman　was　in　an　awkward　position。　He　had　always　held　a　high　place　in
the　eyes　of　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs；　and　his　alliance　had　been　courted
and　obtained　for　a　combined　attach　upon　the　old　enemy；　Rionga。　The　army
of　Kabba　Rega　had　been　waiting　at　the　rendezvous　in　expectation　of
Suleiman's　assistance。　A　fleet　of　large　canoes　had　been　concentrated　at
a　given　point　for　the　invasion　of　the　island；　and　Kabba　Rega　and　his
sheiks　considered　that　at　length　their　old　enemy　was　in　the　snare。

My　unexpected　arrival　had　ruined　the　project；　as　I　strictly　forbade
Suleiman　to　attack　Rionga。

This　disappointed　Kabba　Rega　and　his　people；　who　could　not　understand
how　I　could　be　the　friend　of　his　late　father　Kamrasi；　and　at　the　same
time　protect　his　enemy　Rionga。

The　attack　on　the　island　was　a　dangerous　adventure；　as　it　was　surrounded
by　dense　masses　of　papyrus　rush　that　would　prevent　canoes　from　landing；
except　at　certain　places　were　narrow　passages　had　been　cleared。　A　few
men　concealed　among　the　papyrus　could　massacre　an　attacking　party　at
discretion；　as　they　struggled　through　the　narrow　entrance　in　canoes。　It
had　been　proposed　that　Suleiman's　people　were　to　attack　in　boats　and
clear　out　the　enemy　by　a　sharp　fire　into　the　papyrus　to　cover　the
general　advance。

Suleiman　was　in　a　dilemma；　as　he　had　already　promised　alliance；　and　had
received　a　quantity　of　ivory　in　payment　for　his　services。　He　had
accordingly　made　the　following　secret　arrangement　with　Rahonka　and
Lokara：〃Let　the　Pacha　and　his　soldiers　start　for　Masindi；　and　he　will
suppose　that　Suleiman　will　follow　on　the　morrow；　instead　of　which；　he
will　at　once　join　Kabba　Rega's　forces；　and　attack　Rionga；　when　the　Pacha
shall　be　several　days'　journey　distant　from　the　river。〃

On　his　return　to　Foweera　from　a　successful　invasion　of　Rionga's　island；
the　commanders　of　the　forces；　Lokara　and　Rahonka；　were　at　once　to
furnish　carriers　to　transport　Suleiman　with　all　his　people　and　ivory　to
the　Fabbo　station；　according　to　the　instructions　received　from　Abou
Saood。

I　should　thus　be　deceived；　and　be　left　at　Masindi；　160　miles　distant
from　my　detachment　at　Fatiko；　without　the　power　of　communication。

At　8。30　A。M。　we　were　in　the　saddle；　and　started　from　Foweera。　Suleiman
came　to　kiss　my　hand　at　my　departure。　We　rode　at　once　into　the　low
forest；　and　as　the　last　man　of　our　party　disappeared　from　view；　Suleiman
returned　to　his　zareeba。　He　then　prepared　for　vengeance；　which　through
my　presence　had　long　been　delayed。

He　and　his　ferocious　people　dragged　the　prisoner　（whose　life　I　had
protected）　from　the　camp；　until　they　arrived　at　a　thick　grove　of
plantains　about　200　paces　from　the　station。　Rahonka；　Lokara；　Quonga；
Matonse；　and　other　principal　chiefs；　were　summoned　to　witness　the
impotence　of　the　Pacha's　power　to　save；　and　to　see　with　their　own　eyes
the　defiance　that　Suleiman　would　exhibit　to　the　orders　of　a　Christian。

〃Now　let　the　natives　clasp　the　knees　of　the　Pacha　and　defy　the　power　of
Suleiman！〃

The　ruffian　drew　his　sabre；　and　with　his　own　hand；　in　the　presence　of　a
crowd　of　witnesses；　he　hacked　off　the　head　of　the　unfortunate　prisoner；
and　thus　publicly　ridiculed　my　authority。

In　the　mean　time；　while　this　murder　was　being　committed；　we　were
travelling　onward　without　a　suspicion　of　treachery。　（It　will　be　seen　how
by　degrees　I　became　acquainted　with　the　crime　and　designs　of　Suleiman；
who　had　already　secretly　forwarded　instructions　to　his　men　at　Masindi　at
the　same　time　that　he　had　communicated　in　his　rear　with　Abou　Saood　at
Fatiko。）

Accompanied　by　Lady　Baker；　I　rode　at　the　head　of　the　party　with　my　usual
advanced　guard　of　five　picked　men　of　〃The　Forty。〃　Lieutenant　Baker
walked　on　foot；　as　he　wished　to　save　his　horse's　back　that　was　slightly
galled。

We　rode　far　in　advance；　as　there　was　no　danger　to　be　apprehended　in　this
country；　and　my　five　guards　with　knapsacks；　small　axes；　and　general
accoutrements；　kept　the　pace　of　four　miles　an　hour　for　about　twenty…one
miles　to　Kisoona。　The　march　had　been　through　forest；　and　grass　about
four　feet　in　height；　which　was　now　growing　vigorously　after　the　recent
showers。　The　large　trees　were　covered　with　orchids；　among　which　I
noticed　a　peculiar　species　which　hung　from　the　boughs　like　an　apron。
This　was　exceedingly　pretty；　as　the　leaf　was　about　eighteen　inches　in
breadth；　the　edges　were　scalloped　and　of　a　copper…brown　colour；　while
the　upper　portion　was　dark　green。

The　whole　country　had　been　desolated　by　civil　war；　in　which　the
companions　of　Abou　Saood　had　taken　a　prominent　part；　and　had　carried　off
a　great　number　of　the　women。

Kisoona　was　a　poor　straggling　place　in　the　centre　of　the　forest；　but
although　the　beehive…shaped　huts　were　far　apart；　there　was　the　usual
amount　of　filth　and　ashes　that　disgrace　the　villages　of　Unyoro。　A　very
large　plantation　of　bananas　afforded　food　for　the　inhabitants；　all　of
whom　seemed　to　have　disappeared。

Throughout　Unyoro　the　soil　is　exceedingly　rich；　the　tobacco　gardens
exhibited　an　extreme　luxuriance；　and　the　size　of　the　leaves　formed　a
great　contrast　to　the　plants　in　the　hot　soil　of　the　Bari　country。

I　placed　a　sentry　over　the　tobacco；　and　cautioned　the　troops　against
stealing　or　in　any　way　damaging　the　crops。

A　native　of　Umiro　travelled　as　our　interpreter。　This　man　was　a
confidential　slave　belonging　to　Kabba　Rega；　and　formed　one　of　his
regiment。　Umbogo　（or　the　〃Buffalo〃）　was　a　highly　intelligent　fellow；　and
spoke　good　Arabic；　as　he　had　been　constantly　associated　with　the　Arab
slave…traders。　I　had　supplied　him　with　clothes；　and　he　looked　quite
respectable　in　a　blue　shirt　belted　round　the　waist；　with　a
cartouche…pouch　of　leopard's　skin；　that　had　been　given　him　by　the　people
of　the　zareeba。　Umbogo　carried　a　musket；　and　was　altogether　a　very
important　personage；　although　a　slave。

The　long　march　of　twenty…one　miles；　through　forest；　along　a　rough　and
narrow　path；　had　delayed　the　carriers　and　the　cattle。　Although　my　men
had　stepped　along　so　briskly；　the　rear…guard　did　not　arrive　until　the
evening。　A　tremendous　downpour　of　rain　deluged　the　ground。　This　was　a
godsend　to　us；　who　were　well　housed　and　tented；　as　we　caught　a　good
supply　of　water　with　the　mackintosh　camp…sheets　that　was　very　superior
to　the　contents　of　a　small　pool；　which　usually　sufficed　for　the　village
people。

I　always　travelled　with　a　large　sponging　bath；　which　was　one　of　the
household　gods　of　the　expedition。　This　was　now　full　of　pure　rain　water。
The　value　of　this　old　friend　was　incalculable。　In　former　years　I　had
crossed　the　Atbara　river　in　this　same　bath；　lashed　upon　an　angareb
（stretcher）；　supported　by　inflated　skins。　Without　extra　flotation　it
would　support　my　weight；　and　it　was　always　used　when　crossing　a　small
stream；　assisted　by　two　men　wading；　one　of　whom　held　it　on　either　side
to　prevent　it　from　overturning。　Thus　we　could　travel　without　the
necessity　of　plunging　into　deep　mud　and　water。

Such　a　utensil　was　invaluable　for　watering　the　horses；　also　for　washing
clothes；　or　for　receiving　a　supply　of　rain…water　during　a　shower；　from
the　camp…sheets　suspended　above　the　bath。

The　neighbourhood　of　Kisoona　was　very　populous；　but　the　villages　were
all　concealed　in　the　forest；　amidst　vast　groves　of　bananas。

There　was　a　large　tract　of　potato　cultivation；　a　supply　of　these　welcome
roots　was　with　difficult