ismailia-第130章

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alarmed　the　remainder　of　the　party；　who　were　in　a　small　village。　There
was　not　a　native　to　be　seen；　but　the　drums　and　horns　were　sounding；　and
as　the　Victoria　Nile　was　close　at　hand；　they　considered　it　would　be
advisable　to　cross　the　river　before　the　natives　should　attack　them　in
force。

It　was　necessary　to　release　Suleiman；　who　was　secured　in　a　sheba。　This
man　had　been　committed　to　the　charge　of　Mohammed。　Before　Mohammed　cut
the　raw　hide　strip　which　secured　the　forked　pole；　he　made　Suleiman　swear
by　the　prophet　not　to　escape；　but　that　he　would　deliver　himself　up　to
Major　Abdullah　at　Fatiko。

The　party；　now　reduced　to　twenty…five　men；　immediately　started。　Upon
arrival　at　the　banks　of　the　river；　they　happened　to　come　suddenly　upon　a
native；　whom　they　seized。

They　soon　observed　a　canoe　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　in　which　were
two　men。　They　now　made　an　arrangement　for　the　capture　of　the　canoe；
which　was　to　them　a　case　of　life　or　death。

The　prisoner　was　dressed　in　the　usual　flowing　robe　of　bark…cloth。　His
hands　were　tied　behind　him；　and　one　of　the　party　who　could　speak　the
language　now　concealed　himself　behind　the　bark…cloth　robe；　and　holding
the　native　tightly　by　the　arms；　he　threatened　him　with　instant　death
unless　he　called　the　two　natives　in　the　canoe。

At　first　he　hesitated；　but　fearing　the　knife　at　his　back；　the　point　of
which　just　pricked　him　to　let　him　know　that　it　was　ready；　he　shouted　to
the　men　in　the　boat。

〃Say　you　have　a　number　of　plantains；　and　you　want　to　take　them　across
the　river；〃　whispered　his　invisible　prompter　from　behind。

The　natives　in　the　canoe　hesitated。　〃Say　you　will　give　them　each　a　bunch
of　plantains　if　they　will　ferry　you　over；〃　again　whispered　the　cunning
Arab。

The　canoe　now　pushed　off　from　the　bank；　and　paddled　towards　the
apparently　solitary　native。

The　irregulars　were　concealed　in　the　high　grass　close　to　the　bank；　and
as　the　canoe　touched　the　shore；　they　shot　the　two　natives　dead；　and
immediately　secured　it。

They　now　unlashed　the　arms　of　the　prisoner；　and　insisted　upon　his
paddling　the　canoe　across　the　river。　Two　journeys　were　necessary。　The
first　was　successful；　and　the　regular　troops；　together　with　the　post　and
Suleiman　and　others；　were　safely　landed。　During　the　second　journey；　as
the　canoe　was　passing　a　rock　above　some　dangerous　rapids；　the　native
suddenly　upset　the　boat　by　throwing　his　weight　quickly　to　one　side；　and
plunged　the　whole　party　in　the　river。　Some　of　them　were　carried　over　the
cataracts　and　drowned。　The　others；　including　Ali　Genninar；　were　good
swimmers；　and　they　reached　the　shore。

Although　the　irregulars　thoroughly　knew　the　country；　they　now　found
themselves　in　the　immense　wilderness　that　separates　Unyoro　from　the
Shooli　and　Madi　tribes。

In　this　sea　of　high　grass　they　wandered　for　some　days；　lost；　until　they
at　length　discovered　the　regular　path；　and；　after　great　suffering；
reached　Fatiko。

Eddrees；　who　had　been　appointed　vakeel；　became　a　traitor；　and　upon
meeting　Abou　Saood　and　his　people；　who　had　come　out　to　receive　the　party
upon　their　arrival；　he　cried　out；　〃Look　sharp　for　your　neck；　Abou　Saood：
the　Pacha　has　sent　an　order　to　arrest　you。〃

A　short　time　after　this；　Eddrees　died　of　dysentery。　　Suleiman　behaved　in
an　honourable　manner。　Instead　of　going　into　Abou　Saood's　camp；　he
immediately　presented　himself　before　Major　Abdullah；　and　confessed　his
sins；　acknowledging　that　he　had　been　justly　punished。　He　surrendered
himself　into　the　hands　of　the　commandant；　according　to　the　oath　he　had
taken　on　the　road。

Although　Major　Abdullah　had　now　received　the　post；　together　with　my
orders；　he　thought　it　advisable；　considering　the　danger　of　a　collision
with　Abou　Saood's　people；　to　allow　Suleiman　his　liberty　on　parole；　and
he　had　returned　to　his　position　of　vakeel　at　Fabbo。　Ali　Genninar　had　at
once　offered　to　continue　his　duties　as　a　government　soldier。

A　few　days　after　the　arrival　of　the　post；　the　news　was　brought　of　the
battle　of　Masindi；　and　that　our　escape　from　Unyoro　was　impossible。

The　almost　open　hostility　of　Abou　Saood　and　his　numerous　forces　had
paralyzed　Major　Abdullah；　who；　fearing　the　responsibility　of　an
outbreak；　kept　quiet；　and　trusted　in　Providence；　until　I　had　fortunately
appeared。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　plan　laid　by　Kabba　Rega　for　securing　the
arms　and　effects　of　Major　Abdullah　and　his　detachment　broke　down　through
a　premature　attack　on　the　part　of　the　natives；　who　had　neither　the
courage　nor　the　patience　to　go　to　Fatiko　on　the　chance　of　success　in
such　a　distant　enterprise。

Suleiman　had　written　me　a　letter　imploring　forgiveness。　Wat…el…Mek
arrived　at　Fatiko　after　the　seizure　of　the　ammunition　by
Salim…Wat…Howah；　and　he　begged　pardon　for　Suleiman；　assuring　me　that　he
was　truly　penitent；　that　the　devil　had　misled　him；　and　Abou　Saood　was
that　devil。　If　I　would　grant　him　a　free　pardon；　no　man　would　be　more
faithful；　and　the　irregular　force　now　established　would　be　delighted　at
such　an　act　of　clemency。

Although　Suleiman　was　a　great　ruffian；　he　was　like　everybody　else　in
that　respect。　If　I　had　refused　the　enlistment　of　all　immoral　characters
in　the　middle　of　Africa；　I　should　have　had　what　is　now　known　in　England
as　a　〃skeleton　regiment。〃　I　had　already　punished　him　severely。　In　every
case　of　defiance　of　the　government；　the　people　had　seen　that　so　small　an
organized　force　as　200　regulars；　amongst　innumerable　enemies；　and
without　any　communication　with　head…quarters；　had　been　able　to　beat　down
and　crush　every　enemy；　whether　native　or　rebel。　In　times　of　real
weakness；　it　is　frequently　necessary　to　be　severe；　that　a　grave　example
may　establish　authority；　but　after　victory　and　success；　I　felt　that　an
act　of　clemency　might；　even　among　half　savages；　be　more　binding　than
fetters。

I　therefore　told　Wat…el…Mek　that　I　could　not　give　any　promise　until
Suleiman　should　present　himself　before　me　at　Fatiko。　It　was　his　duty　to
deliver　himself　up　as　a　prisoner　upon　parole。

On　3rd　October　Wat…el…Mek　arrived　at　Fatiko　accompanied　by　Suleiman；　who
came　to　surrender。

The　prisoner　was　dressed　in　a　filthy　brown　woollen　cloak；　and　his　head
was　covered　with　a　greasy　and　almost　black　tarboosh　he　had　the
appearance　of　having　slept　on　a　dust…heap。　This　beggarly　outside　was　a
token　of　repentance　and　humiliation。

Suleiman　was　brought　before　me；　and　he　immediately　rushed　forward　and
knelt　to　kiss　my　feet；　exhibiting　at　the　same　time　considerable　emotion；
which　surprised　me；　as　he　was　notorious　as　a　stern；　hard…hearted　Kurd。

I　said　a　few　words　to　him；　explaining　that　he　must　not　think　me
impenetrable　if　I　doubted　his　sincerity；　as　I　had　been　already　deceived；
after　having　shown　him　much　kindness；　yet　the　same　time　I　did　not　wish
to　exert　severity；　if　I　could　win　him　to　obedience　by　good　advice。
（Suleiman　always　remained　faithful　from　that　moment；　and　became　a
dependable　officer。）　I　offered　him　a　free　pardon　if　he　would　swear　upon
the　Koran　fidelity　to　the　Khedive。　Should　he　deceive　me；　and　become　a
rebel　after　this；　he　knew　the　consequences。

Suleiman　now　declared；　and　swore　upon　the　Koran；　that　he　had　acted　only
upon　orders　he　had　received　from　Abou　Saood。　It　was　he　who；　in　spite　of
my　written　command　that　the　sheik　Werdella　should　be　spared；　had　ordered
two　of　his　slaves　to　take　him　from　the　Fabbo　zareeba；　and　to　cut　his
throat。

Both　Wat…el…Mek　and　Suleiman；　as　late　vakeels　of　Abou　Saood；　swore　to
their　written　evidence；　to　which　they　attached　their　seals　in　the
presence　of　witnesses；　that　Abou　Saood　had　given　orders　to　his　vakeels
to　harry　the　country　and　to　capture　slaves　and　cattle；　that　none　of　the
people　employed　by　him　received　wages　in　money；　but　that　they　were
invariably　paid　in　slaves；　valued　at　a　certain　sum。

〃All　the　opposition　that　I　had　met　with　had　been　caused　by　Abou　Saood。〃

Suleiman；　having　received　a　written　pardon；　made　his　salaam　and　retired。
An　hour　later　he　was　washed　beautifully　clean；　and　was　gorgeously
dressed　in　a　Turkish　costume　of　light　blue　woollen　cloth；　trimmed　with
gold　and　black　braid；　with　a　new　tarboosh；　a　handsome　silk　shawl　in
thick　folds　around　his　waist；　and　his　sabre　dangling　by　his　side。　Th