ismailia-第139章

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us　in　an　imploring　tone。　I　immediately　sent　a　boat　to　make　inquiries；　as
one　of　our　native　girls　understood　the　language。

It　appeared　that　the　woman　had　the　small…pox；　and　she　had　been　therefore
thrown　into　the　high　grass；　and　abandoned　by　the　vakeel　of　the　three
vessels　that　we　had　observed　in　the　distance。　She　described　these
vessels　as　being　crowded　with　slaves。

I　gave　the　unfortunate　creature　a　supply　of　six　days'　food；　together
with　a　cooking…pot　and　some　firewood；　but　I　dared　not　introduce　so
horrible　a　disease　as　the　small…pox　among　our　party。　She　was　thus　left
alone　upon　the　dubba。　（At　this　season　native　fishermen　visited　the
dubba；　therefore　she　was　most　probably　discovered　on　the　following
morning。）

On　8th　June　we　steamed　along；　towards　the　tall　masts　and　yards　of　the
three　vessels　which　we　perceived　upon　the　horizon。

The　intricacies　of　the　narrow　channel　were　such　that　we　did　not　overtake
the　slavers　until　sunset。

We　then　anchored　for　the　night　in　a　lake；　while　I　sent　a　boat　forward
into　the　canal　occupied　by　the　three　vessels　to　order　the　vakeel　of　the
company　to　visit　me　immediately。

In　a　short　time　the　boat　returned　with　my　old　acquaintance　Wat　Hojoly；
the　vakeel　of　the　Bohr　station　belonging　to　Abou　Saood。

I　had　always　liked　this　man；　as　he　was　generally　straightforward　in　his
manner。　He　now　told　me；　without　the　slightest　reserve；　that　during　my
absence　in　the　south；　several　cargoes　of　slaves　had　passed　the
government　station　at　Fashoda　by　bribing　the　governor；　and　that　he　would
certainly　have　no　difficulty；　provided　that　I　did　not　seize　him。　He
confessed　that　he　had　700　slaves　on　board　the　three　vessels；　and
according　to　orders　that　he　had　received　from　his　master；　Abou　Saood；　he
was　conveying　them　to　their　destination；　a　few　days　south　of　Khartoum；
on　the　White　Nile；　at　which　point　they　could　either　march　overland　to
the　west　via　Kordofan；　or　to　the　east　via　Sennaar；　whence　they　could
pass　unmolested　to　the　Red　Sea　or　to　other　markets。

The　small…pox　had　broken　out　among　the　slaves；　several　of　whom　had　died。

I　was　most　thoroughly　disgusted　and　sick　at　heart。　After　all　the　trouble
and　difficulties　that　we　had　gone　through　for　the　suppression　of　the
slave　trade；　there　could　be　no　question　of　the　fact　that　Abou　Saood；　the
great　slave…hunter　of　the　White　Nile；　was　supported　by　some　high
authority　behind　the　scenes；　upon　whom　he　could　depend　for　protection。

This　was　apparently　the　last　act　of　the　drama；　in　which　the　villain　of
the　piece　could　mock　and　scoff　at　justice；　and　ridicule　every　effort
that　I　had　made　to　suppress　the　slave　trade。　His　vessels　were　actually
sailing　in　triumph　and　defiance　before　the　wind；　with　flags　flying　the
crescent　and　the　star；　above　a　horrible　cargo　of　pest…smitten　humanity；
in　open　contempt　for　my　authority；　which　Wat　Hojoly　had　been　carefully
informed　did　not　extend　north　of　Gondokoro。

I　asked　this　plain…spoken　agent　whether　he　was　quite　sure　that　he　could
pass　the　government　station？　〃Oh　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃a　little　backsheesh
will　open　the　road；　there　is　nothing　to　fear。〃

I　was　then　informed　by　the　same　authority　that　Abou　Saood　had　gone　to
Cairo　to　appeal　to　the　Khedive's　government　against　my　proceedings；　and
to　represent　his　TRADE　as　ruined　by　my　acts。

This　was　a　remarkable　disclosure　at　the　end　of　the　last　act；　the　moral
of　the　piece　was　thus　explained　before　the　curtain　fell。　The
slave…hunter　par　excellence　of　the　White　Nile；　who　had　rented　or　farmed
from　the　government；　for　some　thousands　sterling　per　annum；　the　right　of
TRADING　in　countries　which　did　NOT　belong　to　Egypt；　was　now　on　the　road
to　protest　against　my　interference　with　his　TRADE；　this　innocent
business　being　represented　BY　THREE　VESSELS　WITH　SEVEN　HUNDRED　SLAVES
THAT　WERE　TO　PASS　UNCHECKED　BEFORE　THE　GOVERNMENT　STATION　OF　FASHODA。

I　told　Wat　Hojoly　that　I　did　not　think　he　would　succeed　upon　this
occasion；　but　that　I　should　certainly　not　lay　hands　upon　him。

I　had　not　received　replies　to　my　letters　addressed　to　the　Khedive；
therefore　I　was　determined　not　to　exert　physical　force　again；　at　the
same　time　I　made　up　my　mind　that　the　slave　vessels　should　not　pass
Fashoda。

After　some　delay；　owing　to　a　shallow　portion　of　the　river；　we　passed
ahead；　and　the　fearful　stench　from　the　crowded　slave　vessels　reeking
with　small…pox　followed　us　for　quite　a　mile　down　the　wind。　（Fortunately
there　was　a　powerful　force　with　Wat　Hojoly；　whom　I　called　upon　for
assistance　in　heaving　the　steamer　over　the　bank；　otherwise　we　must　have
dug　a　channel。）

On　19th　June；　at　3。30　P。M。；　we　reached　Fashoda。　The　governor　at　once
came　on　board　to　receive　us。

This　officer　hall　been　only　recently　appointed；　and　he　appeared　to　be
very　energetic　and　desirous　to　assist　me　in　the　total　extinction　of　the
slave　trade。　I　assured　the　governor　（Jusef　Effendi）　that　I　had　entirely
suppressed　it　in　my　territory；　and　I　had　also　suppressed　the　river　trade
in　1870；　but　if　the　authorities　were　determined　to　connive　at　this
abomination；　I　had　been　placed　in　a　disgracefully　false　position；　and
had　been　simply　employed　on　a　fool's　errand。

Jusef　Effendi　assured　me　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　vessels　to　pass
Fashoda　with　slave　cargoes　now　that　he　represented　the　government；　as
the　Khedive　had　issued　the　most　positive　orders　within　the　last　six
months　against　the　traffic　in　slaves；　therefore　such　instructions　must
be　obeyed。

I　did　not　quite　see　that　obedience　to　such　orders　was　absolutely
necessary；　as　the　slave　trade　had　been　similarly　prohibited　by
proclamation　in　the　reign　of　the　late　Said　Pacha；　but　with　no　permanent
effect。

There　were　two　fine　steamers　lying　at　Fashoda；　which　had　formed　a
portion　of　the　fleet　of　six　steamers　that　I　had　sent　up　from　Cairo　some
years　ago　to　tow　my　flotilla　up　the　White　Nile。　This　was　the　first　time
that　I　had　ever　seen　them。

I　now　told　Jusef　Effendi　that　he　would　be　held　responsible　for　the
capture　of　Abou　Saood's　three　vessels；　together　with　the　700　slaves；　at
the　same　time；　it　would　be　advisable　to　allow　them　to　arrive　at　Fashoda
before　their　capture　should　be　attempted；　as　the　fact　of　such　an
audacious　contempt　of　law　would　at　once　implicate　the　former　governor　as
having　been　in　the　habit　of　connivance。

Jusef　Effendi　appeared　to　be　in　earnest。　　He　was　an　active　and　highly
intelligent　Circassian　who　held　the　rank　of　lieutenant…colonel。

My　servants　had　discovered　by　chance；　when　in　communication　with　Wat
Hojoly；　that　Salim…Wat…Howah；　who　had　been　one　of　the　principal
ringleaders　in　the　attack　upon　the　troops　at　Fatiko；　and　had
subsequently　knocked　down　Suleiman　and　possessed　himself　forcibly　of　the
ammunition　from　the　magazine；　with　which　he　and　his　party　had　absconded；
was　now　actually　concealed　on　one　of　the　three　slave　vessels。　I　had
taken　care　not　to　mention　his　name　to　Wat　Hojoly；　lest　he　should　be　left
at　some　station　upon　the　route；　and　thus　escape　me。

I　now　gave　a　written　order　to　Jusef　Effendi　to　arrest　him　upon　the
arrival　of　the　slave　vessels；　and　to　send　him　to　Khartoum　in　irons。

The　news　of　Abou　Saood's　personal　appeal　to　the　government　at　Cairo　was
confirmed　by　the　best　authorities　at　Fashoda。

On　21st　June　I　took　leave　of　Jusef　Effendi；　and　upon　the　28th；　at　11
A。M。；　we　arrived　at　the　large　tree　which　is　within　five　miles　of
Khartoum；　by　the　short　cut　across　the　neck　of　land　to　the　Blue　Nile。

I　stopped　at　this　tree；　and　immediately　wrote　to　Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha；　the
new　governor　of　Khartoum；　to　telegraph　INSTANTLY　to　Cairo　to　arrest　Abou
Saood。

I　sent　this　note　by　a　faithful　officer；　Ferritch　Agha；　with　positive
orders　that　he　was　to　deliver　it　into　the　hands　of　Ismail　Pacha。

This　order　was　immediately　carried　out　before　any　people　in　Khartoum　had
an　idea　of　my　return。　Had　I　at　once　steamed　round　the　point；　some　friend
would　have　telegraphed　my　arrival　to　Abou　Saood　in　Cairo；　and　he　might
have　gone　into　concealment。

In　the　afternoon　we　observed　a　steamer　rounding　the　distant　headland　at
the　point　of　junction　of　the　two　Niles。　She　rapidly　approached；　and　in
about　half　an　hour　my　old　friend；　Ismail　Ayoub　Pacha；　stepped　on　board
my　diahbeeah；　and　gave