ismailia-第87章

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I　did　not　enter　a　station　to　interfere　with　these　wretched　captives；　as
I　knew　that　such　an　act　would　create　irretrievable　confusion。

I　had　only　212　men；　and　I　wished　to　advance　to　the　equator。

Fatiko　was　in　north　latitude　3　degrees　01　minutes；　and　165　miles　from
headquarters。　Had　I　attempted　to　release　some　thousand　slaves　from　the
different　stations；　I　should　have　required　a　large　military　force　to
have　occupied　those　stations；　and　to　have　driven　out　the　whole　of　the
slave…hunters　bodily。

If　the　slaves　had　been　released；　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　have
returned　them　to　their　homes；　as　they　had　been　collected　from　every
quarter　of　the　compass　and　from　great　distances。　If　I　had　kept　them；　I
could　not　have　procured　food　for　so　large　a　number：　as　the　stations
contained　several　thousand。

Under　the　circumstances；　I　took　the　wiser　course　of　non…interference
with　the　stock　in　hand；　but　I　issued　the　most　severe　orders　respecting
the　future　conduct　of　Abou　Saood's　companies。　I　arranged　to　leave　a
detachment　of　100　men；　under　the　command　of　Major　Abdullah；　to　form　a
station　adjoining　that　of　Abou　Saood　in　Fatiko；　together　with　the
heavier　baggage　and　the　greater　portion　of　the　ammunition。

The　government　would　be　thus　represented　by　a　most　respectable　and
civilized　officer；　who　would　give　confidence　and　protection　to　the
country；　as　I　concluded　that　the　prestige　of　the　Khedive　would　be
sufficient　to　establish　order　among　his　subjects；　by　the　representation
of　one　of　his　officers　and　a　detachment　of　100　troops。

I　gave　orders　to　Gimoro　and　Shooli　to　prepare　carriers　for　the　journey
to　Unyoro。

An　untoward　occurrence　had　taken　place　shortly　after　our　arrival　at
Fatiko。

As　has　already　been　described；　the　Lobore　natives　had　not　only　cheated
us　out　of　many　cows　that　had　been　received；　for　which　the　carriers　had
not　been　forthcoming；　but　numbers　had　deserted　on　the　road；　which　had
caused　the　troops　great　trouble　and　fatigue；　as　they　had　been　obliged　to
divide　among　them　the　abandoned　loads。　Upon　our　arrival　at　Fatiko；　the
son　of　sheik　Abbio；　of　Lobore；　would　have　absconded　with　all　his　people；
had　he　not　been　retained　by　the　troops。　This　man　was　responsible　for　the
natives　who　had　engaged　themselves　for　the　journey。

It　would　have　been　the　height　of　imprudence　to　have　permitted　the
immediate　departure　of　our　carriers　before　I　had　arranged　for　the
future；　thus　about　eighty　were　secured　by　the　soldiers；　including　the
sheik's　son；　from　a　general　stampede　that　took　place。

I　ordered　them　to　be　disarmed；　as　I　considered　that　if　unarmed；　they
would　not　venture　alone　through　the　Madi　country。

In　the　evening　they　were　secured　by　a　slight　line　tied　round　each　man's
neck；　and　connected　in　gangs　of　five。　A　guard　was　placed　over　them　in
addition　to　the　usual　sentries。

At　about　4　a。m。　a　signal　was　given　by　one　of　their　people。　Every　man　had
gnawed　through　his　cord　with　his　teeth　during　the　darkness；　and　at　the
concerted　cry　in　a　language　that　no　one　understood；　the　entire　party；　of
upwards　of　eighty　men；　knocked　down　the　astonished　guard；　also　the
sentries；　and　rushed　headlong　over　the　rocks　in　the　direction　of　Lobore。

It　was　a　natural　impulse　and　a　soldier's　duty　to　fire　in　the　direction
of　the　assailants；　as　the　overturned　sentries　quickly　recovered　and
joined　the　guard　in　a　volley。

I　was　up　in　an　instant；　and　upon　arrival　at　the　spot　I　was　informed　of
the　occurrence。　It　was　pitch　dark；　therefore　a　lantern　was　brought；　and
after　a　search；　three　bodies　were　discovered　of　the　rash　and　unfortunate
Lobore。　I　was　exceedingly　sorry　that　such　an　event　had　happened；　at　the
same　time　I　could　hardly　blame　the　sentries。　I　was　much　afraid　that　if
three　were　shot　dead；　others　must　have　escaped　wounded；　and　altogether
the　affair　would　have　a　bad　effect　at　Lobore。

The　sheik　of　Fatiko　was　named　Wat…el…Ajoos。　This　name　had　been　given　him
by　the　slave…hunters；　meaning　〃Son　of　the　old　man。〃　His　village　was　not
quite　half　a　mile　from　our　camp；　and　he　frequently　came　to　see　me　with
his　interpreter；　accompanied　by　his　wives。

Upon　his　first　visit　I　gave　him　a　long　blue　shirt；　together　with　some
yards　of　Turkey　red　cambric；　to　form　a　waist　sash；　also　a　red　fez　and
two　razors；　with　a　quantity　of　beads　for　his　wives。

Fatiko　is　merely　a　district　of　the　great　country　of　Shooli；　which　is
governed　by　the　sheik；　Rot　Jarma。　This　person　had　sent　word　that　he
intended　to　visit　me；　to　tender　his　allegiance　to　the　government。

On　16th　March；　a　wild　sound　of　many　horns　was　the　first　introduction；
and　shortly　after；　a　number　of　his　people　advanced　chanting　a　peculiar
low　song；　and　dancing　a　solemn　slow　step。　The　great　sheik　came　behind
them。　He　was　quickly　ushered　into　my　presence　beneath　a　shady　acacia；
close　to　my　tent　door。　He　was　perfectly　red　from　head　to　toes；　having
been　freshly　smeared　with　red　ochre　and　grease　for　the　interview。　A
well…dressed　skin　of　an　antelope　was　slung　across　his　shoulder；　and
descending　across　his　loins　it　constituted　his　scanty　clothing。

His　conversation　was　merely　a　repetition　of　the　old　story　being　a　series
of　complaints　against　the　slave…hunters。　He　declared　that　he　had　never
visited　Abou　Saood　or　any　of　his　people；　but　that　when　he　had　heard　of
my　arrival；　he　had　determined　at　once　to　offer　his　allegiance；　and　he
and　all　adjacent　countries　would　serve　the　government　faithfully；　in
return　for　protection　and　justice。

I　assured　him　that　he　had　nothing　to　fear　from　the　slave…hunters　in
future；　as　I　should　leave　Major　Abdullah　and　a　detachment　of　troops　to
represent　the　government　during　my　absence。　He　was　to　supply　them　with
corn；　and　to　yield　the　same　obedience　to　Major　Abdullah　as　he　would　to
me。　I　gave　him　nine　yards　of　red　cotton　cloth；　six　pounds　of　beads；　two
razors；　one　comb；　two　horn　snakes　in　boxes；　one　knife；　one　burning
glass；　one　zinc　mirror；　two　nickel　spoons；　three　rods　of　thick　brass
wire；　two　finger　rings；　two　pair　of　ear…rings；　two　red　and　yellow　cotton
handkerchiefs。

The　total　value　of　this　extensive　present　was　about　twenty…one
shillings。

Before　he　had　arrived；　he　had　requested　that　a　goat　might　be　sent　to　be
slaughtered　at　a　stream　before　he　should　cross　over；　otherwise　bad　luck
would　attend　his　visit。　Of　course　this　was　acceded　to；　and　the　goat　was
sacrificed　and　eaten　by　his　people。

I　gave　him；　according　to　my　usual　custom　with　all　sheiks　and　headmen；
seeds　of　the　best　Egyptian　cotton；　tomatoes；　pumpkins；　cucumbers；
water…melons；　sweet…melons；　barmian；　maize；　&c。；　&c。

Before　parting；　I　amused　and　shocked　him　with　the　magnetic　battery；　and
he　went　away　surprised　and　delighted。

I　subsequently　discovered　that　a　large　quantity　of　flour；　together　with
some　fowls　which　he　had　forwarded　to　me；　had　been　stopped　and
appropriated　by　the　renowned　Ali　Hussein。　The　intriguing　spirit　of　these
slave…hunters　was　extraordinary。　It　is　their　custom　never　to　receive　a
sheik　unless　he　brings　a　present。　He　therefore　considered　that　if　Rot
Jarma　should　appear　for　the　first　time　before　me　empty…handed；　I　should
either　not　admit　him；　or　perhaps　be　prejudiced　against　him；　thus　he　had
stolen　the　customary　gift　of　introduction　in　order　to　create　ill…will　on
my　part　towards　Rot　Jarma；　who　had　never　yet　condescended　to　visit　the
station　of　Abou　Saood　。　。　。　。　。

Wat…el…Ajoos；　with　the　assistance　of　Shooli　and　Gimoro；　had　collected
200　carriers；　all　of　whom　had　received　each　a　cow。

I　had　assorted　the　luggage；　and　although　I　had　not　the　slightest
suspicion　of　any　fighting；　nevertheless　my　ammunition　formed　a
considerable　portion　of　the　heavier　baggage。

Major　Abdullah　had　received　his　instructions；　and　a　site　had　been　chosen
for　his　station　within　a　hundred　yards　of　the　south　extremity　of　that　of
Abou　Saood。　This　position　was　backed　by　a　high　rock；　upon　which　I　had
already　commenced　to　build　a　powder　magazine　of　solid　masonry。

Abou　Saood　having　as　usual　sworn　upon　the　eyes　and　head　of　the　Prophet
to　do　all　that　was　right　and　virtuous；　and　the　natives　throughout　the
country　being　confident　of　protection；　I　prepared　for　the　journey　to
Unyoroa　distance　across　the　uninhabited　prairies　of　seventy…eigh