ismailia-第97章

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introduce　an　important　change　in　this　extraordinary　country；　at　the　same
time　I　recalled　to　his　recollection；　that　I　had　promised　his　father　to
open　up　a　commercial　route　by　which　the　productions　and　manufactures　of
the　north　should　arrive　in　Unyoro；　and　render　that　country　even　more
prosperous　than　Uganda。　I　had　now　arrived；　as　the　lieutenant　of　the
Khedive；　according　to　my　promise；　and　the　whole　of　the　equatorial　Nile
basis　would　be　taken　under　his　protection。　No　unnecessary　wars　would　be
permitted；　but　he　（Kabba　Rega）　would　remain　as　the　representative　of　the
government；　and　the　affairs　of　the　country　would　be　conducted　through
him　alone。

I　assured　him　that　no　country　could　prosper　without　industry　and　a　good
government；　that　agriculture　was　the　foundation　of　a　country's　wealth；
and　that　war　or　civil　disturbance；　which　interfered　with　agricultural
employment；　would　ruin　the　kingdom。　He　replied　that　〃Rionga　was　the　sole
cause　of　war；　therefore　it　would　be　necessary　to　destroy　him　before　any
improvements　could　be　made。　If　Rionga　were　killed　and　the　slave…hunters
expelled　from　the　country；　there　might　be　some　hope　of　progress；　but
that　it　was　wasting　breath　to　talk　of　commerce　and　agriculture　until
Rionga　should　be　destroyed。〃

This　was　Kamrasi's　old　tune　once　more　dinned　into　my　ears。　In　my　former
journey　I　had　been　deserted　by　my　carriers　and　starved　for　three　months
at　Shooa　Moru；　simply　to　induce　me　to　yield　to　this　repeated　demand：
〃Kill　Rionga；　or　give　me　your　men　to　assist　me　against　him。〃

From　what　I　had　heard　I　considered　that　Rionga　must　be　a　very　fine
fellow；　and　much　superior　to　either　Kamrasi　or　his　son。

In　my　former　journey　I　had　accomplished　a　long　and　difficult　exploration
without　firing　a　shot　at　a　human　being；　and　I　had　studiously　avoided
meddling　in　native　politics；　which　is　certain　to　involve　a　traveller　in
difficulty。　It　had　always　been　a　source　of　great　satisfaction　when　I
looked　back　to　my　past　adventures；　and　reflected　that　I　had　never　pulled
a　trigger　at　a　native；　thus　the　arrival　of　a　white　man　in　these
countries　would　be　regarded　without　suspicion。

In　my　present　expedition　I　had　always　endeavoured　to　preserve　peace；
but；　as　this　work　will　show；　I　was　in　every　instance　forced　to　war　in
absolute　self…defence。　I　was　therefore　determined　not　to　attack　Rionga；
unless　he　should　presume　to　defy　the　government。

In　reply　to　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs；　who　all　had　joined　in　the
argument；　I　declared　that　I　would　find　means　to　establish　peace；　and
that　Rionga　would　assuredly　come　to　terms。　Nothing　would　induce　me　to
use　force　against　him　or　any　other　person；　unless　absolutely　necessary。
I　suggested　to　Kabba　Rega　that　he　should　for　a　moment　change　positions
with　Rionga。　What　would　his　feelings　be　should　I　wantonly　attack　him；
simply　because　I　had　been　requested　to　do　so　by　his　enemy？

No　argument　was　of　any　avail。　Kabba　Rega　replied；　〃You　were　my　father's
friend　and　brother：　your　wife　was　the　same。　You　drove　back　the
slave…hunters　under　Wat…el…Mek　by　hoisting　your　flag。　Since　you　left　us；
the　slave…hunters　have　returned　and　ruined　the　country。　My　father　is
dead；　but　Rionga　is　still　alive。　Now　you　are　my　father；　and　your　wife　is
my　mother：　will　you　allow　your　son's　enemy　to　live？〃

It　was　quite　useless　to　attempt　reason　with　this　hardened　young　fellow；
who　had　not　an　idea　of　mercy　in　his　disposition。　As　he　had　murdered　his
own　relatives　by　the　foulest　treachery；　so　he　would　of　course　destroy
any　person　who　stood　in　his　way。　I　therefore　changed　the　conversation　to
Abou　Saood。

Kabba　Rega　and　his　sheiks　all　agreed　that　he　had　arrived　here　some　time
ago　in　a　very　miserable　plight；　exceedingly　dirty；　and　riding　upon　a
donkey。　He　was　without　baggage　of　any　kind；　and　he　introduced　himself　by
giving　a　present　to　Kabba　Rega　of　an　old；　battered　metal　basin　and　jug；
in　which　he　washed；　together　with　a　very　old　and　worn…out　small　carpet；
upon　which　he　was　accustomed　to　sit。　With　these　magnificent　presents　he
declared　that　he　was　〃the　son　of　a　sultan；　who　had　come　to　visit　the
king　of　Unyoro。〃

Kabba　Rega　had　replied　that　〃he　did　not　believe　it；　as　he　had　heard　that
he　was　simply　a　trader。〃

Reports　had　reached　Unyoro　that　I　had　arrived　at　Gondokoro；　and　that　I
was　on　my　way　to　visit　Kamrasi；　and　to　explore　the　Albert　N'yanza；
therefore　Kabba　Rega　had　questioned　Abou　Saood　concerning　me。

〃Oh；〃　Abou　Saood　replied；　〃that　man　whom　we　call　'the　traveller'？　Oh
yes；　he　was　a　very　good　fellow　indeed；　but　he　is　dead。　He　died　long　ago。
The　Pacha　is　a　very　different　person；　and　I　hope　he　will　never　be　able
to　reach　this　country。　If　he　does；　it　will　be　a　bad　time　for　YOU。〃

〃Indeed！〃　replied　Kabba　Rega。　〃I　heard　that　the　Pacha　and　the　traveller；
the　friend　of　my　father；　were　the　same　person。〃

〃You　have　been　deceived；〃　said　Abou　Saood。　〃The　Pacha　is　not　like　the
traveller；　or　any　other　man。　He　is　a　monster　with　three　separate　heads；
in　each　of　which　are　six　eyesthree　upon　each　side。　Thus　with
eighteen　eyes　he　can　see　everything　and　every　country　at　once。　He　has
three　enormous　mouths；　which　are　furnished　with　teeth　like　those　of　a
crocodile；　and　he　devours　human　flesh。　He　has　already　killed　and　eaten
the　Bari　people　and　destroyed　their　country。　Should　he　arrive　here；　he
will　pull　you　from　the　throne　and　seize　your　kingdom。　You　must　fight
him；　and　by　no　means　allow　him　to　cross　the　river　at　Foweera。　My
soldiers　will　fight　him　on　the　road　from　Gondokoro；　as　will　all　the
natives　of　the　country：　but　I　don't　think　he　will　be　able　to　leave
Gondokoro；　as　he　has　a　large　amount　of　baggage；　_and　I　have　told　the
Baris　not　to　transport　it：thus　he　will　have　no　carriers。〃

This　was　the　actual　report　that　Abou　Saood　had　given　to　Kabba　Rega；　as
the　dragoman　Umbogo　had　been　the　interpreter；　in　the　presence　of
Mohammed；　my　old　Cairo　dragoman。

I　laughed　outright　at　this　absurdity：　at　the　same　time　it　corroborated
all　that　I　had　already　heard　of　Abou　Saood's　treachery。　I　immediately
asked　Kabba　Rega　if　he　was　satisfied　now　that　he　had　seen　me？　He
replied；　〃Abou　Saood　is　a　liar；　and　you　are　Kamrasi's　friend；　and　my
father：　therefore　you　will；　I　am　sure；　assist　me；　and　relieve　me　from　my
great　enemy；　Rionga。　I　shall　then　know　that　you　are　indeed　my　true
friend。〃

Once　more　it　was　necessary　to　change　the　conversation。　A　number　of
buffoons　that　were　kept　about　the　court　for　the　amusement　of　the　young
king　now　came　forward。　The　crowd　was　driven　back；　and　an　open　space
having　been　thus　cleared；　they　performed　a　curious　theatrical　scene；
followed　by　a　general　fight　with　clubs；　until　one　man；　having　knocked
down　all　the　party；　remained　the　victor。　The　scene　terminated　with　an
act　of　disgusting　indecency；　which　created　roars　of　laughter　from　the
immense　crowd；　who　evidently　considered　this　was　the　great　joke　of　the
piece。

〃Kabba　Rega　now　took　leave；　and　retired　as　he　had　before　arrived；　with
drums；　whistles；　horns；　flageolets；　making　a　horrid　din　。　。　。　。〃

The　spot　that　I　had　selected　for　a　station　was　at　the　southern　edge　of
the　town；　from　which　site　the　land　sloped　into　a　valley　about　a　hundred
feet　below。　I　had　at　once　commenced　clearing　away　the　high　grass；　and；
as　usual　when　first　settling；　I　had　broken　up　a　few　small　plots；　and　had
already　sown　seeds　of　English　cucumbers；　sweet　melons；　&c。

The　soil　was　wonderfully　rich；　at　the　same　time　it　was　very　easily
worked。　When　the　tall　rank　grass　was　torn　out　by　the　roots；　a　fine
surface　was　exposed　that　resembled　dark　chocolate。　This　was　a　vegetable
loam；　with　a　minimum　of　two　feet　thickness；　resting　upon　a　bright　red
quartz　gravel。

The　quartz　was　not　rounded；　and　appeared　to　be　only　the　residue　of
decayed　rock　that　had　never　been　subjected　to　the　action　of　running
water。　When　washed；　a　handful　remained　of　sharp　and　clear　white
fragments。

With　such　a　subsoil　the　country　must　be　healthy；　as　the　heaviest　shower
drained　rapidly　through　the　gravel。

I　employed　the　prisoners　in　clearing　the　grass；　while　the　soldiers
commenced　cultivation；　and　dug　up　the　ground　with　a　number　of　hoes　that
I　borrowed　from　Kabba　Rega。

These　implements　are　nearly　the　same　in　shape　as　those　in　G