ismailia-第105部分

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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。　This
sudden　metamorphosis　from　dirt　and　ashes　to　dazzling　attire　was
symbolical　of　disgrace　and　humiliation　succeeded　by　pardon　and
restoration　to　office。

Suleiman　was　to　continue　as　vakeel　of　the　Fabbo　station；　under　the
command　of　Wat…el…Mek。　In　the　magazines　of　Fabbo　were　3；200　elephants'
tusks。　These；　I　had　no　doubt；　would　be　confiscated　by　the　Khedive。

A　short　time　before　the　arrival　of　Suleiman；　an　extraordinary　incident
had　occurred　at　the　Fatiko　camp。

One　morning；　when　the　bugles　blew　the　usual　call；　it　was　discovered　that
the　prisoner　Lazim　had　escaped；　although　he　had　been　secured　in　irons。

Fortunately；　it　had　rained　slightly　during　the　night；　thus　it　would　not
be　difficult　to　track　his　footsteps。　I　immediately　sent　for　Shooli　and
Gimoro；　whose　village　was　only　700　yards　distant；　to　whom　I　promised　a
reward　of　a　cow；　should　they　succeed　in　capturing　the　escaped　felon。
They　quickly　got　upon　the　track　of　the　fugitive；　and　followed　like
bloodhounds。

I　have　already　described　this　fellow　Lazim　as　having　been　one　of　the
ringleaders　in　the　rebellion　of　the　slave…hunters；　and　he　was　almost　as
notorious　a　character　as　Ali　Hussein。　He　was　originally　himself　a　slave；
and　had　escaped　from　his　master　at　Khartoum　many　years　ago；　after　which
he　became　one　of　the　most　determined　slave…hunters。

I　felt　sure　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　him　to　have　escaped
without　the　connivance　of　the　sentry。　I　therefore　ordered　all　the
soldiers　that　had　formed　the　various　night…guards　over　the　prisoner　to
be　brought　before　me。　As　they　stood　in　line；　I　simply　told　them　that
〃the　prisoner　had　escaped；　and　that　one　of　the　men　now　present　was
guilty　of　aiding　and　abetting。　I　could　discover　the　fellow　who　had　thus
disgraced　himself　as　a　soldier　by　simply　looking　at　his　face。〃

Having　carefully　examined　the　countenance　of　each　man；　I　felt　confident
that　I　had　fixed　upon　the　guilty　person；　as　one　individual　quailed
beneath　my　eye；　and　at　length　looked　down　upon　the　ground。　This　happened
to　be　one　of　the　worst　characters　in　the　force。　I　therefore　at　once
ordered　him　to　be　flogged。

During　the　infliction　of　punishment；　this　fellow　not　only　confessed　that
he　had　assisted　in　the　escape　of　Lazim；　but　he　made　a　clean　breast　of
several　other　delinquencies。　He　was　accordingly　put　in　irons；　and
condemned　to　break　stones　for　the　new　roads。

In　the　evening　Shooli　returned；　but　without　the　prisoner。　Before　he　gave
his　report；　he　begged　me　〃not　to　be　angry。〃　He　then　described　that　he
had　tracked　Lazim's　footsteps　for　a　long　way　along　the　Fabbo　road　until
he　had　at　length　met　several　natives；　who　were　coming　towards　him。　These
men　declared　that　they　had　met　Lazim；　who　had　managed　to　get　rid　of　his
irons；　but　as　he　was　unarmed；　they　knew　that　he　must　have　run　away。　They
accordingly　asked　him　for　his　pass　from　me；　as　it　was　well　known　that　I
never　allowed　a　man　to　go　alone　without　a　written　order。

Lazim　of　course　was　unable　to　produce　a　paper。　　The　natives；　therefore；
insisted　upon　his　returning　with　them　to　Fatiko；　and　upon　his
remonstrating　they　seized　him。　A　struggle　ensued；　and　they　at　length
knocked　him　upon　the　head　with　au　iron　mace　and　killed　him。　Thus　ended
one　of　the　greatest　scoundrels；　and　the　government　was　relieved　by　his
escape　from　custody；　which　had　so　quickly　terminated　his　career。



CHAPTER　XXV。

I　SEND　TO　GONDOKORO　FOR　REINFORCEMENTS。

On　25th　November；　1872；　I　started　Wat…el…Mek　to　Gondokoro　with　a　force
of　irregulars；　in　addition　to　a　captain　and　twenty　regular　troops　in
charge　of　the　post。　His　party　consisted　of　100　men。

The　fleet　from　Gondokoro　had　left　on　the　3rd　of　November；　1871：　thus　it
was　natural　to　suppose　that　reinforcements　had　arrived　from　Khartoum；
according　to　my　written　instructions　on　that　date。　I　now　wrote　to　Raouf
Bey　at　head…quarters；　to　send　up　200　men　under　the　command　of
Lieutenant…Colonel　Tayib　Agha；　of　the　Soudani　regiment。　I　also　wrote　for
a　supply　of　cattle；　as　my　stock　had　dwindled　to　a　small　herd　of　milch
cows；　and　the　people　at　Fabbe　had　no　meat　except　the　flesh　of　any　game
that　might　be　killed。

A　short　time　after　the　departure　of　Wat…el…Mek　and　his　party　for
Gondokoro；　Suleiman　the　vakeel　arrived　from　Fabbo　with　the　intelligence
that　a　large　body　of　Abou　Saood's　slave…hunters；　including　3；000
Makkarika　cannibals；　had　arrived　on　the　Nile　from　the　far　west；　with　the
intention　of　taking　the　ivory　from　Fabbo！

It　appeared　that　Abou　Saood　had　gone　from　Gondokoro　to　his　station　at
the　Bohr；　upon　the　White　Nile；　from　thence　he　had　sent　a　party　with　a
letter　to　Atroosh；　the　vakeel　of　the　Makkarika　station；　about　200　miles
distant；　with　orders　that　he　should　send　a　powerful　force；　with
sufficient　carriers；　to　take　the　ivory　by　violence　from　Fabbo。

Abou　Saood　had　not　expected　that　the　people　whom　he　had　left　at　that
station　would　have　enlisted　under　the　government　standard。　Thus　he
imagined　they　would　at　once　fraternize　with　the　invading　force。

The　natives　of　the　country　were　thoroughly　alarmed；　as　the　cannibals
were　eating　the　children　of　the　Koshi　country　on　the　west　bank　of　the
Nile；　in　about　3　degrees　latitude；　and　should　they　cross　the　river；　the
Madis　and　Shoolis　expected　the　same　fate。

I　ordered　Suleiman　（who　had　received　a　letter　from　Atroosh）　to　take　a
letter　from　me　to　Ali　Emmeen；　the　vakeel　of　the　invading　force；
instructing　him　to　present　himself　before　me　at　Fatiko　instantly　with　an
escort　of　his　own　people；　limited　to　twenty…five　men。　At　the　same　time　I
gave　instructions　to　the　natives　upon　no　account　to　furnish　boats　for　a
larger　party。

After　some　days'　absence　Suleiman　returned；　but　without　Ali　Emmeen；　who
was　afraid　to　appear。　This　vakeel　had　received　my　verbal　assurance　from
Suleiman　that；　should　any　persons　attempt　the　passage　of　the　river
without　my　permission；　they　would　be　instantly　shot；　at　the　same　time；
if　he　wished　to　convey　the　ivory　to　Gondokoro　by　the　usual　route；　he
could　do　so　with　an　escort　of　regulars。

This　was　an　awkward　position　for　Ali　Emmeen；　who　had　expected　to　find
allies　at　Fabbo；　but　who　now　found　a　faithful　corps　of　irregulars　with
Suleiman　at　their　head　acting　under　my　orders。

He　accordingly　took　100　men　and　returned　about　180　miles　to　the　camp　of
Atroosh　for　fresh　instructions。　The　3；000　Makkarika　cannibals　were　left
with　the　remainder　of　his　company　on　the　west　bank　of　the　Nile　to　feed
upon　the　natives　of　Koshi　until　his　return。

Every　day　people　arrived　at　Fatiko　with　horrible　reports　of　the
cannibals；　who　were　devouring　the　children　in　the　Koshi　district。　Spies
went　across　the　river　and　brought　me　every　intelligence。　It　appeared
that　the　3；000　Makkarikas　had　been　engaged　by　Ali　Emmeen　under　the
pretence　that　they　were　〃to　go　to　Fatiko　and　fight　a　chief　called　'the
Pacha；'　who　had　enormous　flocks　and　herds；　together　with　thousands　of
beautiful　women　and　other　alluring　spoil；〃　but　they　had　not　heard　that
they　were　to　carry　3；000　elephants'　tusks　to　the　station　of　Atroosh。

My　spies　now　told　them　the　truth。　　〃Fight　the　Pacha！〃　they　exclaimed：
〃do　you　not　know　who　he　is？　and　that　he　could　kill　you　all　like　fowls；
as　he　did　the　people　of　Ali　Hussein？　He　has　no　cows　for　you　to　carry
off；　but　he　has　guns　that　are　magic；　and　which　load　from　behind　instead
of　at　the　muzzle！〃

This　was　a　terrible　disappointment　to　the　deluded　Makkarikas；　which　at
once　spread　dissension　among　them；　when　they　found　that　they　had　been
cajoled　in　order　to　transport　the　heavy　loads　of　ivory。

A　providential　visitation　suddenly　fell　upon　them。　　The　small…pox　broke
out　and　killed　upwards　of　800　bloodthirsty　cannibals　who　had　been
devouring　the　country。

The　Nile　was　reported　to　be　about　six　miles　in　width　opposite　their
station；　in　about　3　degrees　latitude；　which　is　only　a　few　miles　from　the
Albert　N'yanza。　This　visitation　of　small…pox　created　a　panic　which
entirely　broke　up　and　dispersed　the　invading　force；　and　defeated　their
plans。

We　were　now　in　frequent　communication　with　Rionga；　who　was　always
represented　in　my　Fatiko　camp　by　the　presence　of　one　of　his　sheiks　and
several　men。

Ali　Genninar　had　made　a　combined　attack　upon　Kabba　Rega；　together　with
Rionga　and　the　Langgo　tribe；　and　had　utterly　defeated　him。　His　people
were　now　deserting　him　in　great　numbers；　and　were　flocking　to　the
winning　side。　Kabba　Rega　had　taken　to　flight；　and　was　supposed　to　be
hiding　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Chibero；　on　the　borders　of　the　Albert
N'yanza。

M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　had　invaded　Unyoro　from　the　south；　and
having　heard　of　Kabba　Rega's　treachery　towards　myself；　he　had　sent　an
army　of　6；000　men　under　his　general；　Congow；　to　be　placed　at　my
disposal。

This　friendship　was　the　result　of　my　diplomacy　in　having　sent　him
valuable　presents　from　Masindi；　together　with　a　letter　warning　him
against　Kabba　Rega；　who　wished　to　prevent　the　goods　of　the　north　from
reaching　Uganda；　in　order　that　he　might　monopolize　the　trade　in　Unyoro。

The　subsequent　conduct　of　Kabba　Rega　had　proved　this　accusation；　and
M'tese　had　heard　with　rage　and　dismay　that　I　had　been　forced　to　burn　all
the　numerous　goods；　which　otherwise　would　have　passed　to　him　in　Uganda。

On　the　25th　December　the　fort　of　Fatiko　was　completed。　This　was
commenced　on　the　28th　August；　thus　my　men　had　been　four　months　engaged
in　the　work；　owing　to　the　extreme　hardness　of　the　subsoil；　which　was　a
compact　gravel　resembling　concrete。

The　three　faces　of　the　fort　measured　455　yards　of　fosse　and　earthen
rampart。　The　fosse　was　eight　feet　wide；　eight　feet　deep；　and　the　face　of
the　rampart　was　protected　by　chevaux…de…frise　of　sharpened　stakes。　The
west　base　of　the　fort　was　the　rock　citadel；　which　commanded　the
surrounding　country。　Upon　this　solid　foundation　I　had　built　an　excellent
powder…magazine　and　store；　of　solid　masonry。　This　fire…proof　building
was　roofed　with　a　thick　cement　of　clay　from　the　white…ant　hills；　that
had　been　tempered　for　some　weeks　and　mixed　with　chopped　straw。

All　my　work　was　completed；　and　I　could　do　nothing　until　the
reinforcements　should　arri