ismailia-第106部分

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All　my　work　was　completed；　and　I　could　do　nothing　until　the
reinforcements　should　arrive　from　Gondokoro。　The　natives　paid　their
trifling　corn…tax　with　great　good　humour；　and　they　generally　arrived　in
crowds　of　several　hundreds；　singing　and　dancing；　with　large　baskets　of
tullaboon　upon　their　heads；　with　which　they　filled　our　rows　of
granaries。

The　grass　was　fit　to　burn；　and　the　bunting　season　had　fairly　commenced。　
All　the　natives　now　devoted　themselves　to　this　important　pursuit。　The
chase　supplies　the　great　tribe　of　Shooli　with　clothing。　Although　the
women　are　perfectly　naked；　every　man　wears　the　skin　of　an　antelope　slung
across　his　shoulders；　so　arranged　as　to　be　tolerably　decent。　The　number
of　animals　that　are　annually　destroyed　may　be　imagined　from　the　amount
of　the　skin…clad　population。

Although　the　wilderness　between　Unyoro　and　Fatiko　is　uninhabited；　in
like　manner　with　extensive　tracts　between　Fabbo　and　Fatiko；　every
portion　of　that　apparently　abandoned　country　is　nominally　possessed　by
individual　proprietors；　who　claim　a　right　of　game　by　inheritance。

This　strictly　conservative　principle　has　existed　from　time　immemorial；
and　may　perhaps　suggest　to　those　ultra…radicals　who　would　introduce
communistic　principles　into　England；　that　the　supposed　original　equality
of　human　beings　is　a　false　datum　for　their　problem。　There　is　no　such
thing　as　equality　among　human　beings　in　their　primitive　state；　any　more
than　there　is　equality　among　the　waves　of　the　sea；　although　they　may
start　from　the　same　level　of　the　calm。

In　a　state　of　savagedom；　the　same　rules　of　superiority　which　advance
certain　individuals　above　the　general　level　in　civilized　societies　will
be　found　to　exert　a　natural　influence。　Those　who　become　eminent　will　be
acknowledged　by　their　inferiors。　The　man　who　is　clever　and　wise　in
council　will　be　listened　to：　the　warrior　who　leads　with　courage　and
judgment　will　be　followed　in　the　battle；　the　hunter　who　excels　in
tracking　up　the　game　will　be　sent　to　the　front　when　the　party　are　on　the
blood…track。　In　this　way　superiority　will　be　generally　admitted。
Superiority　of　intellect　will　naturally　tend　to　material　advancement。
The　man　of　sense　will　gather　more　than　the　fool。　That　which　he　gathers
becomes　property；　which　must　be　acknowledged　by　society　as　an　individual
right　that　must　be　protected　by　laws。

In　tribes　where　government　is　weak；　there　is　a　difficulty　in　enforcing
laws；　as　the　penalty　exacted　may　be　resisted；　but　even　amidst　those　wild
tribes　there　is　a　force　that　exerts　a　certain　moral　influence　among　the
savage　as　among　the　civilized：　that　force　is　public　opinion。

Thus；　a　breach　of　the　game…laws　would　be　regarded　by　the　public　as　a
disgrace　to　the　guilty　individual；　precisely　as　an　act　of　poaching　would
damage　the　character　of　a　civilized　person。

The　rights　of　game　are　among　the　first　rudiments　of　property。　Man　in　a
primitive　state　is　a　hunter；　depending　for　his　clothing　upon　the　skins
of　wild　animals；　and　upon　their　flesh　for　his　subsistence；　therefore　the
beast　that　he　kills　upon　the　desert　must　be　his　property；　and　in　a
public　hunt；　should　he　be　the　first　to　wound　a　wild　animal；　he　will　have
gained　an　increased　interest　or　share　in　the　flesh　by　having　reduced　the
chance　of　its　escape。　Thus　public　opinion；　which　we　must　regard　as　the
foundation　of　EQUITY；　rewards　him　with　a　distinct　and　special　right；
which；　becomes　LAW。

It　is　impossible　to　trace　the　origin　of　game…laws　in　Central　Africa；　but
it　is　nevertheless　interesting　to　find　that　such　rights　are　generally
acknowledged；　and　that　large　tracts　of　uninhabited　country　are　possessed
by　individuals　which　are　simply　manorial。　These　rights　are　inherited；
descending　from　father　to　the　eldest　son。

When　the　grass　is　sufficiently　dry　to　burn；　the　whole　thoughts　of　the
community　are　centred　upon　sport；　but　should　a　person　set　fire　to　the
grass　belonging　to　another　proprietor；　he　would　be　at　once　condemned　by
public　opinion；　and　he　would　（if　such　establishments　existed）　be
certainly　expelled　from　his　club。

There　was　no　more　work　undone　in　my　charming　Fatiko　station。　The　roads
from　the　three　gates　were　so　far　completed　as　to　form　respectable
approaches。　The　gardens　had　produced　abundantly；　and　the　troops　were　all
in　excellent　health　and　good　discipline。　On　Mondays　and　Fridays　they
were　exercised　at　light…infantry　drill　for　several　hours。　Every　man　had
his　post；　which　he　occupied　like　lightning　when　the　bugle　suddenly
sounded　the　alarm。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　held　the　rock　citadel；　as　they
could　fire　over　the　heads　of　those　in　the　camp　without　fear　of　accident。
The　night　alarm　sounded　unexpectedly；　and　as　I　went　the　rounds；　every
man　was　at　his　quarters　without　a　whisper。　The　cleanliness　and　general
order　of　the　camp　were　perfect。

I　now　associated　with　the　natives　as　a　hunter。　It　was　in　this　capacity
that　I　had　first　won　their　hearts　many　years　ago。　We　were　so　short　of
meat　that　I　began　to　feel　the　necessity　that　first　turned　the　hand　of
savage　man　against　the　beasts　of　the　forest。

The　chase　throughout　the　Shooli　country　was　carried　on　as　a　profession；
and　was　conducted　by　general　rules　under　an　admirable　organization。

The　favourite　method　of　hunting　was　by　means　of　nets。　Every　man　in　the
country　was　provided　with　a　net　of　strong　cord。　This　was　twelve　yards
long；　and　about　eleven　feet　deep；　if　stretched　to　its　maximum。　The
meshes　were　about　six　inches　square。　There　was　no　promiscuous
net…hunting；　but　the　chief　of　the　district　organized　the　chase　in　the
following　manner：

The　big　nogara　was　sounded；　and　the　news　rapidly　spread　that　an　assembly
was　desired　at　the　village　of　their　headman。　At　Fatiko　the　chief　was
Wat…el…Ajoos　Omare。　A　few　hours　after　the　drum　had　summoned　the　headmen；
natives　might　be　seen　approaching　from　all　sides　to　the　appointed　spot
at　which　the　council　was　to　be　held。

After　much　talking；　it　was　at　length　decided　that　the　hunt　should　take
place　upon　the　manors　of　certain　individuals　whose　property　was
contiguous。　The　day　of　the　hunt　was　arranged；　and　the　headmen　of　the
villages　retired　to　make　the　necessary　arrangements。

Should　a　chief　be　hospitably　disposed；　he　would　frequently　give　a　grand
entertainment　prior　to　the　meet。　On　such　occasions　upwards　of　a　thousand
natives　would　arrive　from　different　villages；　in　their　full…dress
costume；　consisting　of　plumes　of　ostrich　feathers；　leopard…skin　mantles；
and　their　faces　painted　a　frightful　colour　with　fresh　cow…dung。　On　these
occasions　a　large　quantity　of　merissa　was　consumed；　and　one　or　two　oxen
were　slaughtered；　according　to　the　wealth　of　the　person　who　gave　the
festivity。

The　sorcerer　was　an　important　personage　at　such　entertainments；　as　it
was　necessary　to　assure　good　luck　by　a　variety　of　magic　ceremonies；　that
would　not　only　protect　the　hunters　from　accidents；　but　would　also　bring
the　wild　animals　direct　into　their　nets。

At　length　the　day　of　the　hunt　had　arrived；　when　several　thousand　people
would　collect　at　a　certain　rendezvous；　about　nine　miles　distant　from
Fatiko；　on　the　Fabbo　road；　which　is　the　best　neighbourhood　for　game。

At　a　little　before　5　A。M。　I　started　on　my　solitary　but　powerful　horse；
〃Jamoos；〃　accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　with
a　few　soldiers　of　〃The　Forty〃。　Gimoro　and　Shooli；　who　were　renowned
hunters；　were　always　with　me　when　shooting。　These　excellent　men　had　an
extraordinary　affection　for　each　other；　and　they　were　well　known　as
inseparablesthe　one　was　rarely　seen　without　the　other。

Descending　the　rocky　terrace　from　the　station　at　Fatiko；　we　were　at　once
in　the　lovely；　park…like　glades；　diversified　by　bold　granite　rocks；
among　which　were　scattered　the　graceful　drooping　acacias　in　clumps　of
dense　foliage。

Crossing　the　clear；　rippling　stream；　we　clambered　up　the　steep　bank　on
the　opposite　side；　and；　after　a　ride　of　about　a　mile　and　a　half；　we
gained　the　water…shed；　and　commenced　a　gradual　descent　towards　the　west。

We　were　now　joined　by　numerous　people；　both　men；　women　and　children；　all
of　whom　were　bent　upon　the　hunt。

The　men　carried　their　nets　and　spears；　the　boys　were　also　armed　with
lighter　weapons；　and　the　very　little　fellows　carried　tiny　lances；　all　of
which　had　been　carefully　sharpened　for　the　expected　game。

The　women　were　in　great　numbers；　and　upon　that　day　the　villages　were
quite　deserted。　Babies　accompanied　their　mothers；　strapped　upon　their
backs　with　leathern　bands；　and　protected　from　the　weather　by　the　usual
tortoise…like　coverings　of　gourd…shells。　Thus　it　may　be　imagined　that
the　Shooli　tribe　were　born　hunters；　as　they　had　accompanied　the　public
hunts　from　their　earliest　infancy。

My　two　boys；　Saat　and　Bellaal；　carried　spare　guns。　These　fine　strong
lads　always　attended　me；　and　they　had　become　useful　gun…bearers。　They
were　both　plucky　fellows。　Little　Amarn　had　been　suffering　for　more　than
twelve　months　from　an　ulcerated　leg；　therefore　he　was　spared　from
unnecessary　fatigue；　and　was　the　pet　boy　at　home。

As　we　proceeded；　the　number　of　natives　increased；　but　there　was　no　noise
or　loud　talking。　Every　one　appeared　thoroughly　to　understand　his　duties。

Having　crossed　the　beautiful　Un…y…Ame　river；　we　entered　the　game
country。　Extensive　prairies；　devoid　of　forest；　now　stretched　before　us
in　graceful　undulations　to　the　base　of　distant　mountains。　The　country
was　watered　by　numerous　clear　streams；　all　of　which　drained　into　the
main　channel　of　the　Un…y…Ame　river；　that　became　a　roaring　torrent
during　the　wet　season。

We　now　left　the　Fabbo　path　and　struck　off　to　our　left　for　several　miles；
over　ground　that　had　been　cleared　by　burning；　which　showed　in　many
directions　the　crimson　fruit　of　the　wild　ginger；　growing　half…exposed
from　the　earth。　This　is　a　leathery；　hard　pod；　about　the　size　of　a
goose…egg；　filled　with　a　semi…transparent　pulp　of　a　subacid　flavour；
with　a　delicious　perfume　between　pine…apple　and　lemon…peel。　It　is　very
juicy　and　refreshing；　and　is　decidedly　the　best　wild　fruit　of　Central
Africa。

The　natives　immediately　collected　a　quantity；　and　we　quickly　pushed
forward　to　the　rendezvous；　where；　upon　arrival；　we　found　a　great　number
of　people　were　collected。

A　line　of　about