ismailia-第114部分

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proposed　at　the　termination　of　my　first　journey。

I　have　no　doubt　that　missionaries　will　take　advantage　of　the　chance　that
has　resulted　from　the　suppression　of　the　slave　trade　and　the
establishment　of　a　government。　At　the　same　time；　should　they　attempt　a
settlement　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro；　they　must　be　prepared　with
an　inexhaustible　stock　of　patience　when　dealing　with　the　Baris。

The　Madi　and　Shooli　tribes　would　be　found　tractable　and　more　capable　of
religious　instruction。　It　is　my　opinion　that　the　time　has　not　yet
arrived　for　missionary　enterprise　in　those　countries；　but　at　the　same
time　a　sensible　man　might　do　good　service　by　living　among　the　natives；
and　proving　to　their　material　minds　that　persons　do　exist　whose
happiness　consists　in　doing　good　to　others。　The　personal　qualifications
and　outfit　for　a　single　man　who　would　thus　settle　among　the　natives
should　be　various。　If　he　wished　to　secure　their　attention　and
admiration；　he　should　excel　as　a　rifle　shot　and　sportsman。　If　musical；
he　should　play　‘　the　Highland　bagpipes。　He　should　be　clever　as　a
conjurer；　and　be　well　provided　with　conjuring　tricks；　together　with　a
magic　lantern；　magnetic　battery；　dissolving　views；　photographic
apparatus；　coloured　pictorial　illustrations；　&c。；　&c。　He　should　be　a
good　surgeon　and　general　doctor；　&c。；　and　be　well　supplied　with　drugs；
remembering　that　natives　have　a　profound　admiration　for　medical　skill。

A　man　who　in　full　Highland　dress　could　at　any　time　collect　an　audience
by　playing　a　lively　air　with　the　bagpipes；　would　be　regarded　with　great
veneration　by　the　natives；　and　would　be　listened　to　when　an　archbishop
by　his　side　would　be　totally　disregarded。　He　should　set　all　psalms　to
lively　tunes；　and　the　natives　would　learn　to　sing　them　immediately。

Devotional　exercises　should　be　chiefly　musical。

In　this　manner　a　man　would　become　a　general　favourite；　and　if　he　had　a
never…failing　supply　of　beads；　copper　rods；　brass　rings　for　arms；
fingers；　and　ears；　gaudy　cotton　handkerchiefs；　red　or　blue　blankets；
zinc　mirrors；　red　cotton　shirts；　&c。；　to　give　to　his　parishioners；　and
expected　nothing　in　return；　he　would　be　considered　a　great　man；　whose
opinion　would　carry　a　considerable　weight；　provided　that　he　only　spoke
of　subjects　which　he　thoroughly　understood。

A　knowledge　of　agriculture；　with　a　good　stock　of　seeds　of　useful
vegetables　and　cereals；　iron　hoes；　carpenter's　and　blacksmith's　tools；
and　the　power　of　instructing　others　in　their　use；　together　with　a
plentiful　supply　of　very　small　axes；　would　be　an　immense　recommendation
to　a　lay　missionary　who　should　determine　to　devote　some　years　of　his
life　to　the　improvement　of　the　natives。

In　the　magnificent　equatorial　portions　of　Africa　there　is　a　great　field
for　British　enterprise；　and　much　might　be　accomplished　by　lay
missionaries；　who　would　at　the　commencement　avoid　theological　teaching；
until　by　other　means　they　should　have　gained　an　ascendency　over　the
minds　of　the　natives。　By　slow　degrees　confidence　might　be　established；
and　much　may　be　effected　by　good　example。　。　。　。

The　geography　of　Central　Africa；　that　has　made　great　strides　within　the
last　few　years；　will　now　be　rapidly　extended。　The　fact　of　an　established
government　under　the　direction　of　my　able　successor；　Colonel　Gordon；
R。E。；　is　sufficient　to　assure　the　most　sceptical　that　the　future　will　be
rich　in　geographical　discoveries。

It　is　hoped　that　the　steamer　which　I　carried　up　to　Gondokoro　will　be
transported　to　the　Albert　N'yanza　early　in　the　year　1875。　It　is
impossible　to　foretell　the　result　of　steam　communication　on　the　great
inland　sea　M'wootan　N'zige。

I　do　not　love　to　dwell　upon　geographical　theories；　as　I　believe　in
nothing　but　actual　observation；　but　I　cannot　quite　disbelieve　my　native
informants；　who　assured　me　that　they　had　travelled　to　Ujiji　by　canoe
from　Chibero　on　the　Albert　N'yanza。

By　the　latest　intelligence　from　Lieutenant　Cameron；　dated　Ujiji；　28th
February；　1874；　the　mean　of　many　observations　for　altitude　of　the
Tanganyika　Lake　taken　with　mercurial　barometer；　aneroids；　and　boiling
water　thermometers；　gives　2；573　feet　above　the　sea…level。

The　corrected　altitude　of　the　Albert　N'yanza；　taken　by　me　at　Vacovia；　N。
lat。　1　degree　14'；　March　14；　1864；　is　2；720。　The　uncorrected　or　the
absolute　observation　of　the　instrument　was　2；448。

Whenever　Lieutenant　Cameron　shall　return　home；　it　will　be　interesting　to
observe　the　results　of　his　corrected　observations；　as　they　already　so
closely　approach　the　level　of　the　Albert　N'yanza。

As　the　Khedive's　expedition　under　Colonel　Gordon　will　shortly　have　the
advantage　of　a　steamer　on　the　Albert　Lake　or　M'wootan　N'zige；　the
question　of　a　connection　between　the　two　lakes　will　be　definitely
settled。

When　that　question　shall　have　been　resolved；　geographers　must　turn　their
attention　to　the　great　river　Sobat；　which　is　by　far　the　most　important
affluent　of　the　Nile。

Although　during　my　recent　expedition　I　have　not　travelled　over　much　new
ground；　the　advantages　to　geography　are　considerable；　owing　to　the
professional　observations　of　Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　to　whom　I　confided
the　entire　charge　of　the　topographical　department。　Some　slight
corrections　have　been　made　in　observations　for　longitude　taken　during　my
first　expedition；　and　as　every　place　is　now　rigidly　attested　on　the　map；
that　portion　of　Central　Africa　is　most　thoroughly　investigated；　and　the
astronomical　positions　of　all　principal　points　and　stations　are
incontestable。

The　fact　of　this　thorough　exploration；　and　the　establishment　of　the
Egyptian　government；　now　afford　a　firm　base　for　all　future　travellers。
The　good　work　of　one　man　can　be　carried　on　by　his　successor。　Formerly　it
was　impossible　to　render　the　necessary　support　to　an　explorer　in　Central
Africa。　A　distant　country　cannot　plunge　into　war　with　a　savage　potentate
of　the　equatorial　Nile　Basin　because　he　has　either　captured　an　explorer
or　devoured　a　missionary。

There　was　only　one　step　practicable　if　the　improvement　of　Africa　were　to
be　attempted。　Egypt　was　the　only　country　that　could　form　a　government　by
the　extension　of　her　frontier　to　the　equator。　This　would　insure　the
safety　of　future　travellers　where　hitherto　the　life　of　an　individual　had
no　guarantee。

This　annexation　is　now　effected；　and　our　relations　with　the　Khedive
assure　us　that　the　heart　of　Africa　will　be　thrown　open　to　the　civilizing
influence　of　the　North。

When　the　railway　shall　be　completed　from　Cairo　to　Khartoum；　there　will
be　direct　communication　by　rail　and　river。　Countries　that　are　eminently
adapted　for　the　cultivation　of　cotton；　coffee；　sugar；　and　other　tropical
productions　will　be　brought　within　the　influence　of　the　commercial
world；　and　the　natives；　no　longer　kidnapped　and　torn　from　their　homes；
will　feel　the　benefits　of　industry；　as　they　now　feel　the　blessings　of
protection。

It　is　well　known　that　the　greatest　difficulties　lie　in　the　first
footsteps　of　a　great　enterprise；　but　those　difficulties　are　overcome；
and　patience　and　perseverance　will　at　length　perfect　the　good　work。　The
impression　of　civilization　must　be　gradually　and　slowly　engraved　upon
Central　Africa；　and　those　who　work　in　this　apparently　hopeless
undertaking　must　not　be　appalled　by　the　difficulties　of　the　task。

In　the　share　that　I　have　taken　during　nine　years　passed　in　Africa；　I
have　simply　represented　one　of　those　atoms　of　which　Great　Britain　is
composed。　I　deeply　regret　that　personally　I　have　not　had　the　honour　of
serving　my　Queen；　but　I　trust　that　indirectly　I　have　worked　out　that
principle；　which　England　was　the　first　to　initiate；　expressed　in　the
word　〃Freedom；〃　which；　we　maintain；　is　the　natural　inheritance　of　man。

Mingled　with　the　regret　that　I　was　not　in　the　service　of　Her　Majesty；　is
the　pleasure　that　I　feel　in　testifying　to　the　able　manner　in　which　the
Royal　Navy　was　represented；　throughout　a　long　and　trying　expedition；　by
Lieutenant　Julian　Alleyne　Baker；　R。N。　This　energetic　young　officer
rendered　me　the　greatest　assistance；　and　has　left　a　vivid　impression　on
the　minds　of　the　natives；　and　of　the　Egyptian　troops；　of　the　activity；
and　the　straightforward；　manly　character　that　has　always　distinguished
British　sailors　in　whatever　duty　they　have　had　to　perform；　whether　on
sea　or　land。

I　return　my　acknowledgments　of　the　faithful　and　courageous　services　of
Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　and　other　officers　who　accompanied　me
through　every　difficulty　with　patience　and　devotion。

I　also　thank　Mr。　Marcopolo；　my　intelligent　and　trustworthy　secretary　and
chief　storekeeper；　at　the　same　tune　that　I　acknowledge　the　services　of
those　industrious　English　engineers　and　mechanics　who　so　thoroughly
supported　the　well…known　reputation　of　their　class　by　a　determination　to
succeed　in　every　work　that　was　undertaken。　Their　new　steamer；　the
Khedive；　remains　upon　the　White　Nile　an　example　of　their　energy　and
capability。

Lastly；　I　must　acknowledge　the　able　assistance　that　I　have　received；　in
common　with　every　person　connected　with　the　inland　expedition；　from　my
wife；　who　cared　for　the　sick　when　we　were　without　a　medical　man；　and
whose　gentle　aid　brought　comfort　to　many　whose　strength　might　otherwise
have　failed。　During　a　period　of　fourteen　months；　with　a　detachment　of
212　officers　and　men；　exclusive　of　many　servants　and　camp…followers；　I
ONLY　LOST　ONE　MAN　FROM　SICKNESS；　and　he　was　at　an　out…station。

In　moments　of　doubt　and　anxiety　she　was　always　a　thoughtful　and　wise
counsellor；　and　much　of　my　success　through　nine　long　years　passed　in
Africa　is　due　to　my　devoted　companion。

The　foundation　for　a　great　future　has　been　laid；　a　remote　portion　of　the
African　race　hitherto　excluded　from　the　world's　history　has　been　brought
into　direct　communication　with　the　superior　and　more　civilized　races；
legitimate　trade　has　been　opened；　therefore；　accepting　commerce　as　the
great　agent　of　civilization；　the　work　is　actually　in　progress。

Fortified　posts　extend　to　within　two　degrees　of　the　equator。　The
alliance　with　M'tese；　the　king　of　Uganda；　enabled　me　not　only　to
communicate　by　letter　（addressed　to　Livingstone）　in　the　distant　country
of　Unyanyembe；　but　a　reply　was　sent　by　Lieutenant　Cameron；　together　with