ismailia-第5部分

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water。　Instead　of　this；　the　vessels　were　delayed；　in　the　absence　of　the
Khedive　in　Europe；　until　29th　August；　thus；　by　the　time　they　reached　the
second　cataract；　the　river　had　fallen；　and　it　was　impossible　to　drag　the
‘steamers　through　the　passage　until　the　next　season。　Thus　twelve　months
were　wasted；　and　I　was　at　once　deprived　of　the　invaluable　aid　of　six
steamers。

In　addition　to　this　difficulty　was　the　fact　of　inevitable　delay
necessitated　by　the　festivities　attending　the　opening　of　the　Suez　Canal。
The　Khedive；　with　his　accustomed　hospitality；　had　made　immense
preparations　for　the　reception　of　visitors；　and　every　available　vessel
had　been　prepared　for　the　occasion。

A　train　of　forty…one　railway　waggons　laden　with　sections　of　steamers；
machinery；　boiler…plates；　&c。；　&c。；　arrived　at　Cairo；　and　were　embarked
on　board　eleven　hired　vessels。　With　the　greatest　difficulty　I　procured　a
steamer　of　140…horse　power　to　tow　this　flotilla　to　Korosko；　from　which
spot　the　desert　journey　would　commence。　I　obtained　this　steamer　only　by
personal　application　to　the　Khedive。

At　length　I　witnessed　the　start　of　the　entire　English　party　of　engineers
and　mechanics；　together　with　Mr。　Higginbotham　and　Dr。　J。　Gedge。　The
steamer　Minieh；　towed　the　lone　line　of　eleven　vessels　against　the
powerful　stream　of　the　Nile。　One　of　the　tow…ropes　snipped　at　the
commencement　of　the　voyage；　which　created　some　confusion；　but　when
righted　they　quickly　steamed。　out　of　view。　This　mass　of　heavy　material；
including　two　steamers；　and　two　steel　lifeboats　of　ten　tons　each；　was　to
be　transported　for　a　distance　of　about　3；000　miles；　400　of　which　would
be　across　the　scorching　Nubian　deserts！

The　first　division　of　the　heavy　baggage　had　started　on　29th　August；
1869；　with　the　sloops；　to　ascend　the　cataracts　direct　by　river　to
Khartoum。　I　dared；　not　trust　any　portions　of　the　steamers　by　this
dangerous　route；　lest　by　the　loss　of　one　vessel　with　sections　I　might
destroy　all　hope　of　success。

It　was　a　relief　to　have　started　the　main　branches　of　the　expedition；
after　the　various　delays　that　had　already　seriously　endangered　the
chances　of　the　White　Nile　voyage。　For　that　river　all　vessels　should
leave　Khartoum　early　in　November。

On　5th　December；　1869；　we　brought　up　the　rear；　and　left　Suez　on　board　an
Egyptian　sloop　of　war；　the　Senaar。　In　four　days　and　a　half　we　reached
Souakim；　after　an　escape　from　wreck　on　the　reef　of　Shadwan；　and　a　close
acquaintance　with　a　large　barque；　with　which　we　nearly　came　into
collision。

The　captain　of　our　sloop　was　a　most　respectable　man；　apparently　about
eighty　years　of　age。　The　first　lieutenant　appeared　to　be　somewhat　his
senior；　and　neither　could　see；　even　with　the　assistance　of　a　very　greasy
and　dirty　binocular。　The　various　officers　appeared　to　be　vestiges　from
Noah's　ark　in　point　of　antiquity；　thus　a　close　shave　with　a　reef　and　a
near　rub　with　a　strange　vessel　were　little　incidents　that　might　be
expected　in　the　Red　Sea。

We　anchored　safely　in　the　harbour　of　Souakim；　and　landed　my　twenty…one
horses　without　accident。

I　was　met　by　the　governor；　my　old　friend　Moomtazz　Bey；　a　highly
intelligent　Circassian　officer；　who　had　shown　me　much　kindness　on　my
former　expedition。

A　week's　delay　in　Souakim　was　necessary　to　obtain　camels。　In　fourteen
days　we　crossed　the　desert　275　miles　to　Berber　on　the　Nile；　and　found　a
steamer　and　diahbeeah　in　readiness。　We　arrived　at　Khartoum；　a　distance
of　200　miles　by　river；　in　three　days；　having　accomplished　the　voyage
from　Suez　in　the　short　space　of　thirty…two　days；　including　stoppages。

Khartoum　was　not　changed　externally；　but　I　had　observed　with　dismay　a
frightful　change　in　the　features　of　the　country　between　Berber　and　the
capital　since　my　former　visit。　The　rich　soil　on　the　banks　of　the　river；
which　had　a　few　years　since　been　highly　cultivated；　was　abandoned。　Now
and　then　a　tuft　of　neglected　date…palms　might　be　seen；　but　the　river's
banks；　formerly　verdant　with　heavy　crops；　had　become　a　wilderness。
Villages　once　crowded　had　entirely　disappeared；　the　population　was　gone。
Irrigation　had　ceased。　The　night；　formerly　discordant　with　the　creaking
of　countless　water…wheels；　was　now　silent　as　death。　There　was　not　a　dog
to　howl　for　a　lost　master。　Industry　had　vanished；　oppression　had　driven
the　inhabitants　from　the　soil。

This　terrible　desolation　was　caused　by　the　governor　general　of　the
Soudan；　who；　although　himself　an　honest　man；　trusted　too　much　to　the
honesty　of　others；　who　preyed　upon　the　inhabitants。　As　a　good　and　true
Mohammedan；　he　left　his　territory　to　the　care　of　God；　and　thus；　trusting
in　Providence；　he　simply　increased　the　taxes。　In　one　year　he　sent　to　the
Khedive　his　master　100；000　pounds　in　hard　dollars；　wrung　from　the　poor
peasantry；　who　must　have　lost　an　equal　amount　in　the　pillage　that
accompanies　the　collection。

The　population　of　the　richest　province　of　the　Soudan　fled　from
oppression；　and　abandoned　the　country；　and　the　greater　portion　betook
themselves　to　the　slave　trade　of　the　White　Nile；　where；　in　their　turn；
they　might　trample　upon　the　rights　of　others；　where；　as　they　had　been
plundered；　they　would　be　able　to　plunder；　where　they　could　reap　the
harvest　of　another's　labour；　and　where；　free　from　the　restrictions　of　a
government；　they　might　indulge　in　the　exciting　and　lucrative　enterprise
of　slave…hunting。　Thousands　had　forsaken　their　homes；　and　commenced　a
life　of　brigandage　on　the　White　Nile。

This　was　the　state　of　the　country　when　I　arrived　at　Khartoum。　The
population　of　this　town；　which　was　about　30；000　during　my　former　visit；
was　now　reduced　to　half　the　number。　The　European　residents　had　all
disappeared；　with　the　exception　of　the　Austrian　Mission；　and　Mr。　Hansall
the　Austrian　Consul；　also　an　extremely　tough　German　tailor；　who　was
proof　against　the　climate　that　had　carried　off　his　companions。

I　had　given　the　necessary　orders　for　vessels　and　supplies　six　months
previous；　thus；　I　naturally　expected　to　find　a　fleet　ready　for
departure；　with　the　troops　and　stores　waiting　for　instructions。　To　my
surprise；　I　discovered　that　my　orders　had　been　so　far　neglected；　that
although　the　troops　were　at　hand；　there　were　no　vessels　prepared　for
transport。　I　was　coolly　informed　by　the　governor…general　that　〃it　was
impossible　to　procure　the　number　of　vessels　required；　therefore　he　had
purchased　a　house　for　me；　as　he　expected　that　I　should　remain　that　year
at　Khartoum；　and　start　in　the　following　season。〃

There　literally　was　not　one　vessel　ready　for　the　voyage；　in　spite　of　the
positive　instructions　that　had　been　given。　At　the　same　time　I　found　that
the　governor…general　had　just　prepared　a　squadron　of　eleven　vessels；
with　several　companies　of　regular　troops；　for　an　expedition　to　the　Bahr
Gazal；　where　it　was　intended　to　form　a　settlement　at　the　copper…mines　on
the　frontier　of　Darfur。　This　expedition　had　been　placed　under　the
command　of　one　of　the　most　notorious　ruffians　and　slave…hunters　of　the
White　Nile。　This　man；　Kutchuk　Ali；　originally　of　low　extraction；　had
made　a　fortune　in　his　abominable　traffic；　and　had　accordingly　received
promotion　from　the　governor；　thus；　at　the　same　time　that　the　Khedive　of
Egypt　had　employed　me　to　suppress　the　slave　trade　of　the　Nile；　a
government　expedition　had　been　intrusted　to　the　command　of　one　of　the
most　notorious　slave…hunters。

I　at　once　perceived　that　not　only　was　my　expedition　unpopular；　but　that
it　would　be　seriously　opposed　by　all　parties。　The　troops　had　been
quartered　for　some　months　at　Khartoum；　during　this　time　the　officers　had
been　intimate　with　the　principal　slave…traders　of　the　country。　All　were
Mohammedansthus　a　coalition　would　be　natural　against　a　Christian　who
commanded　an　expedition　avowedly　to　annihilate　the　slave　trade　upon
which　Khartoum　subsisted。

It　was　a　〃house　divided　against　itself；〃　the　Khedive　in　the　north　issued
orders　that　would　be　neutralized　in　the　distant　south　by　his　own
authorities。

As　in　the　United　States　of　America　the　opinion　of　the　South　upon　the
question　of　emancipation　was　opposed　to　that　of　the　North；the
opposition　in　Soudan　was　openly　avowed　to　the　reform　believed　to　have
been　suggested　to　the　Khedive　by　England。

The　season　was　already　far　advanced。　There　is　no　weapon　so　fatal　as
delay　in　the　hands　of　Egyptians。　I　knew　the　intentions　of　the
authorities　were　to　procrastinate　until　the　departure　of　the　expedition
would　become　impossible。　It　was　necessary　to　insist　upon　the　immediate
purchase　of　vessels　which　should　have　been　prepared　months　before。

None　of　the　steamers　from　Cairo　had　passed　the　cataracts。　The　fifteen
large　sloops　upon　which　I　had　depended　for　the　transport　of　camels　had
actually　given　up　the　attempt　and　returned　to　Cairo。　Only　the　smaller
vessels　had　mounted　the　cataracts；　and　they　could　not　arrive　at　Khartoum
for　some　months。

The　first　division；　consisting　of　all　merchandise　that　I　had　sent　from
Cairo；　had　arrived　in　Khartoum　under　the　charge　of　a　Syrian　to　whom　I
had　given　the　command。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Higginbotham；　accompanied　by　Dr。
Gedge　and　the　English　party；　together　with　all　the　Egyptian　mechanics；
was　on　his　way　across　the　desert　in　charge　of　the　steamers　and
machinery；　carried　by　some　thousand　camels。　The　third　division；　brought
up　by　Mr。　Marcopolo；　arrived　from　Souakim　a　few　days　later　than
ourselves；　thus　every　arrangement　that　had　been　intrusted　to　my　own
officers　was　well　executed。

After　some　pressure；　the　governor　began　to　purchase　the　vessels。　It　may
be　imagined　that　a　sudden　necessity　gave　a　welcome　opportunity　to
certain　officials。　Old　vessels　were　purchased　at　the　price　of　new；　and
the　government　agent　received　a　bribe　from　the　owners　to　pass　the
vessels　on　survey。　We　were　now　fitting　out　under　difficulties；　and
working　at　a　task　that　should　have　been　accomplished　months　before。
Sailcloth　was　scarce；　hempen　ropes　were　rarities　in　Khartoum；　where　the
wretched　cordage　was　usually　obtained　from　the　leaves　of　the　date…palm。
The　highest　prices　were　paid　for　everything；　thus　a　prearranged　delay
caused　an　immense　expense　for　the　expedition。　I　studiously　avoided　any
purchases　personally；　but　simply　gave　the　necessary　instructions　to　be
executed　by　the　governor。　It