第17章

ItisadutythatIowetotheKhediveofEgypttoexplainthesedetails。Itwouldatfirstsightappearthattheexpeditiontosuppresstheslave-tradewasmerelyatheatricalannouncementtocourtthesympathyofEurope，butwhich，inreality，hadnosolidity。IamperfectlyconvincedthattheKhedivewasthoroughlysincereinhisdeclaredpurposeofsuppressingtheslave-trade，notonlyasahumanitarian，butasanenlightenedmanoftheworld，whoknew，fromtheexampleofthegreatPowersofEurope，thatthetimehadarrivedwhencivilizationdemandedtheextinctionofsuchhorrorsaswerethenecessaryadjunctsofslave-hunting。TheKhedivehadthusdeterminedtoannextheNileBasin，andestablishhisgovernment，whichwouldaffordprotection，andopenanimmensecountrytotheadvantagesofcommerce。

Thisreformmustbethedeath-blowtotheso-calledtradersofKhartoum，whowerepositivelythetenantsofthegovernor-generaloftheSoudan。

TheexpeditionoftheKhedive，launchedwithadmirabledeterminationonhispart，wasthusinimicaltoeverylocalinterest，andwasindirectoppositiontopublicopinion。Itwasthereforeanaturalconsequencethatpressureshouldbeexertedbyeveryinterestagainstthegovernor-generaloftheSoudan。DjiafferPachawasanoldfriendofmine，forwhomIhadagreatpersonalregard，andIregrettedthefalsepositioninwhichbothheandIwereplaced。Mytitleandpositionasgovernor-generalofCentralAfricatoacertainextentweakenedhisauthority。

Hehadbytheforceofcircumstances，andaccordingtoformerusages，sofartoleratedtheactsoftheWhiteNiletradersastoacknowledgethemascontractingpartieswithhisowngovernment。Themostimportantlesseehadnolessthantenstationssituatedwithintheterritoryundermyjurisdiction，forwhichhewaspayingalargeannualrent。Iknew，andthelessee，AchmetSheikAgad，wellknew，thathisso-calledtradewassimplybrigandage。Myformertravels，asdescribedin”TheAlbertN’yanza，”hadledmebehindthecurtain，andthetraderswerewellawarethatIkneweverysecretoftheiratrocities；thusmyreappearanceuponthescenewithrankofpachaandmajor-general，attheheadofasmallarmy，togetherwiththepossessionofabsoluteandsupremepower，threwtheentirepopulationintoastateofconsternation。Thetraders，asMohammedansandsubjects，trustedtotheprotectionoftheirowngovernor-general。AlreadyIhadcapturedtheirvessels，imprisonedtheiragents，liberatedtheirslaves，andconfiscatedtheivory，subjecttothedecisionoftheKhedive。AlreadyIhadcaughtthegovernorhimself(AliBeyofFashoda)intheactofkidnappinghelplesswomenandchildren，whomIhadimmediatelyinsisteduponliberating，althoughI

hadnolegaljurisdictioninhisprovince。IsimplydependeduponthepersonalsupportoftheKhedive，whosesincerityIneverdoubted；thusI

actedasIfirmlybelievedtheKhedivewouldhavedesiredmetoactunderthecircumstances。TheKhediveprovedthatmyconfidenceinhissinceritywaswellfounded。HeatoncedismissedfromhisserviceanddisgracedthegovernorofFashoda。Thesefactscastshadowsofcomingevents。TheSoudanauthoritieswerecompromised；myinterferenceintheShillookcountrywasnaturallydistastefultothegovernor-general。BoththegovernmentoftheSoudanandthetradersatKhartoumperceivedthatIshouldactinstrictaccordancewiththeinstructionsIhadreceivedfromtheKhedive。Therewasnohopeleft，exceptindelays，thatmightrenderanadvanceimpossiblewithaheavily-ladenfleetthroughtheobstructionsoftheriver。

Itwasnecessarytomodifythetermsofthecontractenteredintobetweenthegovernor-generalandSheikAchmetAgad。Thistraderrepresentedhiscasetomeasoneofconsiderableinjustice，whichIwasforcedtoacknowledge。AsamarkofrespecttoDjiafferPacha，whohadoriginallyenteredintothecontract，Irequestedhimtoarrangethetermsofthenewagreementtogetherwithmyselfinthepublicdivan。ItwasarguedbySheikAchmetAgadthatthefactofthegovernmentbeingestablishedincountrieswherehehadbeenindependentwouldcauseagreatlosstohistrade，asitwouldupsettheconfidenceofthenatives，andtheywouldceasetobringivoryforsale。Inreality，thisargumentshouldbeinterpreted：”Ifthegovernmentisestablished，therewillbeanendtoourrazzias，andweshallhaveneitherslavesnorcattletoofferinexchangeforivory。”

Healsojustlyarguedthat”itwouldbeunfairshouldthegovernmentpurchaseivoryfromcountriesalreadyleasedfortradingpurposestothemerchant。”

Ithereforearrangedthat，untiltheexpirationofhisoriginalcontract，noivoryshouldbepurchasedbythegovernment。

Also，thatinsteadofthemoneypaymentnowannuallymadetothegovernment，therentshouldbepaidinivory，attherateoftwo-fifthsoftheamountcollected。TheivorywastobedeliveredandweighedinGondokoro，atwhichplacetherentwastobepaidtothegovernmentintusks。

TheoriginalcontractwouldexpireonApril9，1872。

Myhandsweretoacertainextenttiedbytheseengagements，butI

resolvedthatattheexpirationofthetermIshouldassumeamonopolyoftheivorytradeforthegovernment，ontheprincipleofthefurtradeoftheHudson’sBayCompany；asitwouldbeimpossibletopermittheactsoftheKhartoumtraders，who，Iwasconvinced，wouldneverdealhonestlywiththenatives。

TheworkingrepresentativeofAchmetSheikAgadwashisson-in-law——amannamedAbouSaood：IhadseenthispersonwhenatTewfikeeyah；hehadarrivedinchargeofseveralvesselsfromGondokoroduringtherainyseason，whenthefloodedriverandstrongsouthwindhadallowedthepassageofhisboats。Atthattimehehadnoslavesonboard，butI

subsequentlydiscoveredthatuponhearingthatIhadformedastationneartheSoba，hehaddischargedalargecargoofslavesatthestationofKutchukAliontheBahrGiraffe，soastopassTewfikeeyahinastateofinnocenceandpurity，andthussavetheconfiscationofhisivory。

Thismanwaspresentatthedivanwhenthefinalagreementwassignedbymyselfandhisprincipal。HevowedfidelityinsoforcibleamannerthatIentertainedseriousdoubtsofhissincerity。Anarrangementwasenteredinto，thathewastosupplythegovernmenttroopswithbeef，mutton，butter，&c。，togetherwiththenativecarriersforthetransportofbaggage，stores，&c。，atanestablishedratethenagreedupon；theprovisionsweretobedeliveredfromtheresourcesathiscommandathisvariousstations。Intheeventofanynativewar，hewastofurnishassistancewhencalleduponbythegovernmentforirregulartroops，ofwhichhehadabout1，800inthedistrictsincludedinmyterritory。

IdidnotadmirethepersonalappearanceofAbouSaood。Ajudgeofphysiognomywouldhaveobjectedtothedowncastlookofhumility，theun-certainsquintofoneeye，thefurtiveexpressionofcountenance，addedtotheultra-holinessofhisejaculationswhencalleduponforananswer，andthepiouscantofhisprotestationagainstallwrong-doings。

Atthesametimethathewasactingthepartofsaint，IknewhimtobeabirdofthesamefeatherastherestoftheWhiteNileslave-hunters。

SomelittlediplomacywasnecessarytosmooththetroubledwatersofKhartoum。Imadeeveryallowanceforthepassiveobstructivenessoftheauthorities；itwasperfectlynaturalunderthecircumstancesofasuddenreformthataffectedmateriallytheinterestsoftheentirepopulation，bothhighandlow。Atthesametime，itwasnecessarytowinthegame。IwasmuchattachedtoDjiafferPachainhisunofficialcapacity，asIcouldneverforgetthekindnessthatIhadreceivedfromhimatSouakimwhenhewelcomedmywifeandmyselfonourreturnfromalongandarduousexpedition。Hewasaperfectlyhonestmaninhisdealings，andmostgeneroustoallaroundhim。Hisgreatdesirewastoearnagoodreputation，thushewasnotsufficientlyvigilantorseverewiththesub-officialsthroughoutthevastterritorywhichhegoverned。

HehadformerlybeenanadmiralintheEgyptiannavy，andhehadvisitedEngland，wherehehadlearnttorespecttheEnglishnameof”gentleman。”

Tobeconsidereda”gentleman”(whichhepronouncedinEnglish)，wasinhisestimationagreathonour。

Iwasdelightedwiththelastingimpressionthathadbeenmadebythemannersofourcountry；andcertainly，incourtesyandhospitality，DjiafferPachathoroughlyrepresentedthequalitiesofthenamehecoveted。Wheneverwedifferedinopinionuponofficialmatters，wewerealwayscordialinourprivatecapacity。

On6thOctoberthepostarrivedfromCairowiththeastoundingnewsofthebattleofSedan；thecaptureoftheEmperorNapoleon；therevolutioninParis；andthefalloftheNapoleondynasty！Neverweresomanygraveeventscondensedinonedespatch。IfeltmuchfordeBizemont：hehadbecomeageneralfavourite，andIhadreceivedhimconamoreasoneofourparty。Thiswasablowtooterribleevenforhishighspirit。Hehadreceivedthegreatestkindnessfromtheemperorandempress，andhisloyaltywasshownbythedeepestgrief，andanimmediateresolvetogiveuptheexpedition，andtoreturntosharethetremblingfortunesofhiscountry。Wehadourselvesreceivedmuchkindnessfromtheempress。Onlyafewdaysbeforethisgravenewsarrived，mywifehadreceivedatokenfromherMajesty，graciouslybestowedwhenshewasinpowerandprosperity；thiswasnowmoredeeplyprizedsinceadversityhadfallensoheavilyuponher。

DeBizemonthadvigorouslycommencedhisworkasamemberoftheexpeditionbyaccompanyingthesectionsofthethirdsteamerfromCairotoBerber。ThedesertjourneywasintrustedtothegreatsheikoftheArabs，HusseinHalifa，whohadalreadysonotablydistinguishedhimselfinthetransportofthetwosteamersthathadarrivedwithMr。

Higginbotham。Iwasverysorrytosaygood-bye，andIpartedwithdeBizemontandhiscompanion，LeBlanc，withsincereregret。

Ihadnowseteverythinginorder；thevesselswereloaded。

On10thOctober，1870，Ifindthisentryinmyjournal：-”StartedforTewfikeeyah。Thankfultobefreefromthathatefulspot，Khartoum。Nothingcanexceedthemiseryoftheplaceatthisseason。Nodrainage——mud——densepopulation，withexaggeratedstench。TheseenemiestocivilizationhaveatlengthvanquishedtheEuropeansettlers。”DjiafferPacha，accompaniedbyallthebigpeople，cameonboardtotakeanofficialfarewell：embracing——bandsofmusic——salutesofcannon——steamup，andoff，thankGod！——IwithahorridcoldandJulianwithnastyfever。”

Wewereshortofhandsforwood-cutting，thusweonlyarrivedatTewfikeeyahon22dOctober。Theriverwasnowatitsmaximum，andhadrisenatthisspotfromthelowestlevelofthedryseason，fourteenfeetandoneinch。

Wewerenowbusilyemployed，asIhadarrangedtostartthefirstdivisionofthefleetforGondokoroonthe1stDecember。

On25thOctoberseveralvesselsattemptedtopassthestationwithslaves。Allwerecapturedandtheslavesliberated。”Manyofthewomenslaveswhowerereleasedfromtheslavevesselsatthefirstcaptureseemedthoroughlytorealizetheprincipleof’liberte，fraternite，egalite，’astheyranawayduringthenight，notonlywiththeirnewclothesrecentlygiventhembythegovernment，buttheyalsostolesomeofthesoldiers’kit。Itisverydifficulttomanagethesepeople。Thefactoftheirhavingbeenkidnappedbytheslave-huntersdestroysallconfidence，andtheycannotunderstandtheirtrueposition。Itisdifficulttopersuadethemthatthegovernmenthasinterferedintheirbehalfsimplywithaviewtotheirwelfare；theyimaginethatwehavesomeulteriorobjectintheirrelease；andmanyhaveastrongsuspicionthattheymayatsomefuturetimebetransportedtosomedistantcountryandsold。Theyhavebeensooftendeceivedthattheycannotunderstandthetruth；andhavingbeenaccustomedtobrutaltreatment，theycannotcomprehendtheintentionofkindness，whichtheyattributetoawishtodeceivethem。Thisisadreadfulstateofmoraldegradation，whichnothingbuttimeandpatiencewillovercome。”

Onthe23rdNovemberthewindbegansteadilyfromthenorth。Iwasnearlyready。Everyvesselhadbeenthoroughlyrepaired，butmanyweresorottenthatthecaulkingwasconsideredbytheEnglishshipwrightsasquiteunreliableforalongvoyage。Ihaddraggedtheirondiahbeeahoutofthewater，andhadsubstitutednewplatesinmanyplaceswherethemetalwashoneycombedwithrust。Theplatethathadbeenpiercedbythetusksofthehippopotamuswasremoved，asitprovedtobeverydefective，andcouldbebrokenthroughwiththeblowofaheavyhammer，thereforeitwasnotastonishingthatithadbeeneasilypenetratedbythesharpivoryofsopowerfulananimal。

Whenthediahbeeahwasre-launched，Ihadherthoroughlypaintedinsideandout。Inthemeantime，IhadformedaRobinson-Crusoe-likehouse，comprisingtwosmallrooms，openontheriver-side，butsecuredatnightandmorningbysimpleVenetianblinds。Thethreesideswereclosedwithplanks。Ihadpavedthefloorwiththecast-ironplatesofthesteamer’sengineroom，thusitwasbothlevelandproofagainstthewhiteants。

Thetworoomswereseparatedbyapartitionwithadoorway，butnodoor。

IhadnotresidedinahousesinceIfirstoccupiedthediahbeeah，tenmonthsago，asthevesselwasmoreconvenient。

Onthe29thNovember，ataboutfourA。M。，Iwasawakenedbyanoiseintheadjoiningroom。Mybedsteadwasexactlyoppositethepartitiondoorway；thatofmywifewasontheothersideoftheroom。AtfirstI

thoughtthesoundproceededfromratsscamperingoverthetinboxes；butuponlisteningattentively，Idistinctlyheardthelidofametalboxopenedbysomeperson，andagaincarefullyclosed。

Afterafewmoments，Iheardanotherboxopen，andasoundasthoughsomeonewassearchingamongthecontents。

Unfortunatelymybedsteadwasthemosthorriblecreaker，inwhichitwasimpossibletoturnwithoutproducinganoisethatwouldcreateanalarm，shouldathiefbeonthealert。

Ialwayssleptwithapistolundermypillow，therefore，Igentlygraspedtherevolverinmyhand，andendeavouredquietlytogetoutofmynoisybed。

Thewretchedpieceoffurnituregavethemostalarmingcreak；thiswasimmediatelysucceededbyasoundinthenextroomofthesuddenclosingofabox，andthemovementofsomeperson。IcouldnotbesurethatitwasnotLadyBaker，whohadperhapsrequiredsomethingfromabox，anddidnotwishtodisturbme。Thiswasnotlikely，andIfeltthatnotimemustbelost，asmybedsteadhadgiventhealarm。Ithereforesprangoutofbedandrushedthroughtheopendoorway，justintimetoseesomepersonjumpthroughtheVenetianblindsontheriversideofthehouse。

Tocryout”Who’sthere?”andtofireashotwastheworkofaninstant，andjumpingafterhiminpursuitIfoundmyselfindarkness，andnoonevisibleoutsidemyhouse。Wherewasthesentry?Nowhere！