第24章

Bythe23rdAprilallmymenhadarrangedgardensparallelwiththelinesoftheircamp。Igavethemvariousseeds，withapromiseofprizesforthefinestspecimensofvegetablesthatmightbeproduced。Ihadalwaysendeavouredtocreateatasteforagricultureamongmypeople，andtheyhadnowlearntthatthecommencementofanewsettlementwasthesignalforcultivation。Ibelievethatnoemploymentengenderssuchaloveofaparticularlocalityasthatoffarming，providedalwaysthatthesoilandclimatearefavourable。Thus，inanexpeditiontoadistantland，itisnecessarytoinducethefeelingsofHOMEamongthepeople。

Thehutbyitselfissimplyshelter，butthesamehutsurroundedbyaneatandproductivegarden，theresultofindustry，becomesasettledresidence。Itispleasanttowatchtheblossomsofhomeflowersandvegetablesthatyoumayhaveyourselfintroducedandplanted。AgoodEnglishcabbageorcarrotmaynotbeintroducedinpoetrysogenerallyastherose，butinanewsettlementinawildcountry，thesuccessofacabbageorcarrotisofmoreimportancetotheexpeditionthanbouquetsofflowers。

Eventhewomenandboysthatweredomesticservants，originallyslavesthatIhadliberatedfromthetraders，hadlearnttotakeagreatinterestincultivation。Eachhadagarden，andadayneverpassedwithoutpermissionbeingaskedforafewhours’recreationwiththespadeorhoe，thelatterbeingthefavouriteimplement，asthewantofshoesrenderedthemanagementofthespadeextremelydifficult，exceptinverylightsoil。

Ibelievethatatasteforgardeninghasamostcivilizinginfluenceamongsavages；andifIwereamissionary，Ishouldcommencewithsuchpracticalteaching，thusprovinginyourjointlabourwiththenativestheprinciplethatindustryandpeacewillcreateprosperity。

Afewextractsfrontmyjournalwilldescribethegradualprogressofthesettlement：”Mr。Higginbothamshotawaterbuckduringanexploratoryramblethatwetookthroughtheforest，insearchoflargetimberforbuildingpurposes。Themainforestbeginsabouttwomilesfromthisstation，inwhichisanunlimitedsupplyofwood，includingthemostmagnificenttamarind-trees。Thesebeautifulspecimensaredottedaboutthecountry，likeparktimberinEngland。Thereisatamarind-treeaboutamilefromthisstation，beneathwhichaboutathousandcattlemightfindshade。(ItmustberememberedthattheBaricattleareverysmall。)”Thereisanative，namedTomby，whospeaksexcellentArabic。ThisfellowhasbeentwicetoKhartoum，andhewearsclothes，insteadofwalkingaboutinastateofabsolutenuditylikehiscountrymen。Hehasanexcellentriflethatwasgiventohimbyhisoldmaster，aFrenchtrader，MonsieurBartholome。Tombyhasbeenemployedasinterpreter；andhavingbeenbornandbredintheseparts，heisaperfectchronicler。ItappearsthatAbouSaoodtreacherouslymurderedthesheikofBelinian，acountryabouttwelvemilesdistantfromthisstation。HefearedthesheikofBelinian，whowasapowerfulneighbour：hetherefore，professingfriendship，invitedhimandhisfamilytoanentertainmentatGondokoro。Thesheikandhispeople，notsuspectingevil，arrived，bringingwiththemtheusualpresents。AbouSaoodreceivedthemverypolitely，andwhentheywereseated，andhadenteredintoconversation，hehadthemseizedbyhispeople，andmurderedthemonthespotincoldblood。Owingtothistreacherousconduct，theentireneighbourhoodishostile，andanarchyprevailsthroughoutthecountry；thusIcannotsendalettertothetraders’campatLatooka，asnoonedarestotravel。”April24——Thermometer，6A。M。，74degreesF；noon，fellto72degreesF。Wehadapicnicattheoldmissionstation，whereIwentaccompaniedbyLieutenantBaker，Mr。Higginbotham，andmywife，tomeasureoutthecampandfort。AsusualinEngland，thepicnicbroughtonheavyrain，whichlastedfrom9。30a。m。till2p。m。，tothegreatbenefitofthegarden。”April25——Thermometer，6A。M。，69degreesF；noon，80degreesF。Wecompletedthelargegarden；thesoldiers’allotmentsarealsocomplete。

Thecampofthe”FortyThieves”isveryneat；aspiritofindustryhasseizeduponthewholeparty。Thewomenhavemadegardensaroundtheirhuts，andagricultureappearstobetheprevailingfashion。Iam

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