第26章

2。”Nopersonshallstraybeyond2，000pacesoftheflag-stafforcampwithoutpermissioneitherfromthePachaorRaoufBey。

3。”Nopersonshalltradeinivory，neithershallanypersonacceptivoryasapresentorinexchange；neithershallanypersonshoot，orcausetobeshot，elephants：allivorybeingthepropertyandmonopolyofthegovernmentofHisHighnesstheKhediveofEgypt。

4。”Nopersonshalleitherpurchaseorreceiveslavesaspresentsorinexchange。”AnypersontransgressingbydisobedienceoftheabovelawswillbepunishedasthewillofBakerPachamaydirect。”S。W。BAKER。”

Mymenwerehardatworkerectingmagazinesandbuildingthestation，andhadInotissuedtheaboveregulations，theywouldhavecutdowneveryornamentaltreeintheneighbourhood。Althoughthemission-househaddisappeared，thefoundationsremained；Idugthemupandprocuredsufficientsoundbrickstobuildapowder-magazine，whichIcoveredwithagalvanizedironroofandprotectedmyammunition。

SeveraloftheEgyptiansoldiersdeserted。Thesepeople，whowereforthemostpartconvicts，althoughprofessingIslamismpreferredtolivewiththenatives，tothesteadydisciplineofmilitarylife。

Oneevening，thesentry，onguardbeforethehouseofLieutenantBakerandMr。Higginbotham，wasobservedbyMr。Baker’ssoldierservant(ablack)tolayhisrifleonthegroundandtoenterstealthilythedoorwayofhishut。AbdullahMaseri，theservant，lostnotimeinrunningtowardsthehut，whichhequietlyenteredinthedusk，withoutbeingperceivedbythethiefwithin，whointheabsenceofMr。Bakerwaspillaginghisboxes。

Abdullahquietlycreptupbehindhim，pinnedhimbythebackoftheneck，andheldhimuntilheobtainedassistance。Therewasnoescapefromconviction，thereforeIsentencedthethieftoreceive100lashesandtobe，confinedinirons。

Whilehewasundergoingthepunishmentheyelledformercy，saying，”I

willconfess-Iwillconfessall。ItwasIwhoenteredthePacha’sroomatTewfikeeyah。ItwasatmethatthePachafiredthepistol！Putmeinirons，butdon’tflogme；Iwillconfessall。”

ThismanwasanEgyptianbelongingtothe”FortyThieves，”andhenowconfessedhisformerdelinquency。Hewassecuredinironsandplacedunderaguard。Thefellowhadbeenaprofessionalthief，andduringthenighthemanagedtoslipoffhisironsandmakehisescape，nodoubtwiththeconnivanceofthesentry。

Thefactofthenativesreceivingthedeserterswasenoughtosuggestthesuspicionthattheyweretamperingwiththetroops。AlthoughtheBariswouldneitherworknorassistinanymanner，theycontinued，inspiteofmywarning，toswimtheircattleacrosstothepasturageonthemainlandoccupiedbythetroops。

IagaingavethesheikAllorronnotice，thatifhecontinuedtodrivehiscattletotheforbiddenpasture，theywouldbeconfiscated。

Onthefollowingmorningtheyreturnedtothemainlandasusual，nottheslightestnoticehavingbeentakenofmyrepeatedandofficialwarning。

Igaveorderstosecurethem。Abouttenmenofthe”FortyThieves”

quietlyexplainedtheordertothenativeswhoguardedthecattle，andwithoutanyremonstrancetheydrovethemtomystation，andstoodguardaroundtheherd。

Thenativesreturnedtotheisland，andreportedtheaffairtothesheikAllorronandhispeople。

Earlyonthefollowingmorning，thesheik，accompaniedbyfifteenheadmenofvillagesandanumberofnatives，togetherwithTombytheinterpreter，attendedandformedadeputation。Ireceivedthembeneaththeshadytreenearmydiahbeeah。Theylookedverysheepish，andaskedme，”WhyhadIconfiscatedtheircattle?”

Iexplainedthereason：andtheyatlengthacknowledgedthattheyhadnopositiverightofpasturage，astheyhadbeendrivenfromtheircountrybytheLoquia，andwereitnotformypresencetheycouldnotventuretodrivetheircattletothemainland。Atthesametimetheyexplained，thattheextremedrynes

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