第57章

Onthe20thwemarched，from6A。M。till9。45，throughundulatingforest，andhalteduponhighground，whichcommandedafineviewofthemountainthatbordersthewestshoreoftheAlbertN’yanza，oppositeMagungo，aboutfifty-fivemilesS。S。W。Fromourelevatedpointwelookeddownoverafineextentofcountry，andtheFatikonativespointedoutthecourseoftheWhiteNilefromthegreatlake，alongwhichwasalineofsmoke，caused，accordingtotheiraccounts，bythefishermenwhowereatthisseasonburningthehighreedsontheriver’sbank。

Thenativeswerethoroughlyconversantwiththecountry，astheyhadonseveraloccasionsaccompaniedtheslave-huntersinrazziasalongtherivertoFoquatchandMagungo。Justaswehalted，apartyofUmirohunterscameacrossourpath，butimmediatelytooktoflight，astheysupposedwewereenemies。

Theday’smarchhadbeenthirteenmiles，andwewererequestedbyourguide，Shooli，tohaltforthenight，astherewasnowaterforaconsiderabledistancetothesouth。

Iimmediatelyemployedthesoldiersintheconstructionofacattlekraal，lesttheprowlingUmiroshouldendeavourtoscaretheanimalsduringthenight。

On21stMarchwestartedat6A。M。，andmarchedthirteenmilesthroughforest。Weatlengthreachedwater，butitwassothickwithmudthatthehorsesrefusedtodrinkit。

Onthe22ndwewerecompelledtomarchtwenty-threemiles，asthewaterwasquiteundrinkable，thefewmuddypoolshavingbeenstirredintopastebythebuffaloesandelephants。

WenowreachedthegrandVictoriaNile，flowingbeneathcliffsofseventyoreightyfeetindepth，throughmagnificentforest。Itwasrefreshingforallpartiestoobtainpurewaterafterthemiserablefluidwehadlatelybeencompelledtodrink。

Intheeveningasheikandseveralpeople，whohadknownmeformerly，crossedtheriverfromtheUnyoroside，anddesiredaninterview。TheyreportedthattheKhartoumtradershadalmostdestroyedthecountry，andtheybeggedmesimplytojudgewithmyowneyes。

Imustnowextractfrommyjournaltheentryofthedate，as，althoughbrieflywritten，itwillconveytheimpressionofthemoment：——”March23，1872——Wemarchedthreemileseast，alongthebanksofthebeautifulVictoriaNile，throughfineopenforest，untilwehaltedonahighcliffexactlyopposite，thelaststationofAbouSaood，commandedbyavakeelnamedSuleiman。”ItisimpossibletodescribethechangethathastakenplacesinceI

lastvisitedthiscountry。Itwasthenaperfectgarden，thicklypopulated，andproducingallthatmancoulddesire。Thevillageswerenumerous；grovesofplantainsfringedthesteepcliff’sontheriver’sbank；andthenativeswereneatlydressedinthebarkclothofthecountry。”Thescenehaschanged！”Alliswilderness！Thepopulationhasfled。Notavillageistobeseen！”ThisisthecertainresultofthesettlementofKhartoumtraders。Theykidnapthewomenandchildrenforslaves，andplunderanddestroywherevertheysettheirfoot。”SeleimanandEddrees，twovakeels，whowerewellknowntomeasformingaportionofIbrahim’spartyonmyformerjourney，nowcameacrosstherivertovisitme。”ThecunningAbouSaoodhasnevertoldthemoftheexpirationofthegovernmentcontractwithAgad&Co。，neitherhadtheyanywarningofmyexpectedarrival。”Iexplainedtheexactstateofaffairs。”Theprincipalsheikofthedistrict，withmanypeople，cametoseeme。

Thechief，Quonga，wasoneofmyoldacquaintances，andwasformerlythefavouriteadviserofKamrasi。”Kamrasidiedabouttwoyearsago。Hissonsfoughtforthesuccession，andeachaspirantsoughttheaidofthetraders。ThiscivilstrifeexactlysuitedtheinterestsofthetreacherousKhartoumers。Theseveralcompaniesofslave-huntersscatteredovertheMadi，Shooli，andUnyorocountriesrepresentedonlyoneinterest，thatoftheiremployers，AgadandCo。”Eachcompany，commandedbyitsindependentvakeel，arrivedinUnyoro，andsupportedthecauseofeachantagonisticpretendertothethrone，andtreacherouslyworkedfortheruinofall，exceptinghimwhowouldbeabletosupplythelargestamountofivoryandslaves。”ThefavouritesonsofKamrasiwereKabbaRegaandKabkaMiro，whiletheoldenemyofthefamily，Rionga，thecousinofKamrasi，againappeareduponthescene。”ThecompaniesofAbouSaoodsupportedallthree，receivingivoryandslavesfromeachasthehireofmercenarytroops；andatlengththeyplayedouttheirgamebyshootingKabkaMiro，andsecuringthethronetoKabbaRega。”TheyarrangedwithRiongathatheshouldbeostensiblybanishedtoaconvenientdistance，to

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