第60章

”ThisIbelievetobetrue，asafewdaysago，whenspeakingofthetroops，ItoldSuleimanthattheSoudaniswereveryhardysoldiersformarchingandresistingclimate，butthatgenerallytheywerebadshots。Thus，inatreacherousmanner，hehasinformedthenativesthatthesoldiersofthegovernmentcannotshoot。Intheafternoon，freshreportsreachedmethatSuleimanhad，withhisownhands，murderedthenativetowhomIhadgivenprotection。Hehadcommittedthishorribleacttheinstantthatmybackwasturned，andhehadexhibitedthecrimebeforethegreatsheiksinderisionofmyauthority！”At4。30P。M。CaptainMohammedDeiireturnedwithhispartyoffiftymen，togetherwiththevakeels，SuleimanandEddrees，withsixoftheirmenwhohadbeenmetupontheirroadfromMasindi，andeightslaves。”AsIhadexpected，thegreaternumberofSuleiman’speoplehadescapedwiththeirslavestoFabbo，whentheColonel，Abd-el-Kader，hadsuddenlyappearedamongthem；hisarrivalhaddisconcertedallSuleiman’sarrangements，andmydetentionatKisoonahadcompletelyupsetallhisplansrespectinganalliancewithRahonka’sarmy。ThatcunninggeneralhadgoneoffstraighttoKabbaRegaafterhisescapethroughthewallofhishut。”Isummonedthegreatsheiks，Kittakara，Quonga，togetherwithPittia，andseveralothers。ThesemengavetheirevidencemostclearlyaswitnessestotheplanarrangedbySuleimanfortheattackuponRionga；

andaseye-witnessestothemurderoftheprisoner，whomtheysawdraggedbySuleimanandhismentothegroveofbananas，wherehewasbeheaded。”IorderedSuleimanandhispeopletobedisarmed；andsecuredbothhimandEddreesinshebas。”Thesunhadset，and，theskybeingover-cast，ithadbecomeextremelydark。”IproceededatoncetothetrialofSuleimanandEddrees，asthewitnesseswereallpresent。”Thebuglersoundedthe’taboor’(assembly)，andtheofficersandtroopsquicklyappeared，andformedinlinetwodeep，facingthetableatwhichwesat。Iorderedhalf-a-dozenlargeport-firestobebrought；thesewerelightedandheldbysixmenwhosteppedforwardfromtheranks。Theblazeofredlightilluminedthewholeneighbourhood，andcastapeculiarglowuponthedarkfoliageofthebananasandtheformsoftheduskychiefswhosatinalineoppositethetroops。”SuleimanandEddreeswereledbytheguard，andappearedbeforethetribunal。Suleiman，althoughpinioned，retainedthesamehaughtyswaggerthathadalwaysdistinguishedhim。Thechargesagainsthimwereasfollows：”1。ForhavingconspiredtoattackRionga，indirectoppositiontomypositiveorders。”2。FortreasonablyspeakingagainstthegovernmentoftheKhedivetothenativechiefs。”3。Forarrangingandabettingtheescapeoftheirregularnewlevy，whohadenlistedinthegovernmentservice，togetherwiththatoftheslaves。”4。Forhavingmurdered，withhisownhands，anativewhomIhadconfidedtohiscare。”Afteracarefultrialtheprisonerwasfoundguiltyuponeverycharge；

andthesecondvakeel，Eddrees，wasprovedtohavebeenanaccomplice。”IimmediatelysentencedSuleimantoreceive200lashesuponthespot，asafirstinstalmentoffuturepunishment。Bluelightshadbeensubstitutedfortheport-firesthathadburnedout，andthehaughtybrigand，Suleiman，waslaiduponthegroundbythereadytroopstoreceivehispunishment。”Myever-presentattendant，Monsoor，volunteeredtobeoneofthewhippers，andtheprideandaudacityoftheprisonerweresoonexchangedforeffeminatecriesforpardon。Itwasthissameman，Suleiman，whohadfloggedapoorboynearlytodeathduringmyformerjourney，andth

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