第85章

Thefactofthisrenownedslave-hunterhavingtheaudacitytoappealtotheEgyptianauthoritiesforassistance，atonceexhibitstheconfidencethattheslave-tradersfeltinthemoralsupportofcertainofficialpersonageswhorepresentedpublicopinionintheirhatredtotheprincipalobjectoftheexpedition。

ThevariouslinksinthechainwhichunitedtheinterestsofAbouSaoodwithcertainofficerswhowereopposedtothespiritoftheenterprisewillbeatonceperceived。

Fromtheverycommencement，thismanhadbeenthechiefintriguerwhohadendeavouredtoruintheexpedition。HehadfraternizedwiththeBariswhentheywereatopenwarwiththegovernment。Hehadincitedthetribestoattackme，andatlengthhisowncompanieshadfiredatmebyhisorders。HENOWSOUGHTTHEPROTECTIONOFTHEEGYPTIANGOVERNMENTAT

CAIRO。

WeshallnowleaveAbouSaoodinCairo，wherehespreadthefalsereportofthemassacreofLadyBakerandmyself，whichreachedEnglandandappearedinthenewspapersinApril1873。

AfterAbouSaood’sdeparturefromFabbo，theinfluenceofWat-el-Mekbegantobefelt，andmanymenflockedtothegovernmentstandard。

Nevertheless，thatstationwasasceneofanarchy。Theslave-huntersweredividedamongthemselves。ThepartythatfollowedWat-el-MekwerenearlyallSoudanis，likehimself，buttheArabsweresplitupintocompanies，eachofwhichhadelectedaseparateleader。ThisdissensionwasexactlywhatIdesired，andIplayedthegameaccordingly。AsIhavebeforestated，Iwishedtoavoidphysicalforce。

AliGenninar，whomIhadengagedatMasindi，wasanexcellentfellow，andbeforeAbouSaooddesertedthecountry，hehadbeenthefirstmantoarriveatFatikeandunitewiththegovernment。Henowcollectedsixty-fivemen，whomIatonceenrolled，andhavinggiventhemtheirgovernmentflags，IstartedthemoffwithoutdelaytosupportRiongainUnyoro，andrecalledAbd-el-KaderandhistroopstoFatiko。AtthesametimeIsentRiongamanyvaluablepresents。

TherewereseveralterriblescoundrelsatFabbo，amongwhomwasSalim-Wat-Howah，who，togetherwithLazim，hadthreatenedtoshootMajorAbdullahinhisowncampduringmyabsenceinUnyoro。

IhadLaziminironsatFatiko，butSalim-Wat-Howahhadescapedonthedayofattack。ThismanSalimwastheheadofthegreatestvillainsatFabbo，andheandhisbandofaboutonehundredmendailysalliedoutofthezareebaandplunderedandburnttheneighbourhoodinopendefianceofWat-el-Mek。

Whentheseruffianscapturedwomen，theynowcuttheirthroatsandthrewthemintotheUn-y-Ameriver，explainingtothenativesthattheydefiedmeto”liberate”themwhentheirthroatswerecut。

EverydaythenativesflockedtomefromFabbowiththemostdreadfultalesofatrocities。

ThetimehadnowarrivedwhenIcouldmakethemovethatIfeltsurewouldreducethecountrytoorder。

Theslave-hunterswereinthisposition。IhadsentAliGerminarwithsixty-fivementoUnyoro，200hadgoneoffwithAbouSaood，100

reprobatesclungtoSalim-Wat-Howah，andtheremainderweretruetoWat-el-Mek。

IthereforesentamessagetoFabbo，whichWat-el-Mekwouldmakepublicinthezareeba：”that，havingreceiveddailycomplaintsfromthenativesofoutragescommittedbySalim-Wat-Howahandhiscompany，itwasmyintentioninfortyeighthourstovisitFabbowiththetroops，togetherw

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节