ismailia- 第80部分

In　every　African　tribe　that　I　have　visited；　I　found　slavery　a　natural
institution　of　the　country。　I　had　at　length　discovered　that　it　was　bad
policy　to　commence　a　dissertation　against　the　slave　trade　generally；
this　attacked　local　interests；　therefore　it　was　more　diplomatic　to　speak
against　the　capture　of　women　and　children　that　belonged　to　my　hearers；
but　to　avoid　a　discussion　upon　the　moral　aspect　of　the　slave　trade。

The　negro　idea　of　the　eighth　commandment　is：　〃Thou　shalt　not　stealfrom
ME；〃　but　he　takes　a　liberal　view　of　the　subject　when　the　property
belongs　to　another。

I　had　been　rather　startled　in　the　year　of　my　arrival　at　Gondokoro；　when；
during　the　voyage；　I　landed　and　conversed　with　some　sheiks　of　the　Shir
tribe。　One　of　these　headmen　was　loud　in　his　complaints　against　the
slave…hunters　and　against　the　slave　trade　in　particular；　from　which　his
tribe　had　suffered。　Many　of　the　women　and　children　had　been　carried　off
by　a　neighbouring　tribe；　called　the　Berri；　on　the　east　of　the　Nile。　The
sheik　therefore　proposed　that　I　should　join　him　with　my　troops　and
capture　all　the　women　and　children　that　belonged　to　his　enemies。　This
was　natural　enough；　and　was　a　simple　example　of　the　revenge　that　is
common　to　uneducated　human　nature。　The　sheik　and　I　got　on　famously；　and
I　found　a　good　listener；　to　whom　I　preached　a　touching　sermon　upon　the
horrors　of　the　slave　trade；　which　I　was　resolved　to　suppress。

The　good　man　was　evidently　moved　at　the　allusion　to　the　forcible
separation　of　children　from　their　parents。

〃Have　you　a　son？〃　he　asked。

〃My　sons　are；　unfortunately；　dead；〃　I　replied。

〃Indeed！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　have　a　sonan　only　son。　He　is　a　nice　boya
very　good　boy；　about　so　high　（showing　his　length　upon　the　handle　of　his
spear）。　I　should　like　you　to　see　my　boyhe　is　very　thin　now；　but　if　he
should　remain　with　you　he　would　soon　get　fat。　He's　a　really　nice　boy；
and　always　hungry。　You'll　be　so　fond　of　him；　he'll　eat　from　morning　till
night；　and　still　he'll　be　hungry。　You'll　like　him　amazingly；　he'll　give
you　no　trouble　if　you　only　give　him　plenty　to　eat。　He'll　lie　down　and　go
to　sleep；　and　he'll　wake　up　hungry　again。　He's　a　good　boy；　indeed；　and
he's　my　only　son。　I'll　sell　him　to　you　for　a　molote！　（native　iron
spade）。〃

The　result　of　my　sermon　on　the　slave　trade；　addressed　to　this
affectionate　father；　was　quite　appalling。　I　was　offered　his　only　son　in
exchange　for　a　spade！　and　this　young　nigger　knave　of　spades　was
warranted　to　remain　always　hungry。

I　simply　give　this　anecdote　as　it　occurred　without　asserting　that　such
conduct　is　the　rule。　At　the　same　time；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　among
the　White　Nile　tribes　any　number　of　male　children　might　be　purchased
from　their　parentsespecially　in　seasons　of　scarcity。

Girls　are　always　purchased；　if　required；　as　wives。　It　would　be　quite
impossible　to　obtain　a　wife　for　love　from　any　tribe　that　I　have　visited。
〃Blessed　is　he　that　hath　his　quiver　full　of　them〃　（daughters）。　A　large
family　of　girls　is　a　source　of　wealth　to　the　father；　as　he　sells　each
daughter　for　twelve　or　fifteen　cows　to　her　suitor。　Every　girl　is　certain
to　marry；　thus　a　dozen　daughters　will　bring　a　fortune　of　at　least　150
cows　to　their　parents　in　all　pastoral　countries。

In　Unyoro；　cattle　are　scarce；　and　they　belong　to　the　king；　therefore　the
girls　are　purchased　for　various　commoditiessuch　as　brass…coil
bracelets；　bark…cloths；　cotton　shirts；　ivory；　&c。

I　was　anxious　to　establish　a　new　and　legitimate　system　of　trade　in　this
country；　which　would　be　the　first　step　towards　a　higher　civilization。　I
accordingly　devoted　every　energy　to　the　completion　of　the　station；　in
which　we　were　assisted　by　the　natives；　under　the　direction　of　their
various　headmen。

The　order　and　organization　of　Unyoro　were　a　great　contrast　to　the　want
of　cohesion　of　the　northern　tribes。　Every　district　throughout　the
country　was　governed　by　a　chief；　who　was　responsible　to　the　king　for　the
state　of　his　province。　This　system　was　extended　to　sub…governors　and　a
series　of　lower　officials　in　every　district；　who　were　bound　to　obey　the
orders　of　the　lord…lieutenant。　Thus　every　province　bad　a　responsible
head；　that　could　be　at　once　cut　off　should　disloyalty　or　other　signs　of
bad　government　appear　in　a　certain　district。

In　the　event　of　war；　every　governor　could　appear；　together　with　his
contingent　of　armed　men；　at　a　short　notice。

These　were　the　rules　of　government　that　had　been　established　for　many
generations　throughout　Unyoro。

The　civil　war　had　ceased；　and　Kabba　Rega　having　ascended　the　throne；　the
country　had　again　fallen　into　the　order　that　a　previous　good
organization　rendered　easy。

The　various　headmen　of　the　district　now　appeared　daily；　with　their　men
laden　with　thatch　grass　and　canes　for　the　construction　of　the　station。

I　commenced　a　government　house；　and　a　private　dwelling　adjoining　for
myself。

On　my　first　arrival　at　Masindi　I　had　begged　Kabba　Rega　to　instruct　his
people　to　clear　away　about　fifty　acres　of　grass　around　our　station；　and
to　break　up　the　ground　for　cultivation；　as　I　wished　my　troops　to　sow　and
reap　their　own　corn；　instead　of　living　at　the　expense　of　the　natives。

The　system；　both　in　Uganda　and　Unyoro；　is　bad　and　unjust。

Should　visitors　arrive；　they　are　not　allowed　to　purchase　food　from　the
people；　but　they　must　be　fed　by　the　king's　order　at　the　cost　of　the
inhabitants。　This　generally　results　in　their　not　being　fed　at　all；　as
the　natives　quit　the　neighbourhood。

I　had　suffered　much　from　hunger　in　Unyoro；　during　my　former　visit；　in
the　reign　of　Kamrasi；　therefore　I　wished　to　protect　myself　against
famine　by　a　timely　cultivation　of　the　surrounding　fertile　land；　which
was　now　covered　with　rank　grass　about　nine　feet　high。

In　a　military　point　of　view　it　was　impolitic　to　sit　down　within　a
station　incircled　by　a　dense　grass　covert；　and　although　I　had　not　the
most　remote　suspicion　of　hostility　in　this　country；　I　preferred　a
situation　whence　we　could　enjoy　an　extensive　landscape。

The　Albert　N'yanza　lay　distant　about　twenty　miles　on　the　west；　in　the
deep　basin　which　characterizes　this　extraordinary　sheet　of　water。
Immense　volumes　of　cloud　rose　in　the　early　morning　from　the　valley　which
marked　the　course　of　the　lake；　as　the　evaporation　from　the　great　surface
of　water　condensed　into　mist；　when　it　rose　to　the　cooler　atmosphere　of
the　plateau　1；500　feet　above　the　level。

The　proposal　of　farming　did　not　appear　to　please　Kabba　Rega。　It　was
explained　that　the　men　were　not　accustomed　to　labour　in　the　fields；　as
agricultural　work　was　performed　by　the　women；　all　of　whom　were　now
absent　and　engaged　in　preparing　their　own　land。

Although　Masindi　was　a　large　town；　I　was　struck　by　the　absence　of
females。　The　only　women　that　I　saw　were　two；　one　of　whom　was　the　pretty
wife　of　Umbogo　the　dragoman。　It　has　already　been　explained；　that　the
absence　of　women　generally　denotes　hostility；　but　as　the　rainy　season
necessitated　hard　work；　I　accepted　the　explanation。

The　corn　for　the　supply　of　Masindi　was　brought　from　a　distance　of　two
days'　journey；　and　numbers　of　people　were　daily　employed　in　going　to　and
fro　for　the　general　provisions　of　the　station。

The　slave…hunters　belonging　to　Suleiman；　who　were　now　prisoners　under　a
guard；　numbered　twenty…five　men：　I　employed　these　people　daily　to　clear
away　the　high　grass；　which　was　piled　and　burnt；　the　ashes　were　then
spread；　and　the　ground　was　hoed　up　and　thoroughly　prepared　by　the
troops。

It　was　in　vain　that　I　urged　upon　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs　the　necessity
of　cultivation　for　the　supply　of　corn　requisite　for　the　troops。　Every
day　they　promised　to　clear　away　the　grass；　provided　the　soldiers　would
then　dig　and　prepare　the　ground。　This　I　agreed　to　do；　but　the　natives
showed　no　intention　of　working。

I　began　to　suspect　that　Kabba　Rega　had　an　objection　to　a　large　open
clearing。　The　tactics　of　all　natives　are　concealment；　if　a　man　is
frightened；　he　hides　in　the　grass；　in　case　of　hostilities；　the　high
grass　is　a　fortress　to　the　negro。　It　became　evident　that　we　were　to
remain　surrounded　by　this　dense　herbage；　which　not　only　obstructed　the
view；　but　rendered　the　station　damp　and　dreary。

I　explained　to　the　chiefs　the　folly　of　Kabba　Rega　in　thus　neglecting
such　magnificent　soil；　which；　with　a　little　labour；　would　produce　all
that　we　could　require；　and　would　save　both　him　and　his　people　the
trouble　of　feeding　us。　At　the　same　time　I　set　all　hands　of　my　own　people
to　clear　a　large　space　and　to　make　gardens。

Unyoro　had　always　been　a　country　of　cowardice　and　suspicion；　and　I　could
plainly　see　that　we　were　narrowly　watched。　Kabba　Rega　usually　sat　in　his
public　divan　from　about　two　p。m。　till　4　daily；　to　transact　public
business。　This　large　circular　building　was　extremely　neat；　and　the
ground　was　carefully　strewed　with　the　long　fringes　of　the　papyrus　rush；
after　the　fashion　of　our　ancestors　in　England；　who；　before　the
introduction　of　carpets；　strewed　the　floor　with　rushes。

The　young　king　informed　me　that；　as　he　wished　to　be　in　constant
communication　with　me　personally；　he　should　build　a　new　divan　within　a
few　yards　of　my　residence；　so　that　we　could　converse　upon　all　occasions
without　being　watched　by　his　people。

This　was　merely　an　excuse　for　erecting　a　building　within　fifty　yards　of
my　house；　from　which　his　guards　could　watch　all　that　happened；　and
report　everything　to　their　master。

The　new　building　was　constructed　with　wonderful　quickness；　and　prettily
walled　with　canes　inside　to　resemble　basket…work。

Kabba　Rega　came　to　his　new　divan；　attended　by　a　number　of　his　guards；　or
bonosoora；　armed　with　guns。　To　give　him　confidence；　I　went　to　see　him
unattended；　except　by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　my　ever…faithful　attendant；
Monsoor；　who　did　not　at　all　approve　of　my　going　unarmed。

The　conversation　quickly　turned　upon　guns。　Kabba　Rega　was　delighted　with
the　mechanism　of　Monsoor's　snider　rifle；　which　he　at　once　understood　and
explained　to　his　body…guard。　He　appeared　to　have　quite　lost　his　shyness；
and　he　begged　me　to　consider　him　simply　in　the　light　of　my　own　son；　and
to　give　him　all　the　merchandise　AT　ONCE　that　I　had　brought　with　me　to
establish　a　new　trade。

I　told　him　that　fath