Upon my return home I wrote an official letter to Abou Saood of which
the following is a copy : -
"ISMAILIA, or GONDOKORO, June 12, 1871.
"To Abou Saood, vakeel of the firm of Agad & Co.
"Sir,
"You arrived here on the 10th inst. with a large number
of cattle stolen by you and your people.
"You, knowing that the Baris were at war with the government,
have nevertheless been in daily and friendly communication
with them.
"The Baris of this country are rendered hostile to all honest
government by the conduct of your people, who, by stealing
slaves and cattle from the interior, and delivering them here,
have utterly destroyed all hope of improvement in a people
naturally savage, but now rendered by your acts thieves of the
worst description.
"It is impossible that I can permit the continuance of such acts.
"I therefore give you due notice that at the expiration of
your contract you will withdraw all your people from the district
under my command. At the same time I declare the forfeiture
to the government of the cattle you have forcibly captured under
the eyes of my authority.
"SAMUEL W. BAKER."
The only error that I can acknowledge throughout the expedition was my
present leniency. I should at once have placed Abou Saood in irons, and
have sent him to Khartoum, instead of leaving him at large to carry on
his intrigues against the government.
I intended on the first opportunity to send notice to the Shir tribe of
the safety of their cattle, but an incident shortly occurred that
altered my determination. (These cattle were kept in a separate pen or
zareeba, and were guarded when at pasturage by special soldiers for some
weeks, in order that they should be returned to the Shir tribe upon the
first opportunity.)
At the same time that Abou Saood was in disgrace, he was a bosom friend
of the colonel, Raouf Bey, who commanded my troops. They dined together
constantly in the house of the latter officer, and their friendship had
originally commenced in Khartoum during the long interval that the
regiments were awaiting my arrival from Cairo. It was during that
interval that the officers of the expedition had fraternized with the
White Nile traders who resided at Khartoum.
The result of such intimacy might be imagined.
The object of the expedition had always been distasteful to both
officers and men. The traders had already seen by the, examples made at
Tewfikeeyah that I should actually destroy their cherished slave-trade.
It was therefore natural that Abou Saood should exert himself to ruin
the expedition.
