Whether from shame or anger I
could not tell, but he declined to appear.
The party started with the post, thus reducing my force by the departure
of thirty-six men, including eleven regulars and twenty-five of the new
irregular levy.
I was now left with one hundred regulars, four sailors, and four armed
Baris.
CHAPTER XX.
ESTABLISH COMMERCE.
For some time past the natives had commenced a brisk trade with ivory in
exchange for all kinds of trifles, which left a minimum profit for the
government of 1500 per cent. A few beads, together with three or four
gaudy-coloured cotton handkerchiefs, a zinc mirror, and a fourpenny
butcher's knife, would purchase a tusk worth twenty or thirty pounds. I
calculated all the expenses of transport from England, together with
interest on capital. In some cases we purchased ivory at 2,000 per cent.
profit, and both sellers and buyers felt perfectly contented.
I am not sure whether this is considered a decent return for an
investment of capital among the descendants of Israel; but I am
convinced that at the conclusion of a purchase in Unyoro each party to
the bargain thought that he had the best of it. This was the perfection
of business.
Here was free trade thoroughly established: the future was tinged with a
golden hue. Ivory would be almost inexhaustible, as it would flow from
both east and west to the market where such luxuries as twopenny
mirrors, fourpenny knives, handkerchiefs, ear-rings at a penny a pair,
finger signet-rings at a shilling a dozen, could be obtained for such
comparatively useless lumber as elephants' tusks.
Manchester goods would quickly supersede the bark-cloths, which were
worn out in a month, and, in a few years, every native of Unyoro would
be able to appear in durable European clothes. Every man would be able
to provide himself with a comfortable blanket for the chilly nights, and
an important trade would be opened that would tend to the development of
the country, and be the first step towards a future civilization.
Unfortunately for this golden vision, the young king, Kabba Rega,
considered that he had a right to benefit himself exclusively, by
monopolizing the trade with the government. He therefore gave orders to
his people that all ivory should be brought to him; and he strictly
prohibited, on pain of death, the free trade that I had endeavoured to
establish.
The tusks ceased to arrive; or, if any individual was sufficiently
audacious to run the risk of detection, he sent word beforehand, by
Monsoor (who was known to be confidential), that he would bring a tusk
for sale during the darkness of night.
This was a troublesome affair. Annexation is always a difficult question
of absolute right, but, as I trust my readers will acknowledge, I had
done all that lay in my power for the real benefit of the country. I had
to make allowance for the young king, who now had become a vassal, and I
determined to observe the extreme of moderation.
It was generally acknowledged that the conduct of the troops was most
exemplary. No thefts had been allowed, nor even those trifling
annexations of property which are distinguished from stealing by the
innocent name of "cribbing." Not a garden had been disturbed; the
tempting tobacco plantations had been rigidly respected, and the natives
could only regard my troops as the perfection of police. They were
almost as good as London police - there were no areas to the houses,
neither insinuating cooks or housemaids, nor even nursemaids with babies
in perambulators, to distract their attention from their municipal
duties.
Among my troops there was an excellent young man, named Ramadan, who was
the clerk of the detachment. This intelligent young fellow was a general
favourite among our own men, and also among the natives. He had a great
aptitude for languages, and he quickly mastered sufficient of the Unyoro
to make himself understood.
I arranged that Ramadan should become the schoolmaster, as it would be
useless to establish commerce as a civilizing medium without in some way
commencing a system of education.
Ramadan was proud at the idea of being selected for this appointment.
There was a son of Kittakara's, of about nine years old, named
Cherri-Merri. This nice little boy had paid us many visits, and had
become a great favourite of my wife's. He usually arrived after
breakfast, and was generally to be found sitting on a mat at her feet,
playing with some European toys that were his great delight, and gaining
instruction by conversation through the interpreter.
Although Cherri-Merri was a good boy, he possessed the purely commercial
instinct of Unyoro. He seldom arrived without a slave attendant, who
carried on his head a package of something that was to be SOLD.
He was told that it was bad taste to bring articles for sale to people
who had shown him kindness, at the same time no presents would be
received. The little trader quickly relieved himself of this difficulty
by marching off with his slave and package to the soldiers' camp, where
he exchanged his flour or tobacco for metal buttons, which they cut off
their uniforms; or for beads, or other trifles which they possessed.
Cherri-Merri was a general favourite, and he was to form the nucleus for
the commencement of a school.
The station was now in perfect order. Altogether, including the
soldiers' gardens, about three acres had been cleared and planted.
Everything was well above ground, and was growing with that rapidity
which can only be understood by those who have witnessed the vegetation
of the tropics on the richest soil.
English cucumbers, varieties of melons, pumpkins, tomatoes, Egyptian
radishes, onions, Egyptian cotton, &c., were all flourishing.
