The
officers mingled with their men in a race for plunder. Several soldiers
had been killed by the natives upon such occasions, when separated from
the rest in search of spoil. The colonel had assured me that it was
impossible to prevent this sacking of villages, as it was the reward the
troops expected after a victory.
Fortunately my model corps, the "Forty Thieves," were always with me,
which enabled me to act decidedly. My lieutenant-colonel, Abd-el-Kader,
and the faithful Monsoor, were ready to carry out my orders on the spot.
When I caught the troops in disorderly pillage, I had the principal
actors seized and laid down on the instant in the centre of the men, and
administered fifty apiece with a stout bamboo.
The Soudani soldiers quickly perceived that the reins were tighter than
formerly; and I followed up the principle of stern punishment until I
obtained an absolute control, without the slightest attempt at
resistance to my authority.
I had learnt to like the Soudanis; there was an untiring energy in their
movements very unlike the Egyptians; they only required European
officers to become first-rate troops.
Although the force had much improved by the increase of discipline, they
would have much preferred the good old times of plunder and prisoners.
The officers had always looked forward to the glorious opportunity of
procuring a few slaves in Central Africa, although they could not
exactly define the manner of obtaining them: thus my severe orders upon
this subject caused a serious heart-burning, and a desire to give up so
barren an expedition.
The station was now complete, and well fortified by a ditch and
earthwork. My own little station was the picture of neatness. I had two
acres of the finest Egyptian cotton (galleen). Every inch of the knoll
was highly cultivated, the lawn was closely cut, and the diahbeeah,
which was our home, lay snugly alongside the bank, close to which was a
little summer-house, surrounded by a prolific garden. This was a little
gem of civilization set in the middle of savage Africa. My "Forty
Thieves" were perfect gentlemen in comparison with the line regiments.
The sanitary arrangements of the station were good; there was very
little sickness, at the same time that upwards of 400 men suffered from
ulcerated legs at head-quarters.
Our domestics were much improved. Those who had been slaves liberated by
me from the traders' vessels at Tewfikeeyah, had learnt their duties,
and had become very useful. My wife had trained some nice girls of
seventeen or eighteen to household duties, in addition to half a dozen
excellent boys, who were all neatly clothed, and kept in admirable
discipline. Among these was the Abyssinian boy, "Amam," who had lately
received his freedom.
