He Also Remembered That Many
Europeans Had Visited Gondokoro Like Myself, But None Had Remained.
It
was therefore natural that a brutal savage, whose people were allied
with the slave-traders, to attack and pillage outlying countries, should
not regard with favour a new government that would establish law and
order.
For many years Allorron's tribe had been associated with the
slavers, and now that the entire country had been leased to one man,
Abou Saood, he had become the vakeel, or representative of this
individual, by whom he had been thoroughly prepared for our arrival. We
had been expected long ago, but, as already described, the delays
attending the opening of the Suez canal had prevented us from starting.
[*Footnote: The agent of the great company of Agad & Co., who
farmed the district from the government.]
I quickly perceived the real state of affairs. A great number of
Allorron's people were absent in the interior, employed by Abou Saood's
companies as mercenary soldiers. The Baris are a most warlike tribe, and
would make excellent troops; thus they were valuable allies of the
slave-hunters, as the geographical position of Gondokoro rendered it the
only spot that was adapted for an important station. The traders now
possessed of the monopoly of the ivory trade, found no necessity for a
permanent station at Gondokoro, as their interests were watched during
their absence in the interior by their ally Allorron; they accordingly
only visited Gondokoro when they returned periodically from the interior
with their ivory and slaves to meet the vessels from Khartoum.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 191 of 782
Words from 50378 to 50638
of 207249
