I had taken under my especial protection a number of Bari women and
young girls whom Wat-el-Mek and Tayib Agha had pressed into their
service to carry loads during their journey from Gondokoro to Fatiko.
There can be no doubt that these poor creatures never would have been
returned to their country, had I not delivered them; but seeing their
condition upon their arrival at Fatiko, I had ordered them to accompany
me, and to show me the position of their homes during the march.
On arrival at the broad dry bed of a stream about two days' march from
Gondokoro, we halted beneath the shade of a large tree for breakfast.
The women and children now approached, and hesitatingly declared that
this was their country, and their villages were near. They evidently
doubted my sincerity in restoring them, which hurt me exceedingly.
"Go, my good women," I exclaimed, "and when you arrive at your homes,
explain to your people that you were captured entirely against my will,
and that I am only happy to have released you."
For a few moments they looked around them, as hardly believing the good
news. In another instant, as the truth flashed across their delighted
minds, they rushed upon me in a body, and before I had time for
self-defence, I found myself in the arms of a naked beauty who kissed me
almost to suffocation, and with a most unpleasant embrace licked both my
eyes with her tongue. The sentries came to my assistance, together with
the servants, who withstood the grateful crowd; otherwise both my wife
and myself would have been subjected to this painful thanksgiving from
the liberated Bari women.
Their freedom having been explained, we gave each a present of beads as
a reward for the trouble they had undergone, and they went away
rejoicing, upon the road to their own homes.
We arrived at Gondokoro on 1st April, 1873, without the slightest
disturbance during the march. This was the exact day upon which my term
of service would have expired, according to my original agreement with
the Khedive.
I halted the troops about half a mile from Gondokoro, to allow them to
change their clothes, when I observed with the telescope some of the
Englishmen approaching. Several of my welcome countrymen at length
arrived.
"Where is Mr. Higginbotham?" I asked, as I was eager to see my chief
engineer and friend.
There was a slight pause before the reply - "HE DIED ON THE LAST DAY OF
FEBRUARY!"
I was quite overpowered with the dreadful news! Poor Higginbotham! who
had been my right hand throughout the early portion of the expedition!
He was a man who so thoroughly represented the character that we love to
think is truly English, combining all energy, courage, and perseverance.
He was gone!
We marched into Gondokoro. Fourteen months had made a change for the
worse. I had left the station with a neat ditch and earthwork; the
environs had been clean. It was now a mass of filth. Bones and remnants
of old clothes, that would have been a fortune to a rag-and-bone shop,
lay scattered in all directions. The ditch was filled up with sand, and
the fallen bank washed in by the heavy rains, as it had never been
cleansed during my absence.
The guns fired a salute; Raouf Bey and the troops appeared in good
health; and I was shown into poor Higginbotham's house on the cliff
above the river.
A beautiful new steamer of 108 tons, built of steel, with twin screws,
was floating on the stream. This was the work of my Englishmen, who had
taken a pride in turning out the best results that Messrs. Samuda
Brothers and Messrs. Penn & Co. could produce.
I went on board to inspect the new vessel directly after breakfast. She
had been admirably constructed, and being devoid of paddles, she would
be able to glide through the narrow channels of the Bahr Giraffe like a
fish.
Although the station was dirty and neglected, I must do Raouf Bey
justice in acknowledging that he had paid much attention to the gardens
on the islands, which were producing so abundantly that the troops
received rations of vegetables daily.
Raouf Bey had also shown determination, and had accepted great
responsibility in shooting a soldier for desertion during my absence.
It appeared that the reinforcements lately received from Khartoum were
merely slaves that had been sold to the government, and had rapidly been
trained for soldiers. Many of these people had originally come from the
White Nile, therefore they were disposed to desert upon the first
opportunity.
A considerable number had deserted, with their arms and ammunition. They
had also stolen Raouf Bey's guns and rifles from his house, and had
absconded to Belinian. Raouf Bey had called upon the Belinian to give up
the deserters; but the Belinian natives had only replied to the
summonses by making nightly demonstrations of attack against the station
of Gondokoro, which had rendered sound sleep impossible for the last
month. Raouf Bey had accordingly invaded Belinian, and had fought a
pitched battle, in which the deserters who had joined the Baris fired
upon the troops. Two of them were killed. (On this occasion, the Baris
being well supplied with muskets and ammunition, the troops of Raouf Bey
suffered considerable loss.)
I immediately sent for Allorron, who had now become a faithful sheik of
the government. He confessed all his sins, and of course laid the whole
blame upon Abou Saood, who he declared had deceived him, and instigated
him against the government. I did not wish for any explanations upon the
truth of which I could not rely.
