The Baris Of Gondokoro Had Regained
Their Cattle, And They Did Not Trouble Themselves About Their Contract,
As They Inwardly Hoped That By Starving Us They Might Succeed In
Disgusting The Troops, Which Would Necessitate The Abandonment Of The
Expedition.
A few days after the breach of contract, Tomby, the interpreter,
appeared, and told me that the Baris had refused to work, and that the
government would not succeed in that country.
The people wished me to
join them with my troops, and to attack their old enemy, Loquia. I
should then obtain cattle and sheep in the razzia, and the government
would be independent.
This was the regular negro system which had originally introduced the
slave trade throughout the White Nile. One tribe invariably requests the
alliance of a superior force to attack some powerful neighbour: the
prisoners of war become slaves. When trading adventurers first commenced
on the White Nile, the natives sold ivory for beads and copper
bracelets; and trade was fairly established. The armed companies of the
traders were immediately invited to become allies, and attacks were made
upon various tribes. The cattle and slaves became the property of the
captors. The traders quickly discovered that it was far easier and more
profitable to steal cattle and slaves to exchange for ivory, than to
import goods from Khartoum. They commenced the system of cattle-lifting
and slave-hunting, which rapidly increased until it arrived at the
immense scale already described.
I preached morality hopelessly to the Baris; they were mere ruffians,
and they longed for the arrival of Abou Saood, who would once more give
them an opportunity of joining his people to plunder and enslave the
tribes of the interior.
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