Walking next to the vakeel, heavily chained, with his wrists secured in
a block of wood similar to stocks, came the cream of ruffians,
Salim-Wat-Howah, nailed at last.
This villainous-looking fellow was afterwards tried before the
medjeldis, or tribunal, and by overpowering evidence he was found guilty
of having first threatened to attack Major Abdullah in the government
camp of Fatiko; and secondly, with having actually given the orders to
fire, and having fired himself, on 2nd August, 1872, when we had been
treacherously attacked by Abou Saood's company.
I spoke in favour of Wat Hojoly, as he had otherwise behaved well
towards the government, and he was simply carrying out the orders of his
master, Abou Saood.
It had been the usual custom in the Soudan to spare the employers, who
were the most responsible parties, but to punish the small fry, such as
vakeels, and the reis, or captains of vessels.
Ismail Pacha had made great improvements in Khartoum, and he had
completed the new government house that had been commenced by his
predecessor, Moomtazz Pacha, who was also a most intelligent Circassian.
He had likewise made a great change by converting a large open space
into a public garden, where it was his intention that the military band
should play every evening for the amusement of the people.
Steam irrigation works were also commenced on the north side of the Blue
Nile for the cultivation of cotton.
After a few days at Khartoum we took leave of our good friend, Ismail
Ayoub Pacha, and started for Cairo by steamer.
I had left my two boys, Saat and Bellaal, with Ismail Pacha, to be
instructed either as musicians or soldiers, the latter profession being
their great ambition. There was already a school established for the
education of the more intelligent negro boys that might be liberated
from the slave-traders.
Upon our arrival at Berber, I found a considerable improvement in the
country. The Arabs were beginning to return to the fertile banks of the
river, and to rebuild their sakeeyahs or water-wheels. This change was
the result of a wise reform instituted by the Khedive, in dividing the
Soudan into provinces, each of which would be governed by a responsible
and independent official, instead of serving under a governor-general at
the distance of Khartoum.
Hussein Khalifah was now the governor of Berber. He was the great Arab
sheik of the desert who had so ably assisted Mr. Higginbotham in
transporting the machinery and steamer sections by camels from Korosko
to Berber across the great Nubian desert, for a distance of about 400
miles. The Arabs were much pleased at his appointment as governor, as he
was one of their race.
