"There is a native, named Tomby, who speaks excellent Arabic. This
fellow has been twice to Khartoum, and he wears clothes, instead of
walking about in a state of absolute nudity like his countrymen. He has
an excellent rifle that was given to him by his old master, a French
trader, Monsieur Bartholome. Tomby has been employed as interpreter; and
having been born and bred in these parts, he is a perfect chronicler. It
appears that Abou Saood treacherously murdered the sheik of Belinian, a
country about twelve miles distant from this station. He feared the
sheik of Belinian, who was a powerful neighbour: he therefore,
professing friendship, invited him and his family to an entertainment at
Gondokoro. The sheik and his people, not suspecting evil, arrived,
bringing with them the usual presents. Abou Saood received them very
politely, and when they were seated, and had entered into conversation,
he had them seized by his people, and murdered them on the spot in cold
blood. Owing to this treacherous conduct, the entire neighbourhood is
hostile, and anarchy prevails throughout the country; thus I cannot send
a letter to the traders' camp at Latooka, as no one dares to travel.
"April 24. - Thermometer, 6 A.M., 74 degrees F; noon, fell to 72 degrees
F. We had a picnic at the old mission station, where I went accompanied
by Lieutenant Baker, Mr. Higginbotham, and my wife, to measure out the
camp and fort. As usual in England, the picnic brought on heavy rain,
which lasted from 9.30 a.m. till 2 p.m., to the great benefit of the
garden.
"April 25. - Thermometer, 6 A.M., 69 degrees F; noon, 80 degrees F. We
completed the large garden; the soldiers' allotments are also complete.
The camp of the "Forty Thieves" is very neat; a spirit of industry has
seized upon the whole party. The women have made gardens around their
huts, and agriculture appears to be the prevailing fashion. I am
surrounding the cultivation with a live fence of euphorbia. Julian has
been unwell for some time past.
"The natives appear to have gained confidence, as they are bringing
their cattle across the river from the islands to our fine pasturage. It
is curious to see the manner in which the herd follows the man who swims
before them as their guide, while other natives direct them while
swimming by striking them upon the horns with long bamboos.
"Yesterday the river rose about two feet, but it fell almost as
suddenly, showing that the rise was only the effect of the heavy rain
upon the mountain ranges throughout the country.
"One of the boys, Said, caught three fish, weighing about eight, ten,
and twenty pounds each. These were of the Siluras species, and are
excellent eating.
"The white ants are now issuing from the ground in vast numbers in the
winged state, and are taking flight. Myriads of the black and white tern
and the white storks are following them. The lizards are also at work in
the general persecution.
"April 26, 27. - Made new garden beds. All the seeds sown by the troops
are above ground, to the great delight of the men. We cleared and sowed
about an acre with Indian corn to-day."
We thus continued working and improving, until we had in a comparatively
short time produced a great result. About ten acres of corn were above
ground, as a few showers had started the seeds like magic. My men were
comfortably housed in a neat station on the high ground, while my
servants had a pretty little village of their own situated on the knoll,
by the river side, about fifty yards from my diahbeeah. This vessel was
moored alongside the bank, the fine grass of which was kept closely cut,
so as to resemble a lawn, that extended for about thirty yards; this was
bounded by prickly pears and ornamented by a large and showy
butter-nut-tree, which formed our out-door drawing room.
It was all very well to establish a government, and to commence the
civilization of Central Africa, but we were very hungry, and we could
procure nothing from the natives. We had no butchers' meat, neither
would the Sheik Allorron or his people sell us either sheep or cattle.
For several days we lived upon sparrows, which Monsoor shot by
sprinkling corn upon the ground and firing into the assembled flock of
hundreds. The country was swarming with these small birds, which are no
doubt delicacies; but if you have a good appetite they are a little too
light on the stomach. In the mean time, although the natives could now
venture to drive their cattle to the rich pasturage under our
protection, which they could not before enjoy for fear of their enemies
the Loquia, they absolutely refused to sell, or to supply us in any
manner. In spite of my explanations to the sheik by the interpreter
Tomby, he refused to bring either grass or wood for the expected
soldiers' huts, or in fact to do anything to serve us.
Upon one occasion, as my men were sowing and clearing the land for
planting, he employed natives to work at the same kind of cultivation in
front of the troops, in order to claim a right to the soil. On this
occasion he came himself, prepared with a cup formed of a small
gourd-shell slung by a string upon his neck. He explained that this was
his cup for drinking araki, with which he requested to be supplied.
"How long are you going to remain here?" he asked. He continued, "You
had better go back to Khartoum, and I will eat the corn you have planted
when it becomes ripe."
I explained that Gondokoro would be head-quarters, and that troops would
always remain there, and we should cultivate a large extent for corn.
