I should regard one chief as their
representative, and they as headmen must elect him at the present
assembly. I should also place the power in the hands of the chief, whose
orders must be obeyed by the headmen of the villages. This chief would
be responsible to me for the acts of those beneath him, and I should
punish all those who refused to acknowledge his authority.
The meeting ended most satisfactorily. The natives explained, that,
although Allorron had been the ostensible sheik for a great length of
time, the true sheik by actual descent was a chief named Morbe; but as
his cattle had been carried off by the Loquia, he had lost his property,
and also his influence among the people. In those savage countries the
possession of property is considered absolutely necessary to a man in a
high position.
Morbe was elected unanimously as the sheik responsible to the
government. All headmen declared they would obey his orders; even
Allorron appeared pleased that he had shifted his responsibility upon
the shoulders of another. The headmen all promised that they would beat
their drums and summon their people on their return to their villages,
and that on the morrow they would collect bamboos and thatch-grass for
any purpose we might require. The meeting ended by their agreeing to
deliver a certain number of bundles in a given period: they also
promised to supply the troops with oxen at a stipulated price. Morbe,
the new sheik, then addressed me in the name of the assembly, and begged
me to establish confidence and goodwill by returning them their cattle.
I had expected this request. I therefore replied, that as they had
attended my summons and promised obedience, I would test their sincerity
by returning them not only their own cattle, but I would trust them with
the care of my three large breeding cows which I had brought from the
Rohr country; at the same time, I gave them fair warning, that if they
broke the agreement now entered upon, I should not be in a hurry to
return their cattle on a future occasion. They seemed to be, quite
satisfied, and the meeting broke up.
They drove off the herd, together with my three cows, while my soldiers
looked on with utter amazement and regarded me as thought I had lost my
senses.
Although I had entered into this agreement, the natives had not the
slightest idea of carrying out their promises. A few bundles of bamboos
were brought, also some thatch-grass, but not an ox was given to the
troops. The sheik of Belinian had refused to appear; and he alleged as
an excuse that he feared treachery, since his father and family had been
murdered when guests of Abou Saood. 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. It was in vain that I assured them of the
impossibility of such proceedings, and that Abou Saood's people would
not be permitted by the government to continue these atrocities. They
ridiculed the idea, and declared that the traders would always continue
in their old customs, notwithstanding the presence of the Khedive's
officers. They said that no business could be done in any other way in
those countries; they advised me to "take women and cattle, and then the
natives would listen to my advice, but not otherwise."
It was utter folly to attempt negotiations with these people; they were
the most brutal and obtuse savages. They had been abandoned by the
missionaries as hopeless, and they would acknowledge nothing but force.
The troops were discontented. After all their fatigues, the promised
land was starvation. There was still much work to be done, as the
expedition was in fact only commencing. By degrees the Baris absented
themselves entirely from our camp, and we were left to ourselves as
utter strangers. The cattle were driven over to our fine pasturage
daily, and returned at night to their island; but not an ox, or even a
goat, was ever offered for sale, and all communication between us and
the natives had apparently ceased.
