There was not a single
representative of the tribe upon the mainland, neither could their
cattle venture across the river to pasture upon the beautiful herbage,
that was now entirely neglected except by a few herds of antelopes. At
the same time, the pasturage on the islands, being insufficient for the
large herds of cattle, was consumed, and the animals were dependent upon
the rank grass, which they could only reach by wading into the water;
thus many were taken by crocodiles.
It would have been natural to suppose that Allorron and his people would
have welcomed the protection now offered by the new government. I
invited them to return to their old country, from which they had been
expelled, and to rebuild their villages on their old sites, where they
could recommence their cultivation, and form a new settlement under the
wing of our headquarters.
It was easy to perceive by the manner of the chief, Allorron, and his
people that they had been incited by Abou Saood and his companies
against the expedition. My delay in starting from Egypt had been of
immense advantage to the slave-traders, as it had given them time to
organize a resistance to the expedition. The negroes are easily misled;
naturally vicious and treacherous, they are ready to believe any tales
of evil: and as a young child may be frightened by a ghost story, they
also may by a few words be rendered suspicious of their best friend.
Their interests were the same as those of the slave-traders.
My "Forty Thieves" [*] were excellent fellows, and all the men who
were constantly about me were very different from those who formed
the bulk of the military force. I now commenced a small station and
a large garden.
[*Footnote: The bodyguard of picked men, armed with snider rifles.]
I had chosen a pretty spot for my station, as I did not intend to reside
at head-quarters, which would be the site originally occupied by the
Austrian mission, and was well adapted for a large town.
My position was a rising knoll of about six acres upon which grew a few
shady trees. This spot had been the station of a missionary known by the
natives under the name of "Suleiman;" his was the only name remembered
by the Baris, and his body had been buried here, but nothing marked the
spot. He had passed away, like all the rest of these good and
self-sacrificing people, without leaving one trace of good works among
this barbarous tribe except the lemon-trees; theirs was the only seed
that appeared to have fallen on good ground.
In a few days my men had made a large garden, in which I sowed onions,
radishes, beans, spinach, four varieties of water melons, sweet melons,
cucumbers, oranges, custard apples, Indian corn, garlic, barmian,
tobacco, cabbages, tomatoes, chilis, long capsicums, carrots, parsley,
celery. I arranged the daily labour so that the soldiers and sailors
should work at the cultivation from 6 A.M. till 11; after which they
might have the day to themselves, to construct their own huts.
At this season, 20th April 1871, the river was extremely low; I
therefore fixed a pole with marked inches to register the rise of
floods.
By the 23rd April all my men had arranged gardens parallel with the
lines of their camp. I gave them various seeds, with a promise of prizes
for the finest specimens of vegetables that might be produced. I had
always endeavoured to create a taste for agriculture among my people,
and they had now learnt that the commencement of a new settlement was
the signal for cultivation. I believe that no employment engenders such
a love of a particular locality as that of farming, provided always that
the soil and climate are favourable. Thus, in an expedition to a distant
land, it is necessary to induce the feelings of HOME among the people.
The hut by itself is simply shelter, but the same hut surrounded by a
neat and productive garden, the result of industry, becomes a settled
residence. It is pleasant to watch the blossoms of home flowers and
vegetables that you may have yourself introduced and planted. A good
English cabbage or carrot may not be introduced in poetry so generally
as the rose, but in a new settlement in a wild country, the success of a
cabbage or carrot is of more importance to the expedition than bouquets
of flowers.
Even the women and boys that were domestic servants, originally slaves
that I had liberated from the traders, had learnt to take a great
interest in cultivation. Each had a garden, and a day never passed
without permission being asked for a few hours' recreation with the
spade or hoe, the latter being the favourite implement, as the want of
shoes rendered the management of the spade extremely difficult, except
in very light soil.
I believe that a taste for gardening has a most civilizing influence
among savages; and if I were a missionary, I should commence with such
practical teaching, thus proving in your joint labour with the natives
the principle that industry and peace will create prosperity.
A few extracts front my journal will describe the gradual progress of
the settlement:
"Mr. Higginbotham shot a waterbuck during an exploratory ramble that we
took through the forest, in search of large timber for building
purposes. The main forest begins about two miles from this station, in
which is an unlimited supply of wood, including the most magnificent
tamarind-trees. These beautiful specimens are dotted about the country,
like park timber in England.
