I now learnt that the Baris of Gondokoro had imagined that the greater
portion of the troops had gone to Belinian for an excursion of some
days; they had accordingly beaten their big drums and gathered together
from all quarters to attack the camp, but discretion overcame their
valour when they found a large force still at head-quarters.
On June 9, eight vessels of Agad's hove in sight, and with a fair breeze
they arrived opposite the island at 2.30 p.m.
Abou Saood was in one of these vessels.
June 10, Abou Saood presented himself to me this morning. His vessels,
being without cargoes, benefited much by our work in the sudd. He found
all our cuttings open, therefore he had no difficulty until he arrived
at the dam, through which his people cut a passage. The great rush of
water scoured a deep channel, and his squadron of light vessels came on
without difficulty. I ordered Abou Saood's people to camp on the west
bank of the river, as I did not wish them to be in constant
communication with my troops, who would quickly become contaminated by
their morals.
The news brought by Abou Saood from Khartoum informed me of the death of
Agad; therefore the representation of the firm of Agad & Co. had now
devolved upon Abou Saood, his son-in-law.
I now heard that the people of Abou Saood, who numbered about 500 men,
had brought with them a large herd of cattle which they had driven along
the west bank of the river; thus in direct defiance of the government
authority, he had made a razzia upon some tribe during his voyage, and
he had not scrupled to present himself to me with the herd of stolen
cattle staring me in the face on the other side of the water.
On my way up from the Bahr Giraffe I had left a Turkish major, Achmet
Rafik Effendi, with a corporal and five men, in the Shir tribe, about
forty miles from Gondokoro, with a friendly sheik named Niambore. This
sheik was the tallest and most powerful man that I ever saw in Africa,
and he was a trustworthy and good fellow. He had promised to cultivate a
farm for the government, therefore I had given him ten bushels of dhurra
for seed, and I had left with him at his request the officer and
soldiers, to represent the government and to superintend the
cultivation.
I now discovered that Abou Saood had attacked the natives without any
provocation, and had carried off the cattle from the country adjoining
Niambore's district.
The natives would naturally imagine that my officer and six men were
spies who had directed Abou Saood to their cattle, and there would be a
great chance of a conflict between Niambore, their protector, and his
neighbours who had been robbed.
I observed with the telescope that the people of Abou Saood who arrived
with the herd of cattle were accompanied by a great number of natives,
and the Baris of Gondokoro, who were at open war with us, flocked to
welcome the new comers as old friends who had been long absent. The
brigands had as usual arrived with a large herd of cattle, which in
Africa is always the best introduction; thus the robber tribe of
Allorron was delighted at the return of those who had always led them to
plunder, and had enriched them with the spoil of cows and slaves. I find
the following entry in my journal, dated -
"June 12, 1871. - The natives who are at war with us have been gathering
in large numbers to the spot on the west bank occupied by Abou Saood's
people. The latter are actually holding friendly intercourse with them,
and the Baris are quite at home assisting these rascals in erecting
their camp, although they positively refused to work for the government
upon our first arrival. This is the treasonable conduct of Abou Saood,
who knows perfectly well that we are at open war with the Baris.
"His large herd of about 1,400 fat cattle were driven along in triumph,
followed by the admiring population of thieving niggers, who hail his
arrival as the harbinger of fat times, Gondokoro being the general depot
for all stolen cattle, slaves. &c., and the starting point for every
piratical expedition.
"In the afternoon I started in a dingy, accompanied by Colonel
Abd-el-Kader, Lieutenant Baker, Monsoor, and four soldiers, to visit the
traders' camp on the west side of the river.
"Seeing me approach, a great number of Baris left the traders, and
taking to a precipitate flight they disappeared in the high reeds. The
traders' people received me without the slightest mark of respect, and
one insolent fellow swaggered up and stared me in the face with a pipe
in his mouth as a studied insult.
"I went to the cattle pens and immediately placed my four soldiers as
sentries over the herd, which I confiscated, as a warning to these
ruffianly slave-hunters.
"It would be a disgrace to tolerate these thieves, as Gondokoro is
rendered a perfect hell, and the natives will naturally abhor any lawful
government so long as they can consort and share spoils with such
brigands as these so-called traders of Khartoum."
Upon my return home I wrote an official letter to Abou Saood of which
the following is a copy : -
"ISMAILIA, or GONDOKORO, June 12, 1871.
"To Abou Saood, vakeel of the firm of Agad & Co.
"Sir,
"You arrived here on the 10th inst. with a large number
of cattle stolen by you and your people.
