The Albert N'Yanza, Great Basin of the Nile - Samuel White Baker (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📗

except Richarn and Sali. I saw that the moment had

arrived. Again I gave the order to the men, to get up and load the

animals; …not a man would move, except three or four who slowly rose

from the ground, and stood resting on their guns. In the meantime

Richarn and Sali were bringing the camels and making them kneel by the

luggage. The boy Saat was evidently expecting a row, and although

engaged with the black women in packing, he kept his eyes constantly

upon me.

 

I now observed that Bellaal was standing very near me on my right, in

advance of the men who had risen from the ground, and employed himself

in eyeing me from head to foot with the most determined insolence. The

fellow had his gun in his hand, and he was telegraphing by looks with

those who were standing near him, while not one of the others rose from

the ground, although close to me. Pretending not to notice Bellaal who

was now as I had expected once more the ringleader, for the third time I

ordered the men to rise immediately, and to load the camels. Not a man

moved, but the fellow Bellaal marched up to me, and looking me straight

in the face dashed the butt-end of his gun in defiance on the ground,

and led the mutiny. “Not a man shall go with you!-go where you like with

Ibrahim, but we won’t follow you, nor move a step farther. The men shall

not load the camels; you may employ the ‘niggers’ to do it, but not us.”

 

I looked at this mutinous rascal for a moment; this was the burst of the

conspiracy, and the threats and insolence that I had been forced to pass

over for the sake of the expedition all rushed before me. “Lay down your

gun!” I thundered, “and load the camels!” … … “I won’t”—was his

reply. “Then stop here!” I answered; at the same time lashing out as

quick as lightning with my right hand upon his jaw.

 

He rolled over in a heap, his gun flying some yards from his hand; and

the late ringleader lay apparently insensible among the luggage, while

several of his friends ran to him, and did the good Samaritan. Following

up on the moment the advantage I had gained by establishing a panic, I

seized my rifle and rushed into the midst of the wavering men, catching

first one by the throat, and then another, and dragging them to the

camels, which I insisted upon their immediately loading. All except

three, who attended to the ruined ringleader, mechanically obeyed.

Richarn and Sali both shouted to them to “burry;” and the vakeel

arriving at this moment and seeing how matters stood, himself assisted,

and urged the men to obey.

 

Ibrahim’s party had started. The animals were soon loaded, and leaving

the vakeel to take them in charge, we cantered on to overtake Ibrahim,

having crushed the mutiny, and given such an example, that in the event

of future conspiracies my men would find it difficult to obtain a

ringleader. So ended the famous conspiracy that had been reported to me

by both Saat and Richarn before we left Gondokoro;-and so much for the

threat of “firing simultaneously at me and deserting my wife in the

jungle.” In those savage countries success frequently depends upon one

particular moment; you may lose or win according to your action at that

critical instant. We congratulated ourselves upon the termination of

this affair, which I trusted would be the last of the mutinies.

 

The country was now lovely; we were at the base of the mountain

“Lafeet,” which rose abruptly on our left to the height of about 3,000

feet, the highest peak of the eastern chain that formed the broad valley

of Latooka. The course of the valley was from S.E. to N.W.; about forty

miles long by eighteen miles wide; the flat bottom was diversified by

woods, thick jungles, open plains, and the ever-present hegleek trees,

which in some places gave the appearance of forest. The south side of

the valley was bounded by a high range of mountains, rising to six or

seven thousand feet above the general level of Latooka, while the

extreme end was almost blocked by a noble but isolated mountain of about

5,000 feet.

 

Our path being at the foot of the Lafeet chain, the ground was sandy but

firm, being composed of disintegrated portions of the granite rocks that

had washed down from the mountains, and we rode quickly along a natural

road, equal to the best highway in England. We soon overtook Ibrahim and

his party, and recounted the affair of mutiny.

 

The long string of porters now closed together as we were approaching a

rebel town of Latooka that was hostile to both Turks and others.

Suddenly one of the native porters threw down his load and bolted over

the open ground towards the village at full speed. The fellow bounded

along like an antelope, and was immediately pursued by half a dozen

Turks. “Shoot him! shoot him! knock him over!” was shouted from the main

body; and twenty guns were immediately pointed at the fugitive, who

distanced his pursuers as a horse would outstrip an ox.

 

To save the man I gave chase on Filfil, putting myself in the line

between him and the guns, to prevent them from firing. After a short

course I overtook him, but he still continued running, and upon my

closing with him he threw his spear on the ground, but still ran. Not

being able to speak his language, I made signs that he should hold the

mane of my horse, and that no one should hurt him. He at once clutched

with both hands the horse’s mane, and pushed himself almost under my

knee in his efforts to keep close to me for protection. The Turks

arrived breathless, and the native appeared as terrified as a hare at

the moment it is seized by the greyhound. “Shoot him!” they one and all

shouted. “Well done, `Hawaga!’ (Sir) you caught him beautifully! We

never could have caught him without your horse. Pull him out! we’ll

shoot him as an example to the others!” I explained that he was my man,

and belonged to me as I had caught him, therefore I could not allow him

to be shot. “Then we’ll give him five hundred with the coorbatch!” they

cried. Even this generous offer I declined, and I insisted that he

should accompany me direct to Ibrahim, into whose hands I should myself

deliver him. Accordingly, still clutching to my horse’s mane, the

captive followed, and was received by the main body on arrival with

shouts of derision.

 

I told Ibrahim that he must forgive him this time, if he promised to

carry his load to the end of the journey. He immediately picked up his

heavy burden as though it were a feather, and balancing it on his head,

stepped along in the line of porters as though nothing had occurred.

 

Trifling as this incident may appear, it was of much service to me, as

it served as an introduction to both Turks and natives. I heard the

former conversing together, praising the speed of the horse, and

congratulating themselves on the impossibility of the porters escaping

now that they had seen how quickly they could be overtaken. Another

remarked, “Wah Illahi, I should not like to chase a nigger so closely

while a lance was in his hand. I expected he would turn sharp round and

throw it through the Hawaga.” Thus I was now looked upon by the Turks as

an ALLY, and at the same time I was regarded by the Latookas as their

friend for having saved their man; and they grinned their approbation in

the most unmistakeable manner as I rode past their line, shouting, “

Morrte, morrte mattat!” (welcome, welcome, chief!) On arriving at a

large town named Kattaga, we rested under the shade of an immense

tamarind tree. There was no sign of my men and animals, and I began to

think that something had gone wrong. For two hours we waited for their

arrival. Ascending some rising ground, I at length observed my caravan

approaching in the distance, and every one of my men, except Richarn,

mounted upon my donkeys, although the poor animals were already carrying

loads of 150 lbs. each. Upon observing me, the dismount was sudden and

general. On their arrival I found that three of the men had deserted,

including “Bellaal,” and had joined the party of Mahommed Her, taking

with them my guns and ammunition. Two had previously joined that party;

thus five of my men were now engaged by those slave-hunters, and I

little doubted that my remaining men would abscond likewise.

 

On the arrival of my vakeel he told me, in face of the men, that so many

had deserted, and that the others had refused to assist him in taking

the guns from them; thus my arms and ammunition had been forcibly

stolen. I abused both the vakeel and the men most thoroughly; and “as

for the mutineers who have joined the slave-hunters, Inshallah, the

vultures shall pick their bones!” This charitable wish—which, I

believe, I expressed with intense hatred—was never forgotten either by

my own men or by the Turks. Believing firmly in the evil eye, their

superstitious fears were immediately excited. Continuing the march along

the same style of country we shortly came in view of Tarrangolle, the

chief town of Latooka, at which point was the station of Ibrahim. We had

marched thirteen miles from Latome, the station of Mahommed Her, at

which place my men had deserted, and we were now 101 miles from

Gondokoro by dead reckoning.

 

There were some superb trees situated close to the town, under which we

camped until the natives could prepare a hut for our reception. Crowds

of people now surrounded us, amazed at the two great objects of

interest—the camels, and a white woman. They did not think me very

peculiar, as I was nearly as brown as an Arab.

 

The Latookas are the finest savages I have ever seen. I measured a

number of them as they happened to enter my tent, and allowing two

inches for the thickness of their felt helmets, the average height was 5

ft. 11 1/2 in. Not only are they tall, but they possess a wonderful

muscular development, having beautifully proportioned legs and arms; and

although extremely powerful, they are never fleshy or corpulent. The

formation of head and general physiognomy is totally different from all

other tribes that I have met with in the neighbourhood of the White

Nile. They have high foreheads, large eyes, rather high cheekbones,

mouths not very large, well-shaped, and the lips rather full. They all

have a remarkably pleasing cast of countenance, and are a great contrast

to the other tribes in civility of manner. Altogether their appearance

denotes a Galla origin, and it is most probable that, at some former

period, an invasion by the Gallas of this country originated the

settlement of the Latookas.

 

One of the principal channels, if not the main stream of the river

Sobat, is only four days’ march or fifty miles east of Latooka, and is

known to the natives as the Chol. The east bank of that stream is

occupied by the Gallas, who have frequently invaded the Latooka country.

There is an interesting circumstance connected with these invasions,

that the Gallas were invariably mounted upon MULES. Neither horse,

camel, nor other beast of burden is known to any of the White Nile

tribes, therefore the existence of mules on the east bank of the Chol is

a distinguishing feature. Both Abyssinia and the Galla being renowned

for a fine breed of mules,