The Albert N'Yanza, Great Basin of the Nile, Samuel White Baker [inspirational novels .TXT] 📗

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formed of a single tree upwards of four feet wide. Kamrasi was reported

to be in his residence on the opposite side; but, upon our arrival at

the south bank, we found ourselves thoroughly deceived. We were upon a

miserable flat, level with the river, and in the wet season forming a

marsh at the junction with the Kafoor river with the Somerset. The

latter river bounded the flat on the east, very wide and sluggish, and

much overgrown with papyrus and lotus. The river we had just crossed was

the Kafoor; it was perfectly dead water, and about eighty yards wide,

including the beds of papyrus on either side. We were shown some filthy

huts that were to form our camp. The spot was swarming with mosquitoes,

and we had nothing to eat except a few fowls that I had brought with me.

Kamrasi was on the OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER: they had cunningly separated

us from him, and had returned with the canoes. Thus we were prisoners

upon the swamp. This was our welcome from the King of Unyoro! I now

heard that Speke and Grant had been lodged in this same spot.”

 

“FEB. 10th.—Ibrahim was extremely nervous, as were also my men; they

declared that treachery was intended, as the boats had been withdrawn,

and they proposed that we should swim the river and march back to our

main party, who had been left three hours in the rear. I was ill with

fever, also my wife, and the unwholesome air of the marsh aggravated the

disease. Our luggage had been left at our last station, as this was a

condition stipulated by Kamrasi: thus we had to sleep upon the damp

ground of the marsh in the filthy hut, as the heavy dew at night

necessitated shelter. With great difficulty I accompanied Ibrahim and a

few men to the bank of the river where we had landed yesterday, and,

climbing upon a white ant hill to obtain a view over the high reeds, I

scanned the village with a telescope. The scene was rather exciting;

crowds of people were rushing about in all directions, and gathering

from all quarters towards the river: the slope from the river to the

town M’rooli was black with natives, and I saw about a dozen large

canoes preparing to transport them to our side. I returned from my

elevated observatory to Ibrahim, who, on the low ground only a few yards

distant, could not see the opposite side of the river owing to the high

grass and reeds. Without saying more, I merely begged him to mount upon

the ant hill and look towards M’rooli. Hardly had he cast a glance at

the scene described, than he jumped down from his stand, and cried,

‘They are going to attack us!’ ‘Let us retreat to the camp and prepare

for a fight!’ ‘Let us fire at them from here as they cross in the

canoes,’ cried others; ‘the buckshot will clear them off when packed in

the boats.’ This my panic-stricken followers would have done, had I not

been present.

 

“‘Fools!’ I said, ‘do you not see that the natives have no SHIELDS with

them, but merely lances?—would they commence an attack without their

shields? Kamrasi is coming in state to visit us.’ This idea was by no

means accepted by my people, and we reached our little camp, and for the

sake of precaution we stationed the men in positions behind a hedge of

thorns. Ibrahim had managed to bring twelve picked men instead of five

as stipulated; thus we were a party of twenty-four. I was of very little

use, as the fever was so strong upon me that I lay helpless on the

ground.”

 

In a short time the canoes arrived, and for about an hour they were

employed in crossing and recrossing, and landing great numbers of men,

until they at length advanced and took possession of some huts about 200

yards from our camp. They now hallooed out that Kamrasi had arrived! and

seeing some oxen with the party, I felt sure they had no evil

intentions. I ordered my men to carry me in their arms to the king, and

to accompany me with the presents, as I was determined to have a

personal interview, although only fit for a hospital.

 

Upon my approach, the crowd gave way, and I was shortly laid on a mat at

the king’s feet. He was a fine-looking man, but with a peculiar

expression of countenance, owing to his extremely prominent eyes; he was

about six feet high, beautifully clean, and was dressed in a long robe

of bark-cloth most gracefully folded. The nails of his hands and feet

were carefully attended, and his complexion was about as dark a brown as

that of an Abyssinian. He sat upon a copper stool placed upon a carpet

of leopard skins, and he was surrounded by about ten of his principal

chiefs.

 

Our interpreter, Bacheeta, now informed him who I was, and what were my

intentions. He said that he was sorry I had been so long on the road,

but that he had been obliged to be cautious, having been deceived by

Debono’s people. I replied, that I was an Englishman, a friend of Speke

and Grant—that they had described the reception they had met with from

him, and that I had come to thank him, and to offer him a few presents

in return for his kindness, and to request him to give me a guide to the

Lake Luta N’zige. He laughed at the name and repeated it several times

with his chiefs,—he then said, it was not LUTA, but M-WOOTAN

N’zige—but that it was SIX MONTHS’ journey from M’rooli, and that in my

weak condition I could not possibly reach it; that I should die upon the

road, and that the king of my country would perhaps imagine that I had

been murdered, and might invade his territory. I replied, that I was

weak with the toil of years in the hot countries of Africa, but that I

was in search of the great lake, and should not return until I had

succeeded; that I had no king, but a powerful Queen who watched over all

her subjects, and that no Englishman could be murdered with impunity;

therefore he should send me to the lake without delay, and there would

be the lesser chance of my dying in his country.

 

I explained that the river Nile flowed for a distance of two years’

journey through wonderful countries, and reached the sea, from which

many valuable articles would be sent to him in exchange for ivory, could

I only discover the great lake. As a proof of this, I had brought him a

few curiosities that I trusted he would accept, and I regretted that the

impossibility of procuring porters had necessitated the abandonment of

others that had been intended for him.

 

I ordered the men to unpack the Persian carpet, which was spread upon

the ground before him. I then gave him an Abbia (large white Cashmere

mantle), a red silk netted sash, a pair of scarlet Turkish shoes,

several pairs of socks, a double-barrelled gun and ammunition, and a

great heap of first-class beads made up into gorgeous necklaces and

girdles. He took very little notice of the presents, but requested that

the gun might be fired off. This was done, to the utter confusion of the

crowd, who rushed away in such haste, that they tumbled over each other

like so many rabbits; this delighted the king, who, although himself

startled, now roared with laughter. He told me that I must be hungry and

thirsty, therefore he hoped I would accept something to eat and drink:

accordingly he presented me with seventeen cows, twenty pots of sour

plantain cider and many loads of unripe plantains. I inquired whether

Speke had left a medicine chest with him. He replied that it was a very

feverish country, and that he and his people had used all the medicine.

Thus my last hope of quinine was cut off. I had always trusted to obtain

a supply from the king, as Speke had told me that he had left a bottle

with him. It was quite impossible to obtain any information from him,

and I was carried back to my hut, where I found Mrs. Baker lying down

with fever, and neither could render assistance to the other.

 

On the following morning the king again appeared. I was better, and I

had a long interview. He did not appear to heed my questions, but he at

once requested that I would ally myself with him, and attack his enemy,

Rionga. I told him that I could not embroil myself in such quarrels, but

that I had only one object, which was the lake. I requested that he

would give Ibrahim a large quantity of ivory, and that on his return

from Gondokoro he would bring him most valuable articles in exchange. He

said that he was not sure whether “my belly was black or white,”—by

this he intended to express “evil or good intentions;” but that if it

were white I should of course have no objection to exchange blood with

him, as a proof of friendship and sincerity. This was rather too strong

a dose! I replied that it would be impossible, as in my country the

shedding of blood was considered a proof of hostility; therefore he must

accept Ibrahim as my substitute. Accordingly the arms were bared and

pricked; as the blood flowed, it was licked by either party; and an

alliance was concluded. Ibrahim agreed to act with him against all his

enemies. It was arranged that Ibrahim now belonged to Kamrasi, and that

henceforth our parties should be entirely separate.

 

It rained in torrents, and our hut became so damp from the absorption of

the marsh soil, that my feet sank in the muddy floor. I had fever daily

at about 3 P.M. and lay perfectly helpless for five or six hours, until

the attack passed off; this reduced me to extreme weakness. My wife

suffered quite as acutely. It was a position of abject misery, which

will be better explained by a few rough extracts from my journal:—

 

“FEB. 16th.—ALL MY PORTERS HAVE DESERTED, having heard that the lake is

so far distant; I have not one man left to carry my luggage. Should we

not be able to cross the Asua river before the flood, we shall be nailed

for another year to this abominable country, ill with fever, and without

medicine, clothes, or supplies.

 

“FEB. 17th.—Fever last night; rain, as usual, with mud accompaniment.

One of Kamrasi’s headmen, whose tongue I have loosened by presents,

tells me that he has been to the lake in ten days to purchase salt, and

that a man loaded with salt can return in fifteen days. God knows the

truth! and I am pressed for time, while Kamrasi delays me in the most

annoying manner.

 

“Kamrasi came today; as usual, he wanted all that I had, and insisted

upon a present of my sword, watch, and compass, all of which I

positively refused. I told him that he had deceived me by saying that

the lake was so distant as six months’ journey, as I knew that it was

only ten days. He rudely answered, ‘Go, if you like; but don’t blame me

if you can’t get back: it is twenty days’ march; you may believe it or

not, as you choose.’ To my question as to the means of procuring

porters, he gave no reply, except by asking for my sword, and for my

beautiful little Fletcher rifle.

 

“I retired to my hut in disgust. This afternoon a messenger arrived from

the king with twenty-four small pieces of straw,