第 126 节
作者:巴乔的中场      更新:2021-02-20 18:13      字数:9322
  gave the vakeels due warning; and entirely prevented them from making
  use of the river as the highway of the slave trade。
  In 1870; while I was camped at Tewfikeeyah; I entirely suppressed the
  river traffic; but the fact of my leaving over…taken three vessels with
  700 slaves belonging to Abou Saood at the close of the expedition; on my
  return towards Khartoum; must be a damning proof of complicity on the
  part of certain government officials。
  Thus it is plain that; while I was endeavouring to do my duty; others
  who should have been supporting me were actually supporting the
  slave…hunters。 No people could have had the absurd audacity to attempt
  the passage of the river in front of Fashodaa government station;
  garrisoned by two regiments; and provided with two steamersunless they
  were in league with the officials。
  My personal interference has rendered the slave trade of the White Nile
  impossible so long as the government is determined that it shall be
  impossible。 At the close of the expedition; the higher officials had
  been changed; and the country appeared to be in good hands。 The governor
  of Fashoda; Jusef Effendi; had captured the slave vessels of Abou Saood
  according to my instructions。 Ismail Ayoub Pacha had been appointed
  governor of Khartoum。 Hussein Khalifah; the Arab desert sheik; was
  governor of Berber; and various important changes had been made among
  the higher authorities throughout the Soudan; which proved that the
  Khedive was determined upon reform。
  One grand and sweeping reform was absolutely necessary to extinguish the
  slave trade of Central Africa; and this I lead the honour to suggest:
  〃That all the present existing traders or tenants of the White Nile
  should be expelled from the country; precisely as I had expelled them
  from the territory under my command。〃 The government would then assume
  the monopoly of the ivory trade of the White Nile; and the natives would
  in a few years be restored to confidence。
  So long as the so…called traders of Khartoum should be permitted to
  establish themselves as independent piratical societies in the Nile
  Basin; the slave trade would continue; and the road through Darfur and
  Kordofan would be adopted in place of the tabooed White Nile。
  Should the White Nile companies be totally disbanded; the people now
  engaged must return to their original agricultural pursuits in the
  Soudan; and their labour would tend to an increase of the revenue; and
  to the general prosperity of the country。
  I have already published so much on the subject of the slave trade in
  〃The Albert N'yanza;〃 that I fear to repeat what I have before so
  forcibly expressed。 I have never changed my original opinions on this
  question; and I can only refer the public to page 313; vol。 ii。; of that
  work; whence I take the following extract:〃Stop the White Nile trade;
  prohibit the departure of any vessels from Khartoum to the south; and
  let the Egyptian government grant a concession to a company for the
  White Nile; subject to certain conditions; and to a special supervision
  。 。 。 。
  。 。 。 〃Should the slave trade be suppressed; there will be a; good
  opening for the ivory trade; the conflicting trading parties being
  withdrawn; and the interest of the trade exhibited by a single company;
  the natives would no longer be able to barter ivory for cattle; thus
  they would be forced to accept other goods in exchange。 The
  newly…discovered Albert Lake opens the centre of Africa to navigation。
  Steamers ascend from Khartoum to Gondokoro in lat。 4 degrees 55'。 Seven
  days' march south of that station the navigable portion of the Nile is
  reached; whence vessels can ascend direct to the Albert Lake; thus an
  enormous extent of country is opened to navigation; and Manchester goods
  and various other articles would find a ready market in exchange for
  ivory at a prodigious profit; as in those newly…discovered regions ivory
  has a merely nominal value。
  〃Beyond this commencement of honest trade I cannot offer a suggestion;
  as no produce of the country except ivory could afford the expense of
  transport to Europe。 (The proposed railway from Cairo to
  Khartoum will overcome this obstacle。)
  〃If Africa is to be civilized; it must be effected by commerce; which;
  once established; will open the way for missionary labour; but all ideas
  of commerce; improvement; and the advancement of the African race that
  philanthropy can suggest; must be discarded until the traffic in slaves
  shall have ceased to exist。
  〃Should the slave trade be suppressed; a field would be opened; the
  extent of which I will not attempt to suggest; as the future would
  depend upon the good government of countries now devoted to savage
  anarchy and confusion。〃 。 。 。 。
  〃Difficult and almost impossible is the task before the missionary。 The
  Austrian mission has failed; and their stations have been forsaken;
  their pious labour was hopeless; and the devoted priests died upon their
  barren field。〃
  By a reference to that work also〃The Albert N'yanza〃it will be seen
  that in the present expedition I carried out the plans that I had
  proposed at the termination of my first journey。
  I have no doubt that missionaries will take advantage of the chance that
  has resulted from the suppression of the slave trade and the
  establishment of a government。 At the same time; should they attempt a
  settlement in the neighbourhood of Gondokoro; they must be prepared with
  an inexhaustible stock of patience when dealing with the Baris。
  The Madi and Shooli tribes would be found tractable and more capable of
  religious instruction。 It is my opinion that the time has not yet
  arrived for missionary enterprise in those countries; but at the same
  time a sensible man might do good service by living among the natives;
  and proving to their material minds that persons do exist whose
  happiness consists in doing good to others。 The personal qualifications
  and outfit for a single man who would thus settle among the natives
  should be various。 If he wished to secure their attention and
  admiration; he should excel as a rifle shot and sportsman。 If musical;
  he should play ‘ the Highland bagpipes。 He should be clever as a
  conjurer; and be well provided with conjuring tricks; together with a
  magic lantern; magnetic battery; dissolving views; photographic
  apparatus; coloured pictorial illustrations; &c。; &c。 He should be a
  good surgeon and general doctor; &c。; and be well supplied with drugs;
  remembering that natives have a profound admiration for medical skill。
  A man who in full Highland dress could at any time collect an audience
  by playing a lively air with the bagpipes; would be regarded with great
  veneration by the natives; and would be listened to when an archbishop
  by his side would be totally disregarded。 He should set all psalms to
  lively tunes; and the natives would learn to sing them immediately。
  Devotional exercises should be chiefly musical。
  In this manner a man would become a general favourite; and if he had a
  never…failing supply of beads; copper rods; brass rings for arms;
  fingers; and ears; gaudy cotton handkerchiefs; red or blue blankets;
  zinc mirrors; red cotton shirts; &c。; to give to his parishioners; and
  expected nothing in return; he would be considered a great man; whose
  opinion would carry a considerable weight; provided that he only spoke
  of subjects which he thoroughly understood。
  A knowledge of agriculture; with a good stock of seeds of useful
  vegetables and cereals; iron hoes; carpenter's and blacksmith's tools;
  and the power of instructing others in their use; together with a
  plentiful supply of very small axes; would be an immense recommendation
  to a lay missionary who should determine to devote some years of his
  life to the improvement of the natives。
  In the magnificent equatorial portions of Africa there is a great field
  for British enterprise; and much might be accomplished by lay
  missionaries; who would at the commencement avoid theological teaching;
  until by other means they should have gained an ascendency over the
  minds of the natives。 By slow degrees confidence might be established;
  and much may be effected by good example。 。 。 。
  The geography of Central Africa; that has made great strides within the
  last few years; will now be rapidly extended。 The fact of an established
  government under the direction of my able successor; Colonel Gordon;
  R。E。; is sufficient to assure the most sceptical that the future will be
  rich in geographical discoveries。
  It is hoped that the steamer which I carried up to Gondokoro will be
  transported to the Albert N'yanza early in the year 1875。 It is
  impossible to foretell the result of steam communication on the great
  inland sea M'wootan N'zige。
  I do not love to dwell upon geographical theories; as I believe in
  nothing but actual observation; but I cannot quite disbelieve my native
  informants; who assured me that they had travelled to Ujiji by canoe
  from Chibero on the Albert N'yanza。
  By the latest intelligence from Lieutenant Cameron; dated Ujiji; 28th
  February; 1874; the mean of many observations for altitude of the
  Tanganyika Lake taken with mercurial barometer; aneroids; and boiling
  water thermometers; giv