“The Nile officials should not let them escape with their black plunder, but no Egyptian or Turk can resist ‘backsheesh,’ and they know a thousand ways in which they can transport their black freight by night to the shores of the Red Sea and get it into Arabia. Those slaves which are actually sold for household servants are often better off, for most of the Moslems are kind to their servants. There is not much work for them, for every household has from twenty to thirty and sometimes fifty servants and they stay with the family to the end of their lives, for the Turks consider it dishonorable to sell their servants. But man-hunting is not the less objectionable on that account, and yet how are these dealers to support themselves? The government has monopolized the ivory business and there is nothing else to be found in the interior. The Moslems have learned no kind of hand work and they would rather starve than do it. I have driven that hangman’s brood from my domain, but it was not accomplished without hard fighting. You can hardly imagine what a multitude of lazy, useless vagabonds live upon the poor negroes.
“The people supply them with ivory, grain of various kinds, honey, wax, and butternut oil, but none of this comes to the government storehouse. It is all lavished in the most scandalous manner by the officials upon their hangers-on and dependents. These people not only pay for nothing, but they take everything they can. In the Amadi district, for instance, there are at least ten thousand negroes, and they had to support two thousand good-for-nothings by their field labor, for they have neither hunting nor live stock. They did not even allow these poor men to work quietly in their fields. If any complaint was made, in two days five hundred of them were carried off. But I have subdued them by fire and sword, and to-day my negroes enjoy their possessions and their families are brought up without the fear that their half-grown children will be carried off by brute force.
“It is difficult to succeed here, for the government does not support me and almost feels as if the officials were justified in robbing the negroes, as it sometimes cannot pay them for a year at a time. But the greatest absurdity is the edict issued from Khartoum, forbidding merchants to go to these provinces. During the whole six years of my administration here only nine steamers have come up the Nile, and we are so destitute of absolutely necessary things that I have to economize, for instance, in writing paper in continual fear that my stock will give out before I can get more.”
“I shall be delighted,” said Dr. Junker with a smile, “if I can help you with some trifles. I have still a hamper which I brought out of the wilderness that has not been touched, filled with all those objects that they do not care for there, and with which they would part for money.” “No, no, I do not need them,” replied Emin. “In a few weeks I shall be at home. How precious the word sounds!” But Junker produced his treasures, spread them out on the big tables, and invited Emin and his officers to help themselves.
All were delighted. A little package of cigarette paper was instantly pounced upon. A little Parisian folding table with two leaves, a woven hammock and a large tent screen were given to Emin as a present. Books, various instruments, a revolver, and a small gun were also very welcome. Dr. Junker’s servants and maids received for their share pearls, copper and bronze bracelets, needles, thread, knives, and scissors, which are used as a medium of exchange among the savages in place of money. Linen garments were also divided among them, but two pieces of woollen stuffs and a new costume were retained by Dr. Junker, as he reflected that he might have use for them later.
Chapter III
The Carpenter of Dongola and the Mahdists
“The All-merciful God has placed the sword of victory in my hands and declares to all peoples that I am the Mahdi. He has designated me by the white scar upon my right cheek. In the uproar of battle I will follow the gleaming banner, borne by Asrael, the death angel, the destroyer of my enemies.” With these words Mohammed Achmet, the carpenter of Dongola, a settler upon the island of Aba, announced to the world his mission to purify Islam and found a kingdom of justice and happiness.
This was in May, 1881. The attention of the Egyptian government was now fixed upon Mohammed Achmet. Hitherto it was hoped that they had only to deal with one of those fanatical outbreaks which are frequent in the Orient and quickly subside, but when the feast of Ramadhan occurred, the pallid apostle, haggard from his penitential fast, appeared with weapons in his hands. Several attempts to make him prisoner failed, which only tended to confirm the reports of his sanctity. Abu Saud was slain; and Raschid Bey, who tried to stem his victorious course, fell at the head of his overwhelmingly defeated troops. The Mahdi unfurled the banner of revolt in the country of Baggaria.
There were many grounds for discontent in the Soudan. The venality of the officials, the unjust and oppressive tax levies, the partiality shown to agents had quietly and slowly created excitement among the people. As Emin told his friend, the attempted suppression of the slave trade had obstructed the sources of wealth and together with the extortionate taxes had impoverished the country without having beneficial effects of any kind. The hatred grew daily and this precept of the Koran found an echo in their hearts: “Slay those who would slay you. Slay them wherever you find them. Hunt them down, for the temptation to idolatry is worse than death.”
The revolt was now in full blast. On the seventh of June, 1882, the army of Jussuf Pasha was surprised in the dense forests of Mount Kadas and annihilated. The Mahdi, as the result of this victory, secured large additions to his followers, sent an expedition to the south, invested Kordofan, and made himself master of the west bank of the Nile. In the meantime there was such unrest in Alexandria that the English government took steps to protect its own subjects and declared its readiness to conduct operations in the Soudan. Lieutenant Stewart was sent to Khartoum to study the revolt and suggest measures for suppressing it. Certain operations succeeded, but the results were not lasting.