Ismailia

第24章

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第24章

Ismailia Sir Samuel White Baker

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  Bythe23rdAprilallmymenhadarrangedgardensparallelwiththelinesoftheircamp。Igavethemvariousseeds,withapromiseofprizesforthefinestspecimensofvegetablesthatmightbeproduced。Ihadalwaysendeavouredtocreateatasteforagricultureamongmypeople,andtheyhadnowlearntthatthecommencementofanewsettlementwasthesignalforcultivation。Ibelievethatnoemploymentengenderssuchaloveofaparticularlocalityasthatoffarming,providedalwaysthatthesoilandclimatearefavourable。Thus,inanexpeditiontoadistantland,itisnecessarytoinducethefeelingsofHOMEamongthepeople。

  Thehutbyitselfissimplyshelter,butthesamehutsurroundedbyaneatandproductivegarden,theresultofindustry,becomesasettledresidence。Itispleasanttowatchtheblossomsofhomeflowersandvegetablesthatyoumayhaveyourselfintroducedandplanted。AgoodEnglishcabbageorcarrotmaynotbeintroducedinpoetrysogenerallyastherose,butinanewsettlementinawildcountry,thesuccessofacabbageorcarrotisofmoreimportancetotheexpeditionthanbouquetsofflowers。

  Eventhewomenandboysthatweredomesticservants,originallyslavesthatIhadliberatedfromthetraders,hadlearnttotakeagreatinterestincultivation。Eachhadagarden,andadayneverpassedwithoutpermissionbeingaskedforafewhours’recreationwiththespadeorhoe,thelatterbeingthefavouriteimplement,asthewantofshoesrenderedthemanagementofthespadeextremelydifficult,exceptinverylightsoil。

  Ibelievethatatasteforgardeninghasamostcivilizinginfluenceamongsavages;andifIwereamissionary,Ishouldcommencewithsuchpracticalteaching,thusprovinginyourjointlabourwiththenativestheprinciplethatindustryandpeacewillcreateprosperity。

  Afewextractsfrontmyjournalwilldescribethegradualprogressofthesettlement:”Mr。Higginbothamshotawaterbuckduringanexploratoryramblethatwetookthroughtheforest,insearchoflargetimberforbuildingpurposes。Themainforestbeginsabouttwomilesfromthisstation,inwhichisanunlimitedsupplyofwood,includingthemostmagnificenttamarind-trees。Thesebeautifulspecimensaredottedaboutthecountry,likeparktimberinEngland。Thereisatamarind-treeaboutamilefromthisstation,beneathwhichaboutathousandcattlemightfindshade。ItmustberememberedthattheBaricattleareverysmall。”Thereisanative,namedTomby,whospeaksexcellentArabic。ThisfellowhasbeentwicetoKhartoum,andhewearsclothes,insteadofwalkingaboutinastateofabsolutenuditylikehiscountrymen。Hehasanexcellentriflethatwasgiventohimbyhisoldmaster,aFrenchtrader,MonsieurBartholome。Tombyhasbeenemployedasinterpreter;andhavingbeenbornandbredintheseparts,heisaperfectchronicler。ItappearsthatAbouSaoodtreacherouslymurderedthesheikofBelinian,acountryabouttwelvemilesdistantfromthisstation。HefearedthesheikofBelinian,whowasapowerfulneighbour:hetherefore,professingfriendship,invitedhimandhisfamilytoanentertainmentatGondokoro。Thesheikandhispeople,notsuspectingevil,arrived,bringingwiththemtheusualpresents。AbouSaoodreceivedthemverypolitely,andwhentheywereseated,andhadenteredintoconversation,hehadthemseizedbyhispeople,andmurderedthemonthespotincoldblood。Owingtothistreacherousconduct,theentireneighbourhoodishostile,andanarchyprevailsthroughoutthecountry;thusIcannotsendalettertothetraders’campatLatooka,asnoonedarestotravel。”April24——Thermometer,6A。M。,74degreesF;noon,fellto72degreesF。Wehadapicnicattheoldmissionstation,whereIwentaccompaniedbyLieutenantBaker,Mr。Higginbotham,andmywife,tomeasureoutthecampandfort。AsusualinEngland,thepicnicbroughtonheavyrain,whichlastedfrom9。30a。m。till2p。m。,tothegreatbenefitofthegarden。”April25——Thermometer,6A。M。,69degreesF;noon,80degreesF。Wecompletedthelargegarden;thesoldiers’allotmentsarealsocomplete。

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