Part 15 (2/2)
”MY DEAR CAPTAIN BURTON,
”Thank you for your letter July 13, which I received proceeding from the Lake Albert to this place. I came down from Magungo here in eight days.
This is a great comfort to me, and I am proud of my road and of the herds of cattle the natives pasture along either side of it without fear.
I have been up the Victoria Nile--viz. Lake Mesanga. It is a vast lake, but of still shallow water. The river seems to lose itself entirely in it. A narrow pa.s.sage, scarcely nine feet wide, joins the north end of the Victoria Nile near Mrooli; and judging from the Murchison Falls-- which are rapids, not falls--I should say Victoria Lake and Victoria Nile contribute very little to the true Nile. The branch Piaggia saw is very doubtful. I could not find it, and the boatmen seem very hazy as to its existence. As for Gessi's branch north of Albert Lake, I could not find that either. And, _entre nous_, I believe in neither of the two branches. The R. G. S. will have my maps of the whole Nile from Berber to Urmdogani on a large scale, and they will show the nature of the river. I go home on leave (D.V.) in January for six months, and then come out again to finish off. You would learn my address from c.o.x & Co., Craig's Court. I would be glad to meet you; for I believe you are not one of those men who bother people, and who pump you in order that they, by writing, might keep themselves before the world. If it was not such a deadly climate, you would find much to interest you in these parts; but it is _very deadly_. An Arab at Mtesa's[4] knows you very well. He gave the Doctor a letter for you.
His name is either Ahmed bin His.h.i.+m or Abdullah bin Habib. I have had, _entre nous_, a deal of trouble, not yet over, with Mtesa, who, as they will find out, is a regular native. I cannot write this, but will tell you. Stanley knows it, I expect, by this time. The Mission will stay there (Mtesa's) about three months: that will settle them, I think.
”Believe me, with kind regards ”Yours sincerely, ”C. G. GORDON.”
Shortly after this, in December, Gordon determined to resign his official position and return to England, as he had great difficulty in adjusting matters, so far as finances were concerned, with the Governor-General at Kartoum. He went to Cairo, and announced his intention of going home to the Khedive (Ismail), who, however, induced him to promise that he would return to Egypt. Burton wrote to ask Gordon to come, on his journey back to England, round by way of Trieste, and talk over matters.
Gordon replied as follows:
”ON BOARD 'SUMATRA', December 17, 1876.
”MY DEAR CAPTAIN BURTON,
”I received your kind note as I was leaving for Brindisi. I am sorry I cannot manage the Trieste route. I am not sure what will be my fate.
Personally, the whole of the future exploration, or rather opening, of the Victoria Lake to Egypt has not a promising future to me, and I do not a bit like the idea of returning. I have been humbugged into saying I would do so, and I suppose must keep my word. I, however, have an instinctive feeling that something may turn up ere I go back, and so feel pretty comfortable about it. I gave Gessi a letter to you. He is a zealous and energetic, sharp fellow. I shall not, however, take him back with me even if I go. I do not like having a man with a family hanging on one.
”Believe me, ”Yours sincerely, ”C. G. GORDON.”
Burton then wrote to Gordon, urging him to write a book on his experiences in Equatorial Africa, and asking what his intentions were about returning. In his reply Gordon first broaches the idea which he afterwards returned to again and again--namely, that Burton should take up work in Egypt.
”7, CECIL STREET, STRAND, January 12, 1877.
”Thank you for your kind note. Gessi wrote to me from Trieste, dating his letter only 'Trieste,' and I replied to that address, so I suppose the postoffice know him. Yes; I am back, but I have escaped persecution.
Wilson I have heard nothing of. I have not the least intention of publis.h.i.+ng anything.[6] My life and work there was a very humdrum one; and, unlike you, I have no store of knowledge to draw on. (I may tell you your book was thought by us all out in Africa as by far the best ever written.) I am not going back to H. H. It is a great pang to me, I a.s.sure you; but it is _hopeless, hopeless_ work. Why do not you take up the work? You may not be so sensitive as I am.
”Good-bye, and believe me, ”Yours very truly, ”C. G. GORDON.”
Gordon duly returned to Egypt, for the Khedive held him to his promised word. He was made Governor-General of the Soudan, Darfur, and the Equatorial Provinces, which were now reunited into one great whole.
It was necessary for good administration that Gordon should have three governors under him, one for the Soudan proper, one for the Equatorial Provinces, and one for Darfur. As soon as Gordon had arranged matters with the Khedive and entered upon his Governor-Generals.h.i.+p he wrote to Burton, offering him the post of Governor-General of Darfur.
”OOMCHANGA, DARFUR, June, 21, 1877.
”MY DEAR CAPTAIN BURTON,
”You now, I see, have 600 pounds sterling a year, a good climate, quiet life, good food, etc., and are engaged in literary inquiries, etc., etc. I have no doubt that you are very comfortable, but I cannot think entirely satisfied with your present small sphere. I have therefore written to the Khedive to ask him to give you Darfur as Governor-General, with 1,600 pounds a year, and a couple of secretaries at 300 pounds a year each. Darfur is _l'enfer_. The country is a vast sand plain, with but little water; the heat is very great; there is little shooting. The people consist of huge Bedawin tribes, and of a settled population in the larger villages. Their previous history under the Sultans would show them fanatical. I have not found them the least so; in fact I think them even less so than the Arabs of Cairo. If you got two years' leave from H.M.'s Government, you would lose nothing. You know the position of Darfur; its frontier through Wadi is only fifteen days from Lake Tchad.
On the other side of Lake Tchad you come on another sultanate, that of Bowmon, and you then near the Gulf of Guinea. Darfur is healthy. You will (D.V.) soon have the telegraph to your capital, El Tascher. If the Khedive asks you, accept the post, and you will do a mint of good, and benefit these poor people. You will also see working out curious problems; you will see these huge tribes of Bedawins, to whom the Bedawin tribes of Arabia are as naught; you will trace their history, etc.; and you will open relations with Wadai Baginni, etc. I know that you have much important work at the Consulate, with the s.h.i.+p captains, etc., and of course it would not be easy to replace you; but it is not every day you use your knowledge of Asiatics or of Arabia. Now is the time for you to make your indelible mark in the world and in these countries.
You will be remembered in the literary world, but I would sooner be remembered in Egypt as having made Darfur. I hope, if his Highness writes to you, you will ask for two years' leave and take the post as Governor-General. You are Commandant of Civil and Military and Finance, and have but very little to do with me beyond demanding what you may want.
”Believe me, ”Yours sincerely, ”C. G. GORDON.”
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