I。IntroductoryII。EnglishPartyIII。TheRetreatIV。TheCampatTewfikeeyahV。ExplorationoftheOldWhiteNileVI。TheStartVII。ArrivalatGondokoroVIII。OfficialAnnexationIX。NewEnemiesX。DestructionoftheShirDetachmentXI。SpiritofDisaffectionXII。VesselsReturntoKhartoumXIII。MoralResultsoftheHuntXIV。TheAdvanceSouthXV。TheAdvancetoLoboreXVI。ArrivalatPatikoXVII。TheMarchtoUnyoroXVIII。MarchtoMasindiXIX。RestorationoftheLiberatedSlavesXX。EstablishCommerceXXI。TreacheryXXII。TheMarchtoRiongaXXIII。BuildaStockadeatFoweeraXXIV。NoMedicalMenXXV。ISendtoGodokoroforReinforcementsXXVI。ArrivalofM’Tese’sEnvoysXXVII。CONCLUSION
AppendixIndexPREFACE。
AnintervaloffiveyearshaselapsedsincetheterminationofmyengagementintheserviceofHisHighnesstheKhediveofEgypt，”tosuppresstheslave-huntersofCentralAfrica，andtoannexthecountriesconstitutingtheNileBasin，withtheobjectofopeningthosesavageregionstolegitimatecommerceandestablishingapermanentgovernment。”
Thisvolume——”Ismailia”——givesanaccuratedescriptionofthesalientpointsoftheexpedition。Mythanksareduetothepublicforthekindreceptionofthework，andforthegeneralappreciationofthespiritwhichpromptedmetoundertakeamissionsoutterlyopposedtotheEgyptianideasof1869-1873；atatimewhennoEnglishmanhadheldahighcommand，whenrivalconsulateswerestrugglingforparamountinfluence，whenthenativeofficialswerejealousofforeigninterference，anditappearedthatslaveryandtheslavetradeoftheWhiteNilewereinstitutionsalmostnecessarytotheexistenceofEgyptiansociety。
Itwasobvioustoallobserversthatanattackupontheslave-dealingandslave-huntingestablishmentsofEgyptbyaforeigner——anEnglishman——wouldbeequaltoaraiduponahornets’nest，thatalleffortstosuppresstheold-establishedtrafficinnegroslaveswouldbeencounteredwithadeterminedopposition，andthattheprimeagentandleaderofsuchanexpeditionmustberegarded”withhatred，malice，andalluncharitableness。”Atthatperiod1869thehighestauthoritieswereadversetotheattempt。AnofficialnoticewasdespatchedfromtheBritishForeignOfficetotheConsul-GeneralofEgyptthatBritishsubjectsbelongingtoSirSamuelBaker’sexpeditionmustnotexpectthesupportoftheirgovernmentintheeventofcomplications。TheenterprisewasgenerallyregardedaschimericalinEurope，withhostilityinEgypt，butwithsympathyinAmerica。
Thosewhohaveread”Ismailia”mayhavefeltsomedespondency。Althoughtheslave-huntersweredrivenoutoftheterritoryundermycommand，therewereneverthelessvasttractsofcountrythroughwhichnewroutescouldbeopenedfortheslavecaravanstoavoidthecruisingsteamersontheWhiteNile，andthusdefeatthegovernment。TheSultanofDarfurofferedanasylumandasecurepassageforallslavesandtheircaptorswhocouldnolongerventurewithinthenewboundariesofEgypt。Itwasevidentthattheresultoftheexpeditionundermycommandwasadeath-blowtotheslavetrade，iftheKhedivewasdeterminedtopersistinitsdestruction。Ihadsimplyachievedthesuccessofafoundationforaradicalreformintheso-calledcommerceoftheWhiteNile。Thegovernmenthadbeenestablishedthroughoutthenewly-acquiredterritories，whichwereoccupiedbymilitarypositionsgarrisonedwithregulartroops，andallthosedistrictswereabsolutelypurgedfromtheslave-hunters。InthisconditionIresignedmycommand，asthefirstactwasaccomplished。ThefuturewoulddependuponthesincerityoftheKhedive，andupontheabilityandintegrityofmysuccessor。
ItpleasedmanypeopleandsomemembersofthepressinEnglandtodisbelievethesincerityoftheKhedive。HewasaccusedofannexationunderthepretextofsuppressingthevastorganizationoftheWhiteNileslave-trade。ItwasfreelystatedthatanEnglishmanwasplacedincommandbecauseanEgyptiancouldnotbereliedupontosucceed，butthatthegreedofnewterritorywastheactualandsoleobjectoftheexpedition，andthattheslave-tradewouldreappearinstupendousactivitywhentheEnglishpersonalinfluenceshouldbewithdrawn。SuchunsympatheticexpressionsmusthavebeenapoorrewardtotheKhediveforhiseffortstowintheesteemofthecivilizedworldbythedestructionoftheslave-tradeinhisowndominions。
FewpersonshaveconsideredthepositionoftheEgyptianrulerwhenattackingtheinstitutionmostcherishedbyhispeople。TheemploymentofanEuropeantooverthrowtheslave-tradeindeferencetotheopinionofthecivilizedworldwasadirectchallengeandattackupontheassumedrightsandnecessitiesofhisownsubjects。ThemagnitudeoftheoperationcannotbeunderstoodbythegeneralpublicinEurope。EveryhouseholdinUpperEgyptandintheDeltawasdependentuponslaveservice；thefieldsintheSoudanwerecultivatedbyslaves；thewomenintheharemsofbothrichandmiddleclasswereattendedbyslaves；thepoorerArabwoman’sambitionwastopossessaslave；infact，Egyptiansocietywithoutslaveswouldbelikeacarriagedevoidofwheels——itcouldnotproceed。
Theslavesweregenerallywelltreatedbytheirowners；thebrutalitylayintheircapture，withtheattendantlawlessnessandmurders；butthatwasfaraway，andtheslaveproprietorsofEgypthadnotwitnessedthemiseriesofthewearymarchesofthedistantcaravans。Theypurchasedslaves，taughtthemtheirduties，fedandclothedthem——theywerehappy；whyshouldtheKhediveofEgyptprohibitthetrafficandthusdisturbeveryhouseholdinhisterritory?
ThereisnoHydeParkorTrafalgarSquareinEgypt，therearenoagitatorsnoropen-airmeetings，fortunatelyforthemodernruler，orhewouldhavehadanunpleasantexpressionofthepopularsentimentatthecloseofmyadministration。Thebreak-upoftheWhiteNileslave-tradeinvolvedthedepressionoftradeinKhartoum，asthemarkethadsuppliedthelargebandsofslave-hunters。TheivoryofthenumerousadventurersstillremainedintheWhiteNilestations，astheyfearedconfiscationshouldtheirvesselsbecapturedwiththeeveraccompanyingslavecargo。
ThuslittleivoryarrivedatKhartoumtomeetthedebtsofthetraderstothemerchantsinCairoandAlexandria。TheseowedManchesterandLiverpoolforcalicoessupplied，whichhadbeenforwardedtotheSoudan。
ThedirectblowattheWhiteNileslave-tradewasanindirectattackuponthecommerceofthecountry，whichwasinseparablyconnectedwiththedemandoftheSoudanemployersofbrigands。
ThisslightoutlineofthesituationwillexhibitthedifficultiesoftheKhediveinhisthanklessandHerculeantaskofcleansingtheAugeanstables。Heincurredthewrathofgeneraldiscontent；hisownofficialsaccusedhimofdesertingtheMahommedancauseforthesakeofEuropeanKudos，andwhilehesacrificedhispopularityinEgypt，hispolicywasmisconstruedbythepowershehadsoughttogratify。Hewasaccusedofcivilizing”throughthemediumoffireandsword”bythesameEnglishjournalswhicharenowextollingtheprowessoftheBritisharmsinCaffrariaandthenewly-annexedTransvaal！
Inthisequivocalpositionitwouldhavebeennaturaleithertohaveabandonedtheenterpriseattheterminationofmyownengagement，ortohaveplacedaMahommedanofficerinchargeofthenewprovinces。Insteadofthis，HisHighnessadheredmoststrictlytohisoriginaldetermination，andtoprovehissincerityheentrustedthecommandtoanEnglishofficerofhighreputation，notonlyformilitarycapacity，butforapeculiarattributeofself-sacrificeanddevotion。ColonelC。E。
Gordon，R。E。，C。B。，wasappointedGovernor-GeneraloftheSoudanandequatorialdistricts，withsupremepower。
ThisappointmentextinguishedthedelusionswhichhadbeennourishedbytheSoudanauthorities，”thatattheexpirationofBakerPacha’srulethegoodoldtimesofslaveryandlawlessnesswouldreturn。”Therewasnolongeranyhope；theslave-tradewassuppressed，andthefoundationwaslaidfortheintroductionofEuropeanideasandcivilization。ItwillnowbeinterestingtotraceanoutlineoftheadvanceofEgyptduringthelastfiveyears。
ThemaindifficultyinmyoriginalenterprisewastheobstructionoftheWhiteNilebytheaccumulationofmattedvegetation，whichimpedednavigation，andactuallyclosedtheriver。UponarrivalatGondokoro，afterthetediousprocessofcuttingthrough50milesofswampandvegetablematter，viatheBahrGiraffe，IhadrequestedtheKhedivetoissueanorderthattheGovernorofKhartoumshouldimmediatelycommencethegreatworkofre-openingtheWhiteNile。
HisHighnesswithoutdelayforwardedthenecessaryinstructions，andintwoyearstheworkwascompletedbyIsmailAyoobPacha，withthelossofseveralvesselswhichhadbeenoverwhelmedbythesuddenburstingofvastmassesoffloatingswampsandentangledreeds。Ithadbeennecessarytocommenceoperationsbelowstream，toenabletheblocksofvegetationtoescapewhendetachedbycuttingfromthemainbody。
TheWhiteNilewasrestoredtonavigationafewmonthsaftermyreturntoEngland，andwasclearforlargevesselsbythetimethatColonelGordonarrivedinKhartoum。
IhadoriginallysentupsixsteamersfromCairotoplybetweenKhartoumandGondokoro；thesehadbeensimplyemployedasfarasFashodastation，butastheNilewasnowopen，theyatonceestablishedarapidandregularcommunicationwiththeequatorialprovinces。Theterribledifficultyhadvanished，andGondokorowaslinkedwiththeouterworldfromwhichithadbeenexcluded。Theapplianceswhichhadbeenpreparedwithmuchcarecouldnowbeutilized。Withtheriveropen，suppliesandreinforcementscouldbeimmediatelyforwarded，andtheivorywhichhadaccumulatedinthegovernmentstationscouldbebroughttomarket。Inadditiontothephysicaladvantagesofrestoredcommunication，agreatmoralchangewaseffectedthroughouttheofficersandtroops；theyfeltnolongerbanishedfromtheworld，butacceptedtheirpositionasgarrisonsinEgyptianterritory。
AtGondokoroIhadconstructedasteelsteamerof108tons，andIhadleftreadypackedforlandtransportasteamerofthesamemetal38
tons，inadditiontotwosteellife-boatsofeach10tons，forconveyancetotheAlbertN’yanza。AtKhartoumIhadleftinsectionsasteamerof251tons。AllthesevesselshadbeenbroughtfromEnglandandconveyedwithincredibletroubleuponcamelsacrossthedesertstoKhartoum。
BeforemyarrivalintheSoudantheentireriverforceofsteamersupontheBlueandWhiteNileswasrepresentedbyfourveryinferiorvessels。
IhadaddedsixfromCairo，andbuiltaseventh；thusIleftaforceofelevensteamersworkingontheriver，exclusiveoftwoinsections。
Thestationsgarrisonedbyregulartroopswere——
1。Gondokoro，N。lat。4degrees54minutes。
2。Fatiko，N。lat。3degrees2minutes。
3。Foweera，N。lat。2degrees6minutes。
4。Fabbo，N。lat。3degrees8minutes。
Bythenewly-raisedirregulars——
5。Farragenia。
6。Faloro。