Chapter VII

The illustrious strangers — Something about costume — Houses at Khartoum — Mahometans, Christians, and Jews — Trade and Commerce — Scheme for colonizing the White Nile, latitude 4° — Morals — The rainy season — Superstition — Military.

It is evident that we are considered somebodies in this good town of Khartoum. We have astonished the natives more than can very well be conceived. What they think of us, we cannot exactly ascertain: but it is clear enough that they think a good deal of us. They are a little puzzled when they speculate upon what brought us to their remote corner of the world; and to add to their mystification, they cannot for certain reasons avoid regarding us with a considerable amount of respect mingled with a slight addition of awe. The fact is, it has got abroad that our firman contained denunciations unusually stringent against all, and sundry, who wanted to eat dirt by exhibiting the slightest degree of neglect or remissness in looking after our safety, comfort, and pleasure. Every one argues that such commands from such a source mean something, and the upshot is that we were immediately set down as illustrious strangers of a most illustrious generation.

Long before our arrival, rumours were in circulation respecting us that increased in extravagance every hour. Among other veracious statements, it was affirmed that a gentleman, with his hareem, was known to be on the road, who was a Pasha with three tails; that he was adorned with three diamond stars on each breast and neck, and prodigious gold epaulettes on each shoulder. One of our friends who knew something of us, was asked if the great man about to visit them, really was greater than any Pasha of their acquaintance. Our friend set the matter at rest, by assuring his eager questioner that all Pashas were as nothing to the least of us, for they were obliged to do the bidding of their master—but that we were our own masters, and did exactly as we pleased. There was a fervent exclamation respecting the goodness of Allah, and the querist walked away, as an Irishman would phrase it, “bothered intirely.”

I have never seen a country of such extreme cleanliness. Though the drapery of the people is often of the scantiest—in this there is nothing offensive. The Bedouins are satisfied with only a cloth round their loins during the heat of the day—the girls and children often have not even this very small wardrobe to boast of—nevertheless, they are so perfectly modest that no one thinks of their deficiencies. The costume of the elder females often assumes a classical character—and is likely to afford immense satisfaction to sketchers, and those who fancy that they are gifted with a taste for the artistic.

But while I am discussing other people’s toilets, it may be thought scarcely fair that I have ventured to say nothing about my own. I have said nothing on this interesting subject, for the very simple reason—that I have nothing to say. But merely in compliance with a principle of justice, I must beg to inform the reader—that I wore, when in the desert, a rusty pair of blue trowsers bought at Milan, elegantly fastened round my waist with an old rope, to remedy certain unavoidable deficiencies in the article buttons—above that a red shirt—that was. It is now beautifully varied, being partly purple and partly pink. A tie extremely unstudied, buck-skin boots, and a top coat containing something of everything in the sporting line; these with a tarboosh and a turban, constitute the sum total of my classical toggery.

As I had an opportunity of observing the _tout ensemble_, in our only mirror—a circular looking-glass just two and a quarter inches in diameter—there is no fear of my too greatly admiring it. If Mr. Narcissus had travelled in the desert with the thermometer 94° in the shade, till his complexion became the colour of a brick-bat, and his nose and lips were in a state of intense inflammation—and got clothed after the elegant fashion I had adopted, there would have been no danger to the gentleman on the score of self-conceit. So much for my appearance in the desert. We were, however, at Khartoum dressed exactly as we should have been had we been travelling in Europe.

The town consists of about three thousand houses, resembling those already described. Architecture in these regions being in an extremely primitive condition, the arrangement of the streets is just what might be expected from the aspect of the houses. There are no spacious thoroughfares; here and there appears something like a square, or space—but the perspective generally is by no means such as would satisfy the humblest European judgment in the art of building. The better class of houses are possessed either by the government officials, or by the European residents. In some there are approaches to luxury, in others to comfort; indeed, it is but fair to acknowledge that with the addition of delightful gardens, and a pleasant climate, it is not difficult to reconcile oneself to a residence within mud walls.

The inhabitants are thirty thousand in number, including the military—they are divided into Mahometans, Christians, and Jews; the former are an immense majority of the population, and worship in their mosques—they are particularly unenlightened, and their priests are not much better. The latter number about fifty. They comprise the entire community attached to the Roman Catholic missions, possess three priests, have a chapel for the performance of religious worship, as well as a school for the preparation of converts, and the instruction of the rising generation of their co-religionists. The Jews are about a dozen.

The members of the three religions live together very amicably—the followers of the Prophet looking upon the supporters of the Pope with supreme indifference, and the professors of Christianity regarding the worshippers of the Koran with profound pity. The Jews, of course, abominating both. Sometimes one of those accidents that are said to happen in the best regulated families, varies this state of harmony with a little bigotry—and “the dogs of Christians,” and “the beasts of Jews,” are made to suffer as much persecution as may be thought good for them—and “the miserable Infidels” fall prodigiously in Christian and Jewish opinion. All parties are taxed with very little partiality; and the government is equally indifferent to their interests.

Much activity prevails in the neighbourhood in boat-building; the vessels constructed being chiefly long, open boats for navigating the Nile. They are usually built of palm-wood, but are very clumsy contrivances.

The principal portion of their trade consists in the produce of their gardens and fields, which are extremely productive. The bazaars consist of four covered and four uncovered streets; the former are the finest shops, and are filled with articles of merchandize of very various character, among which figure Manchester prints, Sheffield knives and scissors on cards, and Staffordshire potteries: the uncovered streets are mostly booths, in which are sold senna, lichens, and various herbs and grasses. The merchants here export gum-arabic, galls, senna, castor- oil, and large quantities of ivory on camels to Korosko, after conveying them down the Nile to Berber.

A much greater trade might be carried on with English goods than has yet been attempted; but this should be extended as far into the interior as possible, that we might profit by the immense stores of ivory and other valuable commodities, that are so easily procurable. I have had another conversation with Monsieur R—— on this subject. He is for colonizing the White River at latitude 4°; stating that the people there have already learnt to distinguish between the European and the Government expeditions. A steamer of ten or fifteen horse-power, flat-bottomed, would do admirably to tow up the diabeheehs. According to his account, monkeys swarm in the trees at ten hours’ journey from here; at three days’ journey the traveller meets with flocks of guinea-fowls; and elephants, tigers, and lions in eight days.

The lower class of people content themselves with one wife, who usually rewards her faithful spouse with many children. The higher class are not so easily satisfied; and the grandees indulge in the permitted number of four.

The most unpleasant part of the year is the rainy season; and so heavy is the fall, that the streets are impassable. This comes on, too, so suddenly, that should any one call upon another a little before the commencement of the showers, he must remain at his friend’s house for three or four days, till the waters subside. No one attempts to quit his dwelling during the rains; and the town, therefore, must possess much the appearance of having only just emerged from the Deluge.

Superstitious practices and prejudices are general. All Wednesdays are considered unfortunate, particularly the last Wednesday in the month: but the last Wednesday in the year is still more unfortunate, as on that day Moses made the waters blood. So the day previously, every one provides water for two days, as no one thinks of going to the river till after _Asser_—three o’clock in the afternoon. The Pasha is not free from these superstitions; and Riffa Bey, who has enjoyed the advantages of a Persian, as well as a Parisian education, and is thoroughly versed in magical lore, has daily to explain his Excellency’s dreams.

The military force here consists of ten thousand infantry, and two thousand cavalry. In the yard of the Governor’s house, I noticed several pieces of brass cannon, four to ten pounders; he has also some howitzers and bombs. There are in the Soudan, twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, with thirty-six pieces of artillery, under the command of Latiffe Pasha, who is a general officer. Indeed, every one in the civil, as well as in the military service, possesses military rank. The doctor is a commander one grade below a lieutenant-colonel. Ali Bey Hassib is a full colonel; and this is so much a matter of course, that we are continually questioned as to our standing in our own army. The answer that had previously settled our superiority to the whole race of Pashas, always sufficed. Our independence of superior authority gave us very high military rank, indeed.