No one can conceive the utter misery of these lands--heat and
mosquitoes day and night all the year round. But I like the work, for I
believe I can do a great deal to ameliorate the lot of the people."
This spirit of unselfishness and of a sublime charity runs through all
his work. Every man, black or white, was "neighbor" to him, and he ever
fulfilled the command of his Lord, to "love his neighbor as himself."
Against oppression he could, however, be stern and severe. Not a few
ruffians whom he caught red-handed in flagrant acts of cruelty were
executed without mercy. So that the same man who, by the down-trodden
people, was called the "Good Pasha," was to the robber and murderer a
terror and avenger.
When at Khartoum he was on one occasion installed with a royal salute,
and an address was presented, and in return he was expected to make a
speech. His speech was as follows: "With the help of God, I will hold
the balance level." The people were delighted, for a level balance was
to them an unknown boon. And he held it level all through his long and
glorious reign, which lasted, with small break, from February, 1874,
until August, 1879.
During those five years and a half he had traveled over every portion of
the huge territory which was placed under him--provinces extending all
the way to the Equatorial Lakes. Besides riding through the deserts on
camels and mules 8,490 miles in three years, he made long journeys by
river.
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