ismailia-第10节

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the　channel　about　900　yards　long　to　lake　No。　3。　I　ordered　sail　to　be
made　immediately；　and　after　five　hours'　hard　work；　as　the　channel　was
already　beginning　to　close；　we　arrived　in　the　open　lake　at　11。15　p。m。；
in　which　we　found　the　fleet　at　anchor。

〃March　17。The　lake　is　about　2　1/2　miles　long；　and　varies　from　150　to
300　yards　in　width；　with　a　mean　depth　of　ten　feet。　I　sent　men　ahead　in
the　boat　to　explore　the　exit；　they　now　report　it　to　be　closed　by　a　small
dam；　after　which　we　shall　enter　another　lake。　Thunder　and　clouds
threatening　in　the　southeast。

〃About　half…an…hour　before　sunset　I　observed　the　head　of　a　hippopotamus
emerge　from　the　bank　of　high　grass　that　fringed　the　lake。　My　troops　had
no　meatthus　I　would　not　lose　the　opportunity　of　procuring；　if
possible；　a　supply　of　hippopotamus　beef。　I　took　a　Reilly　No。　8
breechloader；　and　started　in　the　little　dingy　belonging　to　the
diahbeeah。　Having　paddled　quietly　along　the　edge　of　the　grass　for　a
couple　of　hundred　yards；　I　arrived　near　the　spot　from　which　the
hippopotamus　had　emerged。

〃It　is　the　general　habit　of　the　hippopotami　in　these　marsh　districts　to
lie　in　the　high　grass　swamps　during　the　day；　and　to　swim　or　amuse
themselves　in　the　open　water　at　sunset。

〃I　had　not　waited　long　before　I　heard　a　snort；　and　I　perceived　the
hippopotamus　had　risen　to　the　surface　about　fifty　yards　from　me。　This
distance　was　a　little　too　great　for　the　accurate　firing　necessary　to
reach　the　brain；　especially　when　the　shot　must　be　taken　from　a　boat；　in
which　there　is　always　some　movement。　I　therefore　allowed　the　animal　to
disappear；　after　which　I　immediately　ordered　the　boat　forward；　to　remain
exactly　over　the　spot　where　he　had　sunk。　A　few　minutes　elapsed；　when　the
great　ugly　head　of　the　hippopotamus　appeared　about　thirty　paces　from　the
boat；　and　having　blown　the　water　from　his　nostrils；　and　snorted　loudly；
he　turned　round　and　seemed　astonished　to　find　the　solitary　little　boat
so　near　him。　Telling　the　two　boatmen　to　sit　perfectly　quiet；　so　as　to
allow　a　good　sight；　I　aimed　just　below　the　eye；　and　fired　a　heavy　shell；
which　contained　a　bursting　charge　of　three　drachms　of　fine…grained
powder。　The　head　disappeared。　A　little　smoke　hung　over　the　water；　and　I
could　not　observe　other　effects。　The　lake　was　deep；　and　after　vain
sounding　for　the　body　with　a　boathook；　I　returned　to　the　diahbeeah　just
as　it　became　dark。

〃March　18。A　heavy　shower　of　rain　fell；　which　lasted　for　an　hour　and　a
half。　When　the　rain　ceased；　the　day　continued　cloudy　with　variable　wind。
The　body　of　the　hippopotamus　was　discovered　at　daybreak　floating　near
us；　therefore　all　hands　turned　out　to　cut　him　up；　delighted　at　the　idea
of　fresh　meat。　There　was　about　an　acre　of　high　and　dry　ground　that
bordered　the　marsh　in　one　spot；　to　this　the　carcase　of　the　hippopotamus
was　towed。　I　was　anxious　to　observe　the　effects　of　the　explosive　shell；
as　it　was　an　invention　of　my　own　that　had　been　manufactured　by　Mr。
Reilly；　＇*＇　the　gunmaker；　of　London。　This　shell　was　composed　of
iron；　covered　with　lead。　The　interior　was　a　cast…iron　bottle　（similar　in
shape　to　a　stoneware　Seltzer　water　bottle）；　the　neck　formed　a　nipple　to
receive　a　percussion…cap。　The　entire　bottle　was　concealed　by　a　leaden
coating；　which　was　cast　in　a　mould　to　fit　a　No。　8；　or　two…ounce　rifle。
The　iron　bottle　contained　three　drachms　of　the　strongest　gunpowder；　and
a　simple　cap　pressed　down　upon　the　nipple　prepared　the　shell　for
service。

＇*Footnote：　Mr。　Reilly；　of　502　New　Oxford　Street；　has　been　most　
successful　in　heavy　rifles；　with　which　he　has　supplied　me　in　
both　my　African　expeditions。＇

〃On　an　examination　of　the　head　of　the　hippopotamus；　I　found　that　the
shell　had　struck　exactly　beneath　the　eye；　where　the　bone　plate　is　thin。
It　had　traversed　the　skull；　and　had　apparently　exploded　in　the　brain；　as
it　had　entirely　carried　away　the　massive　bone　that　formed　the　back　of
the　skull。　The　velocity　of　the　projectile　had　carried　the　fragments　of
the　shell　onwards　after　the　explosion；　and　had　formed　a　sort　of　tunnel
which　was　blackened　with　burnt　powder　for　a　considerable　distance　along
the　flesh　of　the　neck。　I　was　quite　satisfied　with　my　explosive　shell。

〃The　hippopotamus　having　been　divided　among　the　men；　I　sent　Raouf　Bey
with　a　large　force　to　assist　the　steamers；　which　still　remain　fixed　in
the　same　spot。

〃At　2　p。m。　it　poured　with　rain　until　9　p。m。　Everything　is　soaking；　and　I
have　great　anxiety　about　our　large　stores　of　corn。

〃March　19。Fine　day；　but　all　cargo；　stores；　&c。；　are　wet。　The　miserable
vessels　of　the　Soudan　are　without　decks；　thus　one　heavy　shower　creates
much　damage。　The　men　are　busy　drying　their　clothes；　&c。　Two　soldiers
died。　Steamers　far　astern　in　the　sudd；　regularly　fixed。

〃March　20。A　boy　died。　I　sent　fresh　men　to　the　assistance　of　the
steamers；　which　have　to　be　literally　dug　out。

〃March　21。Yesterday　as　the　men　were　digging　out　the　steamers；　which
had　become　blocked　by　the　floating　rafts；　they　felt　something　struggling
beneath　their　feet。　They　immediately　scrambled　away　in　time　to　avoid　the
large　head　of　a　crocodile　that　broke　its　way　through　the　tangled　mass　in
which　it　had　been　jammed　and　held　prisoner　by　the　rafts。　The　black
soldiers；　armed　with　swords　and　bill…hooks；　immediately　attacked　the
crocodile；　who；　although　freed　from　imprisonment；　had　not　exactly　fallen
into　the　hands　of　the　Royal　Humane　Society。　He　was　quickly　despatched；
and　that　evening　his　flesh　gladdened　the　cooking　pots　of　the　Soudani
regiment。

〃I　was　amused　with　the　account　of　this　adventure　given　by　various
officers　who　were　eye…witnesses。　One　stated　in　reply　to　my　question　as
to　the　length　of　the　animal；　‘Well；　sir；　I　should　not　like　to
exaggerate；　but　I　should　say　it　was　forty…five　feet　long　from　snout　to
tail！'　Another　witness　declared　it　to　be　at　least　twenty　feet；　but　by
rigid　cross…examination　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　did　not　exceed
ten。

〃The　steamers　and　tender；　having　been　released；　arrived　this　morning。　At
1　p。m。　we　started　with　a　light　air　from　the　northeast；　and　travelled
till　3。30　p。m。　along　the　lake；　which　narrowed　to　the　dimensions　of　a
moderate　river。　We　at　length　arrived　at　a　sudd　which　the　advance　boats
had　cleared　for　about　sixty　yards。　Having　emerged；　we　were　introduced　to
a　deep　but　extremely　narrow　channel　flowing　through　the　usual　enormous
grass。

〃The　whole　fleet　ranged　in　single　line　to　widen　the　passage。　We　are　now
about　twelve　miles　from　the　dubba；　or　raised　dry　ground；　near　to　which
we　first　commenced　clearing。　We　have　actually　cut　away　about　six　miles
of　vegetation。　No　dependence　whatever　can　be　placed　upon　the　guides：　no
place　answers　to　their　descriptions。　We　have　now　been　hard　at　work　for
thirteen　days　with　a　thousand　men；　during　which　time　we　have　travelled
only　twelve　miles！

〃March　22。Wind　S。W。foul。　The　people　are　all　lazy　and　despairing。
Cleared　a　sudd。　I　explored　ahead　in　a　small　boat。　As　usual；　the　country
is　a　succession　of　sudds　and　small　open　patches　of　water。　The　work　is
frightful；　and　great　numbers　of　my　men　are　laid　down　with　fever；　thus　my
force　is　physically　diminished　daily；　while　morally　the　men　are
heart…broken。　Another　soldier　died；　but　there　is　no　dry　spot　to　bury
him。　We　live　in　a　world　of　swamp　and　slush。　Lieutenant　Baker　shot　a
Baleniceps　Rex。　This　day　we　opened　about　600　yards。

〃March　23。We　have　been　throughout　the　day　employed　in　tugging　the
vessels　through　the　channel。　The　Egyptians　have　quite　lost　heart。　The
Soudanis　are　far　more　valuable　as　soldiers；　none　of　them　are　ill；　and
they　work　with　a　good　will。　I　serve　them　out　a　glass　of　grog　in　the
evening。　The　fanatical　fellahs　will　not　touch　spirits；　thus　they　succumb
to　fever　and　nervousness　when　exhausted　by　the　chill　occasioned　by
working　throughout　the　day　in　mud　and　water。

〃March　24。Wind　fresh　from　the　S。W。　All　the　vessels　assembled　last
evening　in　a　small　lake。　Before　us　there　is　as　usual　simply　a　narrow
stream　closed　in　by　vegetation。　I　observed　marks　of　the　traders'　parties
having　broken　through　a　few　months　ago。　These　people　travel　without
merchandise；　but　with　a　large　force　of　men：　thus　their　vessels　are　of
light　draught　of　water。　My　steamers　and　many　of　the　boats　require　four
feet　six　inches。　Every　vessel　is　heavily　laden；　thus　they　are　difficult
to　manage　unless　in　open　and　deep　water。

〃There　is　to…day　a　forest　on　the　east；　about　two　miles　distant；　beyond
the　swamp。　After　a　hard　day's　work　we　made　about　1；400　yards。

〃March　25。Wind　fair　and　fresh　from　the　N。E。　This　helped　us　to　make
about　a　mile　through　the　narrow　channel；　hemmed　in　by　thick　and　high
grass。　Another　soldier　died。　As　usual；　this　poor　fellow　was　an
artilleryman。　These　men　came　direct　from　Cairo　with　their　guns；　and　not
being　acclimatized；　they　cannot　resist　the　fever。　The　Egyptian　troops
give　in　and　lose　all　heart；　but　there　is　much　allowance　to　be　made　for
them；　as　it　is　a　fearful　country；　and　far　beyond　my　worst　experience。
There　is　no　apparent　break　to　the　boundless　marsh　before　and　behind　us；
this　is　about　fifteen　miles　wide；　as　forest　trees　and　the　tall　dolape
palms　can　sometimes　be　distinguished　upon　the　horizon。

〃What　the　unfortunate　Higginbotham　will