ismailia-第103节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　native　being　visible。

No　yells　were　heard；　nor　any　other　sound。　The　troops　turned　out　with
their　usual　quiet　discipline；　but　not　a　shot　was　fired。

The　13th　June　arrived。Still　there　were　no　tidings　of　either　Umbogo；
Ramadan；　or　Hafiz。　I　now　felt　convinced　that　the　young　villain；　Kabba
Rega；　had　played　me　false；　and　that　he　was　only　gaining　time　to　collect
and　organize　the　whole　force　of　Unyoro　to　attack　us；　and　to　line　the
path　to　the　river　with　ambuscades。

It　is　impossible　to　this　day　to　say　whether　Umbogo　was　true　or　false。　　I
never　saw　him　again；　and　the　unfortunate　Ramadan　and　Hafiz　were　wantonly
murdered。

At　about　10　A。M。；　13th　June；　we　were　let　into　the　secret　of　Kabba　Rega's
villainy。　A　sudden　rush　of　natives　was　made　upon　the　cattle；　which　were
grazing　within　sixty　yards　of　the　fort！　Poisoned　arrows　were　shot；　and　a
general　attack　was　made　upon　the　station。　Guns　fired；　the　bullets
whistled　over　our　heads；　and　I　thought　I　recognized　the　crack　of　our
lost　sniders　（those　of　Monsoor　and　Ferritch）；　that　were　employed　against
us。

The　curtain　had　now　risen。　　When　the　actual　fighting　arrived；　there　was
some　little　relaxation　from　the　intense　anxiety　of　mind　that　I　had
suffered　for　some　days。

I　at　once　ordered　the　men　into　line；　and　the　bugles　and　drums　sounded
the　charge　with　the　bayonet。

The　gallant　〃Forty　Thieves〃　led　the　way；　with　drums　beating　and　a　hearty
cheer；　and　dashed　through　the　ruins　of　the　town　and　straight　into　the
high　grass　on　the　other　side；　from　which　the　cowardly　enemy　fled　like
hares。

On　our　return　to　the　station；　I　at　once　ordered　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　to
take　eighty　men　and　some　blue　lights；　and　to　destroy　every　village　in
the　neighbourhood。　The　attack　was　made　on　the　instant。　The　large
village；　about　700　yards　distant；　which　I　had　raked　with　the　fire　of　a
few　sniders；　while　Abd…el…Kader　descended　the　slope　to　the　attack；　was
soon　a　mass　of　rolling　flames。　In　an　hour's　time　volumes　of　smoke　were
rising　in　various　directions。

My　active　and　gallant　colonel　returned；　having　driven　the　enemy　from
every　position；　and　utterly　destroyed　the　neighbourhood。

I　had　made　up　my　mind。　　There　could　be　no　longer　any　doubt　of　the
diabolical　treachery　of　Kabba　Rega。　He　had　only　endeavoured　to　gain　time
by　specious　assurances　of　good…will；　combined　with　presents；　in　order　to
organize　the　whole　country　against　us。　The　natives　who　shot　arrows　must
have　come　from　Magungo；　as　none　of　the　other　districts　were　armed　with
bows。　The　arrows　that　had　been　shot　at　us；　which　my　men　had　collected；
were　thickly　poisoned　with　a　hard　gummy　matter。

It　was　now　rendered　certain　that　a　snare　had　been　laid　for　the　massacre
of　Major　Abdullah's　party。

Kabba　Rega　had　no　doubt　ordered　the　various　routes　towards　Rionga's
province　to　be　ambuscaded。

I　determined　at　once　to　push　straight　for　the　camp　at　Foweera　on　the
Victoria　Nile；　as　Rionga's　island　was　about　fifteen　miles　from　that
point。

Among　the　men　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　there　was　a　soldier　named
Abdullah；　who　had　an　extraordinary　instinct　for　finding　his　way。　This
man　never　forgot　a　path　if　he　had　ever　travelled　upon　the　same　route。

I　also　depended　upon　my　Baris　and　Molodi；　although　they　had　not　long
experience　of　the　path　by　which　we　had　arrived　from　Foweera　with　the
cattle；　they　were　clever　as　guides。

Unfortunately；　the　country　had　changed　terribly　by　the　immense　growth　of
the　grass　and　tangled　creepers。

I　felt　sure　that　the　route　would　be　occupied　by　the　enemy　throughout　the
whole　distance；　and　that　we　should　have　to　fight　every　mile　of　the　path
at　a　grave　disadvantage。

The　question　of　a　supply　of　food　was　vital。　　The　men　had　mostly
exhausted　their　provisions。

At　this　critical　moment；　when　every　man　of　the　expedition　felt　the　fatal
truth；　my　wife　confided　her　secret；　that　she　had　hitherto　concealed；
lest　the　knowledge　of　a　hidden　store　should　have　made　the　men
extravagant。　She　now　informed　them　that　in　past　days　of　plenty；　when
flour　had　been　abundant；　she　had；　from　time　to　time；　secreted　a
quantity；　and　she　had　now　SIX　LARGE　IRON　BOXES　FULL　（about　twelve
bushels）。　This　private　store　she　had　laid　by　in　the　event　of　some　sudden
emergency。

〃God　shall　give　her　a　long　life！〃　exclaimed　both　officers　and　men。　　We
had　now　enough　flour　for　the　march　of　seven　days　to　Foweera；　at　which
place　there　were　regular　forests　of　plantains。

My　herd　of　cattle　had　been　reduced　to　seventy；　and　I　much　doubted　the
possibility　of　driving　them　in　a　high　grass　country；　as　they　would
scatter　and　make　a　stampede　should　we　be　attacked；　they　would　be　scared
by　the　guns。

I　mustered　my　force　and　spoke　to　my　men；　to　whom　I　explained　their　exact
position；　and　my　plan　of　action。

I　should　immediately　divide　among　them；　as　presents；　all　the　cotton
stuffs　that　belonged　to　the　expedition。

Each　man　would　carry　three　pounds　of　beads　in　his　knapsack；　one…third　of
which　should　subsequently　belong　to　him。

The　line　of　march　would　be　thus　arrangeda　Bari；　who　professed　to　know
the　path；　would　lead　the　advance…guard　of　fifteen　sniders；　commanded　by
Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　supported　by　myself　with　ten　sniders　in
charge　of　the　ammunition；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker；　my　wife；　and
two　servants；　carrying　double　breechloading　elephant　rifles。　The
rear…guard　would　consist　of　fifteen　sniders。　The　few　remaining　sniders
would　be　distributed　along　the　line。

Neither　the　advance；　nor　rear…guard　would　carry　any　loads　beyond　their
knapsacks　and　a　small　bag　of　flour。　Five　of　the　sniders　with　me　would
also　be　exempted　from　carrying　loads；　but　every　other　soldier；　and　every
woman　and　boy；　would　carry　either　one　of　the　metal　boxes　or　some　other
package。

I　explained　to　the　men　that　they　would　be　attacked　throughout　the　route
at　a　great　disadvantage；　but　that　success　would　depend　upon　the　strict
observance　of　orders　for　the　march　combined　with　the　utmost　coolness。

Each　man　was　to　keep　just　near　enough　to　be　able　to　touch　with　his
outstretched　hand　the　knapsack　of　the　man　before　him；　and　upon　no
account　to　widen　this　distance；　but　to　keep　the　line　intact。　Should　it
be　broken　by　the　sudden　rush　of　the　enemy；　we　should　at　once　be　lost。

Should　the　attack　be　made　simultaneously　on　both　sides；　alternate　files
would　face　to　right　and　left；　place　their　loads　upon　the　ground；　and
fire　low　down　in　the　grass；　as　the　natives　always　crouched　after
throwing　a　spear　from　covert。

A　bugler　would　accompany　the　colonel　commanding　the　advance…guard；　in
addition　to　buglers　with　myself　and　the　rear…guard；　thus　we　should　be
able　to　communicate　along　the　line；　which　would　be　concealed　from　view
by　the　high　grass。

On　arrival　at　water；　and　in　crossing　either　swamps　or　streams；　no　man　or
woman　was　to　stop　to　drink　unless　the　bugle　of　the　advance…guard　sounded
halt。

No　woman　would　be　allowed　to　speak　during　the　march；　as　profound　silence
must　be　observed。

The　officers　and　men　received　their　instructions；　merely　declaring　that
wherever　I　should　lead　them；　they　would　follow　and　obey。

I　at　once　divided　the　effects　that　could　be　carried；　into　the　requisite
number　of　loads；　which　were　carefully　packed　in　metal　boxes　by　my　wife
and　her　black　maids。　It　was　hard　and　anxious　work。　The　strongest　men
were　selected　to　carry　the　boxes　of　snider　cartridges；　which　weighed　64
lbs。　each。

All　the　rest　of　the　baggage　I　arranged　in　piles；　and　distributed　in　the
government　divan　and　the　various　houses。　I　spread　my　large　tent　over　the
luggage　in　the　divan；　and　poured　over　it　a　quantity　of　nitrous　ether；
spirits　of　wine；　lamp…oil；　spirits　of　turpentine；　and　all　the　contents
of　the　large　medicine…chest。

I　filled　up　my　small　chest；　and　took　a　good　roll　of　adhesive　plaster；　a
number　of　bandages；　and　a　packet　of　lint。

Upon　the　tent…cloth；　rendered　highly　inflammable　by　the　saturation　of
spirits　and　oil；　I　laid　about　sixty　rockets。

My　two　horses　and　three　donkeys　would　be　loaded　with　baggage。

I　gave　orders　for　the　march　early　on　the　following　morning。　The
rear…guard　was　to　set　fire　to　the　station；　this　was　the　sad　result　of
our　industry　and　labour　in　a　land　of　detestable　savages。



CHAPTER　XXII

THE　MARCH　TO　RIONGA。

On　the　morning　of　the　14th　of　June；　1872；　at　9。30；　the　advance…guard
filed　along　the　gravel　path；　and　halted　at　the　extremity　of　the　station
at　Masindi。　The　line　was　complete；　according　to　the　orders　for　the
march。　Not　a　word　was　spoken。　A　light；　drizzling　rain　fell；　and　the　sky
was　a　dull　grey。

I　looked　back；　and　waited　for　the　destruction　of　my　favourite　station。　
In　our　little　house　we　had　left　pictures　of　my　own　children；　and
everything　that　was　not　absolutely　necessary　to　our　existence。　Even　the
Queen　and　the　Princess　of　Wales　were　to　perish　in　the　conflagration；
together　with　much　that　was　parted　with　in　this　moment　of　exigency。

The　smoke　now　curled　in　thick；　white　folds　from　the　government　divan　and
our　own　private　house。

Lieutenant　Baker's　new　house　was　ignited。　O　ne　by　one　every　hut　was
fired。　The　rear…guard；　having　done　their　duty；　closed　up　in　the　line　of
march。

I　did　not　give　the　word　〃Forward！〃　until　the　flames　had　shot　up　high　in
the　air；　and　t