ismailia-第107节

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with　his　life；　at　the　end　of　the　day's　march。

I　was　much　distressed　at　this　loss。　　It　seemed　that　I　was　to　lose　all　my
best　and　most　faithful　followersthe　good　Monsoor；　whom　to　this　hour　I
regret　as　a　brother；　the　ever…ready　and　true　Howarti；　Ferritch　Baggara；
the　unfortunate　Ramadan；　besides　others　who　were　very　valuable；　and　now
my　old　horse　was　gone。

We　slept　that　night　by　his　body；　and　warmed　ourselves　by　a　fire　that
consumed　his　loadfor　there　was　no　one　to　carry　it。　My　despatch…box
helped　to　cook　our　scanty　dinner。　We　had　marched　sixteen　miles。

My　troops　had　behaved　remarkably　well。　　The　scolding　that　I　had　given
them　had　produced　a　good　effect。　Very　little　ammunition　had　been
expended；　and　the　firing　had　been　exceedingly　steady。

Although　we　had　not　been　attacked　at　night；　I　never　omitted　the
precaution　of　a　defence　of　strong　thorns　and　branches　of　trees。

Had　this　march　through　a　frightful　route　of　forest　and　high　grass　been
made　in　the　Bari　tribe；　we　should　not　have　had　a　night's　rest。

We　started　at　6　A。M。；　with　sunrise；　on　18th　June。　The　weather　had　been
fine　since　the　first　day　of　soaking　rain　on　the　start　from　Masindi：　we
were　thankful　for　this　blessing；　as　there　was　no　shelter　for　any　one。

It　would　be　fatiguing　to　narrate　the　incidents　of　the　continual
ambuscades。　Every　day　we　were　attacked；　and　the　enemy　was　repulsed　many
times。　〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me！〃　was　now　well　understood　by　the　troops；　and
although　we　had　men　wounded；　the　enemy　invariably　got　the　worst　of　the
encounter。　Up　to　the　present　we　had　been　most　fortunate　in　bringing　on
all　our　people；　but　I　was　anxious　lest　some　should　receive　wounds　that
would　actually　incapacitate　them　from　marching。　Should　a　man　be　killed
outright；　how　much　soever　he　might　be　regretted；　still　there　was　an　end
of　him；　but　there　was　no　end　to　the　difficulty　of　transporting　wounded
men　in　our　helpless　condition；　without　carriers。

We　had　rather　hot　work　during　this　day's　march；　and　four　soldiers　had
been　wounded　by　spears。

My　wife　was　dreadfully　tired；　and　sometimes　the　pace　was　too　severe　for
her。　At　length　she　was　so　fatigued　that　she　declared　she　must　rest；　if
only　for　a　few　minutes。　It　was　impossible　to　halt　in　the　thick　jungle
and　grass；　therefore；　as　I　had　observed　a　large　grove　of　plantains　on
the　crest　of　the　hill　before　us；　I　gave　her　my　hand　to　assist　in　the
ascent；　and　we　shortly　entered　the　dark　forest　of　bananas；　which　was；　as
usual；　clear　and　free　from　grass。

All　the　women　were　glad　to　rest；　as　the　poor　things　were　carrying　heavy
loads。　We　halted　in　the　midst　of　the　plantains；　and　every　one　sat　down；
except　the　numerous　sentries　whom　I　placed　in　concealment　in　various
positions。　I　fully　expected　that　natives　might　be　following　us；　in　the
hopes　of　picking　up　the　load　of　some　wounded　man　that　had　been　left
behind。

Not　a　word　was　spoken；　or　even　whispered。

My　men　were　very　bloodthirsty。　　They　had　been　atrociously　treated　by　the
natives；　and　had　suffered　much。　They　longed　to　get　their　enemies　fairly
before　them；　and　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　now　keenly　looking　out　for　the
approach　of　the　wily　Unyoros。

We　heard　distant　voices；　they　were　coming　nearer。　　A　sharp　clicking　of
locks　might　be　heard；　as　the　men　got　ready。

All　Sadik　was　one　of　my　best　shots　in　〃The　Forty。〃　　I　now　saw　him　taking
a　steady　aim。　Saat　Choush；　who　was　the　champion　shot　of　〃The　Forty〃；　had
also　raised　his　rifle；　and　almost　immediately　several　shots　were　fired；
and　the　troops　rushed　forward！　Two　natives　had　been　knocked　over；　and
some　of　the　men　returned；　dragging　in　a　body　by　the　heels。

I　now　scoured　the　immediate　neighbourhood；　and　discovered　a　quantity　of
dhurra　that　was　just　ripened。　This　was　immediately　gathered　as　a　great
prize。

During　this　interval；　my　men　had　been　engaged　in　a　most　barbarous
ceremony；　that　perfectly　disgusted　me。

These　superstitious　people　had　an　idea；　that　every　bullet　they　might
fire　would　kill　an　Unyoro；　if　they　could　only　devour　a　portion　of　their
enemy's　liver。

They　had　accordingly　cut　out　the　liver　of　the　dead　man；　and　having
divided　it　among　them；　they　positively　HAD　EATEN　ITraw！　They　had　then
cut　the　body　into　pieces　with　their　sword…bayonets；　and　had　disposed
them　upon　the　limbs　of　various　bushes　that　overhung　the　path；　as　a
warning　to　any　Unyoros　who　should　attempt　to　follow　us。

I　would　not　have　believed　that　my　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　whom　I　had　considered
to　be　nearly　civilized；　could　have　committed　such　a　barbarity。　The　truth
was；　that　in　the　high　grass　they　could　not　see　the　effect　of　their
shots；　therefore　they　imagined　that　the　horrid　rite　of　eating　an　enemy's
liver　would　give　a　fatal　direction　to　a　random　bullet。

We　marched；　and　having　had　several　encounters　with　the　enemy　in　jungle；
if　possible　worse　than　before；　we　halted　at　Kaseega。

One　of　my　best　men；　Serroor；　had　a　narrow　escape；　a　lance　went　through
his　neck；　almost　grazing　the　jugular　vein。

On　19th　June；　we　marched　at　6。5　A。M。　This　was　one　of　the　worst　journeys；
as　the　ravines　were　numerous；　and　the　forest　dark　and　tangled。　It　was
difficult　for　our　solitary　horse　（Jamoos）　to　carry　his　load；　as　it
became　continually　hooked　in　the　hanging　loops　of　the　wild　vines。　We
were　quickly　attacked　by　various　ambuscades；　in　one　of　which　my　wife
suffered　the　loss　of　a　great　favourite。　This　was　poor　little　Jarvah；　who
went　by　the　name　of　the　〃fat　boy。〃　Two　spears　struck　the　unhappy　lad　at
the　same　moment　one　of　which　pinned　both　his　legs　as　though　upon　a　spit；
the　other　went　through　his　body。　This　loss　completely　upset　my　wife；　as
the　unfortunate　Jarvah　had　upon　several　occasions　endeavoured　to　protect
her　from　danger。　He　was　killed　only　a　few　paces　behind　her。

In　one　of　the　ambuscades；　just　as　the　enemy　had　been　repulsed；　Faddul；
the　strongest　man　in　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　who　was　close　to　me；　carrying
his　knapsack　on　his　back；　his　rifle　slung　across　his　shoulders；　and　a
box　of　500　snider　cartridges　（64　lbs。）　upon　his　head；　walked　up　to　me
during　the　halt　and　reported　himself　as　badly　wounded。

A　spear　had　struck　him　obliquely　in　the　posterior；　and　had　taken　a
direction　towards　the　groin。　The　nian　was　literally　bathed　in　blood；
which　ran　from　him　in　such　a　stream　that　a　large　pool　was　formed　at　his
feet　as　he　stood　before　me。

The　instant　that　the　box　of　snider　ammunition　was　taken　from　his　head；
he　fell　apparently　lifeless　to　the　ground。

I　thought　that　he　had　bled　to　death。

His　rifle　and　knapsack　were　removed；　and　I　examined　his　pulse　and　heart！
I　could　not　feel　any　movement。　All　I　could　do　was　to　pour　some　brandy
very　slowly　down　his　throat；　and　to　leave　him　on　the　side　of　the　path　as
another　good　man　lost　to　the　expedition。

We　marched　forward；　and　in　about　ten　minutes　we　arrived　at　an　open　field
of　sweet　potatoes。　The　change　from　dark　jungle　and　dense　grasses　of
giant　height　to　the　fresh　and　clear　space　cannot　be　understood；　unless
by　those　who　experienced　the　difficulties　of　the　march。

I　halted　the　advance…guard　in　the　centre　of　the　open　field；　and　waited
for　the　rear　to　close　up。

As　it　arrived；　I　saw　a　man　staggering　forward；　supported　by　two
soldiers。　Upon　nearer　approach；　I　recognized　my　strong　friend；　Faddul；
thus　risen　front　the　dead！　The　brandy　had　revived　him　sufficiently　to
show　some　signs　of　life；　and　the　rear…guard　had　thus　brought　him　along
with　them。　We　laid　him　down　to　rest　beneath　a　tree　that　grew　in　the
middle　of　the　cultivation。

We　were　now　in　a　sad　difficulty。　　There　were　numerous　roads；　or　rather
very　narrow　paths；　which　converged　from　all　quarters　upon　this　potato
ground。　No　one　knew　the　direction。　The　Baris　were　completely　at　fault。
The　farther　the　people　explored　the　immediate　neighbourhood；　the　more
helpless　they　became。

This　was　a　serious　matter。　　Up　to　the　present　time　we　had　been　most
fortunate　in　keeping　to　the　right　path。

I　now　called　my　renowned　pathfinder；　Abdullah；　of　〃The　Forty〃。

Abdullah　made　a　survey　of　the　surrounding　tracks；　and　then　returned　to
me　with　the　news　that　he　had　discovered　the　route。　This　he　immediately
pointed　out。

A　general　exclamation　of　derision　from　the　officers　and　many　of　the　men
was　the　only　reward　Abdullah　received　for　his　important　discovery；　as
his　path　was　in　quite　an　opposite　direction　to　the　route　they　had
anticipated。

The　compass　corroborated　Abdullah's　road；　but　before　I　adopted　it；　I
asked　him　why　he　declared　so　positively　that　he　knew　the　way？　He
replied；　that　when　on　the　march　from　Foweera；　he　had　observed　a
peculiarly…shaped　tree；　upon　which　was　fastened　a　native　cojoor；　or
spell。　That　tree　was　on　rising　ground　above　a　ravine；　and　he　could　now
show　me　both　the　ravine　and　the　magic　tree。

I　accompanied　him　to　the　spot；　and　certainly　the　tree　was　there；　with
some　pieces　of　ragged　bark…cloth　and　some　grass　tied　to　the　stem。　I　had
often　seen　talismans　that　were　fastened　to　the　trees；　and　I　suggested　to
Abdullah　that　there　were　many　of　them　along　the　road。　He　was　so
confident　in　accepting　every　responsibility　as　guide；　that　I　followed
him　without　hesitation；　and　the　march　continued。　The　wounded　Faddul　was
supported　as　before。

In　a　short　time　I　myself　recognized　the　path