ismailia-第108节

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him　without　hesitation；　and　the　march　continued。　The　wounded　Faddul　was
supported　as　before。

In　a　short　time　I　myself　recognized　the　path　as　being　very　near　to
Kisoona；　which　place　we　suddenly　entered　after　a　march　of　thirty…five
minutes　from　the　potato　field。　The　advance…guard　fired　a　volley　at　some
natives；　who　rushed　into　the　grass　upon　our　unexpected　arrival。

We　were　now　in　open　ground；　with　good　native　huts　for　shelter；　and　a
large　extent　of　cultivation；　where　an　unlimited　supply　of　potatoes　could
be　obtained。

As　the　rear…guard　closed　up；　I　mustered　all　officers　and　men。　Having
spoken　a　few　words　of　encouragement；　and　complimented　them　upon　their
extreme　steadiness　since　I　had　lectured　them　at　Chorobeze；　I
congratulated　them　upon　having　advanced　so　far；　under　God's　protection；
through　such　numberless　enemies；　with　comparatively　so　little　loss。　We
were　now　only　twenty…one　miles　from　Foweera；　and　we　knew　the　road。　The
news　of　our　arrival　would　almost　immediately　reach　Rionga；　and　I　should
fortify　this　spot　and　remain　here　for　some　days　to　allow　my　wounded　to
recover　their　strength。　During　this　time　all　hands　would　be　employed　in
preparing　potatoes　for　store；　by　cutting　them　in　slices　and　drying　them
in　the　sun。

I　now　ordered　the　band　to　strike　up　with　the　greatest　vigour；　to　show
the　natives　who　might　be　within　hearing；　that　we　were　in　the　best　of
spirits。

My　officers　and　men　were　all　delighted；　and　overwhelmed　me　with
compliments。　I　only　replied　by　begging　them　always　to　trust　in　God；　and
to　do　their　duty。

I　immediately　started　off　a　party　to　dig　potatoes；　while　Lieutenant
Baker　and　myself；　with　a　number　of　men；　slashed　down　with　sabres　the
extensive　grove　of　plantain　trees；　so　as　to　have　a　perfectly　clear　space
around　the　camp。

We　made　a　strong　defence　at　Kisoona；　and　the　rest　of　several　days　was
invigorating　to　the　wounded　men；　and　enabled　my　wife's　feet　to　recover
sufficiently　to　continue　the　march　on　the　23rd　June。

I　had　arranged　that　the　drums　and　bugles　should　sound　the　morning　call
at　5　A。M。　daily；　as　though　in　a　permanent　camp。　This　was　to　assist　me　in
a　plan　for　avoiding　ambuscades　on　the　day　of　marching　from　Kisoona。

On　the　22nd　I　gave　orders　that　every　man　should　be　ready　to　march
punctually　at　5　A。M。；　the　instant　that　the　morning　call　should　have
sounded。

The　natives；　hearing　the　call　to　which　they　had　been　daily　accustomed；
would　have　no　suspicion　of　our　intended　departure；　therefore　they　would
not　have　sufficient　time　to　organize　and　man　their　ambuscades。

On　the　morning　of　the　23rd　June　we　silently　evacuated　the　camp　in　the
semi…darkness；　the　instant　that　the　drums　and　bugles　had　ceased；　and
thus　obtained　an　excellent　start　that　saved　us　much　trouble。　The　attacks
later　in　the　day　were　feebler　than　usual；　and　after　a　march　of　fourteen
miles　we　arrived　at　a　well　of　water　at　2。5　P。M。；　at　which　spot　we　halted
for　the　night。　During　this　march　we　had　only　one　man　wounded。

We　were　now　within　Rionga's　country；　but　I　nevertheless　made　a　defence
of　thorns　and　branches　of　trees　for　the　night。

On　24th　June　we　started　at　6。5　A。M。；　and　after　a　march　of　seven　miles；
during　which　we　were　undisturbed；　we　arrived　at　the　old　camp　of
Suleiman's　company　at　Foweera　on　the　Victoria　Nile；　where　we　had
expected　to　find　shelter　and　good　houses。

Everything　had　been　destroyed　by　fire！　　Nothing　remained　but　blackened
ashes。




CHAPTER　XXIII

BUILD　A　STOCKADE　AT　FOWEERA。

MY　losses　from　the　8th　June　to　the　24th　had　been　ten　killed　and　eleven
wounded。　Every　officer　and　soldier　had　thoroughly　done　his　duty；　having
displayed　admirable　coolness　and　courage　upon　many　trying　occasions。
None　but　black　troops　could　have　endured　the　march　of　about　eighty　miles
with　heavy　weights　upon　their　heads；　in　addition　to　their　usual
accoutrements。

I　at　once　set　to　work　to　build　a　new　station；　and　with　the　old　wood　that
had　formed　the　fence　of　Suleiman's　zareeba；　I　commenced　a　defensive
arrangement。

There　was　very　little　heavy　timber　that　was　adapted　for　a　stockade。　　I
therefore　formed　a　protection　by　sinking　deep　in　the　ground；　at
intervals　of　three　feet；　two　strong　posts　about　seven　feet　above　the
surface。　These　upright　timbers；　standing　opposite　to　each　other　at　a
distance　of　about　ten　inches；　were　filled　with　long　poles　laid　one　over
the　other　horizontally。　At　two　corners　of　the　square　fort　were　flanking
works　of　the　same　construction；　which　would　sweep　each　face　of　the
defence。

In　a　few　days　my　men　had　completed　a　strong　and　neat　stockade　around　a
number　of　small　temporary　huts　which　formed　our　new　station。

Having　thus　housed　my　troops；　it　was　necessary　to　prepare　for　the
future。　I　fully　expected　that　Major　Abdullah　had　fallen　into　the　snare
prepared　for　him　by　Kabba　Rega：　thus　I　should　have　no　other　force　to
rely　upon；　except　the　few　men　that　now　formed　my　small　but　tough　little
party。　If　so　terrible　a　calamity　should　have　occurred　as　the　destruction
of　Abdullah's　detachment；　I　should　not　only　have　lost　my　men；　but　I
should　become　short　of　ammunition；　as　my　stores　and　arms　would　have
fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　This　doubt　caused　me　much　grave
anxiety。

It　was　strange　that　we　had　not　received　some　communication　from　Rionga；
whose　island　was　only　fifteen　or　sixteen　miles　above　stream　from
Foweera。　Our　side　of　the　river　appeared　to　be　quite　uninhabited；　and
simply　consisted　of　the　interminable　groves　of　bananas；　that　had
belonged　to　the　inhabitants　at　a　time　when　the　district　had　been　thickly
populated。

The　Victoria　Nile；　opposite　the　Foweera　station；　was　about　500　yards
wide。　At　this　season　the　river　was　full。　The　huts　that　we　had　erected　on
the　north　side；　upon　our　arrival　from　Fatiko；　had　been　destroyed　by　the
natives。　This　did　not　look　as　though　much　friendship　existed。

Upon　hearing　our　drums　and　bugles　on　the　day　of　our　arrival　at　Foweera；
a　few　natives　had　come　to　the　high　rock　opposite；　and　had　commenced；
bawling　conversation；　and　that　was　only　slightly　understood　by　one　of
our　women　and　Molodi　the　Madi。

Molodi　knew　Rionga；　as　he　had　visited　him　at　a　former　time；　together
with　a　party　of　Abou　Saood's　people。　His　very　slight　knowledge　of　the
language　was　sufficient　to　explain　to　the　natives　across　the　river　that
I　wished　to　communicate　with　Rionga。

The　people　on　the　north　happened　to　belong　to　Kabba　Rega；　and　they　were
enemies　of　Rionga；　thus　we　were　addressing　the　wrong　parties。

It　was　highly　necessary　to　make　some　arrangements　for　crossing　the
river。　There　are　no　canoes　on　this　side；　and　it　would　be　dangerous　to
trust　to　rafts；　as　there　were　waterfalls　about　three　or　four　hundred
yards　below　upon　our　left。　I　determined　to　construct　boats。

We　felled　three　large　dolape　palms　（Borassus　ethriopicus）；　which　were
the　only　trees　of　that　species　in　this　neighbourhood。　These　palms　are
well　adapted　for　canoes；　as　the　bark；　or　rather　the　outside　wood；　is
intensely　hard　for　about　an　inch　and　a　half；　beneath　which　the　tree　is
simply　a　pithy；　stringy　substance；　that　can　be　rapidly　scooped　out。

Two　of　the　logs；　when　shaped；　were　each　twenty…six　feet　in　length；　the
third　was　smaller。

Throughout　the　march　from　Masindi　we　had　managed　to　carry　an　adze；　a
hammer；　and　a　cold　chisel。　The　adze　now　came　into　play；　together　with
the　Bandy　little　axes　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃。

Among　my　troops　was　a　Baggara　Arab；　who　was　a　〃canoe…builder〃。　This　was
one　of　the　best　men　of　〃The　Forty〃；　and　it　was　now　for　the　first　time
that　I　heard　of　his　abilities　as　a　boat…builder。　This　man；　Said　Bagara；
has　since　accompanied　Colonel　Long　with　great　fidelity　to　the　court　of
King　M'Tese。

The　men　took　an　immense　interest　in　the　work；　but　as　too　many　volunteers
might　interfere　with　the　principal　shipwright；　I　sent　them　all　into　the
forest　to　collect　plantains。　I　gave　orders　that　every　man　should　prepare
14　lbs　of　plantain　flour　for　the　journey；　in　case　it　should　be　necessary
to　march　to　Fatiko。

The　canoes　progressed；　and　a　slice　of　about　a　foot　wide　having　been
taken　off　horizontally　from　stem　to　stern；　the　soft　inside　was　scooped
out　with　an　adze；　and　with　lance…heads　bent　to　form　a　half　circle。

In　a　few　days　the　logs　were　neatly　hollowed；　and　were　then　carried　down
and　launched　upon　the　river。　The　long；　narrow　canoes　would　have　been
very　dangerous　without　outriggers；　therefore　I　determined　to　adopt　the
plan　that　I　had　seen　in　Ceylon；　and　as　Lieutenant　Baker　well　represented
the　omniscience　of　naval　men　in　everything　that　concerns　boats；　nautical
stratagems；　incomprehensible　forms　of　knots；　rigging；　&e。；　&e。；　I　left
all　the　details　of　the　canoes　to　his　charge。　In　a　short　time　we
possessed　three　admirable　vessels　that　it　was　quite　impossible　to　upset。
I　now　required　a　few　rafts　for　the　transport　of　baggage；　as　it　would　be
awkward　to　cross　the　river　by　small　sections　should　an　enemy　oppose　our
landing　on　the　precipitous　bank　on　the　opposite　shore。　I　therefore
arranged　that　we　should　cross　in　two　journeys。　The　party　now　consisted
of　97　soldiers　including　officers；　5　natives；　3　sailors；　51　women；　boys；
and　servants；　and　3　Europeans；　total；　158　persons。

There　was　no　ambatch　wood；　but　I　thou