ismailia-第112节

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A　hut　having　been　swept　out；　I　entered　to　change　my　dress；　as　I　wished
to　inspect　the　troops。　I　never　wore　a　uniform　in　this　country；　except
upon　state　occasions；　but　a　simple　Norfolk　shirt　of　thick　white　cotton；
and　trousers　of　the　same　material。　This；　with　an　Egyptian　silk　coffeeah
arranged　over　my　own　old　helmet　hat　was　sufficient　for　Central　Africa。

I　ordered　Major　Abdullah　to　form　the　troops　in　line；　as　I　wished　to
inspect　them。

At　the　sound　of　the　bugle；　they　formed　two　deep　on　the　beautiful　turf
outside　the　slight　fence　which　surrounded　the　camp。　My　horse；　having
been　rubbed　down　and　quickly　saddled；　was　led　through　the　narrow　wicket；
having　mounted；　I　rode　down　the　line　and　made　a　short　inspection　of　the
troops；　who　appeared　to　be　in　excellent　health。

I　was　just　returning　to　the　camp；　and　was　about　to　dismount；　as　I　could
not　ride　through　the　extremely　narrow　wicket；　when　I　was　begged　by　Major
Abdullah　to　wait　a　little　longer；　as　the　people　of　Wat…el…Mek　were　now
approaching　with　their　numerous　flags；　to　salute　me　according　to　the
usual　custom。

Seven　large　silk　crimson　flags　upon　tall　staffs　headed　with　lance
points；　and　ornamented　with　balls　of　black　ostrich　feathers；　marked　the
intervals　of　the　advancing　line　of　ruffians。

They　were　about　270　strong；　and；　they　formed　a　line　in　very　open　order；
exactly　facing　the　government　troops；　at　about　forty　yards'　distance。
Two　principal　officers；　Wat…el…Mek　and　the　celebrated　Ali　Hussein；　were
exceedingly　busy　running　up　and　down　the　line；　and　forming　their　men；　so
as　to　make　the　greatest　display　of　force。　Wat…el…Mek　was　dressed　in
bright　yellow　with　loose　flowing　trousers。　Ali　Hussein　was　in　a
snow…white　long　robe　with　black　trousers。　The　officers　were
distinguished　by　clean　clothes；　but　the　men　were　clad　in　various
costumes；　generally　formed　of　tanned　leather。

By　way　of　complimenting　me；　they　had　brought　out　two　LARGE　CASES　OF
AMMUNITIONeach　a　load　for　a　native！

These　boxes　were　placed　with　a　guard　beneath　a　tree。　　My　wife；　who　had
as　usual　come　to　watch　the　proceedings；　now　begged　me　to　dismount；　as
she　had　noticed　the　cases　of　cartridges；　and　she　feared　I　might　be
treacherously　shot。

Of　course　I　remained　on　horseback　until　the　company　had　completed　their
arrangements。　They　now　stood　in　position　with　their　officers　in　their
respective　places；　but　no　one　moved　forward。

I　could　not　believe　that　they　would　have　the　audacity　to　attack　the
government　troops；　but　having　waited　for　some　time　face　to　face；　without
the　slightest　〃salaam〃　having　been　made　by　the　officers　of　Abou　Saood；　I
ordered　Major　Abdullah　to　retire　to　the　camp　with　his　troops；　and　to
disperse。

I　then　requested　him　to　send　for　Wat…el…Mek；　as　I　wished　to　speak　with
him　immediately。

With　much　patience；　I　waited　within　the　station　for　about　half　an　hour；
during　which　time；　five　different　officers　had　gone　to　call　Wat…el…Mek；
and　each　had　returned　with　a　message　that　〃he　would　come　presently。〃

At　length；　two　of　his　people；　who　had　in　my　absence　insulted　and
threatened　to　attack　Major　Abdullah；　arrived　in　the　camp　with　a　message
〃that　both　the　vakeels　WERE　SICK。〃　I　ordered　these　men　to　be　detained。

I　could　no　longer　stand　this　insolence；　as　I　at　once　understood　that
they　refused　to　appear。　Accordingly；　I　instructed　Major　Abdullah　to　go
himself　with　a　few　soldiers；　and　should　Wat…el…Mek　refuse　to　obey　my
order　to　accompany　him；　he　should　put　him　under　arrest。

The　bugle　summoned　the　men　who　had　dispersed；　and　they　immediately
formed　two　deep　in　a　small　open　space　within　the　camp；　to　receive
instructions。　At　this　time；　Lieutenant　Baker　volunteered　to　go　and　speak
to　Wal…el…Mek；　who　would　（he　thought）　be　more　likely　to　listen　to　him
than　to　Major　Abdullah；　who　had　so　frequently　been　insulted　by　the
slave…hunters　during　my　absence。

I　agreed　that　it　would　be　advisable；　at　the　same　time　he　must　be
accompanied　by　some　troops。　I　therefore　began　to　address　the　men　who
were　standing　before　me；　and　I　instructed　them　to　obey　Lieutenant　Baker
implicitly；　and　upon　no　account　to

My　instructions　were　interrupted　by　a　volley　of　musketry　concentrated
upon　the　mass　of　scarlet　uniforms！

Without　the　slightest　provocation　we　were　thus　treacherously　attacked；
and　heavy　file…firing　continued　upon　the　station。　The　bullets　were
whistling　through　the　straw　huts；　and　seven　of　my　men；　including　Molodi；
were　struck　within　a　few　seconds。

My　wife；　who　was　always　ready　in　any　emergency；　rushed　out　of　her　hut
with　my　rifle　and　belt。

The　soldiers　had　already　commenced　firing　by　the　time　that　I　was　armed
and　had　reached　the　front；　by　the　edge　of　the　light　fence　of　wattles。

I　now　observed　the　enemy　about　ninety　yards　distant；　many　of　them　were
kneeling　on　the　ground　and　firing；　but　immediately　after　taking　a　shot；
they　retired　behind　the　huts　to　reload。　In　this　manner　they　were　keeping
up　a　hot　fire。

I　perceived　a　man　in　white　upper　garments；　but　with　black　trousers：　this
fellow　knelt　and　fired。　I　immediately　took　a　shot　at　him　with　the
〃Dutchman。〃

We　should　have　lost　many　men　if　this　hiding　behind　huts　and　popping　from
cover　had　been　allowed　to　continue。　I　therefore　called　my　〃Forty
Thieves〃　together；　and　ordered　the　bugler　to　sound　the　charge　with　the
bayonet。

Pushing　through　the　narrow　wicket　gateway；　I　formed　some　thirty　or　forty
men　in　line　and　led　them　at　full　speed　with　fixed　bayonets　against　the
enemy。

Although　the　slave…hunters　had　primed　themselves　well　with　araki　and
merissa　before　they　had　screwed　up　courage　to　attack　the　troops；　they
were　not　quite　up　to　standing　before　a　bayonet　charge。　The　〃Forty
Thieves〃　were　awkward　customers；　and　in　a　quarter　of　a　minute　they　were
amongst　them。

The　enemy　were　regularly　crumpled　up！　and　had　they　not　taken　to　flight；
they　would　have　been　bayoneted　to　a　man。

I　now　saw　Wat…el…Mek　in　his　unmistakable　yellow　suit；　he　was　marching
alone　across　a　road　about　180　yards　distant。

He　was　crossing　to　my　right；　and　I　imagined；　as　he　was　alone；　that　he
intended　to　screen　himself　behind　the　houses；　and　then　surrender。

To　my　surprise；　I　observed　that　when　he　recognized　me；　he　at　once　raised
his　gun　and　took　a　steady　aim。

I　was　at　that　moment　reloading；　but　I　was　ready　the　instant　that　he　had
fired　and　missed　me。

He　now　walked　towards　a　hut　across　to　my　right。　　I　allowed　about　half　a
foot　before　him　for　his　pace；　and　the　〃Dutchman〃　had　a　word　to　say。

The　bullet　struck　his　right　hand；　taking　the　middle　finger　off　at　the
root；　and　then　striking　the　gun　in　the　middle　of　the　lock　plate；　it　cut
it　completely　in　halves　as　though　it　had　been　divided　by　a　blow　with　an
axe。　He　was　almost　immediately　taken　prisoner。　One　of　〃The　Forty〃
（Seroor）　was　so　enraged　that　he　was　with　difficulty　prevented　from
finishing　Wat…el…Mek　with　a　bayonet　thrust。

I　now　ordered　a　general　advance　at　the　double；　and　the　troops　spread　out
through　the　extensive　town　of　huts；　which　occupied　about　thirty　acres。

As　we　ran　through　the　town；　I　observed　about　150　of　the　enemy　had
rallied　around　their　flags；　and　were　retreating　quickly；　but　steadily；
in　the　direction　of　the　Shooa　hill。　They　continued　to　turn　and　fire　from
the　rear　of　their　party。

Having　reduced　the　distance　to　about　150　yards；　the　crimson　silk　banners
afforded　excellent　marks　for　rifle　practice。　They　fell　to　the　right　and
left；　as　the　shots　were　directed　a　little　low　so　as　to　hit　the　bearers。
In　a　few　minutes　not　a　flag　was　to　be　seen！　The　fatal　sniders　poured
bullets　into　the　dense　body　of　men；　who；　after　waving　two　and　fro　as　the
shots　thinned　their　number；　at　length　ran　off　without　any　further　effort
to　maintain　a　formation。

For　upwards　of　four　miles　Lieutenant　Baker　and　I　chased　these　ruffians
with　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃。　Many　were　killed　in　the　pursuit；　and　upon　our
return　to　the　camp　at　Fatiko　at　2　P。M。；　we　had　captured　a　herd　of　306
cattle；　130　slaves；　15　donkeys；　43　prisoners；　7　flags；　together　with　the
entire　station。

The　enemy　had　suffered　the　loss　of　more　than　half　their　party　killed。

The　actual　fighting　had　been　done　by　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　and　the　men　of
Abdullah's　detachment　had　behaved　disgracefully。　Instead　of　following
the　enemy　in　the　retreat；　they　had　fraternized　with　a　crowd　of　natives
in　pillaging　the　extensive　station。

I　now　had　to　clear　all　these　fellows　out。　　The　officers　appeared　to　have
quite　lost　their　heads；　and　the　natives　had　carried　off　all　the　guns　and
ammunition　from　the　dead　men；　and　had　sacked　and　plundered　the　powder
magazine。

My　wife　had　placed　sentries　on　the　high　rocks　which　commanded　a　view　of
the　entire　country；　she　also　had　the　cattle　driven　within　the　fence；　and
had　secured　the　prisoners；　including　Wat…el…Mek；　in　two　large　huts；　over
which　she　had　placed　a　guard。　The　officers　bad　been　so　completely
bewildered　by　the　suddenness　of　the　affair；　that　their　wits　had　been
exercised　in　an　extraordinary　direction。　They　had　commenced　firing
Hale's　rockets　while　we　were　in　advance　pursuing　the　enemy；　and　a　couple
of　these　screeching　projectiles　had　actually　passed　over　my　head。

We　had　neither　eaten　nor　drunk　since　the　preceding　evening；　with　the
exception