ismailia-第113节

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We　had　neither　eaten　nor　drunk　since　the　preceding　evening；　with　the
exception　of　some　water　that　we　had　procured　from　a　stream　at　the
extreme　limit　of　the　pursuit；　where　we　had　lost　the　enemy；　who　had
scattered　in　the　forest。

With　her　usual　forethought；　my　wife　had　ordered　the　cook　to　have
breakfast　ready；　and　having　washed　hands　and　faces；　we　sat　down　to　a
good　curry　of　mutton；　and　excellent　cafe…au…lait；　the　milk　having　been
obtained　from　the　captured　cows。

We　had　worked　fairly　that　morning；　having　marched　ten　miles　from　Sharga；
then　fought　the　rebels　and　run　four　miles　in　pursuit；　and　four　miles　on
our　return；　through　an　exceedingly　rough　country。

My　old　friends；　Gimoro　and　Shooli；　were　delighted　to　see　us　again。　　The
native　sheiks　thronged　round　the　entrance　of　our　hut　to　congratulate　us
on　the　defeat　of　the　rebels；　and　messengers　had　been　already　sent　off　to
Rot　Jarma　and　all　the　principal　headmen　of　the　country。

Wat…el…Mek　was　safe。　　I　knew　that　most　of　the　principal　officers　were
either　killed　or　wounded；　but　I　was　anxious　to　be　assured　of　the　fate　of
the　arch…ruffian；　Ali　Hussein。

〃Where　is　Ali　Hussein？〃　I　asked　the　natives。

〃DEAD！〃　cried　a　number　of　voices。

〃Are　you　certain？〃　I　asked。

〃We　will　bring　you　his　head；　for　he　is　not　far　off；〃　they　replied；　and
several　men　started　immediately。

We　were　very　hungry；　and　as　curry　is　quickly　eaten；　we　were　not　long　at
breakfast；　this　was　hardly　concluded　when　some　natives　rushed　to　the
open　door；　and　throwing　something　heavy　on　the　floor　of　the　hut；　I　saw
at　my　feet　the　bloody　head　of　Ali　Hussein！

There　was　no　mistake　in　the　person。　　The　villainous　expression　was　as
strongly　marked　upon　the　features　in　death　as　it　had　been　in　life。

The　natives　had　appropriated　his　clothes；　which　they　described　as　〃a
long　white　robe　and　black　trousers。〃　Ali　Hussein　had　been　struck　by　two
bullets；　one　had　broken　his　arm；　and　the　other　had　passed　through　his
thigh。　He　was　alive　when　the　natives　discovered　him；　but　as　he　had　been
the　scourge　of　the　country；　he；　of　course；　received　no　mercy　from　them。



CHAPTER　XXIV。

NO　MEDICAL　MEN。

The　death　of　the　unfortunate　Dr。　Gedge；　my　chief　medical　officer　at
Tewfikeeyah；　added　to　the　retirement　of　one　of　the　Egyptian　surgeons
from　Gondokoro；　had　left　me　with　so　weak　a　medical　staff　that　I　had　been
unable　to　take　a　doctor　from　head…quarters。　I　therefore　was　compelled　to
perform　all　necessary　operations　myself；　and　to　attend　personally　upon
the　wounded　men。　In　the　late　encounter；　although　I　had　not　actually　lost
a　soldier；　seven　were　badly　wounded。　One　had　a　broken　thigh；　and　the
bullet　remained　in　the　leg。　Two　had　smashed　ankle…joints；　in　one　of
which　the　ball　remained　fixed　among　the　bones。　Some　of　the　prisoners
were　also　wounded　and　one　shortly　died。

Wat…el…Mek's　hand　was　much　lacerated；　in　addition　to　the　loss　of　the
middle　finger。

I　dressed　all　the　wounds　with　a　weak　solution　of　carbolic　acid。　After
some　trouble；　I　extracted　the　bullet　from　the　broken　thigh；　and　set　the
bone。　（This　man　was　one　of　〃The　Forty〃；　and　about　two　months　after　the
wound　he　was　again　on　duty；　and　only　slightly　lame。）

Wat…el…Mek　had　two　excellent　English　double…barrelled　guns。　That
destroyed　by　the　〃Dutchman〃　was　a　gun　by　Blissett　of　London；　which　had
been　given　to　him　by　Captain　Speke　when　he　parted　at　Gondokoro：　the
other　was　my　own　old　gun；　that　I　had　given　to　Ibrahim　when　I　travelled
with　him　during　my　first　journey　in　Africa。

On　the　3rd　August　I　took　evidence　against　Abou　Saood。　Mohammed
Wat…el…Mek；　and　a　prisoner　named　Besheer；　who　was　an　officer　in　the　same
company；　both　swore　upon　the　Koran；　that　in　firing　at　me　〃they　had　only
obeyed　the　orders　of　Abou　Saood；　who　had　instructed　them　to　attack　me
and　the　government　troops　should　I　attempt　to　interfere　with　their
proceedings。〃

Wat…el…Mek　declared　upon　oath　that　he　had　always　wished　to　serve　me；　but
he　had　been　prevented　by　Abou　Saood　and　others；　and　he　had　now　been
rightly　punished。　This；　he　said；　was　〃God's　hand。〃　He　had　been　in
countless　fights　with　natives　during　many　years；　and　he　was　possessed　of
powerful　charms　and　spells；　including　numerous　verses　from　the　Koran
suspended　from　his　arms：　these　had　always　protected　him　until　the　day
when　he　had　raised　his　hand　against　the　government。　His　charms　had　at
once　failed　him；　and　he　had　lost　both　his　finger　and　the　gun　with　which
he　had　fired　at　me。

My　officers　and　soldiers　really　believed　that　I　had　purposely　cut　his
finger　off；　and　smashed　his　gun　by　a　rifle　shot；　to　prove　to　him　what　I
could　accomplish　with　a　rifle；　and　thus　to　warn　a　man　who　would　be
useful　to　me；　instead　of　killing　him。

Wat…el…Mek　now　offered　to　swear　upon　the　Koran　fidelity　and　allegiance
if　I　would　pardon　him；　and　he　would　at　once　prove　his　sincerity　by
raising　an　irregular　corps。

This　man　was　a　curious　character；　his　superstitious　nature　had　been
seized　with　the　conviction　that　his　present　position　was　a　special
visitation　of　divine　wrath。　He　was　a　courageous　fellow；　and　he　knew　the
country　and　the　natives　better　than　any　man　living。　I　had　always　wished
to　engage　his　services；　and　I　considered　this　an　excellent　opportunity。

The　officers　now　begged　me　to　forgive　him。　He　was　led　away　to　a　stream
of　clear　water；　where　he　went　through　the　process　of　washing　with　a　cake
of　soap；　which　was　sorely　needed。　He　was　then　dressed　in　clean　clothes
that　were　lent　to　him　for　that　purpose；　and　the　Koran　was　brought　and
laid　open　at　a　particular　passage。

Placing　his　wounded　hand　upon　the　page；　he　repeated　with　great　devotion
the　formal　oath。　（Wat…el…Mek　always　behaved　well　from　that　time。）

I　now　gave　him　a　few　words　of　good　advice；　encouraging　his　preconceived
idea　that　God　had　chastised　him　specially；　and　that　the　future　would
depend　upon　his　own　conduct。

Having　thus　secured　this　valuable　man；　whom　I　had　always　wished　to
engage　at　the　commencement　of　the　expedition；　there　was　much　to　be　done；
and　it　will　be　necessary　to　make　a　few　extracts　from　my　journal　that
will　better　explain　the　position：

〃August　5；　1872。I　ought　to　hang　Abou　Saood；　but　much　diplomacy　is
necessary。　The　rebels　in　their　three　stations；　Fabbo；　Faloro；　and
Farragenia　number　about　600；　exclusive　of　armed　Baris。

〃I　have　with　me　146　men；　including　officers。　Should　I　raise　the　whole
country；　the　difficulty　would　be　to　prevent　the　natives　from
exterminating　Abou　Saood　and　the　whole　of　his　forces。　Should　such　an
event　occur；　how　should　I　be　able　to　occupy　this　extensive　country　with
so　small　a　force？　I　have　lately　had　a　painful　lesson　in　the　treachery　of
Kabba　Rega；　who；　when　I　had　relieved　him　of　his　enemies；　the
slave…traders；　immediately　turned　against　ME。　These　natives　might
probably　do　the　same。　Negroes　respect　nothing　but　force；　and　the　force
that　now　exists；　if　removed；　will　leave　them　free　to　act　against　the
government。　Already　they　have　benefited　by　the　fight　with　the
slave…hunters；　by　running　off　with　the　arms　and　ammunition；　together
with　a　number　of　cattle；　while　our　troops　were　engaged　with　the　enemy。〃

I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　would　be　unwise　to　get　rid　of　the
slave…hunters　by　physical　force。　Although　I　felt　that　they　were　entirely
in　my　power；　as　I　could　bombard　their　stations　with　Hale's　rockets；　if
they　should　refuse　to　turn　out；　the　natives　would；　in　the　event　of　a
flight；　most　assuredly　possess　themselves　of　the　guns　and　ammunition。

With　146　men；　I　could　not　take　more　than　eighty　men　to　act　against　600；
as　the　small　force　of　sixty…six　would　be　the　minimum　that　I　could　leave
to　protect　the　Fatiko　station。　If　with　eighty　men；　together　with　a　wild
army　of　natives；　I　should　attack　Fabbo　（in　which　I　had　heard　that　Abou
Saood　was　concentrating　his　people　from　the　other　stations）；　every　one
of　the　slave…traders　would　be　massacred。　It　would　be　impossible　for
eighty　men　to　fight；　and　to　secure　at　the　same　time　the　600　stand　of
arms　that　would　be　in　the　hands　of　the　rebels。　These；　together　with　the
muskets　belonging　to　the　Baris；　would　all　fall　into　the　possession　of　my
native　allies；　who　would　immediately　scatter　and　disappear　with　their
prize。

Should　I　attack　Fabbo；　the　result　would　simply　arm　the　natives　with　800
or　900　stand　of　muskets；　together　with　a　large　amount　of　ammunition；
which　they　might　probably　use　against　me　at　some　future　time。

I　resolved　to　work　diplomatically；　and　to　keep　the　slave…hunters'　party
as　a　rod　above　the　backs　of　the　natives；　until　I　should　discover　their
real　character。

It　had　been　necessary　to　establish　a　corn　tax　＇*＇　for　the　support　of　the
troops。　Possibly　the　natives；　if　entirely　relieved　from　their
oppressors；　might　refuse　to　acknowledge　government　taxation！　At　all
events　I　determined　to　proceed　cautiously。

＇*Footnote：　The　corn　tax　was　thus　established。　Each　house　was　taxed　to
pay　a　small　basket　of　corn　every　full　moon。　All　old　and　infirm　people
and　also　strangers　were　exempted　from　taxation。　The　headman　of　each
village　was　responsible　for　the　tax；　and　he　delivered　a　bundle　of　small
pieces　of　reed；　the　size　of　drawing　pencils　which　represented　the　number
of　houses　belonging　to　able…bodied　men。　This　tax　was　al