ismailia-第120节

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As　usual；　I　was　concealed　by　a　large　ant…hill；　behind　which；　my　two　boys
Saat　and　Bellaal　squatted　with　my　spare　guns。　About　100　yards　before　me；
in　a　slight　hollow；　the　grass　was　quite　green；　as　the　depression　had
until　lately　held　water。　This　rank　herbage　would　of　course　stop　the　fire
upon　its　arrival　from　the　sloping　hill…face。　About　forty　yards　from　me
the　grass　was　high　and　dry。

About　half　an　hour　after　the　guns　were　posted　we　heard　the　whistles；　and
shortly　after；　the　smoke　rose　in　various　places　until　at　last　a　crescent
of　fire　spread　over　the　hill。　The　wind　was　very　light；　therefore　the
fire　travelled　slowly；　and　the　game　advanced　at　an　easy　pace。　I　now
heard　shots　upon　my　left　at　the　extreme　flank；　where　I　had　posted　a　few
of　the　best　shots　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　including　Ferritch　Ajoke。

I　saw　the　game　breaking　covert　in　herds　of　several　hundreds　in　that
direction。　Presently　Abd…el…Kader　had　a　shot　upon　my　right；　and　I
observed　several　antelopes　bounding　along　upon　the　clear　space　in　our
rear。

I　was　not　in　luck；　but　I　now　saw　a　splendid　buck　leucotis　walking
quietly　through　the　grass；　and　slowly　descending　the　slope　to　the　green
hollow；　which　would　bring　him　straight　towards　me　should　he　keep　this
direction。

Just　at　that　moment　I　saw　a　long　yellow　tail　rise　suddenly　from　the
green　hollow；　and　an　instant　later　I　saw　a　fine　lion；　with　tail　erect；
that　had　evidently　been　disturbed　by　the　advancing　fire。

The　lion　was　down　wind　of　the　buck　leucotis；　which　was　now　close　to　the
unseen　enemy；　and　was　just　descending　the　bank　which　dipped　into　the
green　hollow：　this　would　bring　the　antelope　almost　upon　the　lion's　back。
The　two　animals　suddenly　appeared　to　touch　each　other　as　the　leucotis
jumped　down　the　bank；　and　the　lion　sprang　to　one　side；　apparently　as
much　startled　as　the　antelope；　which　bounded　off　in　another　direction；。
The　lion　now　disappeared　in　the　high　grass；　with　the　head　towards　my
position。

I　whispered　to　my　boys　not　to　be　afraid　should　it　appear　close　to　us；
and　at　the　same　time　I　took　the　spare　gun　from；　Bellal；　and　laid　it
against　the　ant…hill　to　be　in　readiness。　This　was　a　breechloader；　with
buckshot　cartridges　for　small　antelopes。

In　a　few　minutes　I　heard　a　distinct　rustling　in　the　high　grass　before
me。　The　two　boys　were　squatting　on　the　ground　to　my　right。

Presently　a　louder　rustling　in　the　grass；　within　forty　yards　in　my
front；　was　followed　by　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　large　lioness；　who
apparently　saw　the　two　boys；　and　with　her　brilliant　eyes　fixed；　she
advanced　slowly　towards　them。

Not　wishing　to　allow　a　closer　acquaintance；　I　aimed　at　her　chest；　and
fired　the　〃Dutchman。〃

The　lioness　rolled　completely　over；　backwards；　and　three　times　she
turned　convulsive　somersaults；　at　the　same　time　roaring　tremendously；
but　to　my　astonishment　she　appeared　to　recover；　and　I　immediately　fired
my　left…hand　barrel。　At　this　she　charged　in　high　bounds　straight　towards
my　two　boys。

I　had　just　time　to　snatch　up　my　spare　gun　and　show　myself　from　behind
the　ant…hill；　when　the　lioness；　startled　by　my　sudden　appearance；
turned；　and　I　fired　a　charge　of　buck…shot　into　her　hind…quarters　as　she
disappeared　in　the　high　grass　upon　my　right。

I　now　heard　her　groaning　in　a　succession　of　deep　guttural　sounds；　within
fifty　yards　of　me。

In　a　few　minutes　I　heard　a　shot　from　Abd…el…Kader；　and　he　shortly　came
to　tell　me　that　the　wounded　lioness；　with　her　chest　and　shoulder　covered
with　blood；　had　come　close　to　his　hiding…place；　he　had　fired；　and　had
broken　her　ankle　joint；　but　she　was　still　concealed　in　the　grass。

Shooli　and　Gimoro　now　came　up　with　some　of　the　natives；　as　they　had
heard　the　lioness　roar；　and　feared　some　accident　might　have　happened。

These　were　very　plucky　fellows；　and　they　at　once　proposed　to　go　close　up
and　spear　her　in　the　grass；　if　I　would　back　them　up　with　the　rifles。

We　arrived　at　the　supposed　spot；　and　after　a　search　we　distinguished　a
yellowish　mass　within　some　withered　reeds。

Shooli　now　proposed　that　he　should　throw　his　spear；　upon　which　the
lioness　would　certainly　charge　from　her　covert　and　afford　us　a　good
shot；　if　the　guns　were　properly　arranged。

I　would　not　allow　this；　but　I　determined　to　fire　a　shot　at　the　yellow
mass　to　bring　her　out；　if　every　one　would　be　ready　to　receive　her。

Lieutenant　Baker　was　on　my　right；　with　a　double…barrelled　express　rifle
that　carried　a　No。　70　bullet。　This　minute　projectile　was　of　little　use
against　the　charge　of　a　lion。

I　fired　into　the　mass　at　about　twenty　yards'　distance。

The　immediate　reply　was　a　determined　charge；　and　the　enraged　animal　came
bounding　towards　us　with　tremendous　roars。　The　natives　threw　their
spears　but　missed　her。　Mr。　Baker　fired；　but　neither　he　nor　a　left…hand
barrel　from　the　〃Dutchman〃　could　check　her。　Everybody　had　to　run；　and　I
luckily　snatched　a　breechloading　No。　12　smooth…bore　loaded　with　ball
from　a　panic…stricken　lad；　and　rolled　her　over　with　a　shot　in　the　chest
when　she　was　nearly　in　the　midst　of　us。

She　retreated　with　two　or　three　bounds　to　her　original　covert。

I　had　now　reloaded　the　〃Dutchman；〃　and　having　given　orders　that　every
one　should　keep　out　of　the　way；　and　be　ready；　I　went　close　up　to　the
grass　with　Shooli；　and　quickly　discovered　her。　She　was　sitting　up　like　a
dog；　but　was　looking　in　the　opposite　direction；　as　though　expecting　an
enemy　in　that　quarter。

I　was　within　twelve　yards　of　her；　and　I　immediately　put　a　bullet　in　the
back　of　her　neck；　which　dropped　her　dead。

In　her　inside　we　discovered　a　freshly…eaten　leucotis　calf；　which　had
been　simply　divided　by　her　teeth　in　lumps　of　about　two　pounds　each。　This
was　quite　fresh；　and　my　soldiers　and　the　natives　divided　it　among　them
as　a　bonne…bouche。　Nasty　fellows！

The　day's　sport　had　been：One　lioness　killed　by　myself；　one　leucotis
buck　by　Mr。　Baker；　one　leucotis　buck　by　Abd…el…Kader；　two　does　of　the
same　species　by　Ferritch　Ajoke；　and　the　natives　had　speared　three
calves。　Total；　one　lioness　and　seven　antelopes；　ALL　of　which　were　to　be
eaten。

We　reached　home　at　5。40　p。m。；　not　having　had　time　to　eat　anything　since
the　preceding　evening。　The　lioness　measured　nine　feet　six　inches　from
nose　to　tail　extremity。

As　this　work　is　simply　an　account　of　the　principal　events　connected　with
the　Khedive's　expedition；　I　cannot　afford　space　for　many　sporting
incidents。　Game　was　very　abundant；　and　we　generally　kept　the　station
well　supplied；　at　the　same　time　I　gave　large　quantities　of　flesh　to　the
natives。

I　sometimes　sent　a　party　of　my　〃Forty〃　to　hunt；　in　which　sport　they　took
a　great　interest；　and　the　practice　with　the　rifle　improved　their
shooting。

The　natives　throughout　the　country　were　perfectly　happy　and　contented；
but　the　women　had　been　somewhat　disturbed　by　the　accounts　they　had
received　of　our　encounter　with　the　lioness。　They　held　a　meeting　in
Gimoro's　village。

On　the　following　day　both　Gimoro　and　Shooli　arrived　at　my　public　divan
looking　rather　dejected。

They　informed　me　that　the　women；　having　held　a　meeting；　had　arrived　at
the　conclusion；　〃that　the　Pacha　must　not　be　allowed　to　go　out　hunting；
as　he　might　possibly　be　killed　by　a　lion　or　a　buffalo。〃　〃What　would
happen　to　us？〃　continued　the　women；　〃if　any　accident　should　befall　our
father？　Would　not　the　slave…hunters　immediately　return　to　the　country
and　destroy　us；　simply　because　he　had　protected　us？　Do　we　not　now　sleep
in　peace？　and　were　we　not　always　awake　at　night　before　he　came　among
us？〃

The　women　decided　that　I　was　to　be　kept　in　the　camp　as　a　cojoor　or
talisman；　and　that　the　natives　were　not　to　lead　me　into　danger　of　wild
animals。

This　declaration　of　the　ladies　of　Fatiko　could　hardly　be　called
PETTICOAT　government；　as　their　total　independence　of　attire　precluded
any　reference　to　such　a　garment；　but　it　was　a　distinct　assertion　of
women's　right　to　protect　the　person　who　had　protected　them。　They　were
excellent　people；　and　were　always　well　cared　for　and　kindly　treated　by
the　men。

My　fort　at　Fatiko　was　within　call　of　two　large　villagesthose　of　Gimoro
and　the　sheik　of　the　country：　during　my　sojourn　of　seven　months；　I　never
heard　a　woman　scream；　neither　was　there　any　domestic　or　civil
disturbance。

There　were　no　police　required　in　that　country；　there　was　no　pickpockets；
as　there　were　no　pockets　to　pickwhich　was　one　advantage　in　favour　of
nudity。　A　London　police　magistrate　would　have　died　of　ennui；　the
constables　could　not　even　have　sworn　to　a　case　of　intoxication；　merely
as　a　matter　of　form　to　afford　employment。　There　were　no　immoral　females
to　disgrace　the　public　streets；　neither　were　there　any　beggars；
vagrants；　organ…grinders；　or　perambulators　to　worry；　deafen；　or　upset
you。　My　country　was　a　picture　of　true　harmony。　We　had　no　complex
machinery　of　law；　there　was　no　such　difficulty　as　an　estate　in　Chancery；
no　Divorce　Court；　or　cases　of　crim。　con。　that　necessitated　an　appeal。
Adultery　would　be　settled　by　flogging　respondent　and　co…respondent；　with
a　judicial　separation　after　the　punishment。

I　had　no　ecclesiastical　difficulties；　no　High　Church；　Ritualists；　Low
Church；　Broad　Churchmen；　Philosophers；　Wesleyans；　Baptists；
Presbyterians；　Roman　Catholics；　Episc