ismailia-第13节

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Curiously　enough；　he　died　as　he　was　passing　the　spot　where　his　friend
was　buried；　and　we　had　to　bury　him　in　the　same　ant…hill。　The　Egyptian
troops　are　very　unhealthy。　When　they　first　joined　the　expedition；　they
were　an　exceedingly　powerful　body　of　men；　whose　PHYSIQUE　I　much　admired；
although　their　MORALE　was　of　the　worst　type。　I　think　that　every　man　has
lost　at　least　a　stone　in　weight　since　we　commenced　this　dreadful　voyage
in　chaos；　or　the　Slough　of　Despond。

〃The　boats　reached　the　small　lake；　and　continued　their　voyage　through
the　channel；　and　anchored　for　the　night　at　the　northern　extremity　of　the
five…mile　lake。　We　catch　delicious　fish　daily　with　the　casting…net；　the
best　are　the　Nile　perch；　that　runs　from　a　pound　to　four　or　five　pounds；
and　a　species　of　carp。　One　of　my　boatmen　is　a　professional　fisherman　who
understands　the　casting…net；　but　he　is　the　only　man　who　can　use　it。

〃April　7。The　channel　is　again　blocked　up；　all　hands　clearing　into　the
next　lake。　Another　soldier　diedmaking　a　total　of　nine；　with　two
sailors　and　a　boytotal　twelve。

〃April　8。Passed　into　lake　No。　2；　and　by　the　afternoon　reached　lake　No。
3；　where　we　found　our　old　channel　blocked　up。　I　set　men　to　work　to　open
the　passage；　but　there　is　no　chance　of　its　completion　until　about　noon
to…morrow。　Since　we　passed　this　lake　a　change　has　taken　place；　the
obstruction　through　which　we　cut　a　channel　has　entirely　broken　up。　Large
rafts　of　about　two　acres　each　have　drifted　asunder；　and　have　floated　to
the　end　of　the　lake。　It　is　thus　impossible　to　predict　what　the　future
may　effect。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　whole　of　this　country　was　at
some　former　period　a　lake；　which　has　gradually　filled　up　with
vegetation。　The　dry　land；　which　is　only　exposed　during　the　hot　season；
is　the　result　of　the　decay　of　vegetable　matter。　The　ashes　of　the　grass
that　is　annually　burnt；　by　degrees　form　a　soil。　We　are　even　now
witnessing　the　operation　that　has　formed；　and　is　still　increasing；　the
vast　tract　of　alluvial　soil　through　which　we　have　passed。　There　is　not　a
stone　nor　even　a　small　pebble　for　a　distance　of　two　hundred　miles；　the
country　is　simple　mud。

〃April　9。Passed　the　old　channel　at　11。45　a。m。；　after　much　labour；　and
we　found　the　long　five…mile　cutting　pretty　clear；　with　the　exception　of
two　or　three　small　obstructions。　At　5。30　p。m。　we　reached　the　Bahr
Giraffe；　from　which　extremely　narrow　channel　we　had　first　commenced　our
difficult　work　of　cutting　through　many　miles　of　country。

〃Who　could　believe　the　change？　Some　evil　spirit　appears　to　rule　in　this
horrible　region　of　everlasting　swamp。　A　wave　of　the　demon's　wand；　and　an
incredible　change　appears！　The　narrow　and　choked　Bahr　Giraffe　has
disappeared；　instead　of　which　a　river　of　a　hundred　yards'　width　of　clear
running　water　meets　us　at　the　junction　of　our　cutting。　As　far　as　the　eye
can　reach　to　the　E。S。E。；　there　is　a　succession　of　large　open　sheets　of
water　where　a　few　days　ago　we　saw　nothing　but　a　boundless　plain　of　marsh
grass；　without　one　drop　of　water　visible。　These　sheets　of　water　mark　the
course　of　a　river；　but　each　lake　is　separated　by　a　dam　of　floating
vegetation。　The　volume　of　water　is　very　important；　and　a　stream　is
running　at　the　rate　of　three　miles　an　hour。　Nevertheless；　although　in
open　water；　we　now　find　ourselves　prisoners　in　a　species　of　lake；　as　we
are　completely　shut　in　by　a　serious　dam　of　dense　rafts　of　vegetation
that　have　been　borne　forward　and　tightly　compressed　by　the　great　force
of　this　new　river。　It　is　simply　ridiculous　to　suppose　that　this　river
can　ever　be　rendered　navigable。　One　or　two　vessels；　if　alone；　would　be
utterly　helpless；　and　might　be　entirely　destroyed　with　their　crews　by　a
sudden　change　that　would　break　up　the　country　and　inclose　them　in　a　trap
from　which　they　could　never　escape。

〃We　passed　the　night　at　anchor。　Many　hippopotami　are　snorting　and
splashing　in　the　new　lakes。

〃April　10。After　a　hard　day's　labour；　a　portion　of　the　fleet　succeeded
in　cutting　through　the　most　serious　dam；　and　we　descended　our　old　river
to　the　dubba；　or　dry　mound；　where　we　had　first　discovered　vestiges　of
the　traders。　The　No。　10　steamer　arrived　in　the　evening。　The　river　is
wider　than　when　we　last　saw　it；　but　is　much　obstructed　by　small　islands；
formed　of　rafts　of　vegetation　that　have　grounded　in　their　descent。　I
fear　we　may　find　the　river　choked　in　many　places　below　stream。　No
dependence　can　ever　be　placed　upon　this　accursed　river。　The　fabulous
Styx　must　be　a　sweet　rippling　brook；　compared　to　this　horrible　creation。
A　violent　wind　acting　upon　the　high　waving　plain　of　sugar…cane　grass　may
suddenly　create　a　change；　sometimes　islands　are　detached　by　the　gambols
of　a　herd　of　hippopotami；　whose　rude　rambles　during　the　night；　break
narrow　lanes　through　the　floating　plains　of　water…grass；　and　separate
large　masses　from　the　main　body。

〃The　water　being　pent　up　by　enormous　dams　of　vegetation；　mixed　with　mud
and　half…decayed　matter；　forms　a　chain　of　lakes　at　slightly…varying
levels。　The　sudden　breaking　of　one　dam　would　thus　cause　an　impetuous
rush　of　stream　that　might　tear　away　miles　of　country；　and　entirely
change　the　equilibrium　of　the　floating　masses。

〃April　11。I　sent　a　sailing　vessel　ahead　to　examine　the　river；　with
orders　that　she　should　dip　her　ensign　in　case　she　met　with　an
obstruction。　Thank　God；　all　is　clear。　I　therefore　ordered　the　steamers
to　remount　their　paddles。

〃We　started　at　10　p。m。

〃April　12。At　11。30　p。m。　we　met　five　of　Ghatta's　＇*＇　boats　bound　for　
the　White　Nile。　These　people　declared　their　intention　of　returning；　
when　they　heard　the　deplorable　account　of　the　river。

＇*Footnote：　one　of　the　principal　Khartoum　ivory　and　slave…traders＇

〃At　2　a。m。　we　arrived　at　our　old　position；　close　to　our　former　wood
station　in　the　forest。

〃April　13。Started　at　11。30　a。m。　The　river　has　fallen　three　feet　since
we　were　here；　and　the　country　is　now　dry。　Mr。　Baker　and　I　therefore
walked　a　portion　of　the　way　upon　the　banks　as　the　diahbeeah　slowly
descended　the　stream。　There　were　great　numbers　of　wild　fowl；　also
hippopotami；　and　being　provided　with　both　shot　guns　and　heavy　rifles　we
made　a　very　curious　bag　during　the　afternoon；　that　in　England　or
Scotland　would　have　been　difficult　to　carry　home；　we　shot　and　secured
two　hippopotami；　one　crocodile；　twenty…two　geese；　and　twenty　ducks。

〃At　7　p。m。　we　arrived　at　the　station　of　Kutchuk　Ali。　I　sent　for　the
vakeel；　or　agent；　commanding　the　company；　to　whom　I　thoroughly　explained
the　system　and　suppression　of　the　slave　trade。　He　seemed　very
incredulous　that　it　would　actually　be　enforced；　but　I　recommended　him
not　to　make　the　experiment　of　sending　cargoes　of　slaves　down　to
Khartoum；　as　he　had　done　in　previous　years。　He　appeared　to　be　very
confident　that　because　his　employer；　Kutchuk　Ali；　had　been　promoted　to
the　rank　of　sandjak；　with　the　command　of　a　government　expedition；　no
inquiry　would　be　made　concerning　the　acts　of　his　people。　No　greater
proof　could　be　given　of　the　insincerity　of　the　Soudan　authorities　in
professing　to　suppress　the　slave　trade；　than　the　fact　that　Djiaffer
Pacha；　the　governor…general　of　the　Soudan；　had　given　the　command　of　an
expedition　to　this　same　Kutchuk　Ali；　who　was　known　as　one　of　the
principal　slave…traders　of　the　White　Nile。

〃April　14。One　of　my　black　soldiers　deserted；　but　was　captured。　We　also
caught　a　sailor　who　had　deserted　to　the　slave…hunters　during　our　passage
up　the　river；　but　as　we　returned　unexpectedly　he　was　discovered。　The
colonel；　Raouf　Bey；　reported　this　morning　that　several　officers　and
soldiers　had　actually　purchased　slaves　to…day　from　Kutchuk　Ali's
station；　thus；　the　Khedive's　troops；　who　are　employed　under　my　command
to　suppress　the　slave　trade；　would　quickly　convert　the　expedition　into　a
slave　market。　I　at　once　ordered　the　slaves　to　be　returned；　and　issued
stringent　instructions　to　the　officers。

〃I　saw　this　afternoon　a　number　of　newly…captured　slave　women　and　girls
fetching　water　under　the　guard　of　a　scoundrel　with　a　loaded　musket。　I
know　that　the　station　is　full　of　slaves；　but　there　is　much　diplomacy
necessary；　and　at　present　I　do　not　intend　to　visit　their　camp。

〃April　15。To　prevent　further　desertions；　it　was　necessary　to　offer　an
example　to　the　troops。　I　therefore　condemned　the　deserter　who　was
captured　yesterday　to　be　shot　at　noon。

〃At　the　bugle　call；　the　troops　mustered　on　parade　in　full　uniform。　The
prisoner　in　irons　was　brought　forward　and　marched　round　the　hollow
square；　accompanied　by　muffled　drums。

〃The　sentence　having　been　declared；　after　a　short　address　to　the　men；
the　prisoner　was　led　out；　and　the　firing　party　advanced。　He　was　a　fine
young　man　of　about　twenty　years　of　age；　a　native　of　Pongo；　who　had　been
taken　as　a　slave；　and　had　become　a　soldier　against　his　will。

〃There　was　much　allowance　for　desertion　under　the　circumstances；　and　I
was　moved　by　the　manly　way　in　which　he　prepared　for　death。　He　cast　his
eye　around；　but　he　found　neither　sympathy　nor　friends　in　the　hard
features　of　the　officers　and　men。　The　slave…trader's　people　had　turned
out　in　great　numbers；　dressed　in　their　best　clothes；　to　enjoy　the　fun　of
a　military　execution。　The　firing　party　was　ready；　the　prisoner　knelt