ismailia-第17节

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fleet　of　vessels。

This　introduced　us　to　the　White　Nile　rats；　which　volunteered　their
services　in　thousands；　and　quickly　took　possession　of　the　magazines　by
tunneling　beneath；　and　appearing　in　the　midst　of　a　rat's　paradise；　among
thousands　of　bushels　of　rice；　biscuits；　lentils；　&c。　The　destruction
caused　by　these　animals　was　frightful。　They　gnawed　holes　in　the　sacks；
and　the　contents　poured　upon　the　ground　like　sand　from　an　hour…glass；　to
be　immediately　attacked　and　destroyed　by　white　ants。　There　was　no　lime
in　the　country；　nor　stone　of　any　kind；　thus　it　was　absolutely　impossible
to　stop　the　ravages　of　white　ants　except　by　the　constant　labour　of
turning　over　the　vast　masses　of　boxes　and　stores；　to　cleanse　them　from
the　earthen　galleries　which　denote　their　presence。

I　had　European　vegetable　seeds　of　all　kinds；　and　having　cleared　and
grubbed　up　a　portion　of　forest；　we　quickly　established　gardens。　The
English　quarter　was　particularly　neat。　The　various　plots　were　separated
by　fences；　and　the　ground　was　under　cultivation　for　about　two　acres
extending　to　the　margin　of　the　river。　I　did　not　build　a　house　for
myself；　as　we　preferred　our　comfortable　diahbeeah；　which　was　moored
alongside　the　garden；　from　the　entrance　of　which；　a　walk　led　to　a　couple
of　large　shady　mimosas　that　formed　my　public　divan；　where　all　visitors
were　received。

In　a　short　time　we　had　above　ground　sweet　melons；　watermelons；　pumpkins；
cabbages；　tomatoes；　cauliflowers；　beet…root；　parsley；　lettuce；　celery；
&c。；　but　all　the　peas；　beans；　and　a　very　choice　selection　of　maize　that
I　had　received　from　England；　were　destroyed　during　the　voyage。　Against
my　express　orders；　the　box　had　been　hermetically　sealed；　and　the
vitality　of　the　larger　seeds　was　entirely　gone。　Seeds　should　be　simply
packed　in　brown　paper　bags　and　secured　in　a　basket。

The　neighbouring　country　was；　as　usual　in　the　White　Nile　districts；　flat
and　uninteresting。　Forest　and　bush　clothed　the　banks　of　the　river；　but
this　formed　a　mere　fringe　for　a　depth　of　about　half　a　mile；　beyond　which
all　was　open　prairie。

Although　there　was　a　considerable　extent　of　forest；　there　was　a　dearth
of　useful　timber　for　building　purposes。　The　only　large　trees　were　a
species　of　mimosa；　named　by　the　Arabs　〃kook。〃　We　were　very　short　of
small　rowing　boats；　those　belonging　to　the　steamers　were　large　and
clumsy；　and　I　wished　to　build　a　few　handy　dingies　that　would　be
extremely　useful　for　the　next　voyage　up　the　obstructions　of　the　Bahr
Giraffe。　I　therefore　instructed　the　English　shipwrights　to　take　the　job
in　hand；　and　during　a　ramble　through　the　forest　they　selected　several
trees。　These　were　quickly　felled；　and　the　sawyers　were　soon　at　work
cutting　planks；　keels；　and　all　the　necessary　wood　for　boat…building。　It
is　a　pleasure　to　see　English　mechanics　at　work　in　a　wild　country；　they
finish　a　job　while　an　Egyptian　workman　is　considering　how　to　do　it。　In　a
very　short　time　Mr。　Jarvis；　the　head　shipwright；　had　constructed　an
impromptu　workshop；　with　an　iron　roof；　within　the　forest；　several　sets
of　sawyers　were　at　work；　and　in　a　few　days　the　keel　of　a　new　boat　was
laid　down。

The　chief　mechanical　engineer；　Mr。　McWilliam；　was　engaged　in　setting　up
the　steam　saw…mills；　and　in　a　few　weeks　after　our　first　arrival　in　this
uninhabited　wilderness；　the　change　appeared　magical。　In　addition　to　the
long　rows　of　white　tents；　and　the　permanent　iron　magazines；　were
hundreds　of　neat　huts　arranged　in　exact　lines；　a　large　iron　workshop
containing　lathes；　drilling　machines；　and　small　vertical　saw　machine；
next　to　this　the　blacksmith's　bellows　roared；　and　the　constant　sound　of
the　hammer　and　anvil　betokened　a　new　life　in　the　silent　forests　of　the
White　Nile。　There　were　several　good　men　who　had　received　a　European
mechanical　education　among　those　I　had　brought　from　Egypt；　these　were
now　engaged　with　the　English　engineers　in　repairing　the　engine　of　the
No。　10　steamer；　which　required　a　new　piston。　I　ordered　a　number　of　very
crooked　bill…hooks　to　be　prepared　for　cutting　the　tangled　vegetation
during　our　next　voyage。　The　first　boat；　about　sixteen　feet　long；　was
progressing；　and　the　entire　station　was　a　field　of　industry。　The　gardens
were　green　with　vegetables；　and　everything　would　have　been　flourishing
had　the　troops　been　in　good　health。　Those　miserable　Egyptians　appeared
to　be　in　a　hopeless　condition　morally。　It　was　impossible　to　instil　any
spirit　into　them；　and　if　sick；　they　at　once　made　up　their　minds　to　die。
It　is　to　be　hoped　that　my　regiment　of　convicts　was　not　a　fair　sample　of
the　spirit　and　intelligence　of　the　Egyptian　fellah。　Some　of　them
DESERTED。

There　is　an　absurd　prejudice　among　the　men　that　the　grinding　of　flour
upon　the　usual　flat　millstone　is　an　unmanly　task　that　should　always　be
performed　by　a　woman。　This　is　a　very　ancient　prejudice；　if　we　may　judge
by　the　symbols　found　upon　the　flat　millstones　of　the　ancient　Egyptians。
We　also　hear　in　the　Testament；　〃two　women　shall　be　grinding　together；
one　shall　be　taken；　the　other　left。〃　There　was　a　scarcity　of　women　in
our　station；　and　the　grinding　of　the　corn　would　have　given　rise　to　much
discontent　had　I　not　experienced　this　difficulty　in　a　former　voyage；　and
provided　myself　with　steel　corn…mills。　I　had　one　of　these　erected　for
each　company　of　troops；　and　in　addition　to　the　usual　labour；　I　always
sentenced　men　under　punishment　to　so　many　hours　at　the　mill。

Although　this　country　was　exceedingly　rich　in　soil；　it　was　entirely
uninhabited　on　our　side　（the　east）　of　the　river。　This　had　formerly　been
the　Dinka　country；　but　it　had　been　quite　depopulated　by　razzias　made　for
slaves　by　the　former　and　present　governors　of　Fashoda。　These　raids　had
been　made　on　a　large　scale；　with　several　thousand　troops；　in　addition　to
the　sharp　slave…hunters；　the　Baggara　Arabs；　as　allies。　The　result　was
almost　the　extermination　of　the　Dinka　tribe。　It　seemed　incomprehensible
to　the　Shillook　natives　that　a　government　that　had　only　lately　made
slave…hunting　a　profession　should　suddenly　turn　against　the
slave…hunters。

I　frequently　rode　on　horseback　about　the　country；　and　wherever　I　found　a
spot　slightly　raised　above　the　general　level；　I　was　sure　to　discover
quantities　of　broken　pottery；　the　vestiges　of　villages；　which　had　at　a
former　time　been　numerous。　There　was　very　little　game；　but　now　and　then
ostriches　were　seen　stalking　about　the　yellow　plains　of　withered　grass。
On　one　occasion　I　was　riding　with　Lieutenant　Baker；　accompanied　by　a　few
orderlies；　when　I　distinguished　the　forms　of　several　ostriches　at　a
great　distance。　They　were　feeding　on　the　flat　plain　where　it　was
hopeless　to　attempt　an　approach。　I　was　just　replacing　my　telescope；　when
I　observed　an　ostrich　emerge　from　behind　some　bushes；　about　400　yards'
distance。　This　was　a　male　bird；　by　the　black　colour；　and　it　appeared　to
be　feeding　towards　the　scattered　bush　on　my　left。　We　were　at　the　moment
partially　concealed　by　the　green　foliage。　I　immediately　dismounted；　and
leaving　the　party　behind　the　bushes；　I　ran　quickly　forward；　always
concealed　by　the　thick　thorns；　until　I　thought　I　must　be　somewhere
within　shot；　unless　the　bird　had　discovered　me　and　escaped　without　my
knowledge。　I　now　went　cautiously　and　slowly　forward；　stooping　under　the
bushes　when　necessary；　and　keeping　a　good　look　out　on　all　sides；　as　I
expected　that　the　ostrich　must　be　somewhere　in　the　jungle。　At　length；　as
I　turned　round　a　clump　of　thick　thorns；　I　sighted　the　bird　racing　away
with　immense　speed　straight　from　me　at　about　130　yards。　I　raised　the
150…yard　sight　of　the　Dutchman；　and　taking　him　very　steadily；　as　the
bird　kept　a　perfectly　straight　course；　I　fired。　The　ostrich　at　once　fell
with　so　great　a　shock　upon　the　hard；　parched　ground；　that　the　air　was
full　of　feathers。　I　stepped　130　long　paces；　and　found　that　the　bullet
had　struck　the　bird　in　the　centre　of　the　back；　killing　it　instantly。　My
party　came　up　to　my　whistle；　and　I　despatched　a　mounted　orderly　to　camp
to　bring　men　and　donkeys。

Although　I　have　been　many　years　in　Africa；　this　was　the　first　and　the
last　ostrich　that　I　have　ever　bagged。　It　was　a　very　fine　male；　and　the
two　thighs　and　legs　were　a　very　fair　load　for　a　strong　donkey。

I　have　seen　erroneous　accounts　of　ostriches　designated　as　two　varieties；
the　black　and　the　grey。　The　black；　with　white　feathers　in　the　wings　and
tail；　is　simply　the　male；　and　the　grey　the　female。　The　feathers　of　this
bird　were　old　and　in　bad　order。　The　fat　is　much　esteemed　by　the　Arabs　as
an　external　application　for　rheumatism。　I　found　the　stomach　rich　in
scorpions；　beetles；　leaves　of　trees；　and　white　rounded　quartz　pebbles。
The　bird　must　have　come　from　a　considerable　distance　as　there　was
neither　rock　nor　pebble　in　the　neighbourhood。

On　my　return　to　camp　I　carved　an　artificial　ostrich　head　from　a　piece　of
wood；　and　made　false　eyes　with　the　neck　of　a　wine　bottle。　I　intended　to
stick　this　head　upon　a　pole；　concealed　in　a　linen　fishing　rod　case；　and
to　dress　up　my　cap　with　thick　plumes　of　ostrich　feathers。　I　have　no
doubt　that　it　would　be　possible　to　approach　ostriches　in　grass　by　this
imitation；　as　the　pole　would　be　carried　in　the　left　hand；　and　all　the
movements　of　the　ostriches　might　be　easil