ismailia-第26节

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〃Wind　very　strong　from　north。　The　north　wind　always　commences　at　about　7
A。M。　and　increases　in　power　as　the　sun　rises。　It　sinks　together　with　the
setting　sun。　Although　the　country　is　all　that　we　could　wish；　there　is　no
game。　The　water…marks　upon　the　trees　show　that　the　maximum　of　the　river
has　been　a　foot　above　its　present　level。

〃December　16。Suleiman　Effendi's　diahbeeah　with　six　horses　passed　this
morning；　he　left　in　company　with　us；　as　did　also　the　new　noggur　that
passed　us　yesterday　morning；　thus　there　must　be　gross　negligence　on　the
part　of　the　twenty…one　vessels　still　remaining　in　the　rear。　Thermometer；
6　A。M。；　69　degrees；　noon；　88　degrees。　We　shot　seven　guinea…fowl。

〃December　17。I　see　four　vessels　about　six　miles　ahead　that　are　only
now　making　sail！　thus　they　have　been　stopping　for　two　days。　In　the
afternoon　the　two　diahbeeahs　of　the　Englishmen　came　up；　and　gave　us　the
terrible　news　that　one　of　the　vessels　had　sunk　near　the　mouth　of　the
river　Sobat　on　the　day　of　our　departure　from　Tewfikeeyah；　this　vessel
was　laden　with　portions　of　the　38…ton　steamer。

〃I　immediately　ordered　steam　to　be　got　up；　and　at　4。20　P。M。　we　started
to　return　120　miles　to　the　wreck。　It　appears　that　Raouf　Bey；　with　many
other　vessels；　was　in　company　with　the　lost　noggur。　To　work　in　this
country　is　simply　heart…breaking；　the　material　is　utterly　worthless；
boats；　officers；　and　men　are　all　alike。　The　loss　of　invaluable　time　is
ruinous；　and　the　ignorance　of　the　people　is　such　that　they　can　do
nothing　by　themselves；　thus　I　must　be　everywhere　and　superintend
everything　personally。

〃The　boatmen　say　the　rats　drag　out　the　rags　with　which　the　vessels　are
caulked　from　within；　thus　occasioning　sudden　and　dangerous　leaks；　but　in
such　a　case；　why　does　not　the　captain　run　his　vessel　ashore　to　prevent
sinking？

〃Before　starting；　I　despatched　a　letter　by　a　vessel　to　Suleiman　Effendi
at　the　sudd；　with　orders　to　commence　clearing　the　channel　without　loss
of　time。

〃At　7。40　P。M。　made　out　a　light　ahead；　and　shortly　afterwards　we　met
Raouf　Bey's　diahbeeah　tied　to　the　bank　alongside　of　Achmet　Effendi；　the
bimbashi's　vessel。　Raouf　Bey　came　on　board　and　confirmed　the　bad　news。
They　describe　the　sunken　vessel　as　lying　with　her　stem　about　a　foot
below　the　surface；　but　her　stern　is　in　very　deep　water。　I　gave　orders
for　steam　to　be　up　at　daylight；　and　we　halted　for　the　night；　as　it　is
dangerous　to　travel　down　stream　with　a　steamer　in　this　narrow　winding
river。

〃December　18。Started　at　6。25　A。M。　Then；　68　degrees；　noon；　81　degrees。　
At　noon　we　met　Colonel　Tayib　Agha　and　twelve　vessels。　I　ordered　three　of
these　vessels　to　turn　back　immediately　to　the　wreck；　as　I　am　determined
to　raise　her；　if　possible。

〃At　12。37　P。M。　we　reached　the　spot　where　we　had　passed　the　first　wreck
in　the　Bahr　Giraffe。　At　exactly　2　P。M。　we　reached　the　Nile　junction。　At
6。50　P。M。　we　distinguished　the　mast　of　the　wreck　above　water；　almost
opposite　the　Sobat　junction；　on　the　west　side　of　the　river。　Having
passed　the　wreck　we　reached　our　old　station　Tewfikeeyah　at　7。30　P。M。
Here　we　found　a　number　of　Shillooks；　with　Quat　Kare's　counsellor；
Abdullah；　who　were　guarding　a　quantity　of　corn　that　I　had　left　in　the
king's　charge；　as　our　vessels　were　too　heavily　laden　to　carry　it。

〃December　19。Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　64　degrees；　noon；　79　degrees。　I　sent
Abdullah　with　orders　to　the　king；　Quat　Kare；　to　collect　all　his　people
with　their　ambatch　canoes　to　assist　us　in　raising　the　wreck。

〃The　Shillooks　have　already　taken　possession　of　our　old　station；　and
have　divided　it　into　lots　for　planting。

〃December　20。Thermometer　at　6　A。M。　66　degrees；　noon；　78　degrees；　the
water　in　the　goolah　（cooler）；　59　degrees。　The　wind　blows　a　gale　from　the
north　daily。

〃I　have　just　heard　that　Raouf　Bey　and　the　two　colonels；　Tayib　Agha　and
Achmet　Effendi；　together　with　about　400　men；　actually　abandoned；　not
only　the　wrecked　vessel　and　her　invaluable　cargo；　but　they　also　left　a
section　of　one　of　the　lifeboats　upon　the　mud　bank　of　the　river　and
forsook　it。　Such　conduct　is　incredible；　and　could　only　be　found　in　this
country。

〃At　3。15　P。M。；　the　steamer　having　replenished　her　wood；　we　started　and
arrived　at　the　wreck　at　4。35　P。M。　After　a　careful　examination　we　passed
the　night　at　the　high　ground　near　the　Sobat　junction。

〃The　section　of　the　lifeboat　is　no　longer　on　the　mud；　but　I　have　no
doubt　it　has　been　secured　by　the　governor　of　Fashoda；　together　with　the
yard　and　sail。　This　entails　the　necessity　of　my　sending　him　a　letter
seventy　miles　distant　to　order　the　return　of　the　boat　section
immediately。

〃December　21。Thermometer　at　6　A。M。；　63　degrees；　water　in　goolah；　52
degrees。　I　sent　Abdullah　Uz　Bashi　to　Tewfikeeyah　with　a　letter　to　the
governor　of　Fashoda；　which　the　Shillooks　were　to　forward　immediately。
The　letter　demands　eight　oxen；　ten　sheep；　the　section　of　lifeboat　saved
from　the　wreck；　together　with　the　yard　and　sail。

〃I　shot　two　small　antelopes；　also　some　guinea…fowl；　francolin　partridge；
and　five　pelicans。

〃December　22。Waiting　for　the　arrival　of　Quat　Kare　and　his　Shillooks。
Shot　two　geese　and　knocked　over　a　large　antelope；　but　lost　him　in　the
high　grass。　The　country　is　all　flooded；　except　for　a　space　of　about　a
mile　from　our　little　camp　on　the　Sobat　dubba；　which　is　the　highest
ground　for　a　great　distance；　being　about　fourteen　feet　above　the　maximum
level　of　the　river。　A　few　Shillooks　started　off　after　my　wounded
antelope；　and　quickly　brought　me　the　head：　it　was　a　fine　specimen　of　the
new　species　of　Hippotragus。

〃December　23。I　sent　the　steamer　up　the　White　Nile　to　bring　down　the
wind…bound　kyassas　（vessels）。　When　she　returned　with　them；　all　hands
were　immediately　employed　in　discharging　cargo　and　taking　down　masts　and
yards　in　readiness　for　operations　on　the　sunken　vessel。

〃December　21。Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　67　degrees；　noon；　82　degrees。
Abdullah；　the　Shillook；　arrived。　The　natives　have　not　forwarded　my
letter　to　the　governor　of　Fashoda；　as　they　fear　to　pass　certain　villages
with　which　they　have　been　lately　quarrelling。　To…day　is　the　close　of　the
Ramadan　fast；　and　the　first　of　the　Bairam；　therefore　it　is　kept　as　a
holiday。　All　my　people　have　turned　out　in　new　clothes。

〃December　25。Christmas　Day。　Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　65　degrees。　We　began
work　at　the　sunken　vessel。　By　filling　the　barges　with　water　and　sinking
them　within　a　foot　of　the　surface；　and　then　securing　them　by　chains　to
the　wreck；　we　obtained　a　firm　hold。　The　water　having　been　baled　out　of
the　barges；　they　gradually　rose　and　lifted　the　vessel　several　feet。
Having　thus　raised　her；　we　hauled　her　a　few　feet　nearer　the　bank；　and
the　day's　work　concluded　by　proving　that　with　care　and　additional　force
we　shall　be　able　to　manage　her。

〃December　26。We　continued　the　same　operations　as　those　of　yesterday。
Having　lashed　the　masts　of　the　barges　transversely　across　the　gun…wales；
to　these　we　attached　chains　secured　by　divers　beneath　the　bottom　of　the
wreck。　This　was　not　possible　yesterday　until　we　had　lifted　her　from　the
ground。　At　the　same　time　that　we　were　thus　engaged；　the　men；　by　diving；
secured　ropes　to　the　heavier　pieces　of　iron　sections；　and　we　saved
several　tons　of　her　cargo；　which　we　placed　upon　the　steamer　and　upon　my
diahbeeah。　This　lightened　the　wreck；　and　we　then　prepared　a　bed　for　her
by　cutting　away　the　abrupt　bank；　and　forming　a　shelf　on　the　flooded
shore　in　a　depth　of　three　feet　of　water；　upon　which　we　might　be　able　to
haul　her　when　floated　to　the　surface。　We　laid　out　the　steamer's　purchase
with　an　anchor　secured　upon　the　shore；　and　the　day　ended　successfully　by
hauling　the　wreck　exactly　parallel　to　the　bank；　with　her　stem　and
stern…post　above　the　surface。　As　the　current　was　very　powerful；　the　bow
of　the　wreck　had　throughout　the　operation　been　firmly　secured　by　two
anchors　laid　out　up　stream。　It　is　very　hard　work；　as　we　are　in　the　sun
from　early　morning　till　night。　Julian　（Lieutenant　Baker）；　being　a
sailor；　is　just　the　fellow　for　this　sort　of　work；　and　no　other　person
knows　how　to　make　fast　the　ropes　and　chains　so　that　they　shall　not　slip。
Higginbotham；　as　usual；　is　very　energetic。　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　who　is
my　only　reliable　Egyptian　officer；　has　been　diving　all　day　like　a　wild
duck；　and　bringing　up　heavy　boxes　of　rivets　which　few　men　but　himself
can　lift。　Altogether　the　men　have　worked　famously；　especially　the　black
soldiers。

〃December　27。Julian　is　laid　up　with　fever　to…day；　this　is　the　effect
of　daily　exposure　to　the　sun。　I　laid　out　the　steamer's　second　purchase
at　right　angles　fastened　to　the　bow　of　the　wreck；　we　thus　had　her　bow
and　stern　secured　in　the　same　manner。　Having　manned　both　purchases；　we
could　manage　her　as　she　became　lighter。　About　250　Shillooks　came　to
assist　us　under　the　command　of　old　Quat　Kare；　who　sat　in　his　canoe　and
directed　his　people。　Having　lightened　the　vessel　by　taking　out　more
cargo；　I　divided　the　labour；　Higginbotham　sinking　two　kyassas　and　making
them　fast　as　lifters；　while　other　men　cut　away　the　flooded　bank　with
spades　and　improved　the　shelf。

〃After　breakfast；　the　sunken　kyassas　being　well…secured　to　the　wreck
with　chains；　we　baled　them　out　for　the　last　time；　and　the　vessel　thus
supported