ismailia-第30节

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which　were　piled　on　the　side　of　the　river；　which　had　now　exposed　solid
banks　overgrown　with　the　high　reedy　grass。　This　immensely　long　and　thick
grass；　resembling　sugar…canes；　was　exactly　the　material　that　we
required。　It　was　this　gratis　that　created　natural　obstructions；　and
would　therefore　assist　us　in　our　artificial　obstruction　or　dam。　The
sailors　of　the　fleet　worked　in　divisions　under　separate　officers。

On　March　13；　all　the　preparations　were　completed　for　the　work　of　filling
in　the　dam。　Great　piles　of　solid　balls　of　clay；　of　about　40　lbs。　each；
had　been　arranged　in　convenient　places　to　stop　up　any　leaks　that　should
occur。

I　stood　on　one　of　the　stranded　boats　only　a　few　yards　from　the　row　of
piles。　The　men　were　all　in　their　places。　The　buglers　and　drummers　stood
upon　another　vessel　ready　to　give　the　signal。

At　the　first　bugle；　every　two　men　lifted　the　sacks　of　sand　and　clay。　At
once　all　the　drums　and　bugles　then　sounded　the　advance；　and　500　heavy
sacks　were　dropped　into　the　row　of　piles；　and　firmly　stamped　down　by　the
men。　The　troops　now　worked　with　intense　energy。　It　was　a　race　between
the　Soudanis　and　the　Egyptians；　this　was　labour　to　which　the　latter　were
accustomed　in　their　own　country。　The　sailors　worked　as　vigorously　as　the
troops；　piles　of　fascines　and　clay　balls　were　laid　with　extraordinary
rapidity；　while　some　stamped　frantically　and　danced　upon　the　entangled
mass；　all　screaming　and　shouting　in　great　excitement；　and　the　bugles　and
drums　kept　up　an　incessant　din。　A　long　double　line　of　men　formed　a
transport　corps；　and　passed　a　never…failing　supply　of　fascines　to　the
workers　who　stood　in　the　water　and　kneaded　firmly　the　adhesive　mass。

At　2。15　P。M。　the　river　was　completely　shut　in；　and　the　people　with
increased　energy　worked　at　the　superstructure　of　the　dam；　which　now　rose
like　a　causeway　for　about　one　hundred　and　ten　yards　from　shore　to　shore。

At　3。30　the　water　had　risen　to　an　extent　that　obliged　the　men　in　some
places　to　swim。　The　steamer　that　had　been　hopelessly　stranded；　and　the
entire　fleet；　were　floating　merrily　in　the　pond。　Thank　God；　I　had
forgotten　nothing　in　the　preparatory　arrangements　for　the　expedition。
Without　the　spades；　hoes；　grass…knives；　bill…hooks；　timber；　&c。；　&c。；
we　never　could　have　succeeded　in　this　journey。

My　diahbeeah　was　in　the　lake　waiting　for　the　fleet　to　accomplish　the
passage。　I　had　made　an　excursion　one　day　in　the　dingy　to　examine　the
south　end　of　the　lake；　which　I　found　to　be　about　eight　miles　in　length。
On　returning；　I　was　rather　anxious　for　the　small　boat；　as　a　bull
hippopotamus　made　a　hostile　demonstration。　The　water　was　not　more　than
five　feet　six　inches　deep；　thus　as　the　hippo；　after　having　snorted　and
sunk；　continued　to　approach　the　boat；　I　could　distinguish　the　path　of
his　advance　by　the　slight　wave　raised　upon　the　surface。　He　presently
raised　his　head　about　twenty　yards　from　the　boat；　but　at　the　same　time
he　received　a　Reilly　explosive　shell　under　the　eye　which　ended　his
worldly　cares。

There　were　many　hippopotami　in　this　lake；　and；　very　shortly　after　I　had
killed　the　first；　I　shot　a　second　much　in　the　same　manner。　I　always
carried　a　harpoon　in　the　boat　with　the　rope　and　ambatch　float。　The
latter　was　painted　red；　so　that　it　could　be　easily　observed。　I
therefore；　stuck　the　harpoon　in　the　dead　hippopotamus　as　a　mark；　and
hastened　back　to　my　diahbeeah　for　assistance；　as　the　flesh　of　two
hippopotami　would　be　very　welcome　to　the　people；　who　had　not　received
rations　of　butcher's　meat　for　many　weeks。　On　arrival　at　the　diahbeeah　we
quickly　made　sail；　and　soon　returned　to　the　hippopotamus。　By　the　time　we
had　cut　up　this　large　animal　and　secured　the　flesh；　the　sun　was　so　low
that　I　considered　it　would　be　better　to　fasten　the　other　hippo　by　a　rope
attached　to　the　hind　legs；　and　tow　it　bodily　astern　of　the　diahbeeah。　It
could　then　be　divided　on　the　following　day。

In　this　manner　we　returned　to　our　anchorage　at　the　tail　of　the　lake；
close　to　the　entrance　of　the　new　channel。　By　the　time　we　arrived；　the
moon　was　up。　The　diahbeeah　was　close　to　a　mud…bank　covered　with　high
grass；　and　about　thirty　yards　astern　of　her　was　a　shallow　part　of　the
lake　about　three　feet　deep。　A　light　boat　of　zinc　was　full　of　strips　of
hippopotamus'　flesh；　and　the　dingy　was　fastened　alongside。

After　dinner　and　a　pipe；　the　usual　arrangements　were　made　for　the　night。
There　were　many　servants；　male　and　female；　on　board；　these　began　to
suspend　their　mosquito　curtains　to　the　rigging　and　to　creep　beneath；　the
sailors；　after　chatting　for　a　considerable　time；　dropped　off　to
sleepuntil　the　sentry　was　the　only　man　on　board　who　was　on　the　alert。
I　always　slept　on　the　poop…deck；　which　was　comfortably　arranged　with
sofas　and　carpets。

The　night　was　cold；　and　the　moon　clear　and　bright。　Every　one　was　wrapped
up　in　warm　blankets；　and　I　was　so　sound　asleep；　that　I　cannot　describe
more　until　I　was　suddenly　awoke　by　a　tremendous　splashing　quite　close　to
the　diahbeeah；　accompanied　by　the　hoarse　wild　snorting　of　a　furious
hippopotamus。　I　jumped　up；　and　immediately　perceived　a　hippo　which　was
apparently　about　to　attack　the　vessel。　The　main　deck　being　crowded　with
people　sleeping　beneath　their　thick　mosquito　curtains；　attached　to　the
stairs　of　the　poop…deck；　and　to　the　rigging　in　all　directions；　rendered
it　impossible　to　descend。　I　at　once　tore　away　some　of　the　ties；　and
awakened　the　sleepy　people。　My　servant；　Suleiman；　was　sleeping　next　to
the　cabin　door。　I　called　to　him　for　a　rifle。　Before　the　affrighted
Suleiman　could　bring　the　rifle；　the　hippopotamus　dashed　at　us　with
indescribable　fury。　With　one　blow　he　capsized　and　sank　the　zinc　boat
with　its　cargo　of　flesh。　In　another　instant　he　seized　the　dingy　in　his
immense　jaws；　and　the　crash　of　splintered　wood　betokened　the　complete
destruction　of　my　favourite　boat。　By　this　time　Suleiman　appeared　from
the　cabin　with　an　unloaded　gun　in　his　hand　and　without　ammunition。　This
was　a　very　good　man；　but　he　was　never　overburdened　with　presence　of
mind；　he　was　shaking　so　fearfully　with　nervousness；　that　his　senses　had
entirely　abandoned　him。　All　the　people　were　shouting　and　endeavouring　to
scare　the　hippo；　which　attacked　us　without　ceasing　with　a　blind　fury
that　I　have　never　witnessed　in　any　animal　except　a　bull…dog。

By　this　time　I　had　procured　a　rifle　from　the　cabin；　where　they　were
always　kept　fixed　in　a　row；　loaded　and　ready　for　action；　with　bags　of
breechloading　ammunition　on　the　same　shelf。

The　movements　of　the　animal　were　so　rapid　as　he　charged　and　plunged
alternately　beneath　the　water　in　a　cloud　of　foam　and　wave；　that　it　was
impossible　to　aim　correctly　at　the　small　but　fatal　spot　upon　the　head。

The　moon　was　extremely　bright；　and　presently；　as　he　charged　straight　at
the　diahbeeah；　I　stopped　him　with　a　No。　8　Reilly　shell。　To　my　surprise；
he　soon　recovered；　and　again　commenced　the　attack。

I　fired　shot　after　shot　at　him　without　apparent　effect。　The　diahbeeah
rocked　about　upon　the　waves　raised　by　the　efforts　of　so　large　an　animal；
this　movement　rendered　the　aim　uncertain。　At　length；　apparently　badly
wounded；　he　retired　to　the　high　grass；　there　he　lay　by　the　bank；　at
about　twenty…five　yards'　distance；　snorting　and　blowing。

I　could　not　distinguish　him；　as　merely　the　head　was　above　water；　and
this　was　concealed　by　the　deep　shadow　thrown　by　the　high　grass。　Thinking
that　he　would　die；　I　went　to　bed；　but　before　this　I　took　the　precaution
to　arrange　a　white　paper　sight　upon　the　muzzle　of　my　rifle；　without
which；　night　shooting　is　very　uncertain。

We　had　fallen　asleep；　but　in　about　half　an　hour　we　were　awoke　by　another
tremendous　splash；　and　once　more　this　mad　beast　came　charging　directly
at　us　as　though　unhurt。　In　another　instant　he　was　at　the　diahbeeah；　but
I　met　him　with　a　ball　in　the　top　of　his　head　which　sent　him　rolling　over
and　over；　sometimes　on　his　back；　kicking　with　his　four　legs　above　the
surface；　and　again　producing　waves　which　rocked　the　diahbeeah。　In　this
helpless　manner　he　rolled　for　about　fifty　yards　down　the　stream；　and　we
all　thought　him　killed。

To　our　amazement　he　recovered；　and　we　heard　him　splashing　as　he　moved
slowly　along　the　river　through　the　high　grass　by　the　left　bank。　There　he
remained　snorting　and　blowing；　and　as　the　light　of　the　moon　was　of　no
service　in　the　dark　shadows　of　the　high　grass；　we　waited　for　a
considerable　time　and　then　went　to　bed；　with　the　rifle　placed　in
readiness　on　deck。

In　a　short　time　I　heard　louder　splashing。　I　again　got　up；　and　I
perceived　him　about　eighty　yards　distant；　walking　slowly　across　the
river　in　the　shallows。　Having　a　fair　shot　at　the　shoulder；　I　fired　right
and　left　with　the　No。　8　Reilly　rifle；　and　I　distinctly　heard　the　bullets
strike。　He　nevertheless　reached　the　right　bank；　when　he　presently　turned
round　and　attempted　to　re…cross　the　shallow。　This　gave　me　a　good　chance
at　the　shoulder；　as　his　body　was　entirely　exposed。　He　staggered　forward
at　the　shot；　and　fell　dead　in　the　shallow　flat　of　the　river。

He　was　now　past　recovery。　　It　was　very　cold：　the　thermometer　was　54
degrees　Fahrenheit；　and　the　blankets　were　very　agreeable；　as　once　more
all　hands　turned　in　to　sleep。

On　the　following　morning　I