ismailia-第31节

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all　hands　turned　in　to　sleep。

On　the　following　morning　I　made　a　post…mortem　examination。　　He　had
received　three　shots　in　the　flank　and　shoulder；　four　in　the　head；　one　of
which　had　broken　his　lower　jaw；　another　through　his　nose　had　passed
downward　and　cut　off　one　of　his　large　tusks。　I　never　witnessed　such
determined　and　unprovoked　fury　as　was　exhibited　by　this　animalhe
appeared　to　be　raving　mad。　His　body　was　a　mass　of　frightful　scars；　the
result　of　continual　conflicts　with　bulls　of　his　own　species；　some　of
these　wounds　were　still　unhealed。　There　was　one　scar　about　two　feet　in
length；　and　about　two　inches　below　the　level　of　the　surface　skin；　upon
the　flank。　He　was　evidently　a　character　of　the　worst　description；　but
whose　madness　rendered　him　callous　to　all　punishment。　I　can　only　suppose
that　the　attack　upon　the　vessels　was　induced　by　the　smell　of　the　raw
hippopotamus　flesh；　which　was　hung　in　long　strips　about　the　rigging；　and
with　which　the　zinc　boat　was　filled。　The　dead　hippopotamus　that　was
floating　astern　lashed　to　the　diahbeeah　had　not　been　molested。

We　raised　the　zinc　boat；　which　was　fortunately　unhurt。　　The　dingy　had
lost　a　mouthful；　as　the　hippopotamus　had　bitten　out　a　portion　of　the
side；　including　the　gunwale　of　hard　wood；　he　had　munched　out　a　piece
like　the　port　of　a　small　vessel；　which　he　had　accomplished　with　the　same
ease　as　though　it　had　been　a　slice　of　toast。

I　sent　the　boat　to　the　English　shipwrights　for　repair；　and　these　capital
workmen　turned　it　out　in　a　few　days　nearly　as　good　as　new。

The　success　of　the　dam　was　most　complete。　　The　river　rose　so　as　to
overflow　the　marshes；　which　enabled　us　to　push　all　the　vessels　up　the
channel　without　the　necessity　of　deepening　it　by　spade　labour。

〃March　14。Should　we　succeed　in　reaching　Gondokoro　without　serious
loss；　it　will　be　the　greatest　possible　triumph　over　difficulties；　which
no　one　can　understand　who　has　not　witnessed　the　necessities　of　the
journey。

〃A　diahbeeah　arrived　in　the　lake；　breaking　her　yard　in　a　sudden　shift　of
wind；　and　giving　a　man　a　fall　from　aloft；　which　was　fatal。

〃The　steamer　and　fleet　are　coming　through　the　sudd　as　fast　as　the　troops
clear　the　channel。

〃March　15。The　steamer　arrived　in　the　lake　at　3。30　P。M。

〃March　16。Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　61　degrees；　noon；　82　degrees。　Eleven
vessels　entered　the　lake　last　night。　The　wind　has　been　very　variable　for
the　last　few　days；　and　the　true　north　wind　appears　to　have　deserted　us；
the　absence　of　a　fair　breeze　delays　us　sadly　in　pushing　through　the
narrow　channels　against　the　stream。

〃Dysentery　and　scurvy　are　prevalent　among　the　Egyptians。　Four　Egyptian
soldiers　and　two　Soudanis　have　deserted。　Where　these　wretched　fools
intend　to　wander　is　quite　a　speculation；they　appear　to　have　yielded
to　a　temptation　to　run　away　upon　the　first　dry　land　that　they　have　seen
for　months。

〃The　fleet　assembled　in　the　lake。　　The　Egyptian　troops　cut　a　passage　for
fifty　yards　through　a　sudd　in　a　channel　through　which　the　fleet　must
pass；　as　there　is　a　shallow　that　will　prevent　them　from　taking　the　main
course　of　the　lake。

〃To…morrow　the　whole　force　will　turn　out　and　cut　the　remaining　portion
of　about　300　yards；　there　will　then　be　no　difficulty　except　a　sudd　of
about　three　quarters　of　a　mile　between　the　lake　and　the　White　Nile。

〃March　17。We　cut　through　the　sudd；　and　all　the　vessels　entered　the
broad　waters　of　the　lake　and　anchored　in　the　evening　opposite　some
native　huts；　close　to　the　channel　that　we　must　open　to…morrow。　These
huts　are　the　first　habitations　that　we　have　seen　for　more　than　two
months；they　are　now　deserted　by　the　frightened　fishermen　who　had
occupied　them。

〃March　18。The　diahbeeah　led　the　way　at　7。30　A。M。　through　the　channel
that　is　closed　by　grass　and　the　Pistia　Stratiotes。　At　10。15　we　arrived
in　the　White　Nile。　There　is　plenty　of　water　throughout　the　closed
channel；　but　there　was　some　heavy　work　to　clear　the　vegetation。

〃March　19。All　the　vessels　came　through　into　the　White　Nile；　and　there
was　great　rejoicing　throughout　the　fleet。　At　length　the　men　really
believed　that　a　country　of　dry　land　might　lie　before　them；　and　that　they
were　delivered　from　the　horrible　chaos　or　'Slough　of　Despond'　in　which
they　had　now　laboured　for　sixty　days。

〃I　served　out　new　tow…ropes　to　the　fleet；　and　ordered　No。　13　transport
to　discharge　and　divide　her　cargo　among　other　vessels；　and　to　take　on
board　thirty　soldiers　to　accompany　the　steamer　to…morrow。　We　remounted
the　steamer's　paddles　and　tautened　all　the　rigging　of　the　diahbeeah；
mended　sails；　and　thoroughly　repaired　for　a　start　to…morrow。　No。　31
being　a　rotten　vessel；　I　ordered　her　cargo　to　be　divided　among　the
lighter　boats。　I　gave　stringent　orders　to　the　officers　to　protect　all
ammunition　and　bales　of　goods　with　galvanized　iron　plates　in　case　of
rain。

〃March　20。All　the　vessels　got　away　by　9　A。M。　with　a　rattling　breeze。　
The　steamer　started　at　10。8　A。M。；　but　was　delayed　one　hour　and　twenty
minutes　by　her　stupidly　dragging　the　nogger　ashore　in　rounding　a　sharp
corner。

〃At　5。15　P。M。　we　arrived　at　a　forest　on　the　west　bank。　　At　6。45　P。M。　we
stopped；　as　I　was　afraid　we　might　pass　the　station　of　Wat…el…Shambi　in
the　dark。

〃March　21。At　8。25　A。M。　we　started。　　Three　natives　came　to　the　vessel
and　reported　the　zareeba　to　be　close　ahead。

〃I　served　out　fifteen　rounds　of　snider　ammunition　per　man　to　the　'Forty
Thieves；'　thus　filling　up　their　pouches　to　thirty　rounds。　The　banks　are
now　dry；　and　about　two　feet　six　inches　above　the　river's　level。　The
country　is　as　usual　flat；　but　covered　with　forest　on　the　west。　Cattle
numerous；　and　bellowing　in　all　directions。

〃At　9。15　A。M。　we　arrived　at　Wat…el…Shambi。　　The　forest　is　distant　from
the　river；　therefore　at　10　we　started　with　light　south…east　wind；　and　at
10。30　we　returned　to　a　good　station　for　cutting　fuel　in　the　forest　about
four　miles　below　Wat…el…Shambi。

〃The　few　representatives　of　Ali　Amouri；　the　trader　at　the　latter
station；　declared　that　they　could　not　supply　us　with　cattle；　they　being
hard　up　for　provisions　themselves。　Their　looks　belied　the　excuse。　Wind
south　all　day；　but　changed　to　north　at　6。30　P。M。　The　boat　of　the　French
trader；　Jules　Poncet；　that　had　accompanied　the　fleet；　arrived　in　the
evening。

〃A　number　of　natives；　stark　naked；　and　smeared　with　wood　ashes；　came　as
usual　to　beg　for　corn。　I　have　given　strict　orders　that　on　no　account
shall　corn　be　exchanged　in　purchases　from　the　nativesotherwise　our
supply　will　be　stolen　wholesale。　This　order　was　broken　through　by
Mustapha　Ali；　who　therefore　received　a　hundred　lashes；　as　I　was
determined　to　enforce　obedience。

〃March　22。Much　lightning　and　wind　from　the　south　during　the　night。　　I
fear　rain。　At　daybreak　we　found　Raouf　Bey's　vessel　close　up；　and　many
others　near。　The　north　wind　of　last　night　must　have　aided　them。　The
natives　came　in　some　numbers。

〃March　23。All　hands　yesterday　and　to…day　busied　in　cutting　wood　for
steamer。

〃March　24。Poor　Jusef；　one　of　the　horsekeepers；　died。

〃March　25。Started；　with　the　steamer　towing　a　noggur　and　my　diahbeeah
with　about　fifty　hours'　fuel　on　board；　at　12。50　P。M。

〃There　has　been　wholesale　theft　of　stores　on　No。　50　noggur。　I　caught　and
punished　the　captain　in　the　act　of　selling　our　ammunition　to　the　slave
traders'　people　in　their　zareeba。

〃March　26。We　travelled　throughout　last　night；　the　stream　is　nearly
three　miles　per　hour。　We　lost　an　hour　last　evening　in　taking　wood　from
the　noggur　in　tow；　as　she　leaks　dangerously。　I　took　six　men　and　their
effects　from　her；　and　placed　them　on　the　steamer；　as　she　is　quite
unsafe。

〃Arrived　at　the　station　of　Abou　Kookah　at　10。25　A。M。；　having　travelled
badly　against　the　strong　south　wind；　and　our　bottom　dirty。　At　3。10　P。M。
we　left　Abou　Kookah；　and　at　9。50　P。M。　we　arrived　at　the　forest；　close　to
the　deserted　mission　station　of　St。　Croix；　where　we　halted　for　the
night。　There　were　vast　herds　of　cattle　and　many　natives　on　the　east
bank。〃



CHAPTER　VII。

ARRIVAL　AT　GONDOKORO。

After　the　usual　voyage　upon　the　White　Nile；　during　which　we　passed　the
Bohr　and　the　Shir　tribes；　and　had　excellent　sport　in　antelope　shooting
when　the　steamer　stopped　at　forests　to　cut　fuel；　we　arrived　opposite　the
old　mission　station　at　Gondokoro　on　April　15；　1871。

I　found　a　great　change　in　the　river　since　my　last　visit。　　The　old
channel；　which　had　been　of　great　depth　where　it　swept　beneath　the
cliffs；　was　choked　with　sand…banks。　New　islands　had　formed　in　many
places；　and　it　was　impossible　for　the　vessels　to　approach　the　old
landing…place。　We　therefore　dropped　down　the　stream　to　a　spot　where　high
ground　and　a　few　trees　invited　us　to　the　east　bank。　At　this　place　the
traders　had　founded　a　new　settlement　that　was　now　without　in　habitants；
and　was　represented　by　half…a…dozen　broken…down　old　huts。

〃The　country　is　sadly　changed；　formerly；　pretty　native　villages　in　great
numbers　were　dotted　over　the　landscape；　beneath　shady　clumps　of　trees；
and　the　land　was　thickly　populated。　Now；　all　is　desolate：　not　a　village
exists　on　the　mainland；　they　have　all　been　destroyed；　and　the
inhabitants　have　been　driven　for　refuge　on　the　numerous　low　islands　of
the　river；　these　are　thronged　with　vil