ismailia-第35节

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the　knees；　which　is　only　the　outer　garment；　beneath　which　they　wear　a
neatly…made　fringe　of　innumerable　strings；　formed　of　finely…spin　cotton
thread；　suspended　from　a　leather　belt。　Some　of　the　wealthy　possess
fringe　composed　of　iron　rings；　neatly　worked；　so　as　to　form　a　kind　of
shirt　of　mail。

Every　man　is　a　warrior　from　his　childhood；　as　the　Baris　are　always　at
war。　They　are　extremely　clever　in　the　use　of　the　lance；　which　they　can
throw　with　great　accuracy　for　a　distance　of　thirty　yards；　and　they　can
pitch　it　into　a　body　of　men　at　upwards　of　fifty　yards。　From　early
childhood　the　boys　are　in　constant　practice；　both　with　the　lance　and　the
bow　and　arrow；　thus；　although　their　weapons　are　inferior　to　fire…arms
properly　used；　they　are　dangerous　in　the　hands　of　proficients　against
men　who；　like　my　troops；　were　utterly　ignorant　of　the　art　of　shooting。

Fortunately　for　my　expedition；　the　warlike　Baris　were　not　united
throughout　their　territory。　Nevertheless；　I　discovered　that　the　Baris　of
Gondokoro　had　made　an　alliance　with　those　of　Belinian；　twelve　miles　from
head…quarters。　I　observed　that　women　were　constantly　passing　to　and　fro
with　baskets　on　their　heads；　carrying　salt　from　Gondokoro；　and　each
returning　with　a　goat；　led　by　a　string。　Excellent　salt　is　found　at
Gondokoro；　real　chloride　of　sodium；　and　this　article　enables　the　natives
of　that　district　to　trade　with　the　interior；　where　salt　is　extremely
rare　and　of　great　value。　I　had　remarked　that　women；　and　sometimes　men；
were　met　in　my　rambles　through　the　forest；　on　their　way　to　Belinian　by
this　concealed　route；　instead　of　taking　the　open　path；　this　aroused　my
suspicion；　as　the　chief；　Allorron；　and　his　people　declared　that　they
were　enemies　of　the　Belinian　natives。

The　position　had　become　intolerable。　The　fact　could　no　longer　be
concealed　that　the　Baris　were　hostile。　No　positive　outbreak　had
occurred；　but　the　natives　were　sullen　in　their　demeanour；　and　generally
avoided　the　new　settlement。　Butchers'　meat　was　exceedingly　scarce；　as　we
had　only　a　few　cows　that　had　been　given　during　the　voyage　by　the　vakeel
of　the　Bohr　station。　The　troops　were　without　rations　of　meat。　At　the
same　time　there　were　thousands　of　cattle　on　the　islands　before　their
eyes；　not　one　of　which　could　be　purchased　from　the　natives。　Although　the
natives　refused　to　assist　us　in　any　way；　or　to　supply　us　with　cattle　at
any　price；　they　drove　their　herds　across　from　the　island　to　the　mainland
to　fatten　on　the　fine　pasturage　under　the　government　protection。　This
pasturage；　having　been　abandoned　by　them　and　occupied　by　the　government
troops；　had　naturally　become　the　property　of　the　Khedive。　The　natives
had　no　more　right　to　the　soil　from　which　they　had　been　driven；　than　the
French　would　have　to　Alsace　and　Lorraine；　should　those　provinces　be
occupied　by　a　foreign　Power　which　had　driven　out　the　Germans。

The　last　vessels　having　arrived；　terminated　the　voyage　from　Tewfikeeyah；
which　had　occupied　five　months　and　twenty…two　days。　The　troops；　who　had
suffered　much　by　fatigue　in　cutting　through　the　marshes；　had　not　been
absolutely　relieved　by　their　arrival　in　the　clear　White　Nile。　The　north
wind　changed　suddenly　to　the　south；　in　which　unfavourable　quarter　it
continued　steadily　for　a　month；　thus　my　unfortunate　men　had　to　tow　the
vessels　along　the　banks　against　wind　and　stream　for　about　300　miles　from
Wat…el…Shambi　to　Gondokoro。　Upon　arrival　at　that　station；　which　I　had
described　to　them　as　the　〃Promised　Land；〃　they　found　a　lovely　park；　but
without　a　single　dwelling。　Instead　of　being　received　as　deliverers　by　a
friendly　and　grateful　population；　they　met　with　neglect　and　ill…will
from　a　tribe　of　robbers；　allies　of　the　traders；　who　fattened　upon　the
spoil　of　weaker　neighbours。

After　all　their　hard　work　and　suffering　in　attaining　the　promised
paradise；　they　found　only　additional　labour　awaiting　them；　as　they　had
to　wander　several　miles　in　search　of　long　thatch…grass　and　timber　to
construct　the　new　station；　in　which　fatigue　they　were　entirely
unassisted　by　the　sullen　inhabitants。

Added　to　these　disappointments；　the　men　were　hungry；　and　no　cattle　could
be　purchased　from　my　new　subjects；　who　were　obstinate　and　refractory。

I　had　a　serious　conversation　with　Sheik　Allorron；　during　which　I　clearly
defined　our　relative　positions；　and　represented　to　him　in　the　strongest
terms　the　folly　of　trusting　to　the　support　of　Abou　Saood　and　his　people
against　the　government；　as　they　were　all　subjects　of　the　Khedive　and
bound　to　obey　my　orders。　At　the　same　time　I　informed　him　of　the　absolute
necessity　of　cattle　for　the　supply　of　the　troops；　which　I　promised　to
pay　for。

I　clearly　saw　that　the　miserable　policy　of　these　people　was　to　starve
the　troops　into　the　supposed　necessity　of　evacuating　the　position；　and
returning　to　Khartoum。　I　represented　to　Allorron　the　danger　of　trifling
with　a　hungry　lion；　at　which　he　grinned；　as　a　good　joke；　and　immediately
replied：　〃If　you　want　cattle；　I　will　give　you　some　of　my　people　as
guides；　and　you　can　attack　a　neighbour　of　mine；　and　capture　his　herds；
which　will　last　you　for　a　long　time。〃　I　replied；　that　I　could　not　injure
any　one　who　had　not　committed　an　offence；　but　as　he　for　the　last　time
refused　assistance；　I　should　not　permit　his　herds　to　graze　upon　my
pasturage；　therefore　I　begged　they　might　be　confined　to　the　island。

At　the　same　time　I　officially　invited　Allorron　and　all　the　headmen　of
the　country；　including　the　sheik　of　Belinian；　to　an　entertainment。　I
intended；　formally　and　officially；　to　annex　the　country　to　Egypt。

On　May　26；　1871；　all　was　in　order。　A　flag…staff　about　eighty　feet　high
had　been　neatly　erected　by　Lieut。　Baker　on　the　highest　point　of　land
overlooking　the　river。　Every　small　bush　had　been　cleared　away；　and　the
position　in　the　centre　of　an　open　park…like　country　would　have　formed　an
admirable　race…course。　The　troops；　having　had　two　days'　rest　to　wash
their　clothes　and　burnish　up　their　arms　and　accoutrements；　marched　from
the　station　at　Gondokoro　at　6　A。M。

I　had　1；200　men　on　the　ground；　including　ten　mountain　rifled　guns
throwing　8　and　1/4　lbs。　shell。

In　their　clean　white　uniforms；　with　the　neat　koofeeia　or　sun…cloth；
which；　covering　the　head；　drooped　gracefully　upon　the　shoulders；　the
troops　showed　to　great　advantage；　as　they　marched　with　the　band　playing
from　head…quarters　to　the　flagstaff　above　my　station。　As　they　filed
through　the　green　trees；　and　then　formed　into　sections　of　companies　as
they　emerged　into　the　open　ground；　the　effect　was　exceedingly　good；　and
the　sheik；　Allorron；　and　his　friends；　the　headmen　of　many　villages；
looked　with　amazement　upon　a　scene　that　was　altogether　new　to　them。

Having　arrived　opposite　the　flag…staff；　the　troops　formed　in　line　two
deep　on　the　flat　grassy　surface　of　the　heights　above　my　station。　The
long　row　of　glittering　bayonets　and　the　gay　uniforms　of　the　officers
bewildered　the　astonished　natives。　All　the　sailors；　servants；　and
camp…followers　were　dressed　in　their　best　clothes。　The　prevailing
colours；　white　and　red；　looked　exceedingly　gay　upon　the　close　and　even
surface　of　the　green　turf。　My　staff　was　composed　of　my　aides…de…camp；
Lieutenant　Baker；　R。N。；　Lieut。…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　together　with　three
other　officers；　and　Mr。　Higginbotham。　At　that　time　the　horses　were　all
in　excellent　condition。

Having　ridden　along　the　line　and　halted　beneath　the　flag；　the　troops
formed　three　sides　of　a　square　with　the　flag…staff　in　the　centre。　The
fourth　side；　facing　the　river；　was　then　occupied　by　the　artillery；　with
ten　guns。

The　formality　of　reading　the　official　proclamation；　describing　the
annexation　of　the　country　to　Egypt　in　the　name　of　the　Khedive；　then　took
place　at　the　foot　of　the　flag…staff。　At　the　termination　of　the　last
sentence；　the　Ottoman　flag　was　quickly　run　up　by　the　halyards　and
fluttered　in　the　strong　breeze　at　the　mast…head。　The　officers　with　drawn
swords　saluted　the　flag；　the　troops　presented　arms；　and　the　batteries　of
artillery　fired　a　royal　salute。

This　ceremony　being　completed；　the　troops　marched　past；　after　which；
they　formed　in　order　for　a　supposed　attack　upon　an　imaginary　enemy；　and
fired　away　about　ten　thousand　rounds　of　blank　cartridge　in　the　advance
down　the　long　slope　which　led　to　the　temporary　camp　and　tents　erected
for　the　entertainment。　Here　the　bugle　sounded　〃disperse；〃　and　all　the
men　immediately　set　to　work　to　light　fires　and　prepare　the　food　that　had
been　already　supplied　for　their　dinners。　I　believe　this　was　the　only　day
of　real　enjoyment　that　the　troops　had　had。　The　hours　passed　in　rest　and
sleep　until　sunset。

I　had　invited　fourteen　of　the　officers　to　dine　with　me；　and　our　party　of
eighteen　was　easily　accommodated　on　the　roomy　poop…deck　of　my　diahbeeah。

The　Englishmen　had　a　table　to　themselves　in　the　garden；　and　were　regaled
with　roast　beef　and　real　English　plum…pudding；　that；　having　been　brought
out　in　tins　for　Christmas　Day；　could　not　be　found　during　the　voyage；
therefore　it　added　to　the　feast　of　the　〃day　of　annexation；〃　and　was
annexed　accordingly　by　English　appetites。　This　was　washed　down　and
rendered　wholesome　by　a　quantity　of　pure　filtered　water　from　the　river
Nile；　which　was　include