ismailia-第41节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


cases　entirely　destroyed　the　foot。　The　women　did　not　suffer　from　this
complaint。　It　originated　from　a　poisonous　grass　that　festered　the　wound
it　gave；　and　rapidly　produced　an　incurable　sore。　As　the　women　had　not
been　exposed　to　the　work　in　the　marshes；　they　had　escaped　the　scourge
inflicted　by　the　sharp　edges　of　the　grass。

There　was　no　rest　for　the　people；　they　had　to　build　their　camp　and　fight
the　Baris　at　the　same　time。　A　scarcity　of　corn　stared　them　in　the　face。
The　officers　and　men　were　well　aware　that　we　could　not　hope　for　regular
supplies　of　corn　and　reinforcements　of　troops　from　Khartoum　in　the
dreadful　state　of　the　river：　thus　they　felt　their　position　keenly；　as
sick；　dispirited；　in　the　midst　of　enemies；　with　approaching　famine　of
corn；　and　no　communication　with　the　Soudan。　All　these　difficulties　were
to　be　endured　for　the　sake　of　an　object　which　they　detested〃the
suppression　of　the　slave　trade。〃



CHAPTER　IX。

NEW　ENEMIES

Our　enemies　were　not　confined　to　the　land　only：　the　crocodiles　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro　were　exceedingly　ferocious。　As　the　natives
were　so　much　in　the　habit　of　swimming　to　and　fro　with　their　cattle；
these　wily　creatures　had　been　always　accustomed　to　claim　a　toll　in　the
shape　of　a　cow；　calf；　or　nigger。　Two　of　Abou　Saood's　sailors　were
carried　off　on　two　consecutive　days。　One　of　my　soldiers；　while　engaged
with　many　others　in　water；　only　hip　deep；　was　seized　by　a　crocodile。　The
man；　being　held　by　the　leg　below　the　knee；　made　a　good　fight；　and　thrust
his　fingers　into　the　creature's　eyes；　his　comrades　at　the　same　time
assisted　and　rescued　him　from　absolute　destruction；　but　the　leg…bone　was
so　mashed　and　splintered　in　many　places　that　he　was　obliged　to　submit　to
amputation。

One　of　my　sailors　had　a　narrow　escape。　He　and　many　others　were　engaged
in　collecting　the　leaves　of　a　species　of　water…convolvulus　that　make　an
excellent　spinach；　this　plant　is　rooted　on　the　muddy　bank；　but　it　runs
upon　the　surface　of　the　water；　upon　which　its　pink　blossoms　are　very
ornamental。

The　sailor　was　stooping　from　the　bank　to　gather　the　floating　leaves；
when　he　was　suddenly　seized　by　the　arm　at　the　elbow…joint；　his　friends
immediately　caught　him　round　the　waist；　and　their　united　efforts
prevented　him　from　being　dragged　into　the　water。　The　crocodile；　having
tasted　blood；　would　not　quit　its　hold；　but　tugged　and　wrenched　the　arm
completely　off　at　the　elbow…joint；　and　went　off　with　its　prize。　The
unfortunate　man；　in　excruciating　agony；　was　brought　to　the　camp；　where
it　was　necessary　to　amputate　another　piece　slightly　above　the　lacerated
joint。

I　made　a　point　of　carrying　a　rifle　at　all　times；　simply　to　destroy　these
terrible　reptiles。　There　never　was　a　better　rifle　than　〃the　Dutchman；〃
made　by　Holland；　of　Bond　Street。　This　little　weapon　was　a
double…barrelled　breechloader；　and　carried　the　Boxer　bullet　of
government　calibre；　with　a　charge　of　three　drachms　of　powder。　The
accuracy　of　both　barrels　was　extraordinary；　it　was　only　sighted　up　to
250　yards；　but　by　taking　the　head　very　full；　it　carried　with　great
precision　up　to　300。　I　could　generally　make　certain　of　crocodiles　if
basking　on　a　sandbank　within　a　hundred　yards；　as　I　could　put　the　bullet
exactly　in　the　right　place；　either　behind　the　eye；　or　right　through　the
centre　of　the　shoulder。　This　handy　rifle　weighed　9…3/4　lbs。；　and
throughout　the　expedition　it　was　almost　as　much　one　of　my　component
parts　as　a　bone　of　my　body。　I　had　a　large　supply　of　ammunition；　thus　I
never　lost　an　opportunity　of　shooting　at　a　crocodile's　head　if　I　saw　one
above　the　surface。　On　many　occasions　they　never　moved　from　the　shot　when
basking　on　sand…banks；　but　were　simply　extinguished。

One　of　our　women　went　to　the　river　to　wash；　but　never　returned。　This　was
close　to　our　diahbeeah；　and　the　water　being　shallow；　there　is　no　doubt
that　she　was　seized　by　a　crocodile。

I　was　one　day　returning　from　head…quarters　to　my　station；　a　distance　of
a　mile　and　a　half　along　the　river's　bank；　when　I　noticed　the　large　head
of　a　crocodile　about　thirty　yards　from　the　shore。　I　knew　every　inch　of
the　river；　and　I　was　satisfied　that　the　water　was　shallow。　A　solitary
piece　of　waving　rush　that　grew　upon　the　bank；　exactly　opposite　the
crocodile；　would　mark　the　position；　thus；　stooping　down；　I　quietly
retreated　inland　from　the　bank；　and　then　running　forward；　I　crept　gently
towards　the　rush。　Stooping　as　low　as　possible；　I　advanced　till　very　near
the　bank　（upon　which　grew　tufts　of　grass）；　until；　by　slowly　raising　my
head；　I　could　observe　the　head　of　the　crocodile　in　the　same　position；
not　more　than　twenty…six　or　twenty…eight　yards　from　me。　At　that
distance；　the　Dutchman　could　hit　a　half…crown；　I　therefore　made　sure　of
bagging。　The　bank　was　about　four　feet　above　the　water；　thus　the　angle
was　favourable；　and　I　aimed　just　behind　the　eye。　Almost　as　I　touched　the
trigger；　the　crocodile　gave　a　convulsive　start；　and　turning　slowly　on
its　back；　it　stretched　its　four　legs　above　the　surface；　straining　every
muscle；　it　then　remained　motionless　in　this　position　in　water　about　two
feet　deep。

My　horse　was　always　furnished　with　a　long　halter　or　tethering…rope：
thus　I　ordered　the　syce　and　another　man　to　jump　into　the　river　and
secure　the　crocodile　by　a　rope　fastened　round　the　body　behind　the
fore…legs。　This　was　quickly　accomplished；　and　the　men　remained　knee…deep
hauling　upon　the　rope　to　prevent　the　stream　from　carrying　away　the　body。
In　the　mean　time　Monsoor　had　mounted　my　horse　and　galloped　off　for
assistance　to　the　camp　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃

Crocodiles　are　very　tenacious　of　life；　and　although　they　may　be　shot
through　the　brain　and　be　actually　dead　for　all　practical　purposes；　they
will　remain　motionless　at　first；　but　they　will　begin　instinctively　to
move　the　limbs　and　tail　a　few　minutes　after　receiving　the　shot。　If　lying
upon　a　sand…bank；　or　in　deep　water；　they　would　generally　disappear
unless　secured　by　a　rope；　as　the　spasmodic　movements　of　the　limbs　and
tail　would　set　upon　the　water；　and　the　body　would　be　carried　away。

The　crocodile；　that　had　appeared　stone　dead；　now　began　to　move　its　tail；
and　my　two　men　who　were　holding　on　to　the　rope　cried　out　that　it　was
still　alive。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　assured　the　frightened　fellows　that
it　was　dead。　I　was　on　the　bank；　and　they　were　in　the　water　within　a　few
feet　of　the　crocodile；　which　made　some　difference　in　our　ideas　of　its
vivacity。　Presently　the　creature　really　began　to　struggle；　and　the
united　efforts　of　the　men　could　hardly　restrain　it　from　getting　into
deeper　water。　The　monster　now　began　to　yawn；　which　so　terrified　the　men
that　they　would　have　dropped　the　rope　and　fled　had　they　not　been　afraid
of　the　consequences；　as　I　was　addressing　them　rather　forcibly　from　the
bank。　I　put　another　shot　through　the　shoulder　of　the　struggling　monster；
which　appeared　to　act　as　a　narcotic　until　the　arrival　of　the　soldiers
with　ropes。　No　sooner　was　the　crocodile　well　secured　than　it　began　to
struggle　violently；　but　a　great　number　of　men　hauled　upon　the　rope；　and
when　it　was　safely　landed；　I　gave　it　a　blow　with　a　sharp　axe　on　the　back
of　the　neck；　which　killed　it　by　dividing　the　spine。

It　was　now　dragged　along　the　turf　until　we　reached　the　camp；　where　it
was　carefully　measured　with　a　tape；　and　showed　an　exact　length　of　12
feet　3　inches　from　snout　to　end　of　tail。

The　stomach　contained　about　five　pounds'　weight　of　pebbles；　as　though　it
had　fed　upon　flesh　resting　upon　a　gravel　bank；　and　had　swallowed　the
pebbles　that　had　adhered。　Mixed　with　the　pebbles　was　a　greenish；　slimy
matter　that　appeared　woolly。　In　the　midst　of　this　were　three　undeniable
witnesses　that　convicted　the　crocodile　of　wilful　murder。　A　necklace　and
two　armlets；　such　as　are　worn　by　the　negro　girls；　were　taken　from　the
stomach！　The　girl　had　been　digested。　This　was　an　old　malefactor　that　was
a　good　riddance。

I　have　frequently　seen　crocodiles　upwards　of　eighteen　feet　in　length；
and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　they　sometimes　exceed　twenty；　but　a
very　small　creature　of　this　species　may　carry　away　a　man　while　swimming。
The　crocodile　does　not　attempt　to　swallow　an　animal　at　once；　but　having
carried　it　to　a　favourite　feeding…place；　generally　in　some　deep　hole；
it　tears　it　limb　from　limb　with　teeth　and　claws　and　devours　it　at
leisure。

The　camp　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　had　been　finished　some　time　since：　the
gardens　were　flourishing；　and　I　erected　a　〃shadoof；〃　or　Egyptian　double
bucket　and　lever　for　irrigation。　Two　men　could　lift　and　throw　out　3；600
gallons　per　hour。　I　made　the　calculation　as　nearly　as　possible：　the　iron
buckets　contained　slightly　more　than　four　gallons　each；　thus；　two　men
with　the　double　shadoof　lifted　eight　gallons　every　eight　seconds　（or　one
lift　in　eight　seconds）：　a　gallon　per　second　gave　3；600　per　hour。

I　never　allowed　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　to　work　at　the　general
head…quarters；　but　kept　them　as　my　personal　escort。　When　at　Tewfikeeyah
I　had　been　particular　in　their　drill；　and　I　had　endeavoured　to　teach
them　to　shoot　accurately。　The　Egyptians　became　better　shots　than　the
Soudanis；　but　I　much　preferred　the　latter；　by　degrees　I　drafted　out　all
the　Egyptians　excepting　four；　and　filled　thei