ismailia-第42节

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Soudanis；　but　I　much　preferred　the　latter；　by　degrees　I　drafted　out　all
the　Egyptians　excepting　four；　and　filled　their　places　with　well…selected
blacks；　mostly　taken　from　the　grenadier　company　of　the　regiment。

At　the　commencement　of　the　expedition　this　small　body　of　men　had　well
earned　the　title　of　the　〃Forty　THIEVES〃　by　which　they　were　always　known
among　the　English　party；　although　publicly　in　the　camp　they　were　only
designated　as　〃The　Forty。〃

I　had　taken　great　personal　care　of　this　little　corps；　and　the　result　was
most　satisfactory。　The　thieves　had　been　got　rid　of。　I　never　forgave　a
fault　until　after　punishment　had　been　received；　I　never　allowed　the
doctor　to　attend　them　when　ill；　but　invariably　attended　to　them　myself。
I　had　endeavoured　to　instil　a　feeling　of　pride　among　them；　and
encouraged　them　with　an　idea　of　their　superiority　to　the　other
regiments。　I　actually　succeeded　in　establishing　a　code　of　honour
throughout　the　corps；　until　it　was　considered　a　disgrace　to　〃The　Forty〃
that　a　theft　should　be　committed。　〃Is　he　not　one　of　'The　Forty'？〃　was
the　usual　exclamation　if　any　doubt　was　thrown　on　the　character　of　a
soldier。　The　fact　of　his　belonging　to　〃The　Forty〃　was　a　sufficient
certificate。

The　regimental　arrangements　at　head…quarters　had　been　sadly　neglected；
as　the　men　were　necessarily　so　much　engaged　in　other　work　that　they　had
no　time　for　drill　except　on　Fridays。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　well
officered；　having　the　advantage　of　a　lieutenant…colonel　and　a　captain；
together　with　two　most　active　and　courageous　lieutenants；　who　had　lately
received　their　promotion　for　good　conduct：　these　were　my　faithful
Monsoor　Agha；　and　Ferritch　Agba。　The　young　soldier；　who　had　been
condemned　to　be　shot　for　desertion　the　previous　year；　had　shown　such
devotion　and　activity　that　he　was　promised　the　next　vacancy　in　the　rank
of　corporal。　The　non…commissioned　officers　were　soldiers　who　had　seen
much　service；　and　the　corps　was　in　a　highly　efficient　state　with　the
exception　of　the　rifle　practice。

While　at　Tewfikeeyah；　having　paid　much　attention　to　this　all…important
point；　I　had　instructed　the　officers　and　men　personally；　and　I　had
established　prize…shooting　to　give　an　additional　interest　to　the　work。
Both　officers　and　men　now　took　an　immense　pleasure　in　rifle　practice；
but　it　appeared　almost　impossible　to　make　them　good　shots。　Out　of
forty…eight　officers　and　men；　I　had　only　fifteen　who　could　be　called
real　hitters；　the　others　were　only　shooters。

The　great　difficulty　was　to　instruct　them　in　distances。　I　frequently
took　them　away　from　camp　and　made　them　guess　the　distance　in　paces　from
some　particular　object；　such　as　a　tree；　or　white…ant　hill。　Very　few　of
the　men　had　the　slightest　idea　of　this　important　subject；　but　at　the
commencement；　even　the　officers　were　perfectly　ignorant。　At　length；　by
constant　practice　at　the　target；　varying　the　range　from　100　to　300
yards；　about　a　third　of　the　corps　became　fair　shots；　and　these　few　were
tolerably　good　judges　of　distance　up　to　400　yards。　The　colonel；　Abd…el…
Kader；　became　an　excellent　shot；　as　he　was　an　officer　who　took　great
interest　in　his　profession。　The　remainder　of　the　corps　shot　as　well　as
they　could；　and　took　great　pains；　but　although　they　were　considered
crack　marksmen　by　the　line…regiments；　their　reputation　would　have
suffered　if　their　deficiencies　had　been　exposed。　At　any　rate；　they　were
very　dangerous　with　such　a　weapon　as　the　snider；　when　firing　into　masses
of　the　enemy。

I　distinguished　〃The　Forty〃　from　the　line　regiment　by　a　scarlet　uniform；
this　was　a　simple　red　flannel　shirt；　worn　outside　their　Zouave　trouser；
and　secured　by　a　belt；　with　ammunition…pouches；　round　the　waist。　This
uniform；　with　linen　gaiters；　and　with　a　head…dress　of　the　scarlet　fez；
bound　by　a　turban　of　cobalt　blue；　looked　remarkably　well。

In　active　service；　the　officers　carried　sniders；　thus；　the　corps
complete　consisted　of　forty…eight　sniders；　but　together　with　Lieutenant
Baker　and　myself；　it　comprised　fifty　rifles。

The　high　state　of　discipline　and　the　fine　morale　of　this　little　force
was　a　good　example　of　what　may　be　effected；　even　with　a　material　of　so
low　a　reputation　as　the　negro。　My　men　were　natives　of　various　tribes
scattered　over　an　immense　extent　of　Central　Africa。　Each　had　a　certain
love　of　the　country　from　which　he　had　been　originally　stolen　by　the
slave…traders　when　a　boy；　before　he　found　his　way　into　government
service。　I　always　endeavoured　to　keep　up　this　feeling；　and　to　create
emulation　among　the　men　of　different　tribes；　thus；　a　native　of　Pongo
would　assume　a　superiority　over　a　Dinka；　although　the　Dinka　considered
himself　of　a　higher　class　than　a　Pongo。　A　Noba　regarded　himself　as
superior　to　all　others。　But　by　degrees　I　established　a　principle　that
was　generally　accepted　by　them　allthat　an　old　soldier　with　a　good
reputation　should　take　precedence　of　all　others；　without　reference　to
caste　or　tribe。　Thus；　the　aim　of　all　young　privates　would　be　to　become
old　soldiers；　and　to　rise　in　rank　according　to　their　merits。　There　were
several　excellent　examples　of　good　soldiers　in　〃The　Forty；〃　among　whom
stood　first　Mohammed…el…Feel；　sergeant　of　the　body…guard。　The　latter
comprised　ten　men；　selected　from　〃The　Forty〃　as　creme　de　la　creme；
these　men　were　exempted　from　all　labour；　and　they　formed　the　guard　of
two　sentries　by　night；　and　one　by　day。

The　discipline　of　this　picked　corps〃Abd…el…Kader　and　the　Forty
Thieves〃was　the　commencement　of　a　great　moral　reform；　that　resulted　in
an　improved　tone　throughout　the　force；　which　ultimately　did　the　great
work　of　the　expedition。

The　efficiency　of　〃The　Forty〃　was　an　established　fact　of　what　could　be
accomplished　where　officers　and　men　were　governed　by　that　peculiar
confidence　that　bound　them　together　as　one　man。　Throughout　the
expedition；　after　this　confidence　had　been　once　established；　I　never　for
an　instant　doubted　the　fidelity　of　my　men；　they　would　have　followed　me
through　fire　or　water；　without　the　slightest　hesitation。　In　action；　〃The
Forty〃　were　always　in　advance；　and　they　were　watched　with　eagerness　and
even　pride　by　the　other　regiments：　when　thrown　out　as　skirmishers　they
climbed　rocks；　pushed　through　jungles；　and　cleared　the　enemy　from　the
country　with　irresistible　activity。　Promotion　from　the　line　to　〃The
Forty〃　was　considered　as　an　honour；　and　so　perfect　was　the　esprit　de
corps；　that　in　the　event　of　a　vacancy　being　caused　by　sickness；　or　other
cause；　the　men　reported　to　me　the　character　of　the　new…comer　before　he
was　admitted；　and　respectfully　declined　to　receive　him　if　he　bore　a
doubtful　reputation；　virtually　he　was　〃black…balled。〃

A　corps　of　this　character　was　a　nucleus　for　an　extension　of　military
morality。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　would　not　admit　a　thief；　and　they　became
generally　accepted　as　a　model　of　what　government　soldiers　should　become。

I　believe　that　if　it　were　possible　to　convert　the　greater　portion　of
African　savages　into　disciplined　soldiers；　it　would　be　the　most　rapid
stride　towards　their　future　civilization。　The　fact　of　obedience　being
enforced；　and　the　necessity　of　order；　industry；　and　discipline；　together
with　clothing　and　cleanliness；　is　all　that　is　absolutely　required　to
bring　a　savage　within　the　bounds　of　good　management。　A　savage　who　has
led　a　wild　and　uncontrolled　life　must　first　learn　to　obey　authority
before　any　great　improvement　can　be　expected。　A　soldier　must　obey；　and
he　learns　to　respect　his　officers　as　his　superiors；　thus；　a　savage　who
has　learnt　all　that　he　knows　from　his　officers；　whom　he　admits　as　his
superiors；　will　quickly　adopt　their　religion；　as　he　has　been　obliged　to
adopt　their　military　rules。　My　soldiers　were　all　Mohammedans；　simply
because　they　had　been　taught　by　their　officers　that　good　soldiers　should
be　true　believers。

As　I　have　already　described；　my　station　was　a　mile　and　a　half　distant
from　head…quarters；　and　the　arrangements　under　my　personal　inspection
were　very　different　from　the　lax　discipline　of　the　officers　at
Gondokoro。

The　natives　of　Belinian　had　disregarded　the　warning　they　had　received；
and　now；　having　leagued　themselves　with　the　Baris　of　Gondokoro；　they
were　constantly　on　the　watch　for　an　opportunity　of　surprising　the　cattle
guards。　Concealing　themselves　behind　thick　foliage；　they　stalked　the
careless　sentries　with　the　adroitness　of　American　Indians；　and　sometimes
succeeded　in　making　a　dash　and　driving　off　a　few　head　of　cattle。

I　was　obliged　to　take　extra　precautions　during　the　night；　as　my　little
station　was　dependent　only　upon　〃The　Forty；〃　while　the　camp　at
head…quarters　was　occupied　by　1；100　men；　in　addition　to　about　400
sailors；　and　the　six　Englishmen。

The　natives　disturbed　us　every　night；　and　were　constantly　fired　at　by
the　sentries。　I　served　out　cartridges　containing　eight…mould　shot；　each
to　be　rammed　down　over　the　ball　in　the　muskets　for　the　night　sentries：
these　would　be　more　likely　to　hit　a　thief　in　the　dark　than　a　single
bullet。　The　muskets　were　given　to　the　sentries　in　addition　to　their
rifles。

I　placed　my　men　every　night；　concealed　by　cover　so　as　to　command　the
various　approaches。　The　station　was　conveniently　situated；　as　a　large
and　deep　lake　completel