ismailia-第43节

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various　approaches。　The　station　was　conveniently　situated；　as　a　large
and　deep　lake　completely　defended　the　north　flank　for　a　distance　of
about　400　yards。　The　river　defended　the　east　face：　thus　we　were　only
open　on　two　sides；　one　of　which　was　commanded　by　the　camp　of　〃The
Forty。〃

On　28th　June　it　rained　steadily　during　the　night。　The　Baris　considered
that　our　sentries　would　be　under　cover；　or　would　most　likely　not　expect
an　attack；　they　therefore　resolved　to　attempt　a　surprise。　Their　advanced
scouts　approached　warily　in　the　dark；　but　long　before　they　had　reached
the　sentries；　they　passed　within　a　few　feet　of　a　party　of　guards
concealed　behind　a　white…ant　hill。　A　shot　from　a　musket　stretched　one
Bari　dead。　The　guards　pounced　upon　another　and　seized　him　by　the　throat。
This　was　a　native　of　Belinian；　he　was　accordingly　hanged　on　the
following　morning　to　a　tree　in　the　pathway　by　which　the　Belinian　Baris
arrived　through　the　forest　to　attack　the　camp。　This　it　was　hoped　would
be　a　warning　that　might　deter　others。　（Throughout　the　expedition　this
was　the　only　native　who　was　hanged。　Neither　was　any　native　shot　or
otherwise　executed　when　taken　prisoner；　except　a　spy　at　Belinian。）

On　5th　July　the　natives　made　an　attempt　on　the　cattle；　and　shot　a　sentry
with　an　arrow。

On　7th　July　the　Baris　attacked　the　camp　during　the　night。

On　8th　July　I　sent　a　company　to　take　possession　and　to　hold　the　island。
They　met　the　natives；　and　Monsoor　and　Achmet　Bash　Choush　had　a　narrow
escape　from　lances。　The　Baris　lost　three　killed　and　two　prisoners。

On　that　day　the　river　rose　four　feet　six；　which　was　the　highest　flood
during　the　wet　season。

On　10th　July；　at　mid…day；　several　hundred　Baris；　having　cautiously
approached　the　grazing　cattle　unobserved；　made　a　sudden　rush　from　the
bushes　upon　the　guards；　killing　one　soldier　and　wounding　another。　The
soldiers　belonged　to　the　line；　and　must　have　behaved　badly；　as　the
musket　and　cartouche…box　and　belt　were　stolen　and　carried　off　from　the
dead　man。　The　shots　from　the　guard　immediately　alarmed　the　camp。　The
horses　were　saddled；　and；　attended　by　Lieutenant　Baker；　I　rode　hard　in
pursuit。　The　natives　had　gained　the　forest　and　had　scattered；　but　we
rode　a　red…painted　savage　to　bay；　who　fought　to　the　last；　shooting　two
arrows　at　me；　which　I　avoided　by　dropping　quickly　on　my　horse's　neck；
and　a　third　arrow　stuck　deeply　in　Mr。　Baker's　saddle　as　he　escaped　the
well…aimed　shot　by　spurring　his　horse　across　the　line　of　sight。　These
arrows　were　shot　at　a　distance　of　a　very　few　yards。　The　native　was
killed。

On　12th　July　the　Baris　attempted　to　surprise　both　my　station　and　the
camp　at　head…quarters。

On　the　13th　the　natives　repeated　the　attempt；　but　one　was　shot　dead　by
the　sentry　at　Gondokoro；　also　another　met　the　same　fate　at　my　station。

Nearly　every　night　we　were　subject　to　attempts　at　surprise。　This　was
excellent　practice　for　the　troops；　as　it　taught　them　the；　necessity　of
keeping　a　good　look…out；　at　the　same　time　it　was　very　wearying；　as　the
men　had　to　work　hard　all　day；　and　they　were　kept　awake　at　night。

The　Baris　were　irrepressible　vermin　that　gave　us　no　rest。　My　men　were
all　occupied　in　building　the　station；　therefore　it　was　impossible　for　me
to　take　a　flying　column　and　give　the　Baris　a　severe　lesson；　but　I　made
up　my　mind　that　when　the　work　should　be　finished；　I　would　take　the　fight
out　of　them　most　thoroughly。　They　now　considered　us　fair　game；　that　they
might　insult　as　they　thought　proper；　and　I　heard　from　our　two　faithful
allies；　Sherroom　and　Morgian；　that　they　imagined　we　should　become　afraid
of　them；　and　then　return　to　Khartoum。

They　teased　us　at　night　like　rats；　but　they　lost　many　men。　I　rather
admired　them　for　their　persistence；　as　the　scouts　must　have　been
adventurous　fellows。　Whenever　these　people　were　taken　prisoners；　they
confessed　that　they　were　the　spies　of　the　main　body　that　was　concealed
at　some　distance　in　the　rear。　The　favourite　method　of　a　Bari　attack　is
during　the　night；　when　the　darkness　reduces　the　danger　of　fire…arms。　On
such　occasions　they　generally　halt　either　in　forest　or　high　grass；
according　to　circumstances；　about　half　a　mile　from　the　camp　they　propose
to　attack。　Scouts　are　sent　forward　to　ascertain　the　position　and
vigilance　of　sentries　before　the　advance　of　the　main　body。　The　scouts；
being　quite　naked；　crawl　upon　their　hands　and　knees　until　the　darkness
permits　them　to　approach　within　a　few　yards　of　the　sentries。　They　then
lie　flat　upon　their　bellies　unobserved　until　they　can　retreat　to　the
expectant　body　in　their　rear。

The　attacking　force　now　advances　in　perfect　silence；　and　approaching
upon　hands　and　knees　in　the　same　manner　as　the　scouts；　they　suddenly
spring　upon　the　sentries；　and　with　wild　yells　make　a　general　rush　upon
the　camp。　This　sudden　attack　would　be　extremely　dangerous　unless
provided　against；　and　in　this　manner　large　parties　of　the　slave…hunters
have　been　completely　destroyed。

Our　passive　resistance　to　the　numerous　native　attempts　at　surprise　had
been　misconstrued　by　the　Baris　into　timidity。　The　news　had　spread
throughout　the　country　that　we　should　not　venture　far　inland：　thus　a
grand　alliance　had　been　made　among　the　tribes。　The　Baris　desired　to　make
friends　with　their　powerful　enemy；　the　Loquia：　they　accordingly　invited
this　tribe　to　form　an　alliance　and　to　join　in　a　combined　attack　upon
Gondokoro；　by　which　means　they　hoped　to　overpower　and　destroy　our　force；
and　to　become　possessed　of　many　thousand　cattle　which　were　now　at
head…quarters。

The　Loquia　consented；　thus　we　were　exposed　to　a　grand　coalition。　In　the
mean　time　Abou　Saood　and　his　people；　in　their　camp　on　the　west　side　of
the　river；　continued　to　be　most　friendly　with　the　enemies　of　the
government；　and　supplied　the　Belinian　natives　with　ammunition。

At　1。30。　a。m。；　on　July　21；　I　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of　firing　at
head…quarters。

I　was　dressed　and　armed　in　a　few　minutes。　The　bugle　sounded　the　alarm；
and　〃The　Forty〃　fell　into　position。

I　heard　the　bugles　at　head…quarters；　together　with　a　confused　din　of
native　drums；　horns；　and　yells。　The　first　shots　had　appeared　to　proceed
from　the　sentries；　but　these　were　shortly　succeeded　by　heavy　file…firing
from　the　whole　force　at　the　camp。　An　attack　had　evidently　been　made；　and
a　regular　fight　was　going　on：　it　was　therefore　to　be　expected　that　my
small　force　would　soon　have　to　act　on　the　defensive。　Spare　ammunition
was　quickly　in　readiness；　and　we　were　well　prepared。

In　the　mean　time；　a　general　action　was　growing　hotter　every　moment；　the
yells　of　the　natives　and　the　din　of　their　horns　became　louder。　I　was
momentarily　expecting　to　hear　the　sound　of　cannon；　and　I　was　speculating
upon　the　effect　that　the　fire　of　ten　guns　loaded　with　case　shot　would
have　among　such　a　crowd　of　enemies；　but　to　my　astonishment　not　a　gun　was
fired。　Simply　the　roll　of　musketry　continued。

In　about　half　an　hour　the　native　yells　grew　fainter；　the　noise　of　their
horns　and　drums　was　reduced；　and　the　heavy　firing　dwindled　to　dropping
shots。　I　heard　the　bugles　sound　〃cease　firing。〃　I　then　heard　〃the
advance。〃　Again　firing　commenced；　this　time　in　volleys；　then　I　heard
once　more　〃cease　firing；〃　and　then　〃the　retreat：〃　the　attack　was
repulsed。

I　could　not　understand　why　my　little　station　had　not　been　attacked；　but
I　subsequently　heard　that　the　natives　were　more　afraid　of　the　〃Forty
Thieves〃　than　of　the　entire　force。　Added　to　this　was　the　powerful　reason
that　I　had　only　a　few　cows　for　milk；　while　the　attraction　of　many
thousand　head　of　cattle　induced　an　attack　on　the　camp　at　Gondokoro。

On　the　following　morning　before　sunrise　I　rode　up　to　camp　to　hear　the
news。　It　appeared　that　the　natives　had　actually　surprised　the　sentries。
We　had　lost　a　corporal；　killed；　and　a　lieutenant　and　one　soldier　were
wounded　by　arrows。

The　Baris　and　the　Loquia　had　attacked　in　large　force　with　the　intention
of　burning　the　station；　as　many　were　provided　with　flaming　firebrands；
with　which　they　had　advanced　bravely　to　the　edge　of　the　thorn　fence。　Had
the　station　not　been　protected　by　this　defence　it　is　probable　that　the
enemy　might　have　succeeded　in　firing　the　houses。

As　usual；　the　troops　had　fired　badly。　Such　a　fusilade　as　I　had　heard
should　have　covered　the　plain　with　dead。　The　officers　and　men　declared
that　great　numbers　of　the　enemy　were　killed；　but　their　comrades　had
carried　off　the　bodies。　This　was　true　to　a　certain　extent；　as　I　saw
blood　in　many　directions；　and　we　found　one　Loquia　lying　dead　with　two
bullet　wounds；　through　the　head　and　thigh。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　camp　was　surprised　through　the　neglect　of
the　patrol　and　the　sleepiness　of　sentries；　and　it　was　only　saved　by　the
thorn　fence　and　the　fire　of　so　large　a　force　as　1；100　men。　The　colonel
in　command　of　the　troops；　Raouf　Bey；　could　give　no　satisfactory
explanation　for　the　silence　of　the　artillery；　but　he　subsequently　told
me　they　HAD　FORGOTTEN　ITS　EXISTENCE　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment。
Another　officer　told　me　they　had　brought　up　one　gun；　but　could　not　find
the　key　of　the　ammunition。　I　remembered　what　David　said　in　his　haste；
and　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　they　had　been　disgracefully　surprised。

I　dete