ismailia-第47节

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quickened　by　the　report　of　the　rifles。　It　was　difficult　work　to　manage
the　herd　with　only　four　horses。　No　one　who　has　not　hunted　African；　and
especially　Bari　cattle；　can　have　an　idea　of　the　activity　of　these
animals。　They　go　along　at　a　tremendous　pace；　and　never　appear　to　get
blown：　thus　we　were　spurring　hard　through　the　forest　in　order　to
overtake　the　herd；　when　to　my　great　satisfaction　we　arrived　at　the　broad
bed　（nearly　dry）　of　the　Belinian　river。　This　checked　the　pace；　and　we
reined　up　our　horses；　and　quietly　waited　for　the　troops；　who　were
excellent　runners。

A　few　men　of　〃The　Forty〃　were　the　first　up；　and　we　managed　to　drive　the
cattle　across　the　river　on　to　the　open　plain。　Hardly　had　we　arrived　on
the　level　ground；　when　they　started　off　in　another　stampede；　and　kept　us
going　for　about　three　miles；　as　though　we　were　following　hounds。

With　a　horse　on　each　flank　and　in　the　rear　of　the　herd　we　at　length
managed　to　control　their　movements。　Fortunately　we　had　been　running
towards　our　camp。

A　herd　of　cattle　generally　depends　upon　a　few　of　its　members；　which　are
usually　followed　by　the　others。　Upon　this　occasion　there　were　two　cows
that　appeared　to　direct　their　movements。　These　wild　creatures　refused　to
enter　our　cattle　kraal　upon　arrival　at　the　camp；　when　the　troops；　having
seen　our　approach；　came　out　to　render　assistance。　With　skilful
management　the　herd　was　secured　within　the　kraal；　with　the　exception　of
the　two　undisciplined　cows；　which　started　off　at　full　speed　along　the
plain；　followed　by　Abd…el…Kader　and　myself。　A　black　and　white　cow　was
exceedingly　vicious；　and　being　hard　pressed　for　about　a　quarter　of　a
mile；　she　turned　to　bay　on　the　open　plain。　I　was　riding　my　best　horse；
named　〃The　Pig；〃　who　was　very　powerful　and　fast；　and　understood
cattle…driving　thoroughly。　〃The　Pig；〃　accordingly　avoided　the　charge　of
the　infuriated　cow；　which　dashed　at　him　like　a　wild　buffalo。　I
immediately　shot　her　in　the　shoulder　with　a　revolver；　which　had　no　other
effect　than　to　turn　her　towards　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　who　was　riding　a
large；　clumsy　chestnut　called　〃Jamoos〃　（the　buffalo）。　This　horse
remained　perfectly　still　when　the　cow　rushed　at　him；　and　Abd…ed…Kader
instead　of　firing　his　rifle；　received　the　charge　full　upon　his　left　leg；
into　which　the　cow　drove　her　sharp　horn；　making　a　serious　wound　nearly
through　the　calf。　I　then　shot　the　cow　through　the　head；　but　Abd…el…Kader
was　in　great　pain　and　quite　disabled。

Upon　counting　our　cattle　we　found　165。　　This　was　a　very　small　herd；　but
they　had　been　difficult　to　capture。

Our　new　ally；　old　Jarda；　with　his　diplomatic　sister；　came　to　visit　us
upon　hearing　of　our　success；　and　immediately　asked　for　a　calf；　which　I
gave　him。

Jarda's　sister　now　informed　me　that　the　sheik　of　the　mountain　wished　for
peace；　and　requested　permission　to　visit　me。　On　the　following　day　he
appeared。　He　was　a　fine　powerful　fellow；　but　with　a　bad　expression。　I
had　already　heard　that　Jarda　and　he　were　not　friends；　therefore　I　looked
upon　this　introduction　with　suspicion。

After　the　usual　declaration　of　friendship　by　the　new　sheik；　and　an
apology　for　past　misdemeanours；　presents　were　requested。　A　fat　calf　was
giventhen　a　sheep　was　demanded；　this　was　also　supplied。　We　now　came　to
business。　It　appeared　that　the　Belinian　Baris　had　been　called　upon　by
Allorron　to　become　allies；　at　the　same　time　that　Loqiua　had　been　invited
to　join　in　the　general　attack　that　had　been　made　upon　Gondokoro。

Loquia　had　hesitated；　but　had　at　length　joined　Belinian；　as　the
government　troops　had　been　reported　as　great　cowards　who　were　afraid　to
venture　far　from　their　head…quarters。　The　many　thousand　cattle　known　to
be　at　Gondokoro；　and　the　fabulous　amount　of　stores　and　material；　at
length　tempted　the　Loquia　to　join　forces。

On　the　night　of　the　attack；　it　now　appeared　that　Loquia　had　lost　many
men　killed；　others　who　were　wounded　dropped　on　the　way；　and　died　on　the
route　through　Belinian。　This　loss　so　enraged　Loquia　（who　considered　that
he　had　been　only　used　as　a　cat's…paw）；　that　he　was　determined　not　to
return　home　empty…handed。　He　therefore　revenged　himself　upon　his　allies；
and　captured　about　2；000　head　of　cattle　from　Belinian；　with　which　he
returned　to　his　mountains　two　days'　distant。

On　the　day　following　my　interview　with　the　sheik　of　the　mountain；
〃Wani；〃　I　received　information　which　made　me　suspect　that　he　was　not　the
real　sheik；　and　that　some　trick　was　intended。

Once　more　I　was　waited　upon　by　old　Jarda；　with　his　female　minister　of
foreign　affairs；　in　company　with　Wani；　the　reputed　sheik　of　the
mountain；　together　with　a　number　of　headmen。

I　now　received　a　direct　proposal　to　form　a　general　alliance。　The
Belinian　Baris　declared　allegiance　to　the　government；　and　proposed　to
join　all　their　forces　to　make　a　great　attack；　in　conjunction　with　the
troops；　upon　a　country　about　sixteen　miles　distant；　governed　by　a　sheik
named　Lokko。　They　described　this　country　as　abounding　in　corn；　and
sesame；　in　addition　to　great　wealth　in　cattle。　They　also　declared　that
they　had　already　sent　spies　into　the　land；　who　had　returned　with　the
news　that　the　harvest　was　over；　and　all　the　grain　was　stowed　in　the
granaries；　thus　the　troops　would　have　no　trouble　in　collecting　the　corn。

They　also　promised　that　if　I　would　make　the　attack；　they　would　collect
all　their　women　and　transport　the　corn　to　head…quarters　at　Gondokoro；
thus　the　soldiers　would　have　no　fatigue。　At　the　same　time　they　described
the　people　of　Lokko　as　very　powerful；　and　declared　that　I　should　require
nearly　all　my　force；　as　very　few　troops　would　be　now　necessary　to
protect　my　camp　at　Belinian；　as　we　WERE　ALL　FRIENDS！

This　kind　regard　for　my　military　arrangements　confirmed　my　suspicions。　
It　was　intended　to　draw　off　the　greater　portion　of　the　troops　to　a
distance；　in　company　with　the　pretended　allies。　The　attack　was　really　to
be　made　on　Lokko；　but　my　troops　were　also　to　be　overpowered　when
unsuspectingly　returning　by　a　night　march　with　the　spoil。　The　cattle
captured　from　Lokko　would　then　fall　into　the　hands　of　Belinian；　and　my
camp；　protected　by　a　weak　force；　was　to　be　surprised。

I　pretended　to　enter　into　this　scheme；　but　I　expressed　a　doubt　whether
they　would　perform　their　part　of　the　engagement；　and　convey　the　corn
from　Lokko　to　Gondokoro。　This　they　declared　emphatically　they　would　do
without　failing。

I　proposed；　that　if　they　could　convey　such　an　enormous　quantity　so　great
a　distance　from　Lokko　to　Gondokoro；　they　should　first　prove　their
fidelity　by　transporting　the　few　hundred　urdeps　from　our　Belinian　camp
to　head…quarters。　If　they　would　assist　us　in　this　manner；　they　should　be
paid　for　their　trouble；　and　I　should　then　believe　in　their　sincerity。　On
the　other　hand；　if　they　refused；　I　should　be　perfectly　certain　that　they
would　also　decline　to　transport　the　corn　from　Lokko；　and　that　every
individual　would　merely　scramble　for　spoil；　and　return　to　Belinian　with
a　load　of　plunder　for　his　own　use。

We　should　then　be　left　at　Lokko　in　a　foolish　position。

After　much　discussion；　they　promised　to　carry　the　corn　to　Gondokoro
before　commencing　operations　against　Lokko；　but　I　at　once　perceived　by
their　manner；　that　they　had　not　the　slightest　intention　of　performing
any　such　contract。　They　felt　that　their　scheme　had　been　found　out。

Although　Africans　are　notoriously　cunning　and　treacherous；　they　have　not
sufficient　patience　or　self…sacrifice　to　enable　them　to　carry　out　a
perfect　scheme。　If　the　Belinians　had　wished　to　succeed　in　their　plan；
they　should　have　willingly　carried　the　corn　to　Gondokoro；　and　thus　have
established　confidence。　In　all　my　experience　with　African　tribes；　I　have
observed　this　want　of　organization　in　their　plans。　Like　ignorant
chess…players；　they　only　think　of　the　first　few　moves；　and　thus　are　at　a
loss　when　suddenly　checked。

Of　course　I　had　no　intention　of　attacking　Lokko；　as　I　had　no　complaint
against　him；　and　although　a　Bari；　he　was　a　chief　who　had　always　behaved
well　to　the　Austrian　missionaries。　This　portion　of　the　Bari　tribe；
instead　of　being　sixteen　miles；　was　at　least　thirty　from　the　north　of
Belinian；　and　was　situated　on　the　White　Nile；　where　the　sheik；　Lokko；
was　known　to　the　traders　as　〃Oom　Nickla。〃

The　following　extracts　from　my　journal　will　at　once　explain　the　state　of
affairs。　The　natives　had　lost　their　chance；　and　feeling　that　their
treachery　had　been　discovered；　they　never　came　to　me　again：

〃September　22；　1871。No　natives　will　come　near　us。　　Abou　Saood　arrived
with　forty　men　to　ask　my　permission　that　he　might　start　for　Khartoum。

〃September　23。The　natives；　disappointed　in　their　trick；　will　have
nothing　to　say　to　us。〃

On　the　25th　September　the　natives　treacherously　attacked　an　unarmed
soldier。　This　man　had　strayed　a　few　hundred　yards　from　the　camp；　against
orders；　to　search　for　wild　thyme。　A　native　met　him　and　accosted　him　by
the　welcome　〃Adotto　julio。〃　The　soldier　advanced　close；　when　the
treacherous　Bari　immediately　shot　an　arrow　into　him。　This　passed　through
his　arm　with　such　force　that　more　than　half　the　length　of　the　arrow
protruded　on　the　other　side。　The　soldier　shouted　for　help；　and　the　Bari
decamped　as　he　saw　others　running　t