ismailia-第5节

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Khartoum；　and　to　that　admirable　officer　I　intrusted　the　charge　of　the
steamer　sections　and　machinery；　together　with　the　command　of　the　English
engineers　and　mechanics。

I　arranged　to　bring　up　the　rear　by　another　route；　via　Souakim　on　the　Red
Sea；　from　which　the　desert　journey　to　Berber；　on　the　Nile；　N。　lat。　17
degrees　37　minutes；　is　275　statute　miles。

My　reason　for　this　division　of　routes　was　to　insure　a　quick　supply　of
camels；　as　much　delay　would　have　been　occasioned　had　the　great　mass　of
transport　been　conveyed　by　one　road。

The　military　arrangements　comprised　a　force　of　1；645　troops；　including　a
corps　of　200　irregular　cavalry；　and　two　batteries　of　artillery。　The
infantry　were　two　regiments；　supposed　to　be　well　selected。　The　black　or
Soudani　regiment　included　many　officers　and　men　who　had　served　for　some
years　in　Mexico　with　the　French　army　under　Marshal　Bazaine。　The　Egyptian
regiment　turned　out　to　be　for　the　most　part　convicted　felons　who　had
been　transported　for　various　crimes　from　Egypt　to　the　Soudan。

The　artillery　were　rifled　mountain　guns　of　bronze；　the　barrel　weighing
230　lbs。；　and　throwing　shells　of　8…1/4　lbs。　The　authorities　at　Woolwich
had　kindly　supplied　the　expedition　with　200　Hale's
rocketsthree…poundersand　fifty　snider　rifles；　together　with　50；000
rounds　of　snider　ammunition。　The　military　force　and　supplies　were　to　be
massed　in　Khartoum　ready　to　meet　me　upon　my　arrival。

I　had　taken　extra　precautions　in　the　packing　of　ammunition　and　all
perishable　goods。　The　teak　boxes　for　snider　ammunition；　also　the　boxes
of　Hale's　rockets；　were　lined　and　hermetically　sealed　with　soldered　tin。
The　light　Manchester　goods　and　smaller　articles　were　packed　in　strong；
useful；　painted　tin　boxes；　with　locks　and　hinges；　&c。　Each　box　was
numbered；　and　when　the　lid　was　opened；　a　tin　plate　was　soldered　over　the
open　face；　so　that　the　lid；　when　closed；　locked　above　an　hermetically
sealed　case。　Each　tin　box　was　packed　in　a　deal　case；　with　a　number　to
correspond　with　the　box　within。

By　this　arrangement　the　tin　boxes　arrived　at　their　destination　as　good
as　new；　and　were　quite　invaluable　for　travelling；　as　they　each　formed　a
handy　load；　and　were　alike　proof　against　the　attacks　of　insects　and　bad
weather。

I　had　long　waterproof　cloaks　for　the　night　sentries　in　rainy　climates；
and　sou'…wester　caps；　these　proved　of　great　service　during　active
operations　in　the　wet　season；　as　the　rifles　were　kept　dry　beneath　the
cloaks；　and　the　men　were　protected　from　wet　and　cold　when　on　guard。

All　medicines　and　drugs　were　procured　from　Apothecaries'　Hall；　and　were
accordingly　of　the　best　quality。

The　provisions　for　the　troops　were　dhurra　（sorghum　vulgare）；　wheat；
rice；　and　lentils。　The　supplies　from　England；　and　in　fact　the　general
arrangements；　had　been　so　carefully　attended　to；　that　throughout　the
expedition　I　could　not　feel　a　want；　neither　could　I　either　regret　or
wish　to　have　changed　any　plan　that　I　had　originally　determined。

For　the　transport　of　the　heavy　machinery　across　the　desert　I　employed
gun　carriages　drawn　by　two　camels　each。　The　two　sections　of　steamers　and
of　lifeboats　were　slung　upon　long　poles　of　fir　from　Trieste；　arranged
between　two　camels　in　the　manner　of　shafts。　Many　hundred　poles　served
this　purpose；　and　subsequently；　were　used　at　head…quarters　as　rafters
for　magazines　and　various　buildings。

The　No。　1　steamer　of　250　tons　had　not　arrived　from　England。　I　therefore
left　instructions　that　she　was　to　be　forwarded　across　the　desert　upon
the　same　principles　as　adopted　for　the　transport　of　the　other　vessels。

I　had　thrown　my　whole　heart　into　the　expedition；　but　I　quickly　perceived
the　difficulties　that　I　should　encounter　in　the　passive　resistance　of
those　whose　interests　would　be　affected　by　the　suppression　of　the　slave
trade。　The　arrangements　that　I　had　made　would　have　insured　success；　if
carried　out　according　to　the　dates　specified。　The　six　steamers　and　the
sailing　flotilla　from　Cairo　should　have　started　on　10th　June；　in　order
to　have　ascended　the　cataracts　of　Wady　Halfah　at　the　period　of　high
water。　Instead　of　this；　the　vessels　were　delayed；　in　the　absence　of　the
Khedive　in　Europe；　until　29th　August；　thus；　by　the　time　they　reached　the
second　cataract；　the　river　had　fallen；　and　it　was　impossible　to　drag　the
‘steamers　through　the　passage　until　the　next　season。　Thus　twelve　months
were　wasted；　and　I　was　at　once　deprived　of　the　invaluable　aid　of　six
steamers。

In　addition　to　this　difficulty　was　the　fact　of　inevitable　delay
necessitated　by　the　festivities　attending　the　opening　of　the　Suez　Canal。
The　Khedive；　with　his　accustomed　hospitality；　had　made　immense
preparations　for　the　reception　of　visitors；　and　every　available　vessel
had　been　prepared　for　the　occasion。

A　train　of　forty…one　railway　waggons　laden　with　sections　of　steamers；
machinery；　boiler…plates；　&c。；　&c。；　arrived　at　Cairo；　and　were　embarked
on　board　eleven　hired　vessels。　With　the　greatest　difficulty　I　procured　a
steamer　of　140…horse　power　to　tow　this　flotilla　to　Korosko；　from　which
spot　the　desert　journey　would　commence。　I　obtained　this　steamer　only　by
personal　application　to　the　Khedive。

At　length　I　witnessed　the　start　of　the　entire　English　party　of　engineers
and　mechanics；　together　with　Mr。　Higginbotham　and　Dr。　J。　Gedge。　The
steamer　Minieh；　towed　the　lone　line　of　eleven　vessels　against　the
powerful　stream　of　the　Nile。　One　of　the　tow…ropes　snipped　at　the
commencement　of　the　voyage；　which　created　some　confusion；　but　when
righted　they　quickly　steamed。　out　of　view。　This　mass　of　heavy　material；
including　two　steamers；　and　two　steel　lifeboats　of　ten　tons　each；　was　to
be　transported　for　a　distance　of　about　3；000　miles；　400　of　which　would
be　across　the　scorching　Nubian　deserts！

The　first　division　of　the　heavy　baggage　had　started　on　29th　August；
1869；　with　the　sloops；　to　ascend　the　cataracts　direct　by　river　to
Khartoum。　I　dared；　not　trust　any　portions　of　the　steamers　by　this
dangerous　route；　lest　by　the　loss　of　one　vessel　with　sections　I　might
destroy　all　hope　of　success。

It　was　a　relief　to　have　started　the　main　branches　of　the　expedition；
after　the　various　delays　that　had　already　seriously　endangered　the
chances　of　the　White　Nile　voyage。　For　that　river　all　vessels　should
leave　Khartoum　early　in　November。

On　5th　December；　1869；　we　brought　up　the　rear；　and　left　Suez　on　board　an
Egyptian　sloop　of　war；　the　Senaar。　In　four　days　and　a　half　we　reached
Souakim；　after　an　escape　from　wreck　on　the　reef　of　Shadwan；　and　a　close
acquaintance　with　a　large　barque；　with　which　we　nearly　came　into
collision。

The　captain　of　our　sloop　was　a　most　respectable　man；　apparently　about
eighty　years　of　age。　The　first　lieutenant　appeared　to　be　somewhat　his
senior；　and　neither　could　see；　even　with　the　assistance　of　a　very　greasy
and　dirty　binocular。　The　various　officers　appeared　to　be　vestiges　from
Noah's　ark　in　point　of　antiquity；　thus　a　close　shave　with　a　reef　and　a
near　rub　with　a　strange　vessel　were　little　incidents　that　might　be
expected　in　the　Red　Sea。

We　anchored　safely　in　the　harbour　of　Souakim；　and　landed　my　twenty…one
horses　without　accident。

I　was　met　by　the　governor；　my　old　friend　Moomtazz　Bey；　a　highly
intelligent　Circassian　officer；　who　had　shown　me　much　kindness　on　my
former　expedition。

A　week's　delay　in　Souakim　was　necessary　to　obtain　camels。　In　fourteen
days　we　crossed　the　desert　275　miles　to　Berber　on　the　Nile；　and　found　a
steamer　and　diahbeeah　in　readiness。　We　arrived　at　Khartoum；　a　distance
of　200　miles　by　river；　in　three　days；　having　accomplished　the　voyage
from　Suez　in　the　short　space　of　thirty…two　days；　including　stoppages。

Khartoum　was　not　changed　externally；　but　I　had　observed　with　dismay　a
frightful　change　in　the　features　of　the　country　between　Berber　and　the
capital　since　my　former　visit。　The　rich　soil　on　the　banks　of　the　river；
which　had　a　few　years　since　been　highly　cultivated；　was　abandoned。　Now
and　then　a　tuft　of　neglected　date…palms　might　be　seen；　but　the　river's
banks；　formerly　verdant　with　heavy　crops；　had　become　a　wilderness。
Villages　once　crowded　had　entirely　disappeared；　the　population　was　gone。
Irrigation　had　ceased。　The　night；　formerly　discordant　with　the　creaking
of　countless　water…wheels；　was　now　silent　as　death。　There　was　not　a　dog
to　howl　for　a　lost　master。　Industry　had　vanished；　oppression　had　driven
the　inhabitants　from　the　soil。

This　terrible　desolation　was　caused　by　the　governor　general　of　the
Soudan；　who；　although　himself　an　honest　man；　trusted　too　much　to　the
honesty　of　others；　who　preyed　upon　the　inhabitants。　As　a　good　and　true
Mohammedan；　he　left　his　territory　to　the　care　of　God；　and　thus；　trusting
in　Providence；　he　simply　increased　the　taxes。　In　one　year　he　sent　to　the
Khedive　his　master　100；000　pounds　in　hard　dollars；　wrung　from　the　poor
peasantry；　who　must　have　lost　an　equal　amount　in　the　pillage　that
accompanies　the　collection。

The　population　of　the　richest　province　of　the　Soudan　fled　from
oppression；　and　abandoned　the　country；　and　the　greater　portion　betook
themselves　to　the　slave　trade　of　the　White　Nile；　where；　in　their　turn；
they　might　trample　upon　the　rights　of　others；　where；　as　they　had　been
plunde