ismailia-第52节

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when　at　Gondokoro　that　there　was　corn　enough　for　a　couple　of　years
within　a　day's　march？〃

〃A　couple　of　years！〃　cried　another；　〃we　couldn't　eat　this　corn　in　ten
years！〃

〃We　might　drink　merissa　every　day　in　this　country；〃　exclaimed　others　of
the　soldiers。

Sailors　who　have　been　in　danger　of　shipwreck；　with　a　rocky　shore　close
on　the　lea　in　a　heavy　gale；　may　understand　the　relief　offered　by　a
sudden　shift　of　wind　in　the　moment　of　extremity。　Such　experience　alone
can　allow　an　appreciation　of　the　mental　reaction　after　a　great　strain　of
anxiety　that　I　had　suffered　for　some　time　past。

A　certain　knowledge　of　human　nature　determined　me　to　improve；　without　a
moment's　delay；　the　opportunity；　while　the　troops　were　under　the　first
impulse　of　astonishment　and　delight。

I　addressed　myself　to　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　in　particular；　and　to　the　line
generally；　and　explained　〃the　pleasure　that　I　felt　in　now　being　able　to
increase　their　rations　of　corn；　that　had　been　reduced　by　half。　At　the
same　time　I　had　been　much　dissatisfied　with　the　small　collection　they
had　made　from　the　harvest　at　Belinian。　I　knew　the　country；　and　this　was
the　only　true　granary　that　admitted　of　river　transport　to　Gondokoro。　If
they　neglected　this　opportunity；　the　rations　would　again　be　reduced；　but
upon　no　account　whatever　should　I　permit　the　return　to　Khartoum　of　any
officers　or　men；　except　those　who　could　present　a　medical　certificate　of
chronic　bad　health。　I　should　thus　get　rid　of　the　useless　mouths；　which
would　relieve　the　strong　men　from　the　work　of　gathering　corn　to　feed　the
weak；　who　could　not　perform　their　share　of　the　labour。〃

I　concluded　by　recommending　them　〃to　thank　God；　and　to　set　to　work　with
good　will。〃

I　marched　my　men　to　several　villages　deserted　by　their　inhabitants；
which　I　occupied　in　force；　and　anchored　the　vessels　close　to　the　bank
beneath　them。　Having　sent　for　Raouf　Bey；　I　made　no　other　remark；　than　to
give　the　orders　necessary　for　the　night。　This　melancholy　officer　looked
more　miserable　than　usual；　and　his　expression　reminded　me　of　one　of
Dante's　damned　souls；　as　illustrated　by　Gustave　Dore。

The　sun　sank；　and　I　had　not　tasted　food　for　twenty…four　hours。　I　was
without　my　wife；　therefore　I　was　not　very　particular；　my　good　Monsoor
having　foraged；　produced　some　pumpkin　soup；　as　he　termed　it；　which　was
composed　of　a　very　watery　pumpkin　boiled　in　water　without　salt。　The　next
dish　was　the　very　simple　native　luxury　of　dhurra　flour　boiled　into　a
thick　porridge。　I　was　very　hungry　and　very　happy；　thus　I　ate　the　plain
fare　with　a　good　appetite。

Monsoor　had　made　a　fire　with　dry　cattle…dung；　and　spread　a　native　mat　on
the　ground；　close　to　the　smoke；　upon　which　I　could　sleep　if　the
mosquitoes　would　allow　me。　I　lay　as　close　to　the　smoke　as　possible；　with
a　comfortable　log　of　wood　for　a　pillow；　and　pondered　over　the　events　of
the　day；　feeling　very　thankful　for　the　change　of　circumstances；　and
making　plans　for　the　morrow　until　I　fell　asleep。

No　sooner　had　the　bugles　sounded　the　morning　call；　than　I　was　up　and
off。　I　instructed　Raouf　Bey　to　take　a　company　of　troops　with　the
vessels；　and　occupy　the　islands。　At　the　same　time；　I　marched　through　the
country　to　the　south；　and　having　passed　about　three　hours　in
exploration；　I　formed　two　stations　in　excellent　positions；　and　divided
my　men　equally　under　Lieutenant…Colonel　Achmet　and　Major　Abdullah。　These
stations　were　about　a　mile　apart；　upon　high　ground；　and　commanded　a　view
of　Raouf　Bey's　vessels；　that　were　already　anchored　at　the　island　about　a
mile　and　a　half　below　them。　The　three　positions　formed　a　triangle；　in
the　very　heart　of　the　greatest　abundance。

Having　concluded　these　arrangements　and　established　my　positions；　with
the　necessary　instructions　to　the　officers　in　command；　I　returned　to　the
river；　and　prepared　to　start　for　Gondokoro　in　the　little　dingy。　I　did
not　wish　to　take　a　large　vessel；　therefore　I　ordered　Raouf　Bey　to　fill
the　noggurs　with　corn　as　rapidly　as　possible；　and　to　start　them　off　when
full　to　Gondokoro。　The　granaries　on　the　islands　were　all　full；　and　close
to　the　banks；　therefore　the　vessels　lay　alongside；　as　though　in　a　dock；
and　could　load　with　great　ease。

I　started　in　the　dingy　with　two　boatmen　to　row；　accompanied　by　Monsoor
and　two　soldiers　of　〃The　Forty。〃

The　stream　ran　at　three　miles　and　a　half　per　hour：　thus；　with　good
pulling；　we　reached　head…quarters　in　one　hour　and　thirty…two　minutes；　a
distance　of　about　ten　miles　and　a　half。

I　believe　it　is　common　to　human　nature　to　love　to　carry　good　news。　The
sight　of　the　little　dingy　approaching　Gondokoro　alone；　had　given　rise　to
all　kinds　of　surmises；　and　when　I　reached　the　shore；　a　crowd　of
officers；　soldiers；　sailors；　and　women　were　standing　in　expectation　upon
the　cliff。　My　men　immediately　recounted　all　particulars。

Great　was　the　joy　of　the　English　party　at　the　news　of　our　success。　This
flew　through　the　station；　and　the　Egyptian　officers　and　soldiers　slunk
away；　whereas；　the　black　wives　of　the　Soudani　regiment　were　delighted；
as　they　did　not　wish　to　go　to　Khartoum。　These　women　were　slaves　that　I
had　liberated；　and　they　always　imagined　that　if　they　should　arrive　at
Khartoum；　they　would　be　sold。　This　home　influence　was　of　service　to　me。
In　conversation　with　my　〃Forty　Thieves〃　I　had　suggested；　that　perhaps　on
their　arrival　at　Khartoum；　the　government　might　not　permit　them　to
retain　so　many　wives　in　the　regiment。　The　Soudanis　are　always　happy　if
they　have　a　wife　and　plenty　to　eat　and　drink；　therefore　Central　Africa
was　preferable　to　their　taste；　where　they　could　enjoy　domestic　bliss
with　a　young　wife；　instead　of　sitting　in　the　sultry　barracks　of　Khartoum
as　melancholy　bachelors。

I　now　determined　to　devote　myself　specially　to　the　work　of　collecting
corn。　I　therefore　placed　all　my　luggage　in　the　magazine；　cleared　out　the
diahbeeah；　and　towed　her　up　stream　from　my　little　station　to
head…quarters；　ready　to　start　on　the　following　day。

On　17th　October　I　started　at　6　a。m。；　and　reached　the　island　at　4　p。m。
There　I　found　Raouf　Bey；　and　the　vessels　that　I　had　left　in　his　charge。
He　had　only　occupied　one　island；　and　the　natives　were　hard　at　work
carrying　off　their　corn　from　the　islands　to　the　south。　I　immediately
sent　troops　to　take　possession。

On　18th　October　I　sent　Raouf　Bey　to　Gondokoro；　with　orders　to　despatch
to　Khartoum　all　the　really　sick　and　incapable；　but　upon　no　account　to
permit　any　man　to　return　unless　he　was　hopelessly　invalided。

On　19th　October；　having　noticed　that　the　stream　brought　down　numerous
stems　of　dhurra；　I　concluded　that　cultivated　islands　existed　further　up
the　river。　I　therefore　instructed　Lieutenant　Baker　to　sail　up　and
explore；　at　the　same　time　he　was　to　take　possession　should　such　islands
be　discovered。

On　21st　the　dingy　returned　with　a　letter　from　Lieutenant　Baker；　who　had；
with　only　ten　men　of　〃The　Forty；〃　driven　out　the　enemy；　and　occupied　an
island；　rich　in　corn；　further　south。　The　dingy　had　been　attacked　on　her
way　by　the　Baris；　who　had　shot　arrows；　all　of　which　had　fallen　short。　I
immediately　started　with　my　diahbeeah　and　reinforcements；　and　united
with　Lieutenant　Baker。　I　had　now　three　large　islands　in　possession。　The
fertility　of　the　soil　was　extraordinary。　The　cultivation　was　confined　to
the　rim　or　sides　of　the　islands；　as　the　centre　was　swampy　in　the　wet
season；　but　the　extreme　richness　of　the　soil　produced　the　heaviest
crops；　and　the　granaries　were　full　throughout　the　very　numerous　little
villages；　that　were　stationed　around　the　islands。

Having　worked　for　twelve　days；　during　which　time　numerous　vessels　had
enlivened　the　river　by　passing　to　and　fro　heavily　laden　with　corn；
between　our　granaries　and　Gondokoro；　I　received　notice　from　the　mainland
that　the　work　of　the　two　stations　under　Lieutenant…Colonel　Achmet　and
Major　Abdullah　was　concluded。　Achmet　had　thrashed　out　all　his　corn；　and
was　waiting　for　boats　to　convey　it；　and　Abdullah　had　shipped　all　that　he
had　collected；　and　was　waiting　for　orders。

I　sent　instructions；　that　Abdullah　should　march　his　detachment　along　the
mainland；　towards　the　south；　and　occupy　the　villages　on　the　high　land；
exactly　opposite　my　vessels。　The　country　was　beautifully　open；　like　a
fine　park；　in　long；　rolling　undulations；　which　terminated　in　rocky
hills；　about　four　or　five　miles　from　the　river。

On　24th　October；　having　loaded　a　line　of　vessels　that　lay　alongside　the
island　as　snugly　as　though　by　an　artificial　quay；　I　was　amusing　myself；
together　with　Lieutenant　Baker；　in　shooting　ducks；　which　swarmed　in　the
neighbouring　ponds　and　swamps。　At　about　4。30　p。m。　I　heard　rapid
file…firing　in　the　distance；　and　I　concluded　that　Major　Abdullah's
detachment；　that　was　hourly　expected；　was　attacked　by　the　natives。　I　at
once　returned　to　the　diahbeeah；　where　my　wife　was　stationed　on　the　high
poop…deck；　having　a　good　view　of　a　very　pretty　little　engagement。

The　troops　were　about　a　mile　distant；　and　while　steadily　on　the　march
according　to　my　instructions；　they　were　suddenly　attacked　by　the　natives
in　great　force。　This　was　a　fair　stand…up　fight　in　the　open。　The　big
drums　and　horns　were　sounding　throughout　the　country；　and　the　natives
were　pouring　from　al