ismailia-第53节

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drums　and　horns　were　sounding　throughout　the　country；　and　the　natives
were　pouring　from　all　directions　to　the　battle。

The　white　uniforms　of　the　soldiers　formed　a　strong　contrast　to　the　black
figures　of　the　naked　Baris；　thus　we　could　see　the　affair　distinctly。　We
could　also　hear　the　orders　given　by　bugle。

Major　Abdullah　had　prudently　secured　his　rear　by　the　occupation　of　one
of　the　small　villages；　fortified　by　a　hedge　of　impenetrable　euphorbia。
He　then　threw　out　skirmishers　in　line；　supported　by　the　force　that　held
the　village。　The　natives　were　yelling　in　all　directions；　and　I　never
before　saw　them　make　such　a　good　fight　upon　the　open　ground。　They　not
only　outflanked；　but　entirely　surrounded　Abdullah's　detachment　of　ninety
men。　The　troops　were　keeping　up　a　heavy　fire；　which　did　not　appear　to
produce　any　decided　result；　as　the　natives　thronged　to　the　fight　and
advanced　close　up　to　the　fire　of　the　soldiers；　whom　they　attacked　with
bows　and　arrows。

I　ordered　our　solitary　field…piece　to　be　dismounted；　and　placed　in　the
large　rowing…boat；　together　with　a　rocket…trough；　and　the　requisite
ammunition；　in　readiness　to　support　Abdullah　with　a　flank　attack　upon
the　natives；　by　crossing　the　river；　should　it　be　necessary。　As　our
vessels　were　in　close　view；　I　waited　for　the　signal　by　bugle　should
Abdullah　require　assistance。

I　had　only　twenty…two　men　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　with　me；　together　with
the　eight　artillerymen　belonging　to　the　gun。　The　remainder　of　〃The
Forty〃　were　holding　the　second　island；　about　four　miles　in　our　rear。

Just　before　dark；　I　noticed　that　the　Baris　were　giving　way：　they　had
evidently　suffered　some　loss；　which　caused　a　sudden　retreat。　I　heard　the
bugle　sound　〃the　advance；〃　and　we　could　see　the　troops　advancing　and
firing　in　pursuit。　The　Baris　ceased　blowing　their　horns；　and　collected
in　dense　bodies　at　a　great　distance　from　the　troops；　who　had　halted　and
now　held　the　position。

Only　occasional　shots　were　now　fired；　and　the　sun　having　set；　darkness
gradually　dissolved　the　view。

I　fully　expected　that　the　Baris　would　renew　the　attack　during　the　night；
but　I　knew　that　Abdullah　was　safe　in　his　strong　position　within　a
village；　surrounded　by　the　high　and　dense　hedge　of　euphorbia；　the　thick；
fleshy　branches　of　this　tree　are　the　best　protection　against　arrows。　I
ordered　the　boat　with　the　gun　to　remain　in　readiness；　so　as　to　start　at
a　moment's　notice　should　we　hear　firing　renewed　during　the　night。　I
should　then　be　able　to　land　the　gun；　and　take　them　unexpectedly　on　the
flank　with　case　shot。

Morning　broke　without　any　night　alarm。　I　had　filled　the　vessels　with　the
last　of　the　corn　upon　the　island；　therefore　I　determined　to　cross　over
with　my　force；　and　to　meet　the　detachment　under　Major　Abdullah。　This　was
not　easy　to　accomplish；　as　there　were　some　awkward　sand…banks　in　the
middle　of　the　river。　It　was　therefore　necessary　to　pass　up　stream
between　two　islands；　and　then；　by　rounding　the　head　of　a　point；　to
descend　through　a　channel　about　a　hundred　yards　wide　between　the　western
island　and　the　mainland。　This　occupied　about　an　hour；　and　we　dropped
down　the　channel　and　took　up　an　excellent　position　against　a　high　shore
that　formed　a　convenient　landing…place。　From　this　point　the　land　rose
rapidly；　and　the　entire　landscape　was　covered　with　villages　abounding　in
corn。　The　natives　appeared　to　have　deserted　the　country。

Having　given　the　necessary　orders；　I　took　my　shot　gun；　and；　accompanied
by　Lieutenant　Baker；　Monsoor；　and　two　soldiers　of　〃The　Forty；〃　I　walked
along　the　river's　bank　towards　the　village　occupied　by　Major　Abdullah's
detachment；　who　I　imagined　might　have　found　a　large　quantity　of　corn；
which　accounted　for　their　delay　in　commencing　the　morning　march。

There　were　great　numbers　of　ducks　and　geese　on　the　river's　bank：　thus　as
we　walked　towards　Abdullah's　village；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　distant；
we　made　a　tolerable　bag。

We　had　at　length　arrived　within　half　a　mile　of　the　village；　which　was
situated　upon　high　ground；　about　600　yards　from　the　river；　when　I
noticed　a　number　of　people　issuing　from　the　gate　way　carrying　large
baskets　upon　their　heads。

〃The　soldiers　have　found　plenty　of　corn；〃　remarked　Monsoor；　〃they　are
carrying　it　from　the　googoos。〃

My　eyes　were　better　than　Monsoor's。　I　at　once　perceived　that　the　people
thus　employed　were　Baris！

We　were　only　five　guns；　now　separated　from　our　vessels　by　about　a　mile；
and　the　troops　under　Major　Abdullah　had　evidently　evacuated　their
position！

Where　upon　earth　had　they　gone？　and　for　what　reason？　Certainly　we　had
the　river　on　our　right　flank；　but　we　might　have　been　attacked　and　cut
off　from　our　vessels；　had　the　Baris　the　pluck　to　assume　the　offensive。

It　was　time　to　retreat；　but　as　I　wished　the　Baris　to　believe　that　we
felt　quite　at　our　ease；　we　accomplished　the　move　very　leisurely；　and
strolled　quietly　homewards；　shooting　ducks　and　snipe　as　we　walked　along。

The　moment　I　arrived　at　the　vessels；　I　despatched　a　party　in　the
steamer's　large　boat；　under　Captain　Mohammed　Deii；　of　the　〃Forty
Thieves；〃　to　row　down　the　river；　and　to　recall　Abdullah's　detachment；
that　must　have　retreated　for　some　inconceivable　reason。　The　current　ran
at　nearly　four　miles　per　hour；　thus　the　boat　would　be　sure　to　overtake
them。

I　was　exceedingly　annoyed。　A　force　of　ninety　men　had　evidently　been
cowed　by　their　engagement　with　the　natives　on　the　previous　evening；　and
had　retreated　upon　Lieutenant…Colonel　Achmet's　position；　instead　of
joining　me　according　to　orders。　At　the　same　time　my　vessels　had　been　in
sight　only　a　mile　and　a　half　distant！　I　was　thus　left　with　a　small　party
of　thirty　men；　while　ninety　men　had　fallen　back。

This　was　an　example　of　the　utter　helplessness　of　the　officers　and　men
when　left　to　themselves。　If　the　natives　had　repeated　the　attack；　they
would　most　probably　have　got　into　dire　confusion。

Having　started　the　boat；　I　took　ten　men　of　〃The　Forty；〃　and；　accompanied
by　Lieutenant　Baker；　I　marched　along　the　bank　in　order　to　meet　the
detachment　on　their　return；　when　recalled　by　Mohammed　Deii。　During　the
march　I　continued　to　shoot　ducks；　as　this　amusement　would　deceive　the
natives　respecting　the　retreat　of　Major　Abdullah；　which　might　then　be
attributed　to　some　other　cause　than　fear。

In　about　an　hour；　I　distinguished　a　sail　coming　round　the　point　of　Gebel
（Mount）　Regiaf。　The　wind　was　fair；　and　she　quickly　ran　up　the　stream。　I
now　discovered　that　she　was　towing　the　boat　that　I　had　sent　down　the
river　to　recall　Abdullah's　detachment。　（This　was　a　vessel　from
Gondokoro　on　her　way　for　a　cargo　of　corn。　She　had　met　the　retreating
party　of　Abdullah；　and　had　brought　them　on　by　the　river。）

Upon　her　near　approach；　I　hailed　the　vessel　and　ordered　her　to　land　the
troops　（with　which　she　was　crowded）　upon　the　west　shore。

In　a　short　time；　Major　Abdullah　and　his　gallant　company　had　landed　and
formed　in　line。

His　excuse　for　the　precipitate　retreat　which　he　had　commenced　at
daybreak　was；　that　he　feared　a　renewed　attack；　and　he　was　short　of
ammunition。　He　had　therefore　determined　to　fall　back　on　the　station
occupied　by　Lieutenant…Colonel　Achmet。

He　appeared　to　have　forgotten　that　he　could　have　communicated　with　me　by
bugle。

I　inspected　the　men's　pouches；　and　found　that　most　of　them　had　eighteen
or　twenty　rounds　of　cartridge；　while　the　minimum　contained　eleven
rounds；　this　is　what　the　major　considered　a　short　supply　of　ammunition
for　a　march　of　a　mile　and　a　half　along　beautiful　open　country　to　my
vessels。

He　described　the　overwhelming　number　of　the　natives；　and　their　extreme
bravery　in　the　attack；　which　his　troops　had　repelled　without　any　loss　to
themselves　either　killed　or　wounded。　At　the　same　time　the　troops　under
his　command　had　killed　twenty　Baris；　whose　bodies　he　had　himself
counted。

I　now　ordered　them　to　advance　to　the　village；　as　I　wished　to　examine　the
position。　Upon　arrival　at　the　spot　where　the　battle　had　taken　place；
there　were　a　number　of　vultures　settled　in　various　spots　where　the
ground　was　marked　with　blood；　and　the　cleanly…picked　skeleton　of　a　man；
lying　close　to　the　euphorbia　hedge；　showed　that　the　Baris　had　really
come　to　close　quarters。　（The　officer　declared　that　twenty　of　the　enemy
were　slain；　while　the　soldiers　admitted　that　only　five　were　killed。
There　was　always　a　gross　exaggeration　in　the　reports。）

The　natives　had　carried　off　their　dead；　with　the　exception　of　the　body
that　had　been　cleaned　by　the　vultures；　this　must　have　been　a　stranger
who　had　no　friends；　as　the　Baris　are　very　particular　in　the　interment　of
their　people。

I　now　marched　my　men　along　the　high　ground　towards　the　south；　and
examined　the　numerous　habitations；　until　I　arrived　at　a　little　colony
comprising　six　villages；　all　of　which　were　full　of　corn。　Here　I　left
Major　Abdullah　and　his　detachment；　with　orders　to　collect　all　the　dhurra
from　the　neighbouring　villages；　and　to　form　a　central　depot　at　his
present　station；　after　which；　the　corn　could　be　thrashed　out　and　carried
to　the　vessels。　I　stationed　a　noggur　by　the　bank　exactly　opposite　his
position；　about　half　a　mile　distant。

The　natives　had　abandoned　the　neighbourhood：　and　hundreds　of　villages
remained