ismailia-第57节

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their　heads；　but　none　of　these　were　successful。

Monsoor　had　the　ammunition；　and　reloaded　for　me。　The　stunning　effect　of
the　heavy　metal　confused　the　animals　and　caused　one　to　fall　backward
into　the　scrambling　herd。　This　turned　an　elephant　sideways。　The　bank　had
already　given　way　and　had　fallen　in　large　masses　into　the　water；　which
reduced　the　depth。　The　elephants；　which　had　now　gained　a　muddy　footing；
ploughed　and　tore　down　the　yielding　earth　with　redoubled　vigour；　as　my
men　in　great　excitement　opened　a　hot　fire　upon　them　with　the　snider
rifles。　These　had　about　as　much　effect　as　though　they　had　been　pelted
with　stones。

Presently；　as　the　depth　was　lessened　by　the　falling　bank；　the　elephants
showed　more　body　above　the　surface。　The　splashing　and　scrambling　was
extraordinary；　at　length　a　large　bull　half　ascended　the　bank；　and　for　a
moment　exposed　his　flank；　I　fired　a　quick　right　and　left　shot　with　a
Reilly　No。　8　behind　his　shoulder；　and　he　fell　backwards　into　the　river；
where　he　commenced　a　series　of　wild　struggles　that　brought　him　within
twenty　yards　of　me；　and　I　sent　a　ball　into　his　head　which　killed　him。
The　powerful　stream　at　once　carried　away　the　floating　carcase。

The　bank　had　now　completely　given　way；　and　an　elephant　was　nearly　on　the
summit。　I　fired　at　him　with　one　of　the　Holland　half…pounders；　which　by
the　recoil　flew　out　of　my　hands　for　a　distance　of　several　yards；　this
was　loaded　with　twelve　drachms　of　fine…grain　powder。　The　elephant　fell
on　his　knees　on　the　steep　incline；　and　was　bagged　to　all　intents　and
purposes；　but　believing　that　I　had　plenty　of　ammunition　at　hand；　I　fired
another　half…pounder　into　his　shoulder；　which　killed　him　on　the　spot；
and　he　rolled　into　the　water；　and　the　current　took　him　away。

I　immediately　sent　a　man　to　order　boats；　with　ropes　and　axes；　to　follow
the　carcases。

In　the　mean　time　I　fired　my　last　No。　8　into　the　shoulder　of　an　elephant
that　had　just　climbed　the　bank　and　gained　the　island。　I　now　had　a
glorious　opportunity　of　a　shoulder…shot　at　every　animal　as　it　should
ascend　the　steep　incline。

My　ammunition　was　exhausted！　My　servant；　Suleiman；　had　sent　the　little
bag　that　contained　only　one　reload　for　the　breech…loaders；　and　no
powder　flask　or　shells　for　the　half…pounders。　I　had　now　the　annoyance　of
witnessing　the　difficult　ascent　of　the　elephants　in　single　file；
exposing　their　flanks　in　succession　to　the　shoulder…shot；　while　I
remained　a　helpless　looker…on。

I　had　thus　bagged　only　two　out　of　eleven；　but　these　were　killed　at　very
long　shots　（about　110　yards）。

The　half…pounder　rifles　were　the　same　calibre　and　pattern　as　that
described　in　〃The　Nile　Tributaries　of　Abyssinia〃　as　〃the　Baby。〃　These
were　made　by　Mr。　Holland　of　Bond　Street；　and　are　the　most　overpowering
rifles　I　ever　used。　They　were　certain　to　kill　the　elephant；　and　to　half
kill　the　man　who　fired　them　with　twelve　drachms　of　fine…grain　powder。　I
was　tolerably　strong；　therefore　I　was　never　killed　outright；　but　an　Arab
hunter　had　his　collar…bone　smashed　by　the　recoil；　when　the　rifle　was
loaded　with　simple　coarse…grain　powder。　If　he　had　used　fine　grain；　I
should　hardly　have　insured　his　life。

The　elephants　having　gained　the　island；　remained　some　time　exposed；
before　they　made　up　their　minds　to　cross　to　the　other　side。
Unfortunately；　the　boats　had　followed　the　carcases　of　the　elephants　down
the　river；　which　were　two　miles　distant　before　they　could　be　secured；
therefore　we　had　no　means　of　reaching　the　island。　Our　vessels　could　not
have　crossed；　as　there　were　many　rocks　below　stream。

I　therefore　took　a　few　shots　with　Hale's　rockets；　one　of　which　just
grazed　the　rump　of　an　elephant；　and　sent　them　off　in　great　astonishment。
We　then　tried　a　few　shots　with　the　fieldpiece；　but　the　gun　made　bad
practice；　and　the　shells　exploded　very　wildly　and　not　according　to　the
distances　regulated　by　the　fuses。

The　specific　gravity　of　the　elephant　differs　considerably　from　that　of
the　hippopotamus。　The　latter　animal　invariably　sinks　when　killed；　and
the　body　rises　to　the　surface　in　about　two　hours；　when　the　gas　has
distended　the　stomach。　The　body　of　an　elephant　floats　on　the　surface
immediately　that　it　is　killed；　and　is　capable　of　supporting　one　or　more
persons。　The　cavity　of　the　carcase　is　much　larger　in　the　elephant　than
in　the　hippopotamus；　the　latter　is　a　dense　mass　of　flesh；　covered　by　an
exceedingly　thick　and　heavy　skin；　the　specific　gravity　of　which　is
considerably　greater　than　water。



CHAPTER　XIII。

MORAL　RESULTS　OF　THE　HUNT。

The　moral　result　of　the　elephant　hunt　was　very　satisfactory；　at　the　same
time　most　unexpected。

The　sound　of　cannon　had　been　heard　by　the　natives　for　many　miles；　this
had　awakened　their　curiosity；　and　numbers　had　sped　from　the　surrounding
heights　and　satisfied　themselves　that　several　elephants　had　been　killed。
The　natives　of　Bedden　flocked　to　our　little　camp　in　hundreds；　and　were
delighted　at　receiving　permission　to　take　as　much　elephant's　flesh　as
they　required。　They　raced　along　the　bank　for　a　couple　of　miles　to　the
spot　where　the　two　elephants　had　been　secured　by　my　people；　and　towed
upon　a　sand…bank。

I　had　sent　down　a　noggur　to　make　sure　of　the　heads；　as　the　opportunity
of　obtaining　entire　skulls　seldom　offered。　These　two　heads　had　now　been
brought　safely　to　camp；　and　the　natives　were　employed　in　cleaning　every
atom　of　flesh　from　the　bone。

In　the　mean　time；　great　numbers　of　our　enemies　were　to　be　seen　squatting
upon　the　heights；　watching　the　happier　Baris　of　Bedden；　who　had
congregated　like　vultures　in　the　river；　and　were　quarrelling　and
scrambling　over　the　immense　carcases　of　the　elephants。　The　temptation
was　too　great　to　withstand。　Who　could　resist　flesh？　The　mouths　of　our
enemies　were　watering；　as　they　watched　the　heavy　loads　of　red　meat
carried　upon　the　heads　of　the　rival　Baris。　In　the　afternoon；　a　messenger
hailed　the　sentry　to　say　that　one　of　the　sheiks　wished　to　present
himself　to　me　to　crave　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　Shortly　after　the
disappearance　of　this　man　with　a　courteous　answer；　a　batch　of　messengers
arrived　to　beg　that　their　chief　might　be　received；　as　they　all　desired
peace。

On　the　following　morning　I　held　a　general　levee。　About　twenty　headmen；
or　sheiks　of　principal　villages；　attended　by　many　of　their　people；　came
to　present　themselves　and　to　sue　for　peace。　I　received　the　chiefs　on　my
diahbeeah；　and　each　received　a　present　of　a　long　blue　shirt　as　he
stepped　on　board。　They　now　seated　themselves　by　Bedden；　and　a　general
explanation　took　place。

I　assured　them　of　my　regret　that　they　had　forced　me　into　war；　as　my
mission　to　the　country　had　been　one　of　peace；　at　the　same　time　they　must
have　seen　how　impossible　it　was　to　resist　the　troops　who　were　armed　with
weapons　of　precision；　and　drilled　in　a　manner　very　different　from　the
companies　of　slave…hunters。

I　told　them　that　I　had　many　thousand　cattle；　and　that　had　they　agreed　to
sell　me　the　corn　that　was　absolutely　needed　for　the　troops；　I　should
have　paid　for　it　punctually　with　cows；　as　I　had　promised　them　when　I
first　entered　their　district。　I　also　explained　that；　as　they　must　have
observed；　I　had　never　taken　a　single　head　of　cattle　from　them；　although
I　had　frequently　heard　the　lowing　of　their　oxen。　I　had　adopted　this
conduct；　although　in　actual　war；　merely　to　impress　upon　them　the　fact
that　they　might　depend　upon　my　word。　I　had　offered　to　exchange　my　cattle
for　their　corn；　thus　had　I　taken　their　cattle；　they　might　have
disbelieved　my　sincerity。

They　replied；　that　〃it　must　be　expected　that　little　differences　would
occur　at　the　beginning。〃　They　had　been　incited　against　us　by　the　Baris
of　Belinian；　and　the　war　was　entirely　their　own　fault。　At　the　same　time
they　laughed；　and　said　that　〃hunger　was　a　very　bad　thing；　and　that
hungry　men　would　always　fill　their　stomachs；　if　they　could；　therefore　we
had　been　quite　right　to　take　their　corn。〃　They　declared　that　it　did　not
in　the　least　matter；　as　the　islands　were　very　fertile；　and　would　produce
another　crop　very　quickly；　in　the　mean　time　they　had　a　good　supply
concealed；　and　their　loss　only　necessitated　a　little　extra　labour。

They　continued　this　peaceable　conversation　by　saying；　that　〃the
elephants　were　seldom　seen　in　this　district；　and　that　the　Baris　did　not
understand　such　hunting；　but　they　had　heard　the　cannons；　and　they　knew
that　we　should　be　able　to　kill　them。〃　The　meeting　concluded　by　a　request
for　meat；　and　the　sheiks　having　given　instructions　to　certain
messengers；　despatched　them　to　summon　their　people　to　the　sand…bank；
where　the　remains　of　the　elephants　were　lying。

In　a　short　time；　swarms　of　natives；　lately　our　enemies；　were　collecting
from　all　quarters；　and　hurrying　towards　the　attractive　spot；　as　though
they　were　going　to　a　fair。

I　gave　the　headmen　＇*＇　a　present　of　beads；　and　took　them　to　admire
themselves　in　the　large　glass　within　the　cabin　of　the　diahbeeah。　I
scrambled　some　pounds　of　beads　among　their　people；　and　got　up　foot…races
for　prizes。

＇*Footnote：　The　superior　chief　was　presented　with　a　costume　which
delighted　him。　This　was　a　long　blue　shirt　with　red　waist…band；　a　bright
tin　funnel　inverted　to　form　a　helmet　with　a　feather　in　the　tub