ismailia-第59节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


with　the　English　engineers　and　the　steamer。　Having　given　the　necessary
instructions　to　the　engineer　in　chief；　Mr。　Higginbotham；　I　had　no
anxiety；　as　I　felt　sure　that　everything　would　be　in　order。

The　carts　were　to　be　thoroughly　examined；　and　the　No。　3　steamer　of　38
tons　was　to　be　divided　in　parcels；　the　small　work　secured　in　loads　of
fifty　pounds；　each　sewn　up　in　raw　hide；　and　the　heavier　portions　divided
among　the　carts。

The　officers　were　now　perfectly　resigned　to　their　lot。　The　remnant　of
the　Egyptian　force　had　been　converted　into　artillery…men；　and　all　the
Soudanis　formed　one　regiment。

While　Mr。　Higginbotham　was　engaged　in　the　work　of　arranging　and　packing；
my　masons　were　busy　in　making　bricks；　as　I　wished　eventually　to　build
the　barracks　of　this　solid　material；　instead　of　trusting　to　the
dangerously　inflammable　straw…huts。　I　had　already　written　to　England　for
sufficient　galvanized　iron　for　3；000　feet　of　building　in　actual　length。

Although　galvanized　iron　is　hot　in　a　tropical　climate；　it　can　easily　be
protected　from　the　sun　by　a　light　framework　of　canes　slightly　thatched。
My　Soudanis　were　never　overpowered　by　heat；　as　they　had　been　born　in　a
high　temperature。

On　my　return　to　Gondokoro；　I　found　that　Meri's　natives　had　collected　a
large　quantity　of　stones；　and　they　had　sent　to　request　a　vessel　to
transport　them。　I　gave　them　a　cow；　and　they　had　a　general　dance。　This
reception　seemed　to　delight　them；　and　they　returned　to　their　villages；
accompanied　by　a　noggur　with　an　officer　and　twenty　men。　I　gave　strict
orders　that　no　soldier　should　enter　a　native　hut　under　any　pretext。

The　Bari　war　was　over。　Upon　every　side　the　natives　had　been　thoroughly
subdued。　I　now　heard　from　our　Bari　interpreters；　Sherroom　and　Morgian；
that　the　Sheik　Allorron　was　willing　to　sue　for　peace；　and　to　declare　his
allegiance　to　the　government。

Abou　Saood　and　his　people　had　departed；　thus　the　evil　spirit　was
withdrawn　that　had　hitherto　covertly　incited　the　natives　against　the
government；　and　the　effect　of　his　absence　was　immediately　apparent。

I　devoted　my　attention　to　the　final　preparations　for　the　start；　and　to
the　necessary　instructions　for　the　command　of　the　station　during　my
absence。　The　officers　found　that　it　was　now　impossible　to　resist　their
destiny；　and　Raoul　Bey；　the　colonel；　who　had；　against　orders；　sent　off
so　many　troops　to　Khartoum　who　were　in　good　health；　now　discovered　that
he　would　be　left　with　a　comparatively　small　force　to　hold　the　important
position　at　head…quarters。

The　troops　who　had　been　employed　under　my　personal　command；　were　very
anxious　to　accompany　me　into　the　equatorial　district。

There　was　no　more　fighting。　All　my　hopes　of　peace　were　at　length
realized。　The　nights　were　always　undisturbed；　and　the　sentries　might
have　indulged　in　sleep　without　the　slightest　danger。　A　dead　calm　had
succeeded　to　the　excitement　of　constant　watchfulness。

I　now　employed　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　in　making　salt。　There　were　peculiar
surface　mines　within　a　mile　of　my　little　station。　These　were　situated
upon　a　sandy　loam　on　the　banks　of　a　brackish　lake；　that　swarmed　with
crocodiles。

The　salt　always　showed　upon　the　surface　after　a　shower　of　rain　had　been
evaporated　by　the　sun。　This　efflorescence；　together　with　sand　and　other
impurities；　was　scraped　from　the　earth　with　large　mussel　shells。　It　was
then　placed　in　earthen…ware　vessels　containing　about　five　gallons。　There
were　pierced　with　holes　in　the　bottom；　which　were　covered　with　a　wisp　of
straw　as　a　strainer。　The　jars；　being　full　of　salt　and　sand；　were　watered
occasionally；　and　the　brine　accordingly　filtered　through　to　a　receiver。
The　contents　were　boiled；　and　produced　the　finest　chloride　of　sodium。

The　natural　productions　of　the　neighbourhood　were　salt；　iron；　tamarinds；
the　oil…nut　tree；　and　the　cultivation　of　the　natives　was　principally
Hibiscus　hemp；　tobacco；　varieties　of　beans；　sesame；　dhurra；　and　dochan
（millet）。　I　endeavoured　to　persuade　the　Baris　to　cultivate　and　prepare
large　quantities　of　the　Hibiscus　hemp；　which　would　be　extremely　valuable
in　the　Soudan。　The　Baris　used　it　for　nets　and　fishing…lines。

The　tamarinds　were　of　two　varieties；　and　were　produced　in　extraordinary
quantities。　About　two　miles　from　head…quarters；　there　was　an　extensive
portion　of　the　forest　composed　almost　exclusively　of　these　magnificent
trees。

The　forest　was　also　rich　in　the　tree　known　by　the　Arabs　as　〃heglik〃　This
bears　a　fruit　about　the　size　of　a　date　（lalobe）；　which　is　a　combination
of　sweet；　bitter；　and　highly　aromatic。　My　men　collected　several
hundredweight；　as　I　wished　to　try　an　experiment　in　distilling。　There　was
an　excellent　copper　still　in　the　magazine；　and　I　succeeded　in　producing
a　delicious　spirit　somewhat　resembling　kirschenwasser。

My　cotton　was　now　ripe；　and　I　cleaned　it　with　a　small　hand　gin　that
could　be　worked　by　two　men。　This　greatly　interested　the　Bari　visitors；
who；　by　my　special　invitation；　had　been　residing　for　some　time　at
Gondokoro。

The　dry　season　had　been　very　unfavourable　for　cotton；　nevertheless；　the
quality　was　good；　and　proved　that　it　would　thrive　in　the　locality。　The
species　that　was　indigenous　grew　to　a　great　size；　and　seemed　to　defy　the
drought。　This　bore　a　red　blossom；　and　the　pod　was　small。　The　native
cotton　was　of　short　staple；　and　adhered　strongly　to　the　seed。

On　29th　November；　two　Arabs　arrived　from　Abou　Saood's　Latooka　station；
100　miles　east　of　Gondokoro：　they　had　travelled　at　night；　and　were
deserters　from　the　vakeel。　One　of　these　fellows　turned　out　to　be　my　old
follower　during　my　former　journey；　Mohammed　the　camel…driver；　and　he
literally　cried　with　joy　when　he　saw　my　wife　and　me　again。　He　gave　me
all　the　news　from　the　slave…traders'　camp；　which　was　full　of　slaves；　and
they　were　afraid　that　I　might　arrive；　as　they　were　aware　that　I　knew　the
road。　The　vakeel　of　Latooka　had　received　and　harboured　two　of　my
Egyptian　soldiers；　who　had　deserted　from　Gondokoro　and　joined　the
slave…hunters　under　the　guidance　of　a　Bari。

On　1st　December；　Lieutenant　Baker　shot　a　fine　bull　elephant；　with　very
large　tusks；　this　was　within　four　miles　of　head…quarters。　At　this
season　they　were　very　numerous　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro。　During
my　absence　to　the　south　of　Regiaf；　there　had　been　a　curious　nocturnal
alarm　in　the　station。

Upon　a　fine　moonlight　night　the　sentries　were　astonished　by　the
appearance　of　two　immense　bull　elephants；　that；　having　marched　along　the
cliff；　took　the　fort　in　the　rear　on　the　river　side。

The　fort　was　a　redan；　open　at　the　river　base；　thus；　unheeding　the
sentry；　the　elephants　coolly　walked　into　the　centre。　The　sentry's　musket
was　immediately　responded　to　by　the　guard；　the　buglers；　startled　by　a
sharp　fire　of　musketry；　blew　the　alarm。

The　elephants；　now　alarmed　in　their　turn；　rushed　onwards；　but　upon
ascending　the　earthwork；　they　were　met　by　a　deep　yawning　ditch；　which
they　could　not　cross。　The　whole　force　turned　out；　and　the　attack　on　the
thick…skinned　intruders　became　general。　The　bullets　flew　so　wildly　that
it　was　more　dangerous　for　bystanders　than　for　the　elephants。

In　the　mean　while；　the　panic…stricken　animals　charged　wildly　in　all
directions；　but　were　invariably　stopped　by　the　ditch　and　rampart；　until
at　last　they　happened　to　find　the　right　direction；　and　retreated　by
their　original　entrance；　most　probably　not　much　the　worse　for　the
adventure。

Mr。　Higginbotham；　who　gave　me　this　account；　described　the　excitement　of
the　troops　as　so　intense；　that　they　let　their　muskets　off　completely　at
random：　and　so　thick　were　the　bullets　in　his　direction；　that　he　was
obliged　to　take　shelter　behind　a　white…ant　hill。

I　had　no　time　to　devote　to　elephant…shooting；　otherwise　I　might　have
killed　a　considerable　number　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro。　The
Baris　are　not　good　hunters；　and　they　merely　catch　the　elephants　in
pitfalls；　therefore；　being　free　from　attack；　these　animals　are
exceedingly　daring；　and　easy　to　approach。

They　are　generally　attracted　by　the　ripe　lalobes；　the　fruit　already
described　of　the　heglik　（Balanites　Egyptiaca）。　The　trees；　if　of　medium
size；　are　frequently　torn　down　for　the　sake　of　this　small　production；
that　would　appear　too　insignificant　for　the　notice　of　so　huge　an　animal。

I　once　had　an　opportunity　of　witnessing　an　elephant's　strength　exerted
in　his　search　for　this　small　fruit。　I　was　in　the　Shir　country；　and　one
evening；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker；　I　strolled　into　the　forest；
about　half　a　mile　from　our　vessels；　to　watch　for　waterbuck　（Redunca
Ellipsiprymna）　in　a　small　glade　where　I　had　shot　one　on　the　previous
evening。

We　had　not　long　been　concealed；　when　I　heard　a　peculiar　noise　in　the
thick　forest　that　denoted　the　approach　of　elephants。

We　at　once　retreated　to　some　rising　ground　about　150　paces　distant；　as
our　small　rifles　would　have　been　useless　against　such　heavy　game。　In　a
short　time　several　elephants　appeared　from　various　portions　of　the
covert；　and　one　of　extraordinary　size　moved　slowly　towards　us；　until　he
halted　beneath　a　tall；　spreading　heglik。　This　tree　must　have　been　nearly
three　feet　in　diameter；　and　was　about　thirty　feet　high　from　the　ground
to　the　first　branch；　it　was　therefor