ismailia-第65节

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which　they　carried　under　the　strap　of　their　knapsacks；　thus　forty…eight
axes　were　at　work；　in　addition　to　the　heavier　instruments　belonging　to
the　expedition。

All　the　officers　and　men　shared　my　suspicions；　and　they　worked　with
great　alacrity。

It　was　just　dark　by　the　time　that　the　three　fences　were　completed；　and
the　herd　of　cattle　were　driven　and　secured　within　the　inclosure。

I　arranged　a　guard　of　sixty　men：　twenty　upon　each　side　of　the　triangle。
They　were　to　remain　outside　the　fence；　and　to　keep　a　vigilant　look…out。

This　work　being　over；　I　returned　at　night　to　the　diahbeeah　together　with
Lieutenant　Baker。　We　found　dinner　ready　on　the　poop…deck；　where　my　wife
had　been　rather　anxiously　expecting　us。　I　sent　for　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；
and　gave　him　the　necessary　orders　for　the　night。

My　diahbeeah　was　a　charming　vessel；　that　had　originally　been　sent　from
Cairo　to　Khartoum；　when　the　former　Viceroy　of　Egypt；　Said　Pacha；　visited
the　Soudan。

The　poop…deck　was　lofty　and　very　spacious。　This　comfortable　boat　had
been　my　home　for　two　years；　and　she　was　kept　in　admirable　order。

There　were　no　mosquitoes　during　this　season　in　Bedden's　country；
although　they　were　very　numerous　at　all　seasons　at　Gondokoro；　therefore；
being　relieved　from　these　pests；　the　enjoyment　of　the　evening　was
delightful。

The　night　was　calm；　as　usual　in　these　latitudes。　Dinner　was　concluded。　I
was　enjoying　my　evening　chibouque　with　the　best　Ghebbelli　tobacco；　that
soothes　many　anxieties。　The　troops　were　for　the　most　part　asleep；　and
all　was　quiet。　My　wife　was　sitting　on　the　sofa　or　divan；　and　Lieutenant
Baker　had　been　recalling　some　reminiscence　of　the　navy；　when　several
musket　shots　in　the　direction　of　the　cattle　kraal　suddenly　startled
every　soldier　from　his　sleep。

The　shots　were　almost　immediately　succeeded　by　heavy　firing　from　the
whole　force　stationed　at　the　cattle　zareeba。　The　bugles　sounded　the
alarm；　and　every　man　was　quickly　under　arms。

Having　arranged　the　men　in　position　to　defend　the　vessels　in　case　of　a
general　attack；　I　took　twenty　men　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　together　with
a　supply　of　rockets。　I　was　accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker　and　most　of
the　Englishmen；　and　we　pushed　rapidly　forward　towards　the　cattle
zareeba；　where　the　flashes　of　muskets　were　distinctly　visible。

As　we　approached　the　position；　I　ordered　my　bugler　to　sound　〃cease
firing；〃　as　I　expected　to　receive　a　few　bullets　intended　for　the　enemy。

We　were　quickly　challenged　upon　arrival　at　the　zareeba。　We　found　the
cattle　all　safe；　only　a　few　sheep　had　been　killed　by　the　heavy　attempt
at　a　stampede　when　the　cows　took　fright　at　the　musketry。

I　was　informed　that　the　natives　in　considerable　force　had　made　a　sudden
rush　upon　the　zareeba；　and　had　thrown　showers　of　stones　in　order　to
create　a　panic　among　the　cattle；　which　they　expected　would　break　through
the　fence　and　scatter　over　the　country。

It　was　fortunate　that　I　had　taken　the　precaution　of　securing　them。

I　was　determined　to　clear　the　neighbourhood　before　the　attack　should　be
renewed。　The　night　was　dark。　I　was　provided　with　matches　and　port…fires；
and　I　quickly　made　an　excursion　and　sent　several　rockets　into　the
nearest　villages。　The　Hale's　rockets；　as　usual；　rushed　through　the
houses　without　igniting　them；　but　a　few　of　the　powerful　Egyptian　rockets
that　are　used　as　fireworks；　rapidly　lighted　up　the　scene；　as　the
descending　fire…balls　ignited　the　thatched　roofs。

These　rockets　were　fired　from　an　inclined　rest　of　a　soldier's　fixed
bayonet。

Having　cleared　the　neighbourhood；　I　returned　to　the　diahbeeah　at
midnight。

I　find　this　entry　in　my　journal：…

〃January　29；　1872。…All　the　googoos　or　granaries　abound　with　corn。　The
natives　are　so　rich；　both　in　dhurra　and　cattle；　that　they　will　not　work；
but　they　are　only　ready　to　sleep　or　steal。　After　all　my　kindness；　they
have　wantonly　attacked　my　cattle　without　the　plea　either　of　hunger　or
provocation。

〃What　can　be　accomplished　with　such　people？　I　shall　be　obliged　to　return
the　steamer　to　Ismailia　（Gondokoro）。　It　is　heartbreaking　work　after　all
my　trouble　in　having　brought　her　to　this　distant　point。

〃Nothing　can　be　done　without　camels；　and　these　animals　cannot　be
brought　from　Khartoum　in　the　closed　state　of　the　river。

〃My　original　plan　included　200　camels；　200　cavalry；　and　fifteen　large
decked　sloops。　None　of　these　necessary　items　have　been　sent　from
Khartoum；　thus　I　am　paralyzed。〃

CHAPTER　XV。

THE　ADVANCE　TO　LOBORE。

I　determined　upon　a　new　plan。　I　knew　the　direction　of　Lobore；　as　I　had
been　there　during　my　former　expedition；　the　distance　could　not　exceed
sixty　miles。

If　the　soldiers　could　draw　the　carts；　I　might　yet　manage　to　advance；　as
I　should　be　able　to　procure　carriers　on　arrival　at　Lobore；　provided
always　that　the　natives　were　as　friendly　as　when　I　left　them　some　years
ago。

It　would　be　impossible　to　convey　the　steamer；　as　I　could　not　expect　to
provide　2；000　carriers；　but　I　might　be　able　to　penetrate　south；　suppress
the　slave…hunters；　establish　the　government；　and　open　up　a　legitimate
trade。

The　first　step　necessary　was　to　convey　the　large　herd　of　cattle　across
the　river；　which　was　about　400　yards　in　width；　with　a　very　rapid　stream。
I　fully　expected　that　we　should　be　attacked　by　the　natives　in　great
force　during　this　operation；　which　necessitated　a　division　of　my　force
upon　both　banks　of　the　Nile。

The　sheep　were　taken　across　in　vessels；　but　the　cows　were　obliged　to
swim。　This　passage　was　very　tedious；　as　the　animals　were　necessarily
taken　in　small　batches；　guided　by　men　who　swam　by　their　side　in　the
manner　already　described　at　Gondokoro。

Although　the　natives　were　avowedly　hostile；　they　dared　not　face　us　in
the　open。　They　made　another　attempt　by　night　to　surprise　the　cattle
kraal；　but　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　immediately　set　fire　to　a　few　villages
as　a　response　and　warning。

We　were　occupied　four　days　in　passing　the　cattle　across　the　river。
During　the　passage；　we　lost　one　taken　by　a　crocodile；　and　three　cows
were　wantonly　seized　and　drowned　by　hippopotami。　A　herd　of　these
creatures　happened　to　be　in　the　way　as　the　cows　were　floating　in　large
numbers　down　the　stream；　and　several　were　seen　to　attack　the　cattle　and
seize　them　in　their　jaws。　As　the　hippopotamus　is　not　carnivorous；　this
was　an　unexpected　attack。

My　Englishmen　had　been　busily　engaged　in　erecting　the　carts；　greasing
the　wheels；　and　attaching　the　ropes　necessary　for　hauling。　They　were　all
loaded；　and　were　arranged　to　be　drawn　by　fifteen　men　each。

On　the　evening　of　the　5th　February；　while　we　were　at　dinner；　I　was
astonished　by　the　unexpected　mustering　of　my　whole　force；　excepting　the
〃Forty　Thieves。〃　The　men　were　without　arms　or　officers；　but　they　marched
to　the　margin　of　the　river　and　formed　a　line　two　deep　alongside　the
diahbeeah；　which　lay　close　against　the　bank。

I　knew　at　once　what　all　this　meant；　but　I　pretended　to　take　no　notice；
and　I　continued　eating　my　dinner。

I　was　quickly　interrupted　by　loud　cries　from　the　men。　〃We　can't　draw　the
carts！　that's　not　the　work　for　soldiers；　we'll　fight；　or　do　anything
else　you　may　desire；　but　we　are　not　camels　to　drag　the　waggons。〃

The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　immediately　seized　their　arms；　and　marching　quickly
to　the　spot；　they　formed　in　line　upon　the　bank；　between　the　diahbeeah
and　the　men　who　thus　mutinously　had　appeared　without　their　officers。

I　at　once　ordered　the　bugle　call　for　all　officers；　and　at　the　same　time
I　sent　for　the　Englishmen　to　come　to　the　diahbeeah。

When　all　had　arrived；　and　the　shouts　still　continued；　I　rose　from　the
table　and　addressed　the　troops　in　Arabic；　from　the　poop…deck　of　the
diahbeeah。

I　recalled　to　their　recollection　how　I　had　always　led　them　successfully
through　every　difficulty；　and　I　assured　them　that　the　distance　to　Lobore
was　trifling；　and　that　we　should　find　good　and　willing　natives　to　convey
the　baggage；　if　we　could　only　once　reach　the　desired　tribe。

Cries　of　〃there　are　no　good　negroes…they　are　all　bad；〃　interrupted　my
discourse。　I　nevertheless　continued；　but　having　a　thorough　knowledge　of
the　African　character；　and　knowing　that　if　a　negro　gets　an　idea　into　his
head；　that　idea　can　only　be　eradicated　by　cutting　the　head　off；　I　was
not　fool　enough　to　persist　in　swimming　against　a　torrent。　The　〃Forty
Thieves〃　now　joined　the　tumult　by　declaring　that　〃THEY　would　draw　the
carts；　or　do　anything　that　I　should　command。〃

I　took　immediate　advantage　of　the　occasion；　and　exclaimed；　〃You　SHALL　do
all　that　I　command。　I　have　changed　my　plans；　and　I　order　you　to　take　the
carts　to　pieces　at　sunrise　to…morrow　morning。　All　those　who　are　afraid
to　follow　me　shall　return　with　the　vessels　and　carts　to　Gondokoro。　I
never　turn　back；　and　my　lady　and　I　will　go　on　alone　with　Mr。　Baker。　I
only　require　orderly　soldiers；　who　know　their　duty；　if　you　have
forgotten　your　duty；　you　shall　return　at　once　to　Gondokoro。〃

This　declaration　was　followed　by　loud　shouts〃We　won't　let　you　go
alone；　the　natives　are　treacherous；　we　will　follow　wherever　you　lead。
Are　we　not　soldiers　of　the　Sultan？　are　you　not　the　Sultan's　Pacha？〃

I　had　them　in　hand；　therefore　I　at　once　terminated　the　scene　by
commanding　silence。　I　then　gave　an