ismailia-第70节

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The　lever　employed　was　a　piece　of　abdnoos；　which　worked　upon　the　stone；
and　pressed　down　the　base　of　the　ring　at　the　same　time　that　it　opened
the　joint　sufficiently　to　allow　it　to　be　passed　over　the　thin　portion　of
the　leg。

I　never　saw　this　ingenious　application　of　the　lever　among　other　tribes
than　the　Lobore。　The　usual　method　among　the　Madi　is　far　more　simple；　but
requires　a　certain　number　of　men；　and　places　the　patient　in　an
uncomfortable　position。　A　rope　is　fastened　to　each　side　of　the　ring；
upon　which　a　number　of　men　haul　in　opposite　directions　until　they　have
opened　the　joint　sufficiently　to　detach　it　from　the　leg。

On　29th　February　we　were　ready　for　the　start。　The　loads　were　all
prepared　and　arranged　in　separate　divisions　of　twenty　each；　under　the
charge　of　selected　officers　and　men。

The　big　nogara　had　sounded；　the　natives　collected；　and　each　man　stood　by
his　load；　thus　twenty…five　gangs　of　twenty　each　should　have　stood　in
line。

I　now　discovered　that　the　vaunted　honesty　of　the　Lobore　was　of　the　same
order　as　that　of　other　negroes。　Five　hundred　cows　had　been　given　to　as
many　natives；　for　all　of　which　the　sheik　Abbio　had　declared　himself
responsible。　The　big　nogara　sounded　in　vain。　After　waiting　for　some
hours；　and　sending　numerous　messengers　to　as　many　villages；　only　433
carriers　could　be　mustered；　thus　sixty…seven　had　eloped　with　as　many
cows！

No　one　can　imagine　the　trouble　of　such　a　journey　with　so　long　a　retinue
of　carriers；　most　of　whom　are　dishonest；　and　only　seek　an　opportunity　to
abscond　upon　the　road。

The　Lobore　are　immensely　powerful　men；　and　they　carried　the　boxes　of
Hale's　rockets　as　single　loads；　although　weighing　upwards　of　seventy…two
pounds。　At　the　same　time　they　quarrelled　among　themselves　as　to　the
choice　of　parcels；　and　I　could　with　difficulty　prevail　upon　them　to
carry　the　zinc　boat；　although　it　did　not　exceed　130　lbs。　Four　men
actually　refused　to　touch　it；　as　it　sat　uneasily　upon　their　heads。

This　handy　little　vessel　was　made　of　zinc　upon　an　iron　framework；　and
would　contain　four　people　upon　a　pinch；　but　would　easily　convey　three
across　a　river。　I　had　arranged　it　upon　two　stout　bamboos　so　adjusted
that　four　men　should　have　carried　it　with　ease。　The　natives　demanded
eight；　but　I　at　length　compromised　for　six。

The　delay　caused　by　the　non…appearance　of　the　sixty…seven　carriers　was
extremely　dangerous；　as　it　increased　the　chance　of　desertions。　Already
many　had　volunteered　to　search　for　their　missing　friends；　which　would
have　resulted　in　a　search　for　them　also；　until　my　body　of　carriers　would
have　melted　away。

Fortunately　I　had　made　a　considerable　allowance　for　desertions　on　the
road；　and　I　could　manage　to　start　with　the　assistance　of　the　soldiers
and　their　wives；　among　whom　I　divided　many　baskets　of　flour。

At　3。25　P。M。　we　started。

There　was　no　danger　now　that　we　had　passed　the　Bari　tribe；　therefore　we
could　push　on　with　an　advance　guard　of　five　picked　men　of　〃The　Forty；〃
who　always　accompanied　us；　and　leave　the　charge　of　the　march　and　baggage
to　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　the　various　officers。

We　accordingly　marched；　at　four　miles　an　hour；　through　a　rocky　and　hilly
country；　generally　wooded；　which　would　have　been　an　awkward　position　if
held　by　an　enemy。

At　6　P。M。　we　halted　at　a　rocky　ravine　where　water　had　been　expected　by
our　guide。　To　our　dismay　we　found　it　nearly　dry；　and　it　was　necessary　to
dig　temporary　wells　in　the　sand　to　procure　a　supply　for　ourselves；　while
the　horses　were　forced　to　content　themselves　with　the　impure　pool。

It　quickly　became　dark；　and　the　troops　and　baggage　were　far　behind。　We
therefore　gathered　wood　and　made　a　blazing　fire　to　show　our　position；　at
the　same　time　a　bugler　and　drummer　who　had　accompanied　us；　made　as　much
noise　as　possible　from　the　summit　of　a　small　hill。

At　7。30　P。M。　the　cattle　arrived　by　torchlight；　together　with　the　troops
and　baggage。　Some　of　the　Lobore　carriers　had　already　deserted　on　the
road；　which　had　caused　much　delay。

We　had　marched　nine　miles；　but　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　send　four
men　back　to　Lobore；　to　insist　upon　fresh　carriers　being　immediately　sent
to　replace　the　runaways。

On　March　1　we　started　at　half…past　six　A。M。；　after　a　terrific　scramble
for　loads　by　400　Lobore　carriers；　who　rushed　in　and　tugged　and　wrestled
for　their　packages　like　wolves　over　a　carcase。　Boxes　were　turned　upside
down；　and　carried　in　that　manner　with　an　utter　disregard　for　the
contents。

The　inverted　canteen　was　discovered　upon　the　head　of　a　brutal　Lobore；
whose　body　was　being　basted　with　Cognac　and　gin　that　showered　from　the
loosened　stoppers　of　the　decanters。

I　never　saw　such　a　wild　pack　of　savages；　they　were　only　fit　to　carry　the
elephants'　tusks　of　the　traders；　but　any　civilized　baggage　ran　a　risk　of
instant　destruction。

The　old　sheik；　Abbio；　had　given　me　his　son　to　keep　order　among　the
people。　This　young　man　was　about　twenty…seven　years　of　age；　but；
although　respectable　in　appearance；　he　did　not　appear　to　have　the
slightest　control　over　his　people；　and　he　regarded　their　desertions　with
seeming　indifference。

I　had　a　strong　suspicion　that　he　might　quietly　abscond　at　night；　in
which　case　every　man　might　instantly　follow　his　example。　I　therefore
ordered　a　light　thong　of　leather　to　be　attached　to　the　iron　collar　worn
as　an　ornament　upon　his　neck；　and　I　trusted　him　to　the　surveillance　of　a
couple　of　soldiers　told　off　as　his　guard　of　honour。

We　marched　south　for　sixteen　miles　through　a　fine　country　of　hills　and
low　forest；　where　the　villages　of　the　Madi　had　been　mostly　destroyed　by
the　slave…hunting　parties　of　Abou　Saood。

We　passed　large　tracts　of　land　that　had　formerly　been　in　a　high　state　of
cultivation；　and　the　charred　remains　of　numerous　villages　bespoke　the
desolation　caused　by　these　brigands　of　the　White　Nile。　The　road　was　well
watered　by　many　small　streams　in　deep　gorges；　until　we　descended　to　the
Asua　river。　This　was　just　twenty…five　miles　from　our　camp　at　Lobore；　in
latitude　N。；　by　observation；　3　degrees　43　minutes。

We　happened　to　arrive　at　the　spot　where　the　river　Atabbi　joined　the
Asua。　At　this　junction　the　Atabbi　was　perfectly　clear；　while　the　Asua
was　muddy；　which　proved　that　heavy　rain　had　fallen　in　the　Madi　and
Shooli　countries；　while　the　weather　was　dry　in　the　mountains　of　Obbo。

The　Asua　flowed　through　a　fine　forest；　but　although　the　water　was　muddy
from　recent　rains；　the　volume　at　this　season　was　confined　to　a　portion
of　the　bed；　in　the　deepest　parts　of　which　it　did　not　exceed　two　feet　six
inches。　The　bed　from　bank　to　bank　was　about　120　yards　in　width；　and　the
maximum　rise　of　the　river　was　about　twelve　feet。　During　the　wet　season
this　is　a　frightful　torrent　that　acts　as　a　barrier　to　any　advance　or
retreat　of　troops　encumbered　with　baggage。

Having　waded　through　the　river；　we　halted　under　the　shady　trees　on　the
south　side；　here　there　was　excellent　herbage　for　the　cattle；　as　the
young　grass　after　the　annual　fires　was　now　about　eight　inches　high；　upon
the　rich　soil　near　the　river's　bank。

Whenever　we　halted　during　daylight；　I　took　a　stroll　with　the　rifle；
accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker。

We　walked　for　some　time　along　the　banks　of　the　river　up　stream　without
seeing　any　game；　and　I　was　struck　with　the　absence　of　tracks　of　the
larger　animals；　which　coincided　with　my　remarks　on　the　Asua　river　many
years　previous；　when　I　crossed　it　about　thirty　miles　higher　up；　on　my
route　from　Latooka　to　Shooa。

I　expected　to　return　without　seeing　game；　when　we　suddenly　spied　a　few
waterbuck　in　the　sandy　bed　of　the　river；　about　300　paces　distant。

We　made　a　good　stalk；　but　I　only　wounded　the　animal　at　which　I　fired　at
about　150　yards；　and　they　galloped　off　through　the　open　forest。　I　heard
the　bullet　from　the　left　hand　barrel　strike　a　tree　stem；　which　saved　the
antelope；　but　having　quickly　reloaded；　I　had　a　clear　and　steady　shot　at
a　long　range　as　the　large　buck　suddenly　stopped　and　looked　back。　I　put
up　the　last　sight　for　250　yards　and　took　a　full　bead。　To　my　great
satisfaction　the　waterbuck　with　a　fine　set　of　horns　dropped　dead。　I
could　not　measure　the　distance　accurately　as　we　had　to　descend　a　rocky
bank；　and　then；　crossing　the　bed　of　the　Asua；　to　ascend　the　steep　north
bank　before　we　arrived　at　tolerably　level　ground。

Upon　reaching　the　animal；　I　found　the　bullet　in　the　neck；　where　it　had
divided　the　spine。　I　guessed　the　distance　at　about　240　yards。　Some　of
our　Lobore　natives；　who　had　kept　at　a　distance　behind　us；　now　came　up；
and　in　a　short　time　the　noble　waterbuck　was　cut　up　and　the　flesh　carried
into　camp。　This　species　of　antelope；　when　in　good　condition；　weighs
about　thirty　stone　（cleaned）。

On　March　2　we　started　at　6　A。M。；　and　marched　at　a　rapid　rate　along　a
hard　and　excellent　path；　which　inclined　upwards　from　the　river　for　about
eight　miles。

The　bush　was　very　open；　and　in　many　portions　the　country　was　a
succession　of　deep　dells；　which　in　the　wet　season　were　covered　with　high
grass；　but　at　this　time　the　young　grass　was　hardly　three　inches　high；
having　sprouted　after　the　recent　fires。

From　an　altitude　of　about　1；000　feet　above　the　Asua　river；　we　had　a
splendid　view　of　the　entire　landscape。