ismailia-第17章

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musical　glasses　of　Europe。　The　latter　was　formed　of　ten　pieces　of　a
metallic　sounding…wood　suspended　above　long　narrow　gourd　shells。　Each
piece　of　wood　produced　a　separate　note；　and　the　instrument　was　played　by
four　sticks；　the　ends　of　which　were　covered　with　india…rubber。　The
general　effect；　although　a　savage　kind　of　harmony；　was　superior　to　most
native　attempts　at　music。

The　station　of　Tewfikeeyah　had　now　assumed　an　important　aspect；　and　I
much　regretted　that　when　the　time　should　arrive　for　our　departure　to　the
south　it　would　be　abandoned：　however；　I　determined　to　keep　all　hands
employed；　as　there　is　nothing　so　demoralizing　to　troops　as　inaction。　At
the　same　time　there　was　a　general　dislike　to　the　expedition；　and　all
trusted　that　something　might　happen　that　would　prevent　another　attempt
to　penetrate　the　marshes　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe。　There　was　much　allowance
to　be　made　for　this　feeling。　The　seeds　of　dangerous　disorders；　that　had
been　sown　by　the　malaria　of　the　swamps；　had　now　exhibited　themselves　in
fatal　attacks　of　dysentery；　that　quickly　formed　a　cemetery　at
Tewfikeeyah。

The　Egyptian　troops　were　generally　sickly　and　dispirited；　and　went　to
their　daily　work　in　a　slouching；　dogged　manner；　that　showed　their
passive　hatred　of　the　employment。

I　arranged　that　the　sailors　should　cultivate　a　piece　of　ground　with
corn；　while　the　soldiers　should　be　employed　in　a　similar　manner　in
another　position。　The　sailors　were　all　Nubians；　or　the　natives　of
Dongola；　Berber；　and　the　countries　bordering　the　Nile　in　the　Soudan。
These　people　were　of　the　same　class　as　the　slave…hunter　companies；　men
who　hated　work　and　preferred　a　life　of　indolence；　lounging　sleepily
about　their　vessels。　I　quickly　got　these　fellows　into　order　by　dividing
them　into　gangs；　over　which　I　placed　separate　headmen；　the　captains　of
vessels；　one　superior　officer　commanded；　and　was　responsible　for　the
whole。

They　only　worked　six　hours　daily；　but　by　this　simple　organization　I　soon
had　thirty　acres　of　land　cleaned。　The　grass　and　roots　were　burnt　in
piles；　the　ashes　spread；　and　the　entire　field　was　dug　over　and　sown　with
barley；　wheat；　and　dhurra。　There　is　a　civilizing　influence　in
cultivation；　and　nothing　is　so　cheering　in　a　wild　country　as　the　sight
of　well…arranged　green　fields　that　are　flourishing　in　the　centre　of　the
neglected　wilderness。　I　had　now　a　promising　little　farm　of　about　thirty
acres　belonging　to　our　naval　brigade；　and　a　very　unpromising　farm；　that
had　been　managed　by　my　Colonel；　Raouf　Bey。　The　soldiers　had　never　even
cleared　the　rough　native　grass　from　the　surface；　but　had　turned　up　the
soil　in　small　lots　at　intervals　of　about　a　foot；　into　which　they　had
carelessly　dropped　a　few　grains　of　corn。

We　now　found　agricultural　enemies　that　were　unexpected。　Guinea…fowl
recognized　the　importance　of　cultivation；　and　created　terrible　damage。
Small　birds　of　the　sparrow　tribe　infested　the　newly…sown　land　in　clouds；
but　worse　than　these　enemies　were　the　vast　armies　of　great　ants。

These　industrious　insects；　ever　providing　for　the　future；　discovered　the
newly　sown　barley　and　wheat；　and　considering　that　such　an　opportunity
should　not　be　neglected；　they　literally　marched　off　with　the　greater
portion　of　the　seed　that　was　exposed。　I　saw　them　on　many　occasions
returning　in　countless　numbers　from　a　foray；　each　carrying　in　its　mouth
a　grain　of　barley　or　wheat。　I　tracked　them　to　their　subterranean　nests；
in　one　of　which　I　found　about　a　peck　of　corn　which　had　been　conveyed　by
separate　grains；　and　patches　of　land　had　been　left　nearly　barren　of
seed。

The　large　crimson…headed　goose　of　the　White　Nile　quickly　discovered　that
barley　was　a　food　well　adapted　for　the　physical　constitution　of　geese；
and　great　numbers　flocked　to　the　new　farm。　The　guinea…fowl　were　too　wild
to　approach　successfully；　however；　we　shot　them　daily。　I　set　little　boys
to　scream　from　daylight　till　sunset　to　scare　the　clouds　of　small　birds；
but　the　boys　screamed　themselves　to　sleep；　and　the　sparrows　quickly
discovered　the　incapacity　of　the　watchers。　Wild　fowl　were　so　numerous　on
an　island　opposite　the　farm　that　we　not　only　shot　them　as　we　required；
but　on　one　occasion　Lieutenant　Baker　and　myself　bagged　in　about　two
hours　sixty…eight　ducks　and　geese；　most　of　which　were　single　shots　in
flight　overhead。

I　found　the　necessity　of　re…sowing　the　land　so　thickly　that　there　should
be　sufficient　grain　to　allow　for　the　depredations　of　our　enemies。　I　set
vermin　traps　and　caught　the　guinea…fowl。　Then　the　natural　enemy　appeared
in　the　wild　cats；　who　took　the　guinea…fowls　out　of　the　traps。　At　first
the　men　were　suspected　of　stealing　the　birds；　but　the　unmistakable
tracks　of　the　wild　cats　were　found　close　to　the　traps；　and　shortly　after
the　wily　cats　themselves　became　victims。　These　were　generally　of　the
genus　Herpestris。

When　the　crops；　having　resisted　many　enemies；　appeared　above　ground；
they　were　attacked　by　the　mole　crickets　in　formidable　numbers。　These
destructive　insects　lived　beneath　the　small　solid　clods　of　earth；　and
issuing　forth　at　night；　they　bit　the　young　shoot　clean　off　close　to　the
parent　grain　at　the　point　of　extreme　sweetness。　The　garden　suffered
terribly　from　these　insects；　which　destroyed　whole　rows　of　cucumber
plants。

I　had　brought　ploughs　from　Cairo。　These　were　the　native　implements　that
are　used　throughout　Egypt。　There　is　always　a　difficulty　in　the　first
commencement　of　agricultural　enterprise　in　a　wild　country；　and　much
patience　is　required。

Some　of　my　Egyptian　soldiers　were　good　ploughmen；　to　which　employment
they　had　been　formerly　accustomed；　but　the　bullocks　of　the　country　were
pigheaded　creatures　that　for　a　long　time　resisted　all　attempts　at
conversion　to　the　civilized　labour　of　Egyptian　cattle。　They　steadily
refused　to　draw　the　ploughs；　and　they　determined　upon　an　〃agricultural
strike。〃　They　had　not　considered　that　we　could　strike　also；　and
tolerably　hard；　with　the　hippopotamus　hide　whips；　which　were　a　more
forcible　appeal　to　their　feelings　than　a　〃lock…out。〃　However；　this
contest　ended　in　the　bullocks　lying　down；　and　thus　offering　a　passive
resistance　that　could　not　be　overcome。　There　is　nothing　like　arbitration
to　obtain　pure　justice；　and　as　I　was　the　arbitrator；　I　ordered　all
refractory　bullocks　to　be　eaten　as　rations　by　the　troops。　A　few　animals
at　length　became　fairly　tractable；　and　we　had　a　couple　of　ploughs　at
work；　but　the　result　was　a　series　of　zigzag　furrows　that　more　resembled
the　indiscriminate　ploughings　of　a　herd　of　wild　boar　than　the　effect　of
an　agricultural　implement。　Nothing　will　ever　go　straight　at　the
commencement；　therefore　the　ploughs　naturally　went　crooked；　but　the
whole　affair　forcibly　reminded　me　of　my　first　agricultural　enterprise　on
the　mountains　of　Ceylon　twenty…five　years　earlier。　＇*＇　

＇*Footnote：　See　〃Eight　Years'　Wanderings　in　Ceylon；〃　published　by　
Longman　&　Co。＇

The　mean　temperature　at　the　station　of　Tewfikeeyah　had　been：

In　the　month　of　May；　at　6　a。m。　73　degrees　Fahrenheit
　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　at　Noon　　　92　degrees　　　　〃
　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　June；　at　6　a。m。　72　degrees　　　　〃
　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　at　Noon　　　86　degrees　　　　〃
　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　July；　at　6　a。m。　71　degrees　　　　〃
　　　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　at　Noon　　　81　degrees　　　　〃

During　May　we　had　heavy　rain　during　3　days。
　　〃　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　light　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　4　　　〃　　　7　days。

During　June　we　had　heavy　rain　during　5　days。
　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　light　　　〃　　　　〃　　　　6　　　〃　　　11　days
　　　〃　　　July　　　　　　　　heavy　　　〃　　　　〃　　　10　　　〃
　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　light　　　〃　　　　〃　　　　4　　　〃　　　14　days

Sickness　increased　proportionately　with　the　increase　of　rain；　owing　to
the　sudden　chills　occasioned　by　the　heavy　showers。　The　thermometer　would
sometimes　fall　rapidly　to　68　degrees　Fahr。　during　a　storm　of　rain；
accompanied　by　a　cold　rush　of　air　from　the　cloud。　Fortunately　I　had
provided　the　troops　with　blankets；　which　had　not　been　included　in　their
kit　by　the　authorities　at　Khartoum。



CHAPTER　V。

EXPLORATION　OF　THE　OLD　WHITE　NILE。

I　had　long　since　determined　to　explore　the　sudd；　or　obstructions　of　the
main　Nile；　in　the　hope　of　discovering　some　new　passage　which　the　stream
might　have　forced　through　the　vegetation。　A　Shillook；　named　Abdullah；
closely　connected　with　Quat　Kare；　had　promised　to　accompany　me；　and　to
supply　the　necessary　guides。　The　river　was　fullthus　I　started　on　11th
August；　1870。

The　engines　of　the　No。　10　steamer　had　been　thoroughly　repaired　during
our　stay　at　Tewfikeeyah。　I　had　loaded　her　to　the　maximum　with　well…cut
〃Soont〃　（Acacia　Arabicce）；　which　is　the　best　fuel；　and　knowing；　by　the
experience　of　former　years；　that　a　scarcity　of　wood　existed　near　the
Bahr　Gazal；　I　had　loaded　one　of　the　largest　vessels　（about　seventy　tons）
with　a　supply；　to　accompany　us　as　a　tender。　I　had　also　filled　my
diahbeeah　with　selected　fuel。

We　steamed　thirteen　hours　from　Tewfikeeyah；　with　the　tender　and
diahbeeah　in　tow；　and　reached　the　old　sudd　about　twelve　miles　beyond　the
Bahr　Giraffe　junction。　The　water　below　the　sudd　was　quite　clear　from
floating　vegetation；　as　it　had　been　filtered　through　this　extraordinary
obstruction。

I　will　not　fatigue　the　reader　by　a　description　of　this　voyage。　We　were
as　usual　in　a　chaos　of　marshes。　We　found　a　small　channel；　which　took　us
to　the　Bahr　Gazal。　This　swampy　and　stagnant　lacustine　river　was　much
changed　since　I　had　last　seen　it　in　1865。　It　was　now　a　succession　of
lakes；　through　which　we　steamed　for　several　hours；　but　without
discovering　any　exit；　except　the　main　passage　coming　from　the　west；
which　is　the　actual　Bahr　Gazal。

This　was　the　third　time　that　I　had　visited　this　river。　Upon　the　former
occasions　I　had　remarked　the　total　absence　of　current；　this　was　even
still　more　remarkable　at　the　present　time；　as　the　river　was　not　only
full；　but　the　surface；　formerly　clogged　and　choked　with　dense　rafts　of
vegetation；　was　now　clear。　I　sounded　the　depth　of　the　lakes　and　main
channel；　which　gave　a　remarkable　mean　of　seven　feet　throughout；　showing
that　the　bottom　was　remarkably　flat；　and　had　not　been　subjected　to　the
action　of　any　stream　that　would　have　caused　inequalities　in　the　surface
of　the　ground。

When　the　vessels　lay　at　anchor；　the　filth　of　the　ships　remained
alongside；　thus　proving　the　total　absence　of　stream。　It　has　always
appeared　to　me　that　some　western　outlet　concealed　by　the　marsh　grass
must　exist；　which　carries　away　the　water　brought　down　by　the　Djour；　and
other　streams；　into　the　lacustrine　regions　of　the　Bahr　Gazal。　There　is
no　doubt　that　the　evaporation；　and　also　the　absorption　of　water　by　the
immense　area　of　spongy　vegetation；　is　a　great　drain　upon　the　volume
subscribed　by　the　affluents　from　the　south…west；　nevertheless；　I　should
have　expected　some　stream；　however　slight；　at　the　junction　with　the
Nile。　My　experience　of　the　Bahr　Gazal　assures　me　that　little　or　no　water
is　given　to　the　White　Nile　by　the　extraordinary　series　of　lakes　and
swamps；　which　change　the　appearance　of　the　surface　from　year　to　year；
like　the　shifting　phases　of　a　dream。

Our　lamented　traveller；　Livingstone；　was　completely　in　error　when　he
conjectured　that　the　large　river　Lualaba　that　he　had　discovered
south…west　of　the　Tanganyika　lake　was　an　affluent　of　the　Bahr　Gazal。　The
Lualaba　is　far　to