ismailia-第34章

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250　yards；　but　by　taking　the　head　very　full；　it　carried　with　great
precision　up　to　300。　I　could　generally　make　certain　of　crocodiles　if
basking　on　a　sandbank　within　a　hundred　yards；　as　I　could　put　the　bullet
exactly　in　the　right　place；　either　behind　the　eye；　or　right　through　the
centre　of　the　shoulder。　This　handy　rifle　weighed　9…3/4　lbs。；　and
throughout　the　expedition　it　was　almost　as　much　one　of　my　component
parts　as　a　bone　of　my　body。　I　had　a　large　supply　of　ammunition；　thus　I
never　lost　an　opportunity　of　shooting　at　a　crocodile's　head　if　I　saw　one
above　the　surface。　On　many　occasions　they　never　moved　from　the　shot　when
basking　on　sand…banks；　but　were　simply　extinguished。

One　of　our　women　went　to　the　river　to　wash；　but　never　returned。　This　was
close　to　our　diahbeeah；　and　the　water　being　shallow；　there　is　no　doubt
that　she　was　seized　by　a　crocodile。

I　was　one　day　returning　from　head…quarters　to　my　station；　a　distance　of
a　mile　and　a　half　along　the　river's　bank；　when　I　noticed　the　large　head
of　a　crocodile　about　thirty　yards　from　the　shore。　I　knew　every　inch　of
the　river；　and　I　was　satisfied　that　the　water　was　shallow。　A　solitary
piece　of　waving　rush　that　grew　upon　the　bank；　exactly　opposite　the
crocodile；　would　mark　the　position；　thus；　stooping　down；　I　quietly
retreated　inland　from　the　bank；　and　then　running　forward；　I　crept　gently
towards　the　rush。　Stooping　as　low　as　possible；　I　advanced　till　very　near
the　bank　（upon　which　grew　tufts　of　grass）；　until；　by　slowly　raising　my
head；　I　could　observe　the　head　of　the　crocodile　in　the　same　position；
not　more　than　twenty…six　or　twenty…eight　yards　from　me。　At　that
distance；　the　Dutchman　could　hit　a　half…crown；　I　therefore　made　sure　of
bagging。　The　bank　was　about　four　feet　above　the　water；　thus　the　angle
was　favourable；　and　I　aimed　just　behind　the　eye。　Almost　as　I　touched　the
trigger；　the　crocodile　gave　a　convulsive　start；　and　turning　slowly　on
its　back；　it　stretched　its　four　legs　above　the　surface；　straining　every
muscle；　it　then　remained　motionless　in　this　position　in　water　about　two
feet　deep。

My　horse　was　always　furnished　with　a　long　halter　or　tethering…rope：
thus　I　ordered　the　syce　and　another　man　to　jump　into　the　river　and
secure　the　crocodile　by　a　rope　fastened　round　the　body　behind　the
fore…legs。　This　was　quickly　accomplished；　and　the　men　remained　knee…deep
hauling　upon　the　rope　to　prevent　the　stream　from　carrying　away　the　body。
In　the　mean　time　Monsoor　had　mounted　my　horse　and　galloped　off　for
assistance　to　the　camp　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃

Crocodiles　are　very　tenacious　of　life；　and　although　they　may　be　shot
through　the　brain　and　be　actually　dead　for　all　practical　purposes；　they
will　remain　motionless　at　first；　but　they　will　begin　instinctively　to
move　the　limbs　and　tail　a　few　minutes　after　receiving　the　shot。　If　lying
upon　a　sand…bank；　or　in　deep　water；　they　would　generally　disappear
unless　secured　by　a　rope；　as　the　spasmodic　movements　of　the　limbs　and
tail　would　set　upon　the　water；　and　the　body　would　be　carried　away。

The　crocodile；　that　had　appeared　stone　dead；　now　began　to　move　its　tail；
and　my　two　men　who　were　holding　on　to　the　rope　cried　out　that　it　was
still　alive。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　assured　the　frightened　fellows　that
it　was　dead。　I　was　on　the　bank；　and　they　were　in　the　water　within　a　few
feet　of　the　crocodile；　which　made　some　difference　in　our　ideas　of　its
vivacity。　Presently　the　creature　really　began　to　struggle；　and　the
united　efforts　of　the　men　could　hardly　restrain　it　from　getting　into
deeper　water。　The　monster　now　began　to　yawn；　which　so　terrified　the　men
that　they　would　have　dropped　the　rope　and　fled　had　they　not　been　afraid
of　the　consequences；　as　I　was　addressing　them　rather　forcibly　from　the
bank。　I　put　another　shot　through　the　shoulder　of　the　struggling　monster；
which　appeared　to　act　as　a　narcotic　until　the　arrival　of　the　soldiers
with　ropes。　No　sooner　was　the　crocodile　well　secured　than　it　began　to
struggle　violently；　but　a　great　number　of　men　hauled　upon　the　rope；　and
when　it　was　safely　landed；　I　gave　it　a　blow　with　a　sharp　axe　on　the　back
of　the　neck；　which　killed　it　by　dividing　the　spine。

It　was　now　dragged　along　the　turf　until　we　reached　the　camp；　where　it
was　carefully　measured　with　a　tape；　and　showed　an　exact　length　of　12
feet　3　inches　from　snout　to　end　of　tail。

The　stomach　contained　about　five　pounds'　weight　of　pebbles；　as　though　it
had　fed　upon　flesh　resting　upon　a　gravel　bank；　and　had　swallowed　the
pebbles　that　had　adhered。　Mixed　with　the　pebbles　was　a　greenish；　slimy
matter　that　appeared　woolly。　In　the　midst　of　this　were　three　undeniable
witnesses　that　convicted　the　crocodile　of　wilful　murder。　A　necklace　and
two　armlets；　such　as　are　worn　by　the　negro　girls；　were　taken　from　the
stomach！　The　girl　had　been　digested。　This　was　an　old　malefactor　that　was
a　good　riddance。

I　have　frequently　seen　crocodiles　upwards　of　eighteen　feet　in　length；
and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　they　sometimes　exceed　twenty；　but　a
very　small　creature　of　this　species　may　carry　away　a　man　while　swimming。
The　crocodile　does　not　attempt　to　swallow　an　animal　at　once；　but　having
carried　it　to　a　favourite　feeding…place；　generally　in　some　deep　hole；
it　tears　it　limb　from　limb　with　teeth　and　claws　and　devours　it　at
leisure。

The　camp　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　had　been　finished　some　time　since：　the
gardens　were　flourishing；　and　I　erected　a　〃shadoof；〃　or　Egyptian　double
bucket　and　lever　for　irrigation。　Two　men　could　lift　and　throw　out　3；600
gallons　per　hour。　I　made　the　calculation　as　nearly　as　possible：　the　iron
buckets　contained　slightly　more　than　four　gallons　each；　thus；　two　men
with　the　double　shadoof　lifted　eight　gallons　every　eight　seconds　（or　one
lift　in　eight　seconds）：　a　gallon　per　second　gave　3；600　per　hour。

I　never　allowed　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　to　work　at　the　general
head…quarters；　but　kept　them　as　my　personal　escort。　When　at　Tewfikeeyah
I　had　been　particular　in　their　drill；　and　I　had　endeavoured　to　teach
them　to　shoot　accurately。　The　Egyptians　became　better　shots　than　the
Soudanis；　but　I　much　preferred　the　latter；　by　degrees　I　drafted　out　all
the　Egyptians　excepting　four；　and　filled　their　places　with　well…selected
blacks；　mostly　taken　from　the　grenadier　company　of　the　regiment。

At　the　commencement　of　the　expedition　this　small　body　of　men　had　well
earned　the　title　of　the　〃Forty　THIEVES〃　by　which　they　were　always　known
among　the　English　party；　although　publicly　in　the　camp　they　were　only
designated　as　〃The　Forty。〃

I　had　taken　great　personal　care　of　this　little　corps；　and　the　result　was
most　satisfactory。　The　thieves　had　been　got　rid　of。　I　never　forgave　a
fault　until　after　punishment　had　been　received；　I　never　allowed　the
doctor　to　attend　them　when　ill；　but　invariably　attended　to　them　myself。
I　had　endeavoured　to　instil　a　feeling　of　pride　among　them；　and
encouraged　them　with　an　idea　of　their　superiority　to　the　other
regiments。　I　actually　succeeded　in　establishing　a　code　of　honour
throughout　the　corps；　until　it　was　considered　a　disgrace　to　〃The　Forty〃
that　a　theft　should　be　committed。　〃Is　he　not　one　of　'The　Forty'？〃　was
the　usual　exclamation　if　any　doubt　was　thrown　on　the　character　of　a
soldier。　The　fact　of　his　belonging　to　〃The　Forty〃　was　a　sufficient
certificate。

The　regimental　arrangements　at　head…quarters　had　been　sadly　neglected；
as　the　men　were　necessarily　so　much　engaged　in　other　work　that　they　had
no　time　for　drill　except　on　Fridays。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　well
officered；　having　the　advantage　of　a　lieutenant…colonel　and　a　captain；
together　with　two　most　active　and　courageous　lieutenants；　who　had　lately
received　their　promotion　for　good　conduct：　these　were　my　faithful
Monsoor　Agha；　and　Ferritch　Agba。　The　young　soldier；　who　had　been
condemned　to　be　shot　for　desertion　the　previous　year；　had　shown　such
devotion　and　activity　that　he　was　promised　the　next　vacancy　in　the　rank
of　corporal。　The　non…commissioned　officers　were　soldiers　who　had　seen
much　service；　and　the　corps　was　in　a　highly　efficient　state　with　the
exception　of　the　rifle　practice。

While　at　Tewfikeeyah；　having　paid　much　attention　to　this　all…important
point；　I　had　instructed　the　officers　and　men　personally；　and　I　had
established　prize…shooting　to　give　an　additional　interest　to　the　work。
Both　officers　and　men　now　took　an　immense　pleasure　in　rifle　practice；
but　it　appeared　almost　impossible　to　make　them　good　shots。　Out　of
forty…eight　officers　and　men；　I　had　only　fifteen　who　could　be　called
real　hitters；　the　others　were　only　shooters。

The　great　difficulty　was　to　instruct　them　in　distances。　I　frequently
took　them　away　from　camp　and　made　them　guess　the　distance　in　paces　from
some　particular　object；　such　as　a　tree；　or　white…ant　hill。　Very　few　of
the　men　had　the　slightest　idea　of　this　important　subject；　but　at　the
commencement；　even　the　officers　were　perfectly　ignorant。　At　length；　by
constant　practice　at　the　target；　varying　the　range　from　100　to　300
yards；　about　a　third　of　the　corps　became　fair　shots；　and　these　few　were
tolerably　good　judges　of　distance　up　to　400　yards。　The　colonel；　Abd…el…
Kader；　became　an　excellent　shot；　as　he　was　an　officer　who　took　great
interest　in　his　profession。　The　remainder　of　the　corps　shot　as　well　as
they　could；　and　took　great　pains；　but　although　they　were　considered
crack　marksmen　by　the　line…regiments；　their　reputation　would　have
suffered　if　their　deficiencies　had　been　exposed。　At　any　rate；　they　were
very　dangerous　with　such　a　weapon　as　the　snider；　when　firing　into　masses
of　the　enemy。

I　distinguished　〃The　Forty〃　from　the　line　regiment　by　a　scarlet　uniform；
this　was　a　simple　red　flannel　shirt；　worn　outside　their　Zouave　trouser；
and　secured　by　a　belt；　with　ammunition…pouches；　round　the　waist。　This
uniform；　with　linen　gaiters；　and　with　a　head…dress　of　the　scarlet　fez；
bound　by　a　turban　of　cobalt　blue；　looked　remarkably　well。

In　active　service；　the　officers　carried　sniders；　thus；　the　corps
complete　consisted　of　forty…eight　sniders；　but　together　with　Lieutenant
Baker　and　myself；　it　comprised　fifty　rifles。

The　high　state　of　discipline　and　the　fine　morale　of　this　little　force
was　a　good　example　of　what　may　be　effected；　even　with　a　material　of　so
low　a　reputation　as　the　negro。　My　men　were　natives　of　various　tribes
scattered　over　an　immense　extent　of　Central　Africa。　Each　had　a　certain
love　of　the　country　from　which　he　had　been　originally　stolen　by　the
slave…traders　when　a　boy；　before　he　found　his　way　into　government
service。　I　always　endeavoured　to　keep　up　this　feeling；　and　to　create
emulation　among　the　men　of　different　tribes；　thus；　a　native　of　Pongo
would　assume　a　superiority　over　a　Dinka；　although　the　Dinka　considered
himself　of　a　higher　class　than　a　Pongo。　A　Noba　regarded　himself　as
superior　to　all　others。　But　by　degrees　I　established　a　principle　that
was　generally　accepted　by　them　allthat　an　old　soldier　with　a　good
reputation　should　take　precedence　of　all　others；　without　reference　to
caste　or　tribe。　Thus；　the　aim　of　all　young　privates　would　be　to　become
old　soldiers；　and　to　rise　in　rank　according　to　their　merits。　There　were
several　excellent　examples　of　good　soldiers　in　〃The　Forty；〃　among　whom
stood　first　Mohammed…el…Fee