ismailia-第52章

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！


confusion；　when　several　were　struggling　in　the　water；　I　noticed　Ali
Nedjar；　who　could　not　swim；　battling　frantically　with　his　hands　in　such
a　manner　that　I　saw　the　poor　fellow　had　lost　his　head。　He　was　not　three
feet　from　the　vessel's　side。

My　four　life…buoys　were　hung　on　open　hooks　at　the　four　corners　of　the
poop…deck；　thus；　without　one　moment's　delay；　I　dropped　a　buoy　almost
into　his　hands。　This　he　immediately　seized　with　both　arms；　and　I；　of
course；　thought　he　was　safe：　the　buoy　naturally　canted　up　as　he　first
clutched　it；　and；　instead　of　holding　on；　to　my　astonishment　he
relinquished　his　grasp！

The　next　moment　the　strong　current　had　hurried　the　buoyant　safeguard　far
away。　A　red　tarboosh　followed　the　life…buoy；　floating　near　it　on　the
surface。　。　。　。　。　。　Ali　Nedjar　was　gone！drowned！　He　never　rose　again。
。　。　。

I　was　dreadfully　shocked　at　the　loss　of　my　good　soldierhe　had　been
much　beloved　by　us　all。　We　could　hardly　believe　that　he　was　really　gone
for　ever。　Who　would　now　lead　the　song　in　the　moonlight　nights？　or　be　the
first　in　every　race？

I　had　quickly　thrown　every　life…buoy　into　the　river；　as　Howarti；
Mohammed；　and　others　of　the　best　swimmers　had　vainly　plunged　after　Ali；
and　were　now　searching　fruitlessly　for　his　body；　carried　away　by　the
powerful　current。　The　boat　was　sent　after　them　immediately；　and　they
were　brought　on　board。

The　mirth　of　the　diahbeeah　had　vanished；　the　general　favourite　had　so
suddenly　disappeared　from　among　us；　that　no　one　spoke；　The　women　sat
down　and　cried。

His　knapsack　and　rifle　were　brought　to　me；　and　a　list　having　been　taken
of　his　clothes　and　ammunition；　I　cut　his　name；　〃Ali；〃　upon　the　stock　of
his　snider；　which　I　reserved　for　the　best　man　I　should　be　able　to
select。　There　was　no　better　epitaph　for　so　good　a　soldier　than　his　name
engraved　on　his　trusty　rifle。

That　evening　every　one　was　sad；　and　my　people　all　refused　their　
food。　。　。　。

On　the　following　day；　the　wind　and　stream　being　adverse；　we　had　much
trouble　in　avoiding　the　sand…banks；　and　our　progress　was　so　slow　that　we
only　reached　the　base　of　the　rocky　hill　Regiaf。　Here　I　resolved　to　wait
for　the　heavier　vessels；　which　were　far　behind。

The　natives　were　now　friendly；　and　on　the　25th　January；　Lieutenant　Baker
accompanied　me　to　the　summit　of　Regiaf　to　take　observations　of　compass
bearings　of　all　the　various　mountains　and　prominent　points　of　the
country。

At　the　western　base　of　Regiaf　there　is　a　very　curious　rock　supported
upon　a　pedestal；　that　forms　a　gigantic　table。

This　great　slab　of　syenite　is　one　of　many　that　have　detached　and　fallen
as　the　original　mountain　decomposed。

I　obtained　my　measuring　tape　from　the　diahbeeah；　which　gave　the
following　results：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Feet。　　　　Inches。
Length　of　slab　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　45　　　　　　　　　　4
Breadth　of　slab　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　45　　　　　　　　　　8
Thickness　of　slab　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　　4　　　　　　　　　　9
Height　from　ground　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　10　　　　　　　　　　5
Circumference　of　clay　pedestal　。　　　　　　69　　　　　　　　　　0

This　rock　must　have　chanced　to　fall　upon　a　mass　of　extremely　hard　clay。
The　denudation　of　the　sloping　surface；　caused　by　the　heavy　rains　of　many
centuries；　must　be　equal　to　the　present　height　of　the　clay　pedestal；　as
all　the　exterior　has　been　washed　away　and　the　level　reduced。　The　clay
pedestal　is　the　original　earth；　which；　having　been　protected　from　the
weather　by　the　stone　roof；　remains　intact。

The　Baris　seemed　to　have　some　reverence　for　this　stone；　and　we　were　told
that　it　was　dangerous　to　sleep　beneath　it；　as　many　people　who　had　tried
the　experiment　had　died。

I　believe　this　superstition　is　simply　the　result　of　some　old　legends
concerning　the　death　of　a　person　who　may　have　been　killed　in　his　sleep；
by　a　stone　that　probably　detached　and　fell　from　the　under　surface　of　the
slab。

I　examined　the　rock　carefully；　and　found　many　pieces　that　gave　warning
of　scaling　off。　Several　large　flakes；　each　weighing　some　hundredweight；
lay　beneath　the　table　rock；…upon　the　under　surface　of　which　could　be
distinctly　traced　the　mould　of　the　detached　slab。

On　27th　January；　we　arrived　with　all　the　vessels　at　the　foot　of　the
cataracts；　in　N。　lat。　4　degrees　38'。　This　is　a　very　lovely　spot；　as　the
rocky　islands　are　covered　with　rich；　green　forest；　the　verdure　being
perpetual；　as　the　roots　of　the　trees　are　well　nourished　by　water。

Our　old　friend　Bedden　met　us　with　a　number　of　his　people；　and　came　on
board　the　diahbeeah。　He　professed　to　be　quite　ready　to　convey　our
baggage　to　the　south；　and　I　proposed　that　his　people　should　go　as　far　as
Lobore；　about　sixty　miles　from　this　spot；　where　I　knew　we　could　procure
carriers；　as　during　my　former　journey　the　natives　of　Lobore　were　the
only　people　who　could　be　depended　upon。

Bedden　seemed　determined　to　help　us；　and　I　really　believed　that　our　luck
had　arrived　at　last；　and　that　I　should　be　able　to　convey　the　carts；
together　with　the　steamer；　to　the　navigable　portion　of　the　Nile　in　N。
lat。　3　degrees　32'。

I　determined　to　be　very　civil　to　the　great　sheik；　Bedden；　I　therefore
arranged　with　him　that　the　work　should　be　entirely　in　his　hands；　and
that　he　should　represent　the　government　as　my　vakeel。　At　the　same　time；
I　gave　him　a　grand　cloak　of　purple　and　silver　tissue；　together　with　a
tin　helmet；　and　turban　of　cobalt…blue　serge；　also　a　looking…glass；　and　a
quantity　of　beads　of　various　colours。

The　country　was　dried　up；　and　there　was　only　scant　herbage　for　my　large
herd　of　cattle；　the　half　of　which　I　promised　to　give　Bedden　if　he　would
carry　our　baggage　to　Lobore。

The　sheik　returned　to　his　village　to　make　arrangements　with　his　people
for　the　journey。

Somehow　or　other；　as　he　took　leave　and　marched　off　in　his　grand　cloak　of
silver　and　purple；　I　had　certain　misgivings　of　his　sincerity。

Although　great　numbers　of　natives　thronged　the　country；　and　came　down　to
the　vessels；　there　was　not　one　woman　or　child。　The　absence　of　women　and
children　is　a　sure　sign　of　evil　intentions。　My　wife；　whose　experience
was　equal　to　my　own；　at　once　expressed　her　suspicions。　Had　the　natives
been　honest　and　sincere；　their　women　would　assuredly　have　come　to　visit
her　from　simple　curiosity。

Not　only　was　there　an　absence　of　women　and　children；　but　the　cattle　had
been　driven　from　the　country。　There　were　several　small　cattle　zareebas
within　half　a　mile　of　the　vessels；　situated　upon　the　high　ground。　I　went
to　visit　them；　as　though　simply　strolling　for　my　amusement；　the　dung　of
cattle　was　fresh；　showing　that　the　zareebas　had　been　occupied　during　the
past　night；　but　the　herd　had　evidently　been　driven　far　away。

Bedden's　people　had　never　been　attacked　by　the　slave…traders；　as　his
tribe　was　considered　too　powerful；　he　had　therefore　no　cause　for
suspicion。

Unfortunately；　my　past　experience　of　the　Bari　natives　had　proved　that
kindness　was　thrown　away　upon　them；　and　that　nothing　could　be　done　with
them　until　their　inferiority　had　been　proved　by　force　of　arms。

Bedden　had　never　suffered。　He　had　promised　to　assist；　but　no　promise　of
a　native　is　worth　more　than　the　breath　of　his　mouth。　If　he　failed　me
now；　the　object　of　my　enterprise　would　be　lost。　I　should　not　be　able　to
move。

All　my　care　and　trouble　would　have　been　thrown　away。

I　was　very　anxious；　but；　without　mentioning　my　suspicions；　I　ordered　all
the　heavy　vessels　to　cross　over　to　the　east　side　of　the　river；　to
prepare　for　disembarking　the　carts　and　general　effects。

On　the　following　morning　the　sheik；　Bedden；　arrived　to　visit　me；　with
many　of　his　people。　I　had　erected　a　tent　on　shore　in　which　I　could
receive　him。

I　was　struck　with　a　peculiar　change　in　his　manner；　and　after　a　short
conversation　he　asked　me；　〃Why　I　had　sent　the　vessels　to　the　east　side？〃

I　replied　that　they　would　begin　to　unload　and　prepare　for　the　journey。

〃Who　is　going　to　carry　all　your　baggage？〃　continued　Bedden；　as　though
the　idea　had　occurred　to　him　for　the　first　time。

I　was　perfectly　aghast　at　this　cool　and　prostrating　question。　My
suspicions　had　been　well　founded。

I　explained　to　Bedden　that　I　had　arrived　according　to　his　express
invitation；　given　some　time　before；　when　he　had　promised　that　his　men
should　convey　my　things　as　far　as　Lobore。　I　pretended　that　his　question
had　now　been　asked　simply　to　amuse　me；　and　I　begged　him　in　earnest　to
lose　no　time　in　collecting　his　people；　as　I　should　require　at　least
2；000　carriers。

Bedden　continued　in　a　cold；　stoical　manner；　and　declared　that　his　people
were　determined　not　to　work　for　me；　they　had　never　before　carried　for
〃The　Turks；〃　and　nothing　would　induce　them　to　engage　in　such　a　labour。

I　begged　him　to　remember　the　importance　of　his　promise；　upon　which　I　had
depended　when　making　all　my　arrangements　for　the　journey。　If　he　failed
me　now；　I　should　be　entirely　ruined；　whereas　if　he　assisted　me；　as　I　had
relied　upon　his　honour；　we　should　always　remain　the　firmest　friends；　and
he　would　be　benefited　by　a　grand　herd　of　cattle；　and　would　receive　most
valuable　presents。

He　now　declared　〃that　his　people　had　taken　the　matter　into
consideration；　and　they　were　quite　determined。　They　would　not　listen　to
him；　or　be　persuaded　to　anything　they　disliked。　They　never　had　carried；
and　they　never　would。〃

I　had　the　two　natives　with　me　who　had　resided　for　some　time　in　our
station　at　Gondokoro。　One　of　these　men；　named　Pittia；　endeavoured　to
persuade　Bedden　to　beat　his　nogara　（big　drum）　and　to　summon　his　tribe；
he　might　then；　in　my　presence；　explain　the　work　proposed；　and　his　people
would　see　the　cows　which　they　would　receive　as　payment　for　their　labour。

Bedden　looked　very　ill　at　his　ease；　but　after　some　delay；　he　rose　from
his　seat；　and　declared　his　intention　of　immediately　beating　his　nogara。
He　took　leave　and　departed　with　his　people。

From　my　experience　of　Baris；　I　felt　sure　that　I　should　never　see　Bedden
again。

He　had　hardly　left　the　tent；　when　Pittia　exclaimed；　〃I　will　follow　him
and　listen　to　what　he　says　to　his　people。　I　believe　he　will　tell　them
NOT　to　carry　the　loads。〃　Pittia　immediately　disappeared。

Many　natives　had　collected　on　the　east　side　of　the　river；　where　my
vessels　had　now　formed　a　line　alone　the　bank；　I　therefore　crossed　over
in　the　dingy　to　converse　with　them　in　the　faint　hope　of　securing
carriers。

The　natives　were　squatting　about　in　small　groups；　and　they　listened
coldly　to　all　I　had　to　say。　The　only　answer　I　could　obtain　was；　〃that
they　belonged　to　Bedden；　and　if　he　told　them　to　carry　our　things；　they
would　obey；　but　without　his　order　they　could　do　nothing。〃

This　is　the　regular　African　diplomacy　when　work　is　required。　The　people
say；　〃We　must　receive　orders　from　our　sheik。〃　The　sheik　says；　〃I　am
willing；　but　my　people　will　not　obey　me。〃　It　is　this　passive　resistance
that　may　ruin　an　expedition。

My　first　exploration　in　Africa　must　necessarily　have　failed　had　I　not
been　provided　with　transport　animals。　The　readers　of　〃The　Albert
N'yanza〃　may　remember　that　I　could　not　obtain　a　single　native；　and　that
I　started　from　Gondokoro　by　moonlight　without　even　an　interpreter　or
guide。

The　horrible　state　of　the　White　Nile　had　prevented　all　possibility　of
conveying　camels　from　Khartoum。　My　carts　and　camel　harness　were
prep