ismailia-第58章

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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。

On　the　east；　at　about　fifty　miles　distant；　was　the　fine　range　of　lofty
mountains　that　stretched　in　a　long　line　towards　Latooka。　On　the　west；　on
the　left　bank　of　the　White　Nile；　which　now　flowed　almost　beneath　our
feet；　was　the　precipitous　mountain　Neri；　known　by　the　Arab　traders　as
Gebel　huku。　This　fine　mass　of　rock　descends　in　a　series　of　rugged
terraces　from　a　height　of　between　three　and　four　thousand　feet　to　the
Nile；　at　a　point　where　the　river　boils　through　a　narrow　gorge　between
the　mountains。　It　is　in　this　passage　that　the　principal　falls　take　place
which　I　witnessed　in　my　former　journey。　At　that　time　our　path　led　along
the　rocky　bank　of　the　river；　and　was　both　difficult　and　dangerous。

Eight　miles　from　the　Asua　river　now　brought　us　to　the　top　of　the　pass；
and　having　stopped　for　a　few　moments　to　take　compass　bearings；　we　began
the　somewhat　steep　descent。

Walking　was　preferable　to　riding；　and　after　a　distance　of　a　couple　of
miles　had　been　accomplished；　we　rounded　the　rocky　hill　by　crossing　a
ravine　upon　our　right；　and　the　view　of　the　promised　land　burst　upon　us。

The　grand　White　Nile　lay　like　a　broad　streak　of　silver　on　our　right　as
it　flowed　in　a　calm；　deep　stream　direct　from　the　Albert　N'yanza；　at　this
spot　above　all　cataracts。　No　water　had　as　yet　been　broken　by　a　fall；　the
troubles　of　river…life　lay　in　the　future；　the　journey　to　the　sea　might
be　said　to　have　only　just　commenced。　Here　the　entire　volume　flowed　from
the　Albert　N'yanza；　distant　hardly　one　degree；　and　here　had　I　always
hoped　to　bring　my　steamers；　as　the　starting…point　for　the　opening　of　the
heart　of　Africa　to　navigation。　（This　has　since　been　proved　correct　by
the　efforts　of　my　successor；　Colonel　Gordon；　who　carried　the　38…ton
steamer　which　I　had　left　at　Gondokoro　to　this　point　above　the　cataracts；
and　constructed　her　at　Duffle　on　the　opposite　bank。　This　vessel　steamed
into　the　Albert　N'yanza　without　any　difficulty；　and　corroborated　my
assertion　that　the　river　was　navigable。　It　may　be　remembered　that　many
geographers　had　contested　the　fact　that　the　Nile　was　an　effluent　from
the　Albert　N'yanza。）

I　was　deeply　mortified　when　I　gazed　upon　this　lovely　view；　and　reflected
upon　the　impossibilities　that　had　prevented　my　success。　Had　the　White
Nile　been　open　as　formerly；　I　should　have　transported　the　necessary
camels　from　Khartoum；　and　there　would　have　been　no　serious　difficulty　in
the　delivery　of　the　steamers　to　this　point。　Two　or　three　strong　pioneer
parties；　with　native　assistance；　would　quickly　have　bridged　over　the
narrow　water…courses　and　have　cleared　a　rough　road　through　the　forests
as　the　carts　advanced。

It　was　useless　to　repine。　I　still　hoped　to　accomplish　the　work。

We　now　descended　into　the　beautiful　plain；　to　which　I　had　given　the　name
Ibrahimeyah；　in　honour　of　the　father　of　his　Highness　the　Khedive
（Ibrahim　Pacha）。

This　point　is　destined　to　become　the　capital　of　Central　Africa。

The　general　depot　for　the　steamers　will　be　near　the　mouth　of　the
Un…y…Ame　river；　which；　after　rising　in　the　prairies　between　Fatiko　and
Unyoro；　winds　through　a　lovely　country　for　about　eighty　miles；　and　falls
into　the　White　Nile　opposite　to　Gebel　Kuku。　The　trade　of　Central　Africa；
when　developed　by　the　steamers　on　the　Albert　N'yanza；　will　concentrate
at　this　spot；　whence　it　must　be　conveyed　by　camels　for　120　miles　to
Gondokoro；　until　at　some　future　time　a　railway　may　perhaps　continue　the
line　of　steam　communication。

It　is　a　curious　fact　that　a　short　line　of　120　miles　of　railway　would
open　up　the　very　heart　of　Africa　to　steam　transportbetween　the
Mediterranean　and　the　equator；　when　the　line　from　Cairo　to　Khartoum
shall　be　completed！

The　No。　10　steamer　that　I　had　brought　up　to　Gondokoro　from　Khartoum　was
originally　built　in　England　for　the　mail　service　（per　Nile）　between
Alexandria　and　Cairo；　at　the　time　when　the　overland　route　was　made　by
vans　across　the　desert　to　Suez。　This　steamer　had　sailed　from　London；　and
had　arrived　complete　at　Alexandria。

It　appears　almost　impossible　that　she　is　now　floating　at　an　altitude　of
nearly　2；000　feet　above　the　sea　level；　to　which　great　elevation　she　has
actually　steamed　from　the　Mediterranean。　Thus；　starting　from　a　base
line；　and　producing　a　line　perpendicular　to　the　sea　level　of　2；000　feet；
she　has　climbed　up　the　Nile　to　her　present　high　position。

Accepting　the　approximate　length　of　the　Nile　in　all　its　windings　from
the　Mediterranean　to　N。　lat。　4　degrees　38　minutes；　at　3；000　miles　in
round　numbers；　this　will　give　an　average　rise　or　fall　in　the　river　of
nine　inches　per　mile；　which　easily　explains　the　position　of　the　steamer
at　her　most　remote　point　below　the　last　cataracts。

I　revelled　in　this　lovely　country。　The　fine　park…like　trees　were　clumped
in　dark…green　masses　here　and　there。　The　tall　dolape…palms　（Borassus
Ethiopicus）　were　scattered　about　the　plain；　sometimes　singly；　at　others
growing　in　considerable　numbers。　High　and　bold　rocks；　near　and　distant
mountains；　the　richest　plain　imaginable　in　the　foreground；　with　the
clear　Un…y…Ame　flowing　now　in　a　shallow　stream　between　its　lofty　banks；
and　the　grand　old　Nile　upon　our　right；　all　combined　to　form　a　landscape
that　produced　a　paradise。

The　air　was　delightful。　There　was　an　elasticity　of　spirit；　the　result　of
a　pure　atmosphere；　that　made　one　feel　happy　in　spite　of　many　anxieties。
My　legs　felt　like　steel　as　we　strode　along　before　the　horses；　with　rifle
on　shoulder；　into　the　broad　valley；　in　which　the　mountain　we　had
descended　seemed　to　have　taken　root。

The　country　was　full　of　game。　Antelopes　in　great　numbers；　and　in　some
variety；　started　from　their　repose　in　this　beautiful　wilderness；　and
having　for　a　few　moments　regarded　the　strange　sights　of　horses；　and
soldiers　in　scarlet　uniform；　they　first　trotted；　and　then　cantered　far
away。　The　graceful　leucotis　stood　in　herds　upon　the　river's　bank；　and
was　the　last　to　retreat。

I　selected　a　shady　spot　within　a　grove　of　heglik…trees　for　a　bivouac；
and　leaving　my　wife　with　a　guard；　and　the　horses；　I　at　once　started　off
with　Lieutenant　Baker　to　procure　some　venison。

We　returned　after　a　couple　of　hours；　having　shot　five　antelopes。　The
native　name　for　this　part　of　the　country　is　Afuddo。　Our　present　halting
place　was　thirty…seven　miles　from　Lobore。　Formerly　there　were　villages
in　this　neighbourhood；　but　they　had　been　destroyed　by　the　slave…hunters。
Fortunately　I　had　prepared　a　stock　of　flour　sufficient　for　the　entire
journey　to　Fatiko。

In　my　last　visit　to　this　country　I　had　thoroughly　studied　its　features；
thus　I　felt　quite　at　home；　and　I　knew　my　route　in　every　direction。　The
mountain　of　Shooa　was　distinctly　visible；　where　I　had　camped　for　four　or
five　months；　thus　it　would　be　impossible　for　the　Lobore　people　to
deceive　me。

Abou　Saood　had　four　stations　throughout　this　lovely　district；　i。e。；
Fatiko；　Fabbo；　Faloro；　and　Farragenia。　I　was　now　steering　for　Fatiko；　as
it　was　a　spot　well　known　to　me；　and　exactly　on　my　proposed　road　to
Unyoro。

On　3rd　March；　we　marched　at　6　A。M。；　and　continued　along　the　plain
towards　the　rising　ground　that　led　to　Shooa。　At　six　miles　from　the
halting　place　we　took　bearings：

Shooa　hill；　about　35　miles　distant；　bearing　162　1/2　degrees　Akiko　hill　
about　16　miles　distant；　bearing　321　1/2　degrees　Gebel　Kuku　about　9　miles
distant；　299　1/2　degrees

Our　course　lay　towards　the　S。S。E。；　beneath　a　wall…like　range　of
precipitous　rocky　hills　upon　our　left；　in　no　place　higher　than　200　feet。
The　guides　were　at　fault；　and　no　water　could　be　found　upon　the　road。

A　herd　of　tetel　（Antelope　Bubalis）　upon　our　right　tempted　me；　and；
jumping　off　my　horse；　I　made　a　fair　stalk　and　killed　a　fine　beast　with
the　〃Dutchman〃　at　210　yards。

Every　one　was　thirsty；　as　the　sun　was　hot；　and　the　wall…like；　rocks　upon
our　left　reflected　the　heat。　At　length　we　discovered　natives　squatting
upon　the　very　summits　of　the　perpendicular　cliffs；　and　after　some
trouble　we　succeeded　in　coaxing　them　down。　Two　of　these　people
volunteered　to　lead　us　to　water；　and　they　took　us　to　a　steep　rocky
ravine；　in　the　bottom　of