ismailia-第59章

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volunteered　to　lead　us　to　water；　and　they　took　us　to　a　steep　rocky
ravine；　in　the　bottom　of　which　was　a　pool　of　dirty　liquid　that　had　been
bathed　in　by　wild　buffaloes。　My　men　quickly　began　to　dig　sand…wells　with
their　hands；　until　the　main　body　of　the　troops　and　cattle　arrived。

In　about　an　hour；　I　heard　a　great　hubbub；　with　a　noise　of　quarrelling
and　shouting；　every　one　was　running　towards　the　spot。　It　appeared　that　a
wild　buffalo；　being　ignorant　of　our　arrival；　had　suddenly　visited　his
drinking…place；　and　had　thoughtlessly　descended　the　deep　and　narrow
gorge　to　drink　his　evening　draught。　The　Lobores　had　espied　him；　and　they
immediately　rushed　down　and　overwhelmed　him　with　lances　from　the　cliffs
above。　There　was　now　an　extraordinary　scene　over　the　carcase；　four
hundred　men　scrambling　over　a　mass　of　blood　and　entrails；　fighting　and
tearing　with　each　other；　and　cutting　off　pieces　of　flesh　with　their
lance…heads；　with　which　they　escaped　as　dogs　may　retreat　with　a　stolen
bone。

On　4th　March　we　started　at　6。25　A。M。　The　advent　of　the　buffalo　was　a　sad
misfortune；　as　it　had　supplied　the　natives　with　sufficient　flesh　to　feed
them　on　the　road　home；　thus　thirty　Lobores　had　absconded　during　the
night。

Fortunately　we　had　already　consumed　many　loads　of　flour。　I　was　now
obliged　to　divide　two　days　rations　among　the　troops　as　extra　weight。　The
light　loads　were　then　doubled。　Brandy　boxes　of　twelve　bottles　were　now
lashed　together；　so　as　to　form　a　load　of　twenty…four。　Several　boxes　of
gin　had　been　entirely　destroyed　by　the　savage　carriers；　who　had　allowed
them　to　fall　upon　the　rocks。

Having　crossed　the　bends　of　the　Un…y…Ame　river　twice；　we　halted　for　the
night　in　fine　open　forest　on　the　south　bank；　beneath　a　large
tamarind…tree；　that　yielded　an　abundant　supply　of　fruit　for　all　hands。

We　had　only　marched　ten　miles；　owing　to　the　delay　occasioned　by　the
desertion　of　the　carriers。

On　5th　March　I　led　the　way；　as　the　Lobore　guide　professed　ignorance　of
the　route　to　Fatiko。　The　fact　was；　that　the　Lobores　had　wished　on　the
previous　day　to　take　me　to　Farragenia；　which　is　two　days　nearer　than
Fatiko。　Had　I　been　ignorant　of　the　country；　we　should　have　been
deceived。

I　steered　through　low　open　forest；　the　leaves　of　which　had　been　scorched
off　by　the　fire　that　had　cleared　the　country。　Neither　a　village　nor　the
print　of　a　human　foot　could　be　seen。　This　beautiful　district　that　had
formerly　abounded　in　villages　had　been　depopulated　by　the　slave…hunters。

Having　taken　the　Shooa　mountain　for　a　steering　point；　we　reached　the
spot　where　in　former　years　I　had　passed　five　months　in　the　camp　of
Ibrahim。　This　also　had　been　destroyed；　in　addition　to　all　the　numerous
villages　of　the　mountain。　We　had　marched　fourteen　miles。

I　gave　orders　that　on　the　morrow　all　the　troops　were　to　appear　in　their
best　uniforms；　as　we　were　only　six　miles　from　Fatiko；　the　principal
station；　where　I　fully　expected　to　meet　Abou　Saood　himself。



CHAPTER　XVI。

ARRIVAL　AT　FATIKO。

ON　6th　March；　1872；　we　started　from　the　bivouac　at　the　base　of　the　Shooa
mountain　at　6。10　A。M。

The　troops　were　in　excellent　spirits；　the　air　was　fresh　and　cool　in　this
elevated　country；　the　horses　had　been　well　groomed；　and　the　arms　and
accoutrements　had　been　burnished　on　the　previous　afternoon；　in　order　to
make　a　good　appearance　before　my　old　friends　the　natives　of　Fatiko　and
Shooa。

The　bright　scarlet　uniforms　and　snow…white　linen　trousers　of　212　men
looked　extremely　gay　upon　the　fresh　green　grass；　which　had　lately　sprung
up　throughout　this　beautiful　park。

There　was　no　enemy　in　this　country。　From　a　former　residence　of　five
months　at　Shooa；　both　my　wife　and　myself　were　well　known　to　the
inhabitants；　and　I　felt　sure　that　our　arrival　would　be　hailed　with
gladness。　In　my　former　visit　I　had　been　a　successful　hunter；　and　had
always　given　the　flesh　to　the　natives；　thus；　as　the　road　to　a　negro's
heart　is　through　his　stomach；　I　knew　that　my　absence　must　have　been
felt；　and　that　the　recollections　of　past　times　would　be　savoury　and
agreeable。

I　had　with　me　a　herd　of　1；078　cows　and　194　sheep。　No　guard　was
necessary；　and　I　intrusted　the　stock　to　the　care　of　the　three　boatmen；
and　my　Bari　interpreter；　Morgian。

The　line　of　march　was　thus　arranged：Myself；　with　my　wife　and
Lieutenant　Baker；　on　horseback　in　advance；　preceded　by　the　guard　of　five
of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃　Then　came　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　the　remaining
forty…three；　composing　the　gallant　〃Forty。〃　After　which　came　the
regiment；　all　necessarily　in　single　file。　Then　came　the　baggage　with　400
carriers；　followed　by　the　herd　of　cattle。

All　our　boys　were　dressed　in　their　scarlet　uniforms；　and　the　girls　and
women　generally　had　dressed　in　their　best　clothes。　Little　Cuckoo　as
usual　carried　my　small　travelling…bag　upon　his　head；　and　kept　his　line
with　the　other　boys；　all　of　whom　assumed　an　air　that　was　intended　to　be
thoroughly　regimental。

In　this　order　the　march　commenced。　The　distance　was　only　six　miles。　This
was　as　lovely　a　route　as　could　be　conceived。

Magnificent　trees　（acacias）；　whose　thick；　dark　foliage　drooped　near　the
ground；　were　grouped　in　clumps；　springing　from　the　crevices　between　huge
blocks　of　granite。　Brooks　of　the　purest　water　rippled　over　the　time…worn
channels　cut　through　granite　plateaux；　and　as　we　halted　to　drink　at　the
tempting　stream；　the　water　tasted　as　cold　as　though　from　an　European
spring。

The　entire　country　on　our　left　was　a　succession　of　the　most　beautiful
rocky　undulations　and　deep　verdant　glades；　at　the　bottom　of　which　flowed
perennial　streams。　The　banks　of　these　rivulets　were　richly　clothed　with
ornamental　timber；　the　green　foliage　contrasting　strongly　with　the　dark
grey　blocks　of　granite　resembling　the　ruins　of　ancient　towers。

We　travelled　along　a　kind　of　hog's　back；　which　formed　the　watershed　to
the　west。　As　we　ascended；　until　we　reached　a　large　plateau　of　clean
granite　of　about　two　acres；　we　broke　upon　a　magnificent　panorama；　which
commanded　an　extensive　view　of　the　whole　country。

On　the　west；　we　looked　down　upon　the　plains　through　which　we　had
arrived；　and　the　view　stretched　far　away　beyond　the　Nile；　until　it　met
the　horizon　bounded　by　the　grey　outline　of　the　distant　mountains。

No　one　could　feel　unhappy　in　such　a　scene。　I　trod　upon　my　old　ground；
every　step　of　which　I　knew；　and　I　felt　an　exhilaration　of　spirits　at　the
fact　that　I　was　once　more　here　in　the　new　capacity　of　a　deliverer；　who
would　be　welcomed　with　open　arms　by　the　down…trodden　natives　of　this
country。

Having　descended　from　the　clean　plateau　of　rock；　we　carefully　rode
across　a　slippery　channel　that　had　been　worn　by　the　sandy　torrents　of
the　rainy　season；　and　once　more　arrived　at　level　ground。　We　were　now　on
the　great　table…land　of　Fatiko。

Upon　our　left；　a　mass　of　bold　ruins；　the　granite　skeleton　remains　of　a
perished　mountain；　which　formed　a　shelter　from　the　morning　sun；　tempted
us　to　halt。

We　had　thus　suddenly　appeared　upon　the　greensward　of　the　plateau　without
the　slightest　warning　to　the　inhabitants　of　Fatiko。　About　a　mile　before
us　stood　the　large　station　of　Abou　Saood；　which　occupied　at　least　thirty
acres。　On　our　right　we　were　hemmed　in　by　a　wall　of　granite；　sloped　like
a　huge　whale；　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　long　and　100　feet　high。　The
southern　extremity　of　this　vast　block　of　clean　granite　was　the　rocky　and
fantastic　hill　of　Fatiko　crested　with　fine　timber。　To　our　left；　and
straight　before　us；　was　a　perfectly　flat　plain　like　a　race…course；　the
south　end　being　a　curious　and　beautiful　assemblage　of　immense　granite
blocks；　and　groups　of　weeping　acacia。

A　large　village　occupied　the　base　of　Fatiko　hill　。。。　The　bugles　and
drums　sounded　〃the　advance。〃　The　echoes　rang　from　the　hard　granite　rock
as　the　unusual　sound　gave　the　first　warning　of　our　presence。

I　had　dismounted　from　my　horse；　and　was　watching　the　slaver's　camp　with
a　powerful　telescope；　as　the　bugles　sounded　and　the　men　fell　into　order。

A　number　of　people　ran　out　of　the　camp；　and　stared　at　the　blaze　of
scarlet　uniforms；　which　must　have　appeared　as　a　larger　force　than　the
reality；　owing　to　the　bright　contrast　of　red　with　the　green　turf。

In　an　instant　there　was　confusion　in　the　camp。　I　soon　distinguished
immense　numbers　of　slaves　being　driven　quickly　out；　and　hurried　away　to
the　south。　The　slaver's　drum　beat；　and　a　number　of　crimson　flags　were
seen　advancing；　until　they　halted　and　formed　a　line　close　to　the
entrance　of　the　village。　I　now　saw　natives　rushing　wildly　to　and　fro　in
all　directions　armed　with　spears　and　shields。

Some　time　elapsed　before　the　cattle　and　baggage　arrived。　In　the　meantime
I　waited；　perched　on　a　block　of　granite；　with　my　telescope；　watching
every　movement。　There　was　no　doubt　that　our　sudden　appearance　had　caused
intense　excitement。　I　saw　men　running　from　the　trader's　station　to　the
large　village　opposite；　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。

At　length；　I　observed　two　men　approaching。

We　were　not　yet　ready　for　a　general　advance；　therefore；　as　the　servants
and　carriers；　cattle；　&c。；　fell　into　order；　the　band　struck　up　some
Turkish　airs；　which　sounded　extremely　wild　and　appropriate　to　the
savagely…beautiful　scenery　around　us。

In　the　meantime　the　two　messengers　drew　nearer。　They　were　both　filthy
dirty；　and　appeared　to　be　clad　in　dark…brown　leather。　One　man　seemed　to
hesitate；　and　stood　about　sixty　yards　distant；　and　demanded　who　we　were。
Upon　hearing　from　Colonel　Abdel…Kader　that　it　was　〃the　Pacha；〃　and　that
〃he　need　not　be　afraid；〃　he　told　us　that　Abou　Saood　was　at　the　station；
and　that　he　would　run　back　with　the　news。

The　other　messenger　came　timidly　forward；　until　he　stood　close　beneath
me。　My　wife　was　on　horseback　by　my　side。

Can　it　be　possible？　MOHAMMED；　my　old　Cairo　servant　of　former　years？

The　grand　dragoman　of　the　lower　Nile　reduced　to　this！　My　wife　exclaimed；
〃Ah；　Mohammed；　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　but　how　wretched　you　appear！〃

This　was　too　much　for　the　prodigal　son；　he　seized　my　wife's　hand　to
kiss；　and　burst　into　tears。

Poor　Mohammed！　he　had　gone　through　many　trials　since　we　last　met。　When　I
left　him　in　Khartoum　ill　with　guinea…worm　in　the　leg；　he　was　on　his　way
to　Cairo；　but　after　my　departure　he　had　been　tempted　by　the
slave…traders　to　re…engage　in　the　infamous　but　engrossing　career；　and　he
too　had　become　a　slave…hunter。　He　had　never　received　any　pay；　as　the
custom　of　the　slavers　was　to　pay　their　men　in　slaves。　Mohammed　had　never
been　fortunate　in　his　domestic　affairs；　he　was　not　a　favourite　of　the
ladies；　thus　his　female　slaves　had　all　run　away；　his　fortune　had　walked
off；　and　he　was　left　a　beggar；　with　an　overdrawn　account　in　slaves。

Mohammed　had　never　been　a　good　English　scholar；　but　want　of　practice
during　many　years　had　almost　obscured　the　light　of　his　former　learning；
which　was　reduced　to　the　faintest　glimmer。

The　bugles　now　sounded　the　〃advance；〃　and　we　marched　forward　in
admirable　order；　with　the　band　playing。

In　the　meantime；　several　natives　had　approached；　and　having　recognized
Lady　Baker　and　myself；　they　immediately　raced　back　to　the　village　with
the　news。

My　men　looked　remarkably　well；　and　the　advance　into　Fatiko　was　a　sight
that　was　entirely　new　to　Centra