ismailia-第8章

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〃By　6　p。m。　the　canal　was　completed；　and　the　wind　having　come　round　to
the　north；　we　sailed　through　the　channel　and　entered　a　fine　lake　about
half　a　mile　wide；　followed　by　the　whole　fleet　with　bugles　and　drums
sounding　the　advance；　the　troops　vainly　hoping　that　their　work　was　over。
The　steamers　are　about　a　mile　behind；　and　I　have　ordered　their　paddles
to　be　dismounted　to　enable　them　to　be　towed　through　the　high　grass　in
the　narrow　channel。

〃March　14。At　6　a。m。　I　started　and　surveyed　the　lake　in　a　small　rowing
boat；　and　found　it　entirely　shut　in　and　separated　from　another　small
lake　by　a　mass　of　dense　rotten　vegetation　about　eighty　yards　in　width。　I
called　all　hands；　and　cleared　it　in　fifty…five　minutes　sufficiently　to
allow　the　fleet　to　pass　through。　Upon　an　examination　of　the　next　lake；　I
found；　to　my　intense　disappointment；　that　not　only　was　it　closed　in；　but
there　was　no　outlet　visible　even　from　the　mast…head。　Not　a　drop　of　water
was　to　be　seen　ahead；　and　the　entire　country　was　a　perfect　chaos；　where
the　spirit　of　God　apparently　had　not　yet　moved　upon　the　waters。　There
was　neither　earth　nor　clear　water；　nor　any　solid　resting…place　for　a
human　foot。　Now　and　then　a　solitary　bittern　rose　from　the　marsh；　but；
beyond　a　few　water…rails；　there　were　no　other　birds。　The　grass　was
swarming　with　snakes；　and　also　with　poisonous　ants　that　attacked　the
men；　and　greatly　interfered　with　the　work。

〃It　is　easier　to　clear　a　passage　through　the　green　grass　than　through
the　rotten　vegetation。　The　former　can　be　rolled　in　heaps　so　as　to　form
banks；　it　is　then　secured　by　tying　it　to　the　strong　grass　growing　behind
it；　the　rotten　stuff　has　no　adherence；　and　a　channel　closes　up　almost　as
fast　as　it　is　made；　thus　our　labour　does　no　permanent　good。　I　am　in
great　anxiety　about　Mr。　Higginbotham；　it　will　be　impossible　for　him　to
proceed　by　this　route；　should　he　arrive　with　a　comparatively　small　force
and　heavily…laden　vessels。

〃As　the　channel　closes　so　rapidly；　I　must　wait　until　the　steamers　can
form　a　compact　line　with　the　fleet。

〃The　black　troops　have　more　spirit　than　the　Egyptians；　but　they　are　not
so　useful　in　clearing　channels；　as　they　are　bad　swimmers。　They
discovered　to…day　a　muddy　spot　where　they　had　a　great　hunt　for　fish；　and
succeeded　in　capturing　with　their　hands　about　500　pounds　weight　of　the
Prolypterus；　some　of　which　were　above　four　pounds。　We　caught　for
ourselves　a　number　of　very　delicious　boulti　（Perca　Nilotica）　with　a
casting…net。

〃March　15。Having　probed　the　marsh　with　long　poles；　I　found　deep　water
beneath；　which　denoted　the　course　of　the　sub…vegetal　stream。　All　hands
at　work；　and　by　the　evening　we　had　cut　a　channel　300　yards　in　length。
The　marsh　swarms　with　snakes；　one　of　which　managed　to　enter　the　cabin
window　of　the　diahbeeah。　The　two　steamers；　now　far　astern；　have　become
choked　by　a　general　break　up　and　alteration　of　their　portion　of　the
world。　The　small　lake　in　which　I　left　them　is　no　longer　open　water；　but
has　become　a　dense　maps　of　compressed　vegetable　rafts；　in　which　the
steamers　are　jammed　as　though　frozen　in　an　ice…drift　in　the　Arctic
regions！　There　is　much　work　required　to　clear　them。　The　only　chance　of
progress　will　be　to　keep　the　entire　fleet　in　compact　line　so　as　to　push
through　a　new　channel　as　quickly　as　it　is　made。　I　shall　send　back　the
wood　tender；　if　possible；　from　this　spot　with　a　letter　to　stop　Mr。
Higginbotham　should　he　be　south　of　the　Sobat；　as　it　will　be　impossible
for　him　to　proceed　until　next　season。　Many　of　the　men　are　sick　with
fever；　and　if　this　horrible　country　should　continue；　they　will　all
sicken。

〃March　16。I　went　back　in　a　rowing　boat；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant
Baker；　to　the　two　steamers　which　we　found　stuck　fast　in　the　drift　rafts；
that　had　closed　in　upon　then。　Many　men　are　sickall　are　dispirited；　and
they　worked　badly。　Having　worked　all　day；　we　returned　at　6。30　p。m。；　to
my　diahbeeah；　having　the　good　fortune　to　shoot　seven　ducks　by　a　family
shot　upon　a　mud　bank　on　the　way　home。

〃I　found　that　the　main　body　under　the　colonel；　Raouf　Bey；　had　completed
the　channel　about　900　yards　long　to　lake　No。　3。　I　ordered　sail　to　be
made　immediately；　and　after　five　hours'　hard　work；　as　the　channel　was
already　beginning　to　close；　we　arrived　in　the　open　lake　at　11。15　p。m。；
in　which　we　found　the　fleet　at　anchor。

〃March　17。The　lake　is　about　2　1/2　miles　long；　and　varies　from　150　to
300　yards　in　width；　with　a　mean　depth　of　ten　feet。　I　sent　men　ahead　in
the　boat　to　explore　the　exit；　they　now　report　it　to　be　closed　by　a　small
dam；　after　which　we　shall　enter　another　lake。　Thunder　and　clouds
threatening　in　the　southeast。

〃About　half…an…hour　before　sunset　I　observed　the　head　of　a　hippopotamus
emerge　from　the　bank　of　high　grass　that　fringed　the　lake。　My　troops　had
no　meatthus　I　would　not　lose　the　opportunity　of　procuring；　if
possible；　a　supply　of　hippopotamus　beef。　I　took　a　Reilly　No。　8
breechloader；　and　started　in　the　little　dingy　belonging　to　the
diahbeeah。　Having　paddled　quietly　along　the　edge　of　the　grass　for　a
couple　of　hundred　yards；　I　arrived　near　the　spot　from　which　the
hippopotamus　had　emerged。

〃It　is　the　general　habit　of　the　hippopotami　in　these　marsh　districts　to
lie　in　the　high　grass　swamps　during　the　day；　and　to　swim　or　amuse
themselves　in　the　open　water　at　sunset。

〃I　had　not　waited　long　before　I　heard　a　snort；　and　I　perceived　the
hippopotamus　had　risen　to　the　surface　about　fifty　yards　from　me。　This
distance　was　a　little　too　great　for　the　accurate　firing　necessary　to
reach　the　brain；　especially　when　the　shot　must　be　taken　from　a　boat；　in
which　there　is　always　some　movement。　I　therefore　allowed　the　animal　to
disappear；　after　which　I　immediately　ordered　the　boat　forward；　to　remain
exactly　over　the　spot　where　he　had　sunk。　A　few　minutes　elapsed；　when　the
great　ugly　head　of　the　hippopotamus　appeared　about　thirty　paces　from　the
boat；　and　having　blown　the　water　from　his　nostrils；　and　snorted　loudly；
he　turned　round　and　seemed　astonished　to　find　the　solitary　little　boat
so　near　him。　Telling　the　two　boatmen　to　sit　perfectly　quiet；　so　as　to
allow　a　good　sight；　I　aimed　just　below　the　eye；　and　fired　a　heavy　shell；
which　contained　a　bursting　charge　of　three　drachms　of　fine…grained
powder。　The　head　disappeared。　A　little　smoke　hung　over　the　water；　and　I
could　not　observe　other　effects。　The　lake　was　deep；　and　after　vain
sounding　for　the　body　with　a　boathook；　I　returned　to　the　diahbeeah　just
as　it　became　dark。

〃March　18。A　heavy　shower　of　rain　fell；　which　lasted　for　an　hour　and　a
half。　When　the　rain　ceased；　the　day　continued　cloudy　with　variable　wind。
The　body　of　the　hippopotamus　was　discovered　at　daybreak　floating　near
us；　therefore　all　hands　turned　out　to　cut　him　up；　delighted　at　the　idea
of　fresh　meat。　There　was　about　an　acre　of　high　and　dry　ground　that
bordered　the　marsh　in　one　spot；　to　this　the　carcase　of　the　hippopotamus
was　towed。　I　was　anxious　to　observe　the　effects　of　the　explosive　shell；
as　it　was　an　invention　of　my　own　that　had　been　manufactured　by　Mr。
Reilly；　＇*＇　the　gunmaker；　of　London。　This　shell　was　composed　of
iron；　covered　with　lead。　The　interior　was　a　cast…iron　bottle　（similar　in
shape　to　a　stoneware　Seltzer　water　bottle）；　the　neck　formed　a　nipple　to
receive　a　percussion…cap。　The　entire　bottle　was　concealed　by　a　leaden
coating；　which　was　cast　in　a　mould　to　fit　a　No。　8；　or　two…ounce　rifle。
The　iron　bottle　contained　three　drachms　of　the　strongest　gunpowder；　and
a　simple　cap　pressed　down　upon　the　nipple　prepared　the　shell　for
service。

＇*Footnote：　Mr。　Reilly；　of　502　New　Oxford　Street；　has　been　most　
successful　in　heavy　rifles；　with　which　he　has　supplied　me　in　
both　my　African　expeditions。＇

〃On　an　examination　of　the　head　of　the　hippopotamus；　I　found　that　the
shell　had　struck　exactly　beneath　the　eye；　where　the　bone　plate　is　thin。
It　had　traversed　the　skull；　and　had　apparently　exploded　in　the　brain；　as
it　had　entirely　carried　away　the　massive　bone　that　formed　the　back　of
the　skull。　The　velocity　of　the　projectile　had　carried　the　fragments　of
the　shell　onwards　after　the　explosion；　and　had　formed　a　sort　of　tunnel
which　was　blackened　with　burnt　powder　for　a　considerable　distance　along
the　flesh　of　the　neck。　I　was　quite　satisfied　with　my　explosive　shell。

〃The　hippopotamus　having　been　divided　among　the　men；　I　sent　Raouf　Bey
with　a　large　force　to　assist　the　steamers；　which　still　remain　fixed　in
the　same　spot。

〃At　2　p。m。　it　poured　with　rain　until　9　p。m。　Everything　is　soaking；　and　I
have　great　anxiety　about　our　large　stores　of　corn。

〃March　19。Fine　day；　but　all　cargo；　stores；　&c。；　are　wet。　The　miserable
vessels　of　the　Soudan　are　without　decks；　thus　one　heavy　shower　creates
much　damage。　The　men　are　busy　drying　their　clothes；　&c。　Two　soldiers
died。　Steamers　far　astern　in　the　sudd；　regularly　fixed。

〃March　20。A　boy　died。　I　sent　fresh　men　to　the　assistance　of　the
steamers；　which　have　to　be　literally　dug　out。

〃March　21。Yesterday　as　the　men　were　digging　out　the　steamers；　which
had　become　blocked　by　the　floating　rafts；　they　felt　something　struggling
beneath　their　feet。　They　immediately　scrambled　away　in　time　to　avoid　the
large　head　of　a　crocodile　that　broke　its　way　through　the　tangled　mass　in
which　it　had　been　jammed　and　held　prisoner　by　the　rafts。　The　black
soldiers；　armed　with　swords　and　bill…hooks；　immediately　attacked　the
crocodile；　who；　although　freed　from　imprisonment；　had　not　exactly　fallen
into　the　hands　of　the　Royal　Humane　Society。　He　was　quickly　despatched；
and　that　evening　his　flesh　gladdened　the　cooking　pots　of　the　Soudani
regiment。

〃I　was　amused　with　the　account　of　this　adventure　given　by　various
officers　who　were　eye…witnesses。　One　stated　in　reply　to　my　question　as
to　the　length　of　the　animal；　‘Well；　sir；　I　should　not　like　to
exaggerate；　but　I　should　say　it　was　forty…five　feet　long　from　snout　to
tail！'　Another　witness　declared　it　to　be　at　least　twenty　feet；　but　by
rigid　cross…examination　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　did　not　exceed
ten。

〃The　steamers　and　tender；　having　been　released；　arrived　this　morning。　At
1　p。m。　we　started　with　a　light　air　from　the　northeast；　and　travelled
till　3。30　p。m。　along　the　lake；　which　narrowed　to　the　dimensions　of　a
moderate　river。　We　at　length　arrived　at　a　sudd　which　the　advance　boats
had　cleared　for　about　sixty　yards。　Having　emerged；　we　were　introduced　to
a　deep　but　extremely　narrow　channel　flowing　through　the　usual　enormous
grass。

〃The　whole　fleet　ranged　in　single　line　to　widen　the　passage。　We　are　now
about　twelve　miles　from　the　dubba；　or　raised　dry　ground；　near　to　which
we　first　commenced　clearing。　We　have　actually　cut　away　about　six　miles
of　vegetation。　No　dependence　whatever　can　be　placed　upon　the　guides：　no
place　answers　to　their　descriptions。　We　have　now　been　hard　at　work　for
thirteen　days　with　a　thousand　men；　during　which　time　we　have　travelled
only　twelve　miles！

〃March　22。Wind　S。W。foul。　The　people　are　all　lazy　and　despairing。
Cleared　a　sudd。　I　explored　ahead　in　a　small　boat。　As　usual；　the　country
is　a　succession　of　sudds　and　small　open　patches　of　water。　The　work　is
frightful；　and　great　numbers　of　my　men　are　laid　down　with　fever；　thus　my
force　is　physically　diminished　daily；　while　morally　the　men