ismailia-第87章

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left　without　ammunition；　and　every　soul　would　be　massacred。

I　therefore　mustered　the　troops；　and　examined　all　their　pouches。　Some　of
the　advance…guard　had　fired　away　eighty　rounds　each；　only　during　the
morning's　march！

Many　had　fired　fifty　rounds！　The　muskets　had　not　used　so　many；　owing　to
the　greater　difficulty　of　loading；　but　they　also　had　been　frightfully
extravagant。

The　men　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the　only　plan　of　marching　in
safety　through　the　high　grass；　which　was　full　of　unseen　enemies；　was　to
constitute　themselves　into　a　sort　of　infernal　machine；　that　would　be
perpetually　emitting　fire　and　bullets　on　all　sides。

This　was　all　very　well　with　an　unlimited　supply　of　ammunition；　but　we
had　no　idea　of　what　might　still　be　in　store　for　us。　We　were　now　slightly
more　than　fifty　miles　from　Foweera。　Fortunately；　in　our　journey　from　the
river　to　Masindi；　I　had　timed　every　march　within　five　minutes；　and　I　had
all　particulars　in　my　note…book；　therefore　I　could　guess　the　position
pretty　closely　during　the　morning's　advance。

Having　mustered　all　the　men；　I　turned　out　all　the　ammunition　from　their
pouches。　The　cartridges　were　counted。

I　examined　all　the　reserve　ammunition。

The　total；　including　that　from　the　men's　cartouche…boxes；　was　cartridges
for　snider　rifles　4；540　and　cartridges　for　muskets　4；330；　making　a　total
of　8；870　rounds。

I　now　addressed　the　men；　and　abused　them　most　forcibly；　calling　them
〃old　women；〃　and　several　other　uncomplimentary　epithets　for　soldiers。　I
divided　among　them　forty　rounds　each；　and　I　swore　solemnly　by　their
prophet；　〃that　I　would　not　give　them　another　cartridge　from　this　spot
（Chorobeze）　until　we　should　reach　Major　Abdullah's　detachment　at
Fatiko。〃

I　explained　that　if　any　man　should　fire　away　his　ammunition；　he　should
continue　the　march　with　an　empty　pouchWah　Illahi！　Illahi　！

I　gave　the　most　positive　command；　that　in　future　not　a　shot　should　be
fired　without　orders；　unless　spears　actually　were　thrown；　on　which
occasions　the　troops　would　fire　a　few　shots　exactly　into　the　spot　from
which　the　weapons　had　arrived；　but　on　no　account　was　a　bullet　to　be
fired　at　random。

I　dismissed　the　men　with　this　warning；　and　set　them　to　work　to　construct
a　night　defence　as　usual。

It　was　a　most　fortunate　peculiarity　of　the　Unyoros　that　they　did　not
attack　at　night…time。　This　was　a　grievous　fault　upon　their　side。　If　they
had　surrounded　us　every　night；　they　would　have　kept　us　awake；　and　not
only　would　have　tired　the　men　out；　but　they　would　have　caused　a　useless
expenditure　of　ammunition。

On　17th　of　June；　we　started　at　6。15　A。M。；　with　the　intention　of　reaching
Koki。　I　recognized　several　villages；　but　we　passed　them　without　halting。
We　at　length　arrived　at　a　fine；　broad　route；　that　was　sufficiently　wide
for　a　dog…cart。　This　had　evidently　been　recently　prepared；　and　there
could　be　no　doubt　that　it　was　arranged　as　a　snare　that　would　lead　us
into　some　powerful　ambuscade。　At　the　same　time；　the　compass　showed　that
the　broad　path　led　in　the　right　direction。

I　halted　the　force；　and　went　to　the　front　to　examine　the　road。　There　was
no　other　path。　It　was　therefore　incumbent　upon　us　to　keep　to　the　broad
route；　although　we　knew　that　it　must　lead　us　to　a　trap　prepared　for　our
destruction。

It　was　like　walking　upon　ice　that　was　known　to　be　unsafe。　We　advanced。

For　about　half　an　hour　we　marched　without　opposition。　　This　was　a　longer
interval　than　usual　to　be　free　from　an　attack。　At　length　we　arrived
where　the　broad　road　suddenly　terminated。　The　advance…guard　halted。

We　searched　for　a　path；　and　at　length　discovered　the　original　narrow
route　a　few　paces　to　our　left。

This　had　been　purposely　concealed　by　grass　and　boughs。

We　had　hardly　entered　this　path　when　we　were　suddenly　attacked。　　A
horsekeeper　was　wounded　by　a　spear；　which　passed　through　his　leg；　behind
the　knee；　and　cut　the　sinew；　thus　rendering　him　helpless。　He　was
immediately　placed　upon　a　donkey。　The　unfortunate　lad　who　led　the　horse
a　few　paces　before　me　now　uttered　a　wild　shriek；　as　a　spear　passed
completely　through　his　body。　The　poor　boy　crept　to　me　on　his　hands　and
knees；　and　asked；　〃Shall　I　creep　into　the　grass；　Pacha？…where　shall　I
go？〃　He　had　not　another　minute　to　live。

A　spear　struck　another　horsekeeper　on　the　hip；　and　the　soft　iron　point
turned　up　against　the　bone　in　a　curve　like　a　fish…hook。

A　sharp　fire　dispersed　the　enemy；　who　retired　to　a　distance；　　yelling
and　blowing　their　whistles。　The　wounded　horsekeeper　could　manage　to　walk
forward。

There　is　a　peculiar　bird　in　the　forests　of　Unyoro　which　utters　a　shrill
cry；　with　these　notes。

The　natives　imitate　this　cry　with　their　whistles　of　antelope's　horn。　　I
had　noticed　that　previous　to　an　attack　from　an　ambuscade；　we　had　always
heard　the　call　of　this　bird。

My　Baris　declared　that　the　bird　warned　us　of　the　danger；　and　cried；
〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me！〃　which　in　their　language　means；　〃Look　out！　look
out！〃

My　soldiers　said　that　the　birds　exclaimed；　〃Shat…mo…koor！　Shat…mo…koor！〃
which　is　the　order；　〃Make　ready；〃　They　accordingly　always　brought　their
rifles　on　full　cock　when　they　heard　the　signal。

There　was　something　puzzling　this　day　respecting　the　distance。　According
to　my　calculation；　we　should　leave　reached　Koki。　Still　we　marched　on
through　high　forest　and　the　interminable　grass。　My　wife　was　dreadfully
fatigued。　The　constant　marching　in　wet　boots；　which　became　filled　with
sand　when　crossing　the　small　streams　and　wading　through　muddy　hollows；
had　made　her　terribly　foot…sore。　She　walked　on　with　pain　and　difficulty。
I　was　sure　that　we　had　passed　the　village　of　Koki；　which　was　surrounded
by　much　open　ground　and　cultivation；　and　I　now　felt　certain　that　the
broad　road；　which　had　been　constructed　to　mislead　us；　had　taken　us　by
the　rear　of　Koki；　which　we　had　thus　over…shot。

We　were　marching　forward　in　perfect　silence；　when　I　heard　a　bird　cry
〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me〃！

That　instant　the　spears　came　among　us；　and　the　rifles　replied　as　quick
as　lightning！

The　bugle　of　the　advance…guard　sounded　〃halt〃。　　I　never　liked　to　hear
that　order；　as　something　must　have　gone　wrong。

I　immediately　walked　forward；　and　found　that　Lieutenant　Mohammed
Mustapha　had　been　wounded。　The　spear　had　struck　him　just　behind　the
shoulderjoint　of　the　left　arm；　and　had　passed　over　the　blade…bone　and
spine　previous　to　making　its　exit　by　the　right　arm。　This　was　a　very
nasty　wound；　and　he　was　bleeding　profusely。　I　made　a　couple　of　pads；
and；　placing　one　upon　each　hole；　we　bandaged　him　tightly。

I　now　went　up　to　my　poor　old　horse；　〃Zafteer〃。　　The　unfortunate　animal
was　carrying　a　heavy　load；　and　a　large　hunting　spear　had　struck　him　just
behind　the　saddle。　The　weapon　was　so　sharp　and　heavy；　and　had　been
thrown　with　such　force；　that　it　had　penetrated　a　double　blanket；　and　had
not　only　passed　clean　through　the　horse's　body；　but　had　also　cut　through
a　blanket…fold　upon　the　other　side。

A　large　portion　of　the　bowels　protruded；　and　were　hanging　a　foot　below
the　horse's　belly。　The　intestines　were　divided；　thus　death　was　certain。

As　the　old　horse　could　still　walk；　and　did　not　know　its　own　danger；　I
ordered　the　advance。　I　intended　to　halt　at　the　first　convenient　point。

In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　we　saw　increased　light　in　the　distance；
and　we　presently　emerged　upon　a　large　open　vale　surrounded　by　forest。
This　cheerful　space　extended　over　about　ten　acres；　in　the　centre　of
which　was　a　well　of　good　water；　about　fourteen　feet　deep；　and　so　wide
that　a　man　could　descend　by　steps　hewn　out　of　the　gravel。　This　was　a
grand　place　for　the　halt。

My　first　duty　was　to　remove　the　load；　together　with　the　saddle；　from　my
good　old　horse。　I　returned　the　bowels；　and　having　placed　a　strong　pad
over　the　wounds；　I　passed　the　roller　round　his　body；　and　buckled　it
tight　over　the　pads。

This　operation　was　hardly　completed；　when　a　severe　shivering　fit　seized
the　poor　animal；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground　to　die。

With　great　sorrow　I　placed　my　pistol　to　the　forehead　of　the　faithful　old
Zafteer；　and　he　died；　having　carried　and　laid　down　his　load；　together
with　his　life；　at　the　end　of　the　day's　march。

I　was　much　distressed　at　this　loss。　　It　seemed　that　I　was　to　lose　all　my
best　and　most　faithful　followersthe　good　Monsoor；　whom　to　this　hour　I
regret　as　a　brother；　the　ever…ready　and　true　Howarti；　Ferritch　Baggara；
the　unfortunate　Ramadan；　besides　others　who　were　very　valuable；　and　now
my　old　horse　was　gone。

We　slept　that　night　by　his　body；　and　warmed　ourselves　by　a　fire　that
consumed　his　loadfor　there　was　no　one　to　carry　it。　My　despatch…box
helped　to　cook　our　scanty　dinner。　We　had　marched　sixteen　miles。

My　troops　had　behaved　remarkably　well。　　The　scolding　that　I　had　given
them　had　produced　a　good　effect。　Very　little　ammunition　had　been
expended；　and　the　firing　had　been　exceedingly　steady。

Although　we　had　not　been　attacked　at　night；　I　never　omitted　the
precaution　of　a　defence　of　strong　thorns　and　branches　of　trees。

Had　this　march　through　a　frightful　route　of　forest　and　high　grass　been
made　in　the　Bari　tribe；　we　should　not　have　had　a　night's　rest。

We　started　at　6　A。M。；　with　sunrise；　on　18th　June。　The　weather　had　been
fine　since　the　first　day　of　soaking　rain　on　the　start　from　Masindi：　we
were　thankful　for　this　blessing；　as　there　was　no　shelter　for　any　one。

It　would　be　fatiguing　to　narrate　the　incidents　of　the　continual
ambuscades。　Every　day　we　were　attacked；　and　the　enemy　was　repulsed　many
times。　〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me！〃　was　now　well　understood　by　the　troops；　and
although　we　had　men　wounded；　the　enemy　invariably　got　the　worst　of　the
encounter。　Up　to　the　present　we　had　been　most　fortunate　in　bringing　on
all　our　people；　but　I　was　anxious　lest　some　should　receive　wounds　that
would　actually　incapacitate　them　from　marching。　Should　a　man　be　killed
outright；　how　much　soever　he　might　be　regretted；　still　there　was　an　end
of　him；　but　there　was　no　end　to　the　difficulty　of　transporting　wounded
men　in　our　helpless　condition；　without　carriers。

We　had　rather　hot　work　during　this　day's　march；　and　four　soldiers　had
been　wounded　by　spears。

My　wife　was　dreadfully　tired；　and　sometimes　the　pace　was　too　severe　for
her。　At　length　she　was　so　fatigued　that　she　declared　she　must　rest；　if
only　for　a　few　minutes。　It　was　impossible　to　halt　in　the　thick　jungle
and　grass；　therefore；　as　I　had　observed　a　large　grove　of　plantains　on
the　crest　of　the　hill　before　us；　I　gave　her　my　hand　to　assist　in　the
ascent；　and　we　shortly　entered　the　dark　forest　of　bananas；　which　was；　as
usual；　clear　and　free　from　grass。

All　the　women　were　glad　to　rest；　as　the　poor　things　were　carrying　heavy
loads。　We　halted　in　the　midst　of　the　plantains；　and　every　one　sat　down；
except　the　numerous　sentries　whom　I　placed　in　concealment　in　various
positions。　I　fully　expected　that　natives　might　be　following　us；　in　the
hopes　of　picking　up　the　load　of　some　wounded　man　that　had　been　left
behind。

Not　a　word　was　spoken；　or　even　whispered。

My　men　were　very　bloodthirsty。　　They　had　been　atrociously　treated　by　the
natives；　and　had　suffered　much。　They　longed　to　get　their　enemies　fairly
before　them；　and　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　now　keenly　looking　out　for　the
approa