ismailia-第9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！


frightful；　and　great　numbers　of　my　men　are　laid　down　with　fever；　thus　my
force　is　physically　diminished　daily；　while　morally　the　men　are
heart…broken。　Another　soldier　died；　but　there　is　no　dry　spot　to　bury
him。　We　live　in　a　world　of　swamp　and　slush。　Lieutenant　Baker　shot　a
Baleniceps　Rex。　This　day　we　opened　about　600　yards。

〃March　23。We　have　been　throughout　the　day　employed　in　tugging　the
vessels　through　the　channel。　The　Egyptians　have　quite　lost　heart。　The
Soudanis　are　far　more　valuable　as　soldiers；　none　of　them　are　ill；　and
they　work　with　a　good　will。　I　serve　them　out　a　glass　of　grog　in　the
evening。　The　fanatical　fellahs　will　not　touch　spirits；　thus　they　succumb
to　fever　and　nervousness　when　exhausted　by　the　chill　occasioned　by
working　throughout　the　day　in　mud　and　water。

〃March　24。Wind　fresh　from　the　S。W。　All　the　vessels　assembled　last
evening　in　a　small　lake。　Before　us　there　is　as　usual　simply　a　narrow
stream　closed　in　by　vegetation。　I　observed　marks　of　the　traders'　parties
having　broken　through　a　few　months　ago。　These　people　travel　without
merchandise；　but　with　a　large　force　of　men：　thus　their　vessels　are　of
light　draught　of　water。　My　steamers　and　many　of　the　boats　require　four
feet　six　inches。　Every　vessel　is　heavily　laden；　thus　they　are　difficult
to　manage　unless　in　open　and　deep　water。

〃There　is　to…day　a　forest　on　the　east；　about　two　miles　distant；　beyond
the　swamp。　After　a　hard　day's　work　we　made　about　1；400　yards。

〃March　25。Wind　fair　and　fresh　from　the　N。E。　This　helped　us　to　make
about　a　mile　through　the　narrow　channel；　hemmed　in　by　thick　and　high
grass。　Another　soldier　died。　As　usual；　this　poor　fellow　was　an
artilleryman。　These　men　came　direct　from　Cairo　with　their　guns；　and　not
being　acclimatized；　they　cannot　resist　the　fever。　The　Egyptian　troops
give　in　and　lose　all　heart；　but　there　is　much　allowance　to　be　made　for
them；　as　it　is　a　fearful　country；　and　far　beyond　my　worst　experience。
There　is　no　apparent　break　to　the　boundless　marsh　before　and　behind　us；
this　is　about　fifteen　miles　wide；　as　forest　trees　and　the　tall　dolape
palms　can　sometimes　be　distinguished　upon　the　horizon。

〃What　the　unfortunate　Higginbotham　will　do　I　cannot　conceive；　as　there
is　no　possibility　of　communicating　with　him；　and　he　will　get　into　the
rainy　season。

〃Another　soldier　died　this　evening；　he　was　an　excellent　man；　who　had
been　employed　at　the　arsenal　at　Cairo。　His　friend　and　bosom　companion
was　a　fellow　workman；　and　he　was　so　grieved　at　the　loss　that　he　declared
he　should　not　live　beyond　a　few　days。　There　was　no　dry　ground　in　which
to　dig　a　grave；　it　was　therefore　necessary　to　cut　a　hole　in　the　base　of
a　white　ant…hill；　as　these　Babel…like　towers　were　the　only　dry　spots
that　rose　above　the　flood。

〃This　death　is　the　sixth　within　the　last　few　days；　exclusive　of　one　boy。
I　think　our　black　doctor　assists　them　in　departing　from　this　life；　as
they　die　very　suddenly　when　he　attends　them。　Like　Dr。　Sangrado；　he　is
very　fond　of　the　lancet；　which　is　usually　fatal　in　this　climate。　We　made
about　half　a　mile　today。

〃March　26。Wind　fresh　from　the　S。E。　The　ditch　is　completely　blocked　up
with　vegetation：　thus　we　made　only　250　yards。　Before　us；　as　usual；　is
the　hopeless　sea　of　high　grass；　along　which　is　a　dark　streak　which　marks
the　course　of　the　ditch　through　which　we　slowly　clear　a　passage。　How
many　days　or　months　we　may　require　to　reach　the　White　Nile　is　a　problem。
One　hundred　and　fifty　men　are　on　the　sick　list；　nearly　all　of　them　are
fellahs。　Upon　my　own　diahbeeah　six　soldiers　out　of　ten　are　down　with
fever；　in　addition　to　two　of　the　sailors。　I　gave　them　all　a　shock　with
the　magnetic　battery；　which　appeared　to　have　a　wonderful　effect；　one
fellow；　who　had　been　groaning　with　severe　pains　in　his　back　and　limbs；
declared　that　he　was　instantly　relieved。　I　made　a　good　shot　with　the
Dutchman　at　a　Baleniceps　Rex；　at　a　distance　of　upwards　of　200　yards。

〃There　is　no　rest　by　night　or　day　for　our　people；　who　are　preyed　upon　by
clouds　of　mosquitoes；　which　attack　like　bulldogs。

〃March　27。All　hands　hard　at　work　clearing　the　ditch。　Wind　S。E。fresh。
The　diahbeeah；　as　usual；　leads　the　way；　followed　by　No。　10　steamer；　and
the　whole　fleet　in　close　line。　Most　of　the　men　suffer　from　headache；
this　is　owing　to　the　absurd　covering；　the　fez；　or　tarboosh；　which　is　no
protection　against　the　sun。

〃In　the　evening　I　took　a　small　boat；　and　in　forty…one　minutes'　poling
and　tugging　through　the　narrow　channel；　I　succeeded　in　reaching　a　long
narrow　lake　resembling　a　river；　about　110　yards　wide。　The　mouth　of　our
effluent　was；　for　a　wonder；　clear　from　obstruction；　I　returned　with　the
joyful　news　to　the　fleet　after　sunset。

〃March　28。At　7。30　a。m。　all　hands　turned　out　to　clear　the　channel　to
the　lake；　this　was　about　500　yards　long；　and　the　diahbeeah；　leading　the
way；　entered　the　lake　at　11。30　a。m。　Unfortunately　a　shallow　channel　near
the　entrance　prevented　the　steamers　from　entering；　thus　a　passage　had　to
be　dug　in　the　tough　clay　beneath　them。　The　wind　strong　from　the　south。　I
am　afraid　the　north　wind　has　deserted　us　for　the　season。

〃Having　entered　the　lake；　I　went　about　a　mile　and　a　half　ahead　in　my
diahbeeah；　and　anchored　for　the　night　in　a　broad　and　shallow　portion　of
the　water；　a　forest　being　about　a　mile　distant　on　the　east　bank：　this
was　a　good　sign　of　terra　firma；　but　there　was　no　dry　spot　upon　which　we
could　land。

〃The　river　winds　to　the　S。E。；　and　apparently　then　turns　to　the　west。　The
effluent　through　which　we　joined　this　lake　or　river　meets　it　at　right
angles；　and　the　river　continues　its　course　to　the　N。N。W。；　as　though　it
were　the　main　channel　of　a　far　more　important　stream　than　the　horrible
ditch　by　which　we　arrived。　The　guide；　however；　assures　me　that　it　is
blocked　up；　and　loses　itself　in　boundless　grass　and　reeds。

〃In　the　evening　I　spied　a　hippopotamus　which　had　just　come　out　of　the
high　grass　into　the　open　river。　It　snorted　loudly　at　the　strange　sight
of　the　handsomely…painted　diahbeeah。　I　took　the　boat；　and　upon　my　near
approach　it　was　foolish　enough　to　swim　towards　us　angrily。　A　shot　from
the　Reilly　No。　8；　with　one　of　my　explosive　shells；　created　a　lively
dance；　as　the　hippopotamus　received　the　message　under　the　eye。　Rolling
over　and　over；　with　the　legs　frequently　in　the　air；　it　raised　waves　that
rocked　my　little　boat　and　made　shooting　difficult；　but　upon　a　close
approach；　taking　good　care　to　keep　out　of　the　reach　of　its　struggles；　I
gave　it　a　quietus　with　a　hardened　spherical　ball　from　the　same　rifle；
which　passed　right　through　the　head。　By　sounding　with　the　long
boat…hook；　I　found　the　body　at　the　bottom　in　about　ten　feet　of　water。　My
excellent　captain　of　the　diahbeeah；　Faddul…Moolah；　dived　to　the　bottom；
and　secured　the　leg　of　the　hippopotamus　by　a　rope。　We　towed　it　to　the
diahbeeah；　from　the　deck　of　which　my　wife　had　had　a　capital　view　of　the
sport。　This　is　a　fine　feast　for　the　people。　My　explosive　shell　is
frightful　in　its　effects。

〃March　29。Wind　strong　from　the　south；　the　steamer　is　not　yet　out　of
difficulty。　My　men　are　busy　cutting　up　the　hippopotamus。　I　sent　off　the
iron　boat　with　three　quarters　of　the　animal　to　the　troops　astern。　During
the　night　a　crocodile　took　away　all　the　offal　from　the　stern　of　the
diahbeeah。　The　weather　is　much　cooler；　owing　to　the　south　wind　and　the
clear　space　in　which　we　are　now　anchored。

〃March　30。…The　river　is　now　clear　and　unmistakable。　We　travelled　about
ten　miles　by　poling；　this　is　the　best　day's　work　that　we　have　made　since
we　entered　this　chaotic　region。　Lieutenant　Baker　came　on　board　my
diahbeeah；　having　brought　up　the　steamers。

〃The　country　began　to　look　more　hopeful。　A　forest　at　a　few　miles'
distance　on　both　the　right　and　left　bank　of　the　river　betokened　dry
land。　The　river　flowed　between　actual　honest　banks；　which　although　only
a　few　inches　above　the　water　were　positive　boundaries。　The　flat　plain
was　covered　with　large　white　ant…hills；　and　the　ground　was　evidently
firm　in　the　distance；　as　we　could　distinguish　a　herd　of　antelopes。

〃As　we　were　quietly　poling　the　diahbeeah　against　the　sluggish　stream；　we
observed　wild　buffaloes　that；　at　a　distance　of　about　400　yards；　appeared
to　be　close　to　the　bank　of　the　river。　I　accordingly　stopped　the
diahbeeah；　and；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker；　I　approached　them　in
the　small　boat；　rowed　by　two　men。　A　fortunate　bend　of　the　river；　and
several　clumps　of　high　rushes；　concealed　the　boat　until　by　a　sudden　turn
we　came　within　sixty　yards　of　two　bull　buffaloes。　Having　told　Mr。　Baker
to　take　the　first　shot；　he　sent　a　spherical　No。　8　through　the　shoulder
of　the　nearest　bull；　which；　after　a　few　plunges；　fell　dead。　The　other；
startled　at　the　shot；　dashed　off；　at　the　same　time　he　received　a　shell
from　my　rifle　in　the　flank；　and　a　shot　from　the　left…hand　barrel　in　the
rear。　With　these　shots　he　went　off　about　three　hundred　paces；　and　lay
down；　as　we　thought；　to　die。　I　intended　to　stalk　him　from　behind　the
white　ant…hills；　but　my　sailors；　in　intense　excitement；　rushed　forward；
supposing　that　his　beef　was　their　own；　and　although　badly　hit；　he　again
rose　and　cantered　off　till　lost　in　high　rushes。

〃March　31。…As　we　proceeded；　the　banks　became　drier。　The　two　steamers　had
arrived　during　the　night；　and　the　whole　fleet　is　coming　up　astern。　The
river　is　now　about　fifty　yards　wide；　but　I　am　getting　nervous　about　the
depth；　the　water　is　very　shallow　in　some　of　the　bends；　and　I　fear　there
will　be　great　difficulty　in　getting　through　with　the　steamers　and　heavy
vessels。　My　diahbeeah；　which　is　of　iron；　although　roomy；　is　exceedingly
light；　and　only　requires　two　feet　three　inches　of　water。　We　have　been
fifty…one　days　from　Khartoum。　Never　have　I　known　so　miserable　a　voyage。
Wind　fresh　from　the　south。〃



CHAPTER　III

THE　RETREAT

〃April　1。All　the　vessels　are　stuck　fast　for　want　of　water！　This　is
terrible。　I　went　on　in　advance　with　my　diahbeeah；　accompanied　by　Mr。
Baker；　for　about　three　miles　to　explore。　Throughout　this　distance　the
greatest　depth　was　about　four　feet；　and　the　average　was　under　three
feet。　At　length　the　diahbeeah；　which　drew　only　two　feet　three　inches；
was　fast　aground！　This　was　at　a　point　where　two　raised　mounds；　or
dubbas；　were　on　opposite　sides　of　the　river。　I　left　the　vessel；　and　with
Mr。　Baker；　I　explored　in　the　rowing　boat　for　about　two　miles　in　advance。
After　the　first　mile；　the　boat　grounded　in　about　six　inches　of　water
upon　firm　sand。　The　river；　after　having　deepened　for　a　short　space；　was
suddenly　divided　into　three　separate　channels；　all　of　which　were　too
shallow　for　the　passage　of　the　diahbeeah；　and　two　were　even　too　shallow
to　admit　the　small　boat。　The　boatmen　jumped　out；　and　we　hauled　her　up
the　shallows　until　we　reached　the　main　stream；　above　the　three　channels；
which　ran　from　the　S。S。E。；　but　having　no　greater　mean　depth　than　about
two　feet　six　inches。

〃We　continued　for　some　distance　up　the　stream　with　the　same　unfortunate
results。　The　banks；　although　flooded　during　the　wet　season；　were　now
dry；　and　a　forest　was　about　a　mile　distant。　Having　left　the　boat　and
ascended　a　white　ant…hill；　about　eight　feet　high；　in　order　to　take　a
view　of　the　country；　I　observed　a　herd　of　very　beautiful　antelopes；　of　a
kind　tha