ismailia-第104节

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march。

I　did　not　give　the　word　〃Forward！〃　until　the　flames　had　shot　up　high　in
the　air；　and　the　station　was　in　the　possession　of　the　fire。　At　this
moment　a　loud　report　announced　that　all　the　rockets　had　exploded。　The
advance…guard　moved　forward；　and　the　march　commenced。

We　soon　entered　the　high　grass；　which　was　reeking　with　the　light　rain；
and　we　were　wet　through　in　an　instant。

My　wife　was　walking　close　behind　me　with　a　quantity　of　spare　ammunition
for　the　〃Dutchman〃　in　her　breast。　She　had　a　Colt's　revolver　in　her　belt。
Lieutenant　Baker　was　heavily　loaded；　as　he　carried　a　Purdy　rifle　slung
across　his　back；　together　with　a　large　bag　of　ammunition；　while　he　held
a　double　breechloader　smooth…bore　in　his　hand；　with　a　bag　of　heavy
buckshot　cartridges　upon　his　shoulder。

Suleiman　and　Mohammed　Haroon　（our　servants）　were　close　by　with　my　two
breechloading　No。　8　elephant　rifles。　These　carried　picrate　of　potash
shells　that　were　immensely　powerful。　Very　little　would　have　been　left　of
the　body　of　a　man　had　one　of　such　shells　struck　him　in　the　chest。

The　cattle　began　to　cause　much　trouble　as　soon　as　the　march　commenced；
and　we　slowly　descended　the　knoll　upon　which　the　station　stood；　and　in
single　file　entered　the　extremely　narrow　path　which　led　down　to　a　small
swamp。

Crossing　the　swamp；　through　deep　mud；　we　arrived　on　firm　ground；　and
continued　to　march　slowly；　on　account　of　the　cattle。　I　felt　sure　they
would　have　to　be　abandoned。　The　cows　strayed　to　the　right　and　left；　and
Morgian　the　Bari；　and　Abdullah　Djoor　the　cook；　who　were　the　drovers；
were　rushing　about　the　grass　in　pursuit　of　refractory　animals；　that
would　shortly　end　in　being　speared　by　the　enemy。

We　thus　marched　for　about　a　mile　before　a　hostile　sound　was　heard。　We
then　distinguished　the　tumultuous　voices　of　the　natives　in　the　rear；　who
had　been　attracted　to　the　station　by　the　general　conflagration。

The　slow　march　continued；　through　grass　about　eight　feet　high；　and
occasional　forest。　The　rain　now　descended　steadily；　and　I　feared　that
the　old　muzzle…loading　muskets　would　miss　fire。

The　sound　of　drums　and　horns　was　now　heard　throughout　the　country；　as
the　alarm　spread　rapidly　from　village　to　village。　We　could　hear　the
shouts　of　natives；　and　drums　that　were　now　sounding　in　the　forest　upon　a
hill　on　our　right。　These　people　were　evidently　in　possession　of　a　path
unknown　to　us；　which　ran　parallel　to　our　route。

For　seven　hours　the　march　continued　with　such　frequent　halts；　owing　to
the　straying　of　the　cattle；　that　we　had　only　progressed　the　short
distance　of　ten　miles；　when；　at　4。40　P。M。；　we　entered　the　valley　of　Jon
Joke。　We　saw　before　us　the　hill　covered　with　plantain　groves　where　we
had　slept　when　upon　the　march　to　Masindi。

The　grass　was　very　high；　and　the　path　hardly　a　foot　wide；　only
resembling　a　sheep　run。　Suddenly　the　advance…guard　opened　a　hot　fire；
and　the　bugle　sounded　〃halt！〃

A　few　paces　in　front　of　me；　my　favourite　sailor　and　fisherman；　Howarti；
was　in　the　line；　carrying　a　metal　box　upon　his　head。　In　addition　to　his
musket；　which　was　slung　across　his　shoulders；　I　had　given　him　one　of　my
double　breechloading　pistols；　which　he　carried　in　his　belt。

The　word　was　suddenly　passed　that　〃Howarti　was　speared！〃

Lances　now　flew　across　the　path；　and　the　line　opened　fire　into　the　grass
upon　our　right；　according　to　orders。

I　immediately　went　up　to　Howarti。　　I　found　him　sitting　upon　the　ground
by　the　side　of　his　box；　in　the　act　of　reloading　his　pistol　with　a　Boxer
cartridge。　A　lance　had　struck　him　in　the　fleshy　part　of　the　right　arm；
just　below　the　point　of　junction　with　the　shoulder；　and；　passing　through
his　body；　it　had　protruded　from　his　stomach。　Upon　feeling　the　wound；
Howarti　had　dropped　his　load；　and　drawing　his　pistol；　he　shot　the　native
dead；　as　he　leapt　from　his　ambush　to　recover　the　lance　which　was
sticking　in　the　poor　fellow's　body。

Here　was　another　of　my　best　men　sacrificed。　　Howarti　had　always　been　a
true；　good　man；　and　he　had　just　exhibited　his　cool　courage。　He　had
himself　pulled　the　spear　from　his　body。

My　wife　had　followed　me　immediately　upon　hearing　that　Howarti　was
injured。　He　had　reloaded　his　pistol；　but　in　reply　to　my　question　whether
he　could　sit　upon　a　donkey；　he　fainted。　I　roughly　bandaged　him　for　the
present　moment；　and　we　laid　him　upon　an　angareb　（stretcher…bedstead）；
but　the　men　were　so　heavily　laden　that　it　was　difficult　to　find
supporters。　Lieutenant　Baker　kindly　took　one　end　upon　his　shoulder；　and
with　the　assistance　of　the　guard；　we　carried　him　forward。　The　bugle
sounded　the　〃advance。〃

Again　the　lances　flew　across　the　path；　but　a　few　shots　with　the　sniders
cleared　the　way；　and　leaving　the　narrow　route；　we　broke　our　way　through
the　tangled　grass；　and　ascended　the　slope　to　the　plantain　forest。　Here；
thank　goodness；　there　was　no　grass。　The　bugle　sounded　〃halt〃　in　the
middle　of　the　plantains。

Sentries　having　been　posted；　every　man　was　now　employed　in　felling　the
tall　plantain　trees；　and　in　arranging　them　to　form　a　wall　around　the
camp。

One　blow　of　a　sharp；　heavy　sabre　will　cut　through　the　stem；　thus　in　a
short　time；　as　we　all　worked；　a　clearing　of　about　an　acre　was　made；　and
by　sunset　we　had　piled　them　so　as　to　form　a　tolerable　protection　from
lances。

Throughout　the　day　it　had　never　ceased　raining；　thus　every　one　was
soaking　and　miserable。　Of　course　we　had　no　tent；　but　some　invaluable
mackintosh　camp　sheets。　I　had　examined　Howarti's　wounds；　which　I　knew
were　mortal。　The　air　as　he　breathed　was　rattling　through　the　gash　in　his
stomach。　I　washed　and　bandaged　him　carefully；　and　gave　him　a　dose　of
brandy　and　laudanum。

No　one　had　a　drop　of　water　to　drink；　neither　did　any　one　know　the
direction　of　the　well；　but；　as　all　were　cold　and　wet　through；　no　person
suffered　from　thirst。　Fortunately；　we　had　matches　in　a　small　silver　case
that　had　resisted　the　damp；　and　after　some　difficulty　and　delay；　fires
were　blazing　through　the　little　bivouac；　and　the　soldiers　and　women　were
crouching　round　them。

We　were　comfortable　that　night；　as　we　had　beds　to　lie　upon；　but　I　felt
sure　it　would　be　for　the　last　time；　as　it　would　be　necessary　to　destroy
much　luggage；　the　men　being　too　heavily　laden。

All　was　at　length　still；　the　soldiers；　who　were　tired；　went　to　sleep；
with　the　exception　of　the　sentries；　who　were　well　on　the　alert。

As　I　lay　on　my　bed；　I　thought　of　the　morrow。　　I　knew　we　should　have　a
trying　time；　as　the　whole　country　would　now　be　thoroughly　organized
against　us。　Our　start　from　Masindi　had　taken　them　by　surprisethus　we
had　not　met　with　much　resistance；　but　to…morrow　would　be　a　fighting　day；
and　I　made　up　my　mind　to　leave　the　cattle　to　themselves；　as　it　would　be
simply　impossible　to　drive　them。

The　night　passed　without　an　attack。

On　the　following　morning；　15th　June；　poor　Howarti　was　evidently　about　to
die；　but　the　plucky　fellow　faintly　said　that　he　could　ride　a　donkey　if
assisted。　It　was　impossible　to　carry　him　as　the　path　was　too　narrow　for
four　people　to　walk　beneath　a　stretcher。　He　was　placed　upon　a　donkey；
and　supported　with　difficulty　by　a　man　at　his　side。

I　was　obliged　to　pile　upon　the　fire　a　number　of　things　that　we　could　not
carry；　including　the　large　oaken　stand　of　the　astronomical　telescope。

It　was　7。30　A。M。　before　we　started。

The　troublesome　cattle　at　once　began　to　stray；　and　I　immediately　ordered
them　to　be　abandoned。　I　felt　certain　that　in　the　event　of　a　general
attack　they　would　have　created　great　confusion；　by　probably　rushing　down
the　line　and　overturning　the　men。

It　was　the　greatest　relief　to　be　rid　of　the　animals：　thus　we　marched　on
merrily　at　about　two　and　a　half　miles　an　hour；　through　the　usual　narrow
path　amidst　gigantic　grass　（now　about　nine　feet　high）　and　thick　forest。

In　about　an　hour　and　a　half　we　arrived　at　a　descent；　towards　a　bottom　in
which　there　was　a　broad；　open　swamp；　with　a　stream　running　through　the
centre。

The　advance…guard　was　not　more　than　a　hundred　yards　from　the　bottom；　and
the　line　was　descending　the　hill　in　close　order；　when　a　sudden　uproar
broke　out；　as　though　all　the　demons　of　hell　were　let　loose。　Yells；
screams；　drums；　horns；　whistles　from　many　thousand　concealed　enemies；
for　an　instant　startled　the　troops！　A　tremendous　rush　in　the　grass　gave
notice　of　a　general　attack　from　an　immensely　powerful　ambuscade。　The
officers　did　their　duty。

Every　load　was　upon　the　ground；　and　in　a　moment　alternate　files　were
facing　to　the　right　and　left；　kneeling　just　as　the　lances　began　to　fly
across　the　path。　The　bugles　rang　out　〃fire；〃　and　the　fight　commenced　on
our　side。

I　saw　several　lances　pass　within　an　inch　or　two　of　my　wife's　head；
luckily　we　were　kneeling　on　one　knee。　The　file…firing　was　extremely
good；　and　the　sniders　rattled　without　intermission。　The　grass　was　so
dense；　that　simple　buck…shot　would　be　reduced　to　a　very　limited　range；
although　excellent　at　close　quarters。　The　servants　quickly　handed　the
elephant　breechloaders；　and　a　double　shot　to　the　right　and　left　was
followed　by　the　loud　explosion　of　the　picrate　of　potash　shells　against
some　unseen　objects；　either　men　or　trees。

A　quick　repetition　of　the　picrate　shells　seemed　to　affect　the　spirit　of