ismailia-第48节

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protruded　on　the　other　side。　The　soldier　shouted　for　help；　and　the　Bari
decamped　as　he　saw　others　running　to　the　rescue。

On　the　same　day；　two　women　were　attacked　when　they　went　to　fetch　water；
and　their　clothes　were　stolen　by　the　natives。

On　September　27；　an　artilleryman　went　to　the　river　about　400　yards
distant　to　fetch　water；　alone。　This　was　quite　contrary　to　orders。　The
thoughtless　fellow　left　his　musket　on　the　bank　while　he　descended　to　the
sandy　bed；　through　which　trickled　a　clear　stream。

He　was　watched　by　the　natives　who　were　lying　in　wait；　concealed　by　the
high　dhurra。　These　rascals　suddenly　rushed　out　and　speared　him　to　death。
The　man　screamed　so　loudly　before　he　died；　that　a　number　of　soldiers
rushed　to　his　assistance　from　the　camp；　but　they　were　only　in　time　to
bring　in　his　body。

This　was　at　4　P。M。；　and　I　observed　natives　armed；　who　were　hovering
about　on　all　sides。

I　sounded　the　bugle；　and　attacked　them　without　delay；　destroying　several
stockades。　It　is　impossible　to　come　to　any　terms　with　such　treacherous
people。　In　spite　of　my　kindness　and　wish　to　do　good　and　to　benefit　their
country；　they　requite　me　with　the　murder　of　any　unarmed　man　whom　they
can　find。

〃September　29。I　attacked　a　position　on　the　mountain。　Having　fired
several　rockets　from　the　base；　into　a　station　about　350　feet　above；　I
ordered　the　troops　to　advance　from　two　sides。　My　men　scrambled　quickly
up　the　rocks　and　destroyed　the　station。

〃September　30。A　few　days　ago；　the　soldiers　purposely　burnt　several
granaries　full　of　corn；　and　threatened　to　kill　Sherroom　and　Morgian；　my
Bari　interpreters；　if　they　should　report　the　act　to　me；　saying；　'If　the
corn　is　finished；　we　shall　all　go　back　to　Khartoum。'〃

〃This　proves　that　the　old　spirit　against　the　expedition　still　exists。　
The　men　take　their　cue　from　the　officers。〃

In　spite　of　the　general　discontent；　I　could　place　the　greatest　reliance
upon　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　and　their　officers。　This　little　corps　performed
nearly　all　the　active　service。　Their　red　shirts　had　become　so　well
known；　that　the　colour　was　enough　to　keep　the　natives　at　a　distance；　but
although　the　Baris　were　now　afraid　to　risk　a　stand…up　fight；　they
troubled　us　by　their　stealthy　tactics。　It　was　impossible　to　say　where
they　were　concealed。　They　were　spread　all　over　the　country：　some　hidden
in　the　tall　dhurra；　others　behind　bushes。　Their　favourite　place　was　in
the　grass　and　scattered　bush　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　where　they　lay
in　wait　for　any　unlucky　soldier　whose　disobedience　of　orders　led　him　to
tempt　his　fate。

It　seemed　almost　as　impossible　to　clear　the　country　of　these　people；　as
to　purge　Africa　from　snakes。　Patrols　were　of　little　service；　as　the
natives　lay　as　closely　concealed　as　hares　in　form。

I　determined　at　length　to　meet　them　with　their　own　tactics：

They　occupied　the　neighbourhood　in　ambush。　。　。I　would　also　lie　in
ambush。　This　system　of　ambuscade　employed　so　generally　by　the　Baris　had
created　a　wholesome　alarm　among　the　troops；　which　tended　to　obedience。
They　now　began　to　appreciate　the　orders　that　no　one　should　stray　alone
from　the　camp；　and　that　the　watering　party　should　consist　of　a　powerful
guard。　At　the　same　time；　the　surprises　that　had　occurred　had　somewhat
shaken　their　confidence。

I　called　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　together。　　These　fine　fellows　always　took
a　great　interest　in　their　work。

I　explained　to　them　the　difficulty　of　fighting　against　an　enemy　whose
tactics　would　not　permit　a　battle；　at　the　same　time；　I　should　now
operate　against　them　somewhat　upon　their　own　principle；　by　establishing
a　series　of　sharpshooters　who　should　occupy　the　neighbourhood；　and
render　it　impossible　for　the　Baris　to　remain　in　the　country。

My　corps　was　now　complete；　as　I　had　brought　up　those　who　had　remained　at
Gondokoro；　I　had　thus　forty…eight　officers　and　men。　To　this　force　I　now
added　fifty　selected　men　from　the　line；　and　marched　them　away　from　camp。

Upon　arrival　at　the　broad　bed　of　the　river；　I　explained　to　them　the
plan。　The　natives　generally　approached　unperceived　by　means　of　this
winding　trench；　which　entirely　concealed　them。　The　banks　of　this　river
were　in　most　places　nearly　perpendicular；　and　were　about　nine　feet　deep。
The　river　was　about　sixty　or　seventy　paces　broad；　and　was　nearly　dry；　as
a　very　shallow　stream　flowed　through　the　centre　of　its　bed。

If　the　high　banks　were　occupied　for　a　distance　of　several　miles　by　small
parties　of　sharpshooters　concealed　in　high　dhurra；　or　behind　an
ant…hill；　or　crouched　in　high　grass　or　bush；　or　in　anything　that　would
serve　as　a　protection；　it　would　be　impossible　for　the　Baris　to　approach
by　the　favourite　river…bed；　without　being　exposed　to　a　deadly　fire　from
the　long　line　of　sentries。

I　therefore　selected　a　position　commencing　far　beyond　my　line　of　posts；
and　entirely　commanding　the　river…bed　for　a　distance　of　several　miles。
The　soldiers　were　delighted　with　the　plan　suggested。　I　arranged　that
before　daylight　on　the　following　morning；　they　should　occupy　the
positions　assigned　in　parties　of　two　men　if　sniders；　or　three　if
muskets；　at　intervals　of　one　hundred　paces；　thus　the　country　would　be
protected　by　a　chain　of　guards　perfectly　concealed　from　view。

I　gave　orders　to　the　officers　commanding　the　two　stockades　to　carry　out
this　system　throughout　the　neighbourhood；　so　that　it　would　be　impossible
for　any　enemy　to　move　without　falling　into　an　ambuscade。

At　daybreak　I　was　up；　and　as　usual　drank　my　coffee　and　smoked　the
morning　pipe。　At　that　time　my　wife　and　I　occupied　a　tent　outside　the
stockade；　beneath　the　most　magnificent　tamarind…tree　that　I　have　ever
seen。　From　this　spot　we　had　a　clear　view　of　the　country。　On　the　west　of
the　plain；　two　miles　distant；　rose　the　mountain　of　Belinian。　On　the　east
was　park…like　land　interspersed　with　fine　ornamental　timber；　through
which　the　river　winded。　For　about　a　hundred　acres　around　the　camp；　the
high　dhurra　had　been　cut　down；　therefore　the　view　was　uninterrupted。

Everything　was　perfectly　still　at　this　early　hour；　the　birds　were　only
beginning　to　chirp；　and　the　vultures　were　just　lazily　assembling　to　see
if　they　could　discover　one　more　morsel　at　the　slaughtering…place　of　the
preceding　day。

No　one　would　have　suspected　that　the　entire　neighbourhood　was　occupied
by　sharpshooters；　for　a　distance　of　some　miles。　The　wily　Baris　had
delighted　in　their　leopard…like　tactics；　which　had　given　them　several
opportunities　of　inflicting　loss　upon　the　troops。　They　now　commenced
their　daily　occupation；　and　started　in　small　but　numerous　parties　from
their　distant　villages；　for　the　purpose　of　waylaying　any　stragglers。　The
sun　rose；　and　with　my　telescope　I　observed　natives　about　half　a　mile
distant　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　sometimes　these　people
disappeared　in　the　high　dhurra；　every　now　and　then　they　reappeared；　then
again　they　were　lost　to　view。　They　were　stealthily　approaching　for　the
purpose　of　occupying　their　positions　for　concealment。　These　wily　Baris
imagined　that　we　were；　as　usual；　keeping　on　the　alert　around　the　camp；
but　they　had　no　idea　that　the　leopard　was　himself　so　near　the　hidden
snare。

Suddenly　a　puff　of　white　smoke　shot　rip　from　the　bright　green　grass　on
the　other　side　of　the　river…bedthen　another；　followed　by　the　reports
of　two　rifles！　I　saw　natives　running　at　full　speed　to　the　left。　Another
and　another　puff　of　smoke　issued　from　a　different　quarter；　as　the
astonished　Baris　in　their　hasty　retreat　stumbled　over　the　next
ambuscade。　I　now　saw　a　native　running　like　a　deer；　but　chased　like　a
good　deerhound　by　one　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃　The　native　was　so　hard
pressed　by　this　good　runner；　who　was　encumbered　with　clothes；　rifle；　and
ammunition；　that　he　had　been　obliged　to　throw　away　his　bow　and　arrows；
together　with　his　lance。　He　now　gained　upon　the　soldier　slightly；　but
they　were　not　five　paces　apart　when　they　disappeared　in　the　high　dhurra。
That　soldier　was　Ali　Nedjar；　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　the　strongest　man；
the　best　shot；　and　the　fleetest　runner　of　the　force。　Presently　I　heard　a
shot。

Throughout　that　day　occasional　shots　were　heard　in　every　conceivable
quarter。　I　took　a　walk　through　the　country；　attended　by　a　few　of　my　men；
and　upon　several　occasions　I　was　challenged　from　a　bush；　or　tump　of　high
grass；　showing　that　the　men　were　all　in　position　and　well　concealed。
When　the　bugle　recalled　the　sharpshooters　in　the　evening；　each　had　some
adventure　to　recount；　and　the　whole　camp　rejoiced　in　the　success　of　the
manoeuvre；　it　was　a　case　of　〃the　biter　bit。〃

The　men　now　looked　forward　to　this　employment；　and　starting　at　daybreak；
they　took　their　supply　of　food　for　the　day。

Some　of　them　were　very　clever　at　this　kind　of　service；　especially　Ali
Nedjar。　Ali　was　a　native　of　Bongoa　broad…shouldered；　muscular　fellow；
with　thighs　like　a　grasshopper。　It　was　a　pleasure　to　see　him　run；　and　to
witness　the　immense　power　and　speed　with　which　he　passed　all　competitors
in　the　prize　races；　in　which　I　sometimes　indulged　my　men。　Ali　Nedjar　was
a　good　soldier；　a　warm　lover　of　the　girls；　and　a　great　dancer；　thus；
according　to　African　reputation；　he　was　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　a　man。
Added　to　this；　he　was　a　very　willing；　good　fellow；　and　more