ismailia-第63节

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good　friend　and　excellent　engineer…in…chief；　Mr。　Edwin　Higginbotham。　I
little　thought　that　we　should　never　meet　again。

The　wind　was　light　and　variable；　and　my　diahbeeah　soon　overtook　the
heavier　vessels。　In　the　evening　we　all　joined　and　concentrated　our
forces　at　the　rocky　ravine；　with　the　detachment　that　protected　the
cattle。

On　the　following　day；　the　23rd　January；　we　all　started　in　excellent
spirits。　The　soldiers　knew　the　country；　and　every　one　appeared　to　share
the　enjoyment　of　adventure。　The　people　had　learnt　to　depend　upon　my
guidance；　and　although　the　interior　of　the　country　was　unknown　to　them；
they　were　quite　contented　that　I　had　had　a　personal　experience　of　the
far　south；　and　they　were　safe　in　my　hands。

The　stream　was　very　powerful；　and　the　wind　was　so　variable　that　it　was
necessary　to　tow　the　vessels。　This　would　have　been　easy　work　if　the
river　had　been　deep　in　all　parts；　but　unfortunately　the　water　was　rather
low；　and　many　extensive　sandbanks　necessitated　long　detours。

The　men　were　then　obliged　to　wade　hip…deep；　and　to　tow　the　vessels　round
the　banks。

I　never　saw　the　people　in　such　high　spirits。　They　were　not　contented
with　a　walking　pace；　but　they　raced　with　each　other；　splashing　through
the　water；　and　hurrying　round　the　points　of　the　sand…banks；　until　they
once　more　reached　dry　ground。　Then　even　the　women　and　boys　jumped
ashore；　and　laying　hold　of　the　tow…rope；　joined　the　men　in　singing；　and
running　forward　along　the　hard　bank　they　made　the　diahbeeah　surge
through　the　water。

This　fun　had　continued　for　some　hours；　and　I　rejoiced　that　all　hearts
seemed　to　have　at　length　united　in　the　work。　I　had　no　fanatics　with　me。
The　black　officers　were　excellent　fellows　now　that　they　were　relieved
from　a　certain　influence　at　head…quarters。　Abd…el…Kader　was　as　true　as
gold。　Monsoor　was　a　Christian；and　my　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　stanch；
brave　fellows　who　would　go　through　fire。

Ali　Nedjar　was；　as　usual；　revelling　in　strength　and　activity；　and　was
now　foremost　in　the　work　of　towing　the　diahbeeah。

A　sudden　bend　in　the　river　had　caused　a　small　sand…bank。　It　was
necessary　to　descend　from　the　high　shore　to　tow　the　vessel　round　the
promontory。

Men；　women；　and　children；　jumped　down　and　waded　along　the　edge　of　the
bank。

As　the　diahbeeah　turned　the　sharp　point；　I　noticed　that　the　water　was
exceedingly　deep　close　to　the　sand…bank；　and　the　stream　was　running　like
a　mill　race。

Fearing　some　accident　to　the　children；　I　ordered　all　who　could　not　swim
to　come　on　board　the　diahbeeah。　At　that　time　the　bow　of　the　vessel　was
actually　touching　the　sand；　but　the　stern；　having　swung　out　in　the
stream；　might　have　been　about　fifteen　feet　from　the　edge　of　the　bank　in
very　deep　water。

When　the　order　was　given　to　come　on　board；　many　of　the　people；　in　the
ebullition　of　spirits；　leapt　heedlessly　into　the　water　amidships；
instead　of　boarding　the　vessel　by　the　fore　part；　which　touched　the　sand。
These　were　dragged　on　board　with　considerable　difficulty。

The　boy　Saat　would　have　been　drowned　had　not　Monsoor　saved　him。　In　the
confusion；　when　several　were　struggling　in　the　water；　I　noticed　Ali
Nedjar；　who　could　not　swim；　battling　frantically　with　his　hands　in　such
a　manner　that　I　saw　the　poor　fellow　had　lost　his　head。　He　was　not　three
feet　from　the　vessel's　side。

My　four　life…buoys　were　hung　on　open　hooks　at　the　four　corners　of　the
poop…deck；　thus；　without　one　moment's　delay；　I　dropped　a　buoy　almost
into　his　hands。　This　he　immediately　seized　with　both　arms；　and　I；　of
course；　thought　he　was　safe：　the　buoy　naturally　canted　up　as　he　first
clutched　it；　and；　instead　of　holding　on；　to　my　astonishment　he
relinquished　his　grasp！

The　next　moment　the　strong　current　had　hurried　the　buoyant　safeguard　far
away。　A　red　tarboosh　followed　the　life…buoy；　floating　near　it　on　the
surface。　。　。　。　。　。　Ali　Nedjar　was　gone！drowned！　He　never　rose　again。
。　。　。

I　was　dreadfully　shocked　at　the　loss　of　my　good　soldierhe　had　been
much　beloved　by　us　all。　We　could　hardly　believe　that　he　was　really　gone
for　ever。　Who　would　now　lead　the　song　in　the　moonlight　nights？　or　be　the
first　in　every　race？

I　had　quickly　thrown　every　life…buoy　into　the　river；　as　Howarti；
Mohammed；　and　others　of　the　best　swimmers　had　vainly　plunged　after　Ali；
and　were　now　searching　fruitlessly　for　his　body；　carried　away　by　the
powerful　current。　The　boat　was　sent　after　them　immediately；　and　they
were　brought　on　board。

The　mirth　of　the　diahbeeah　had　vanished；　the　general　favourite　had　so
suddenly　disappeared　from　among　us；　that　no　one　spoke；　The　women　sat
down　and　cried。

His　knapsack　and　rifle　were　brought　to　me；　and　a　list　having　been　taken
of　his　clothes　and　ammunition；　I　cut　his　name；　〃Ali；〃　upon　the　stock　of
his　snider；　which　I　reserved　for　the　best　man　I　should　be　able　to
select。　There　was　no　better　epitaph　for　so　good　a　soldier　than　his　name
engraved　on　his　trusty　rifle。

That　evening　every　one　was　sad；　and　my　people　all　refused　their　
food。　。　。　。

On　the　following　day；　the　wind　and　stream　being　adverse；　we　had　much
trouble　in　avoiding　the　sand…banks；　and　our　progress　was　so　slow　that　we
only　reached　the　base　of　the　rocky　hill　Regiaf。　Here　I　resolved　to　wait
for　the　heavier　vessels；　which　were　far　behind。

The　natives　were　now　friendly；　and　on　the　25th　January；　Lieutenant　Baker
accompanied　me　to　the　summit　of　Regiaf　to　take　observations　of　compass
bearings　of　all　the　various　mountains　and　prominent　points　of　the
country。

At　the　western　base　of　Regiaf　there　is　a　very　curious　rock　supported
upon　a　pedestal；　that　forms　a　gigantic　table。

This　great　slab　of　syenite　is　one　of　many　that　have　detached　and　fallen
as　the　original　mountain　decomposed。

I　obtained　my　measuring　tape　from　the　diahbeeah；　which　gave　the
following　results：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Feet。　　　　Inches。
Length　of　slab　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　45　　　　　　　　　　4
Breadth　of　slab　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　45　　　　　　　　　　8
Thickness　of　slab　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　　4　　　　　　　　　　9
Height　from　ground　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　　10　　　　　　　　　　5
Circumference　of　clay　pedestal　。　　　　　　69　　　　　　　　　　0

This　rock　must　have　chanced　to　fall　upon　a　mass　of　extremely　hard　clay。
The　denudation　of　the　sloping　surface；　caused　by　the　heavy　rains　of　many
centuries；　must　be　equal　to　the　present　height　of　the　clay　pedestal；　as
all　the　exterior　has　been　washed　away　and　the　level　reduced。　The　clay
pedestal　is　the　original　earth；　which；　having　been　protected　from　the
weather　by　the　stone　roof；　remains　intact。

The　Baris　seemed　to　have　some　reverence　for　this　stone；　and　we　were　told
that　it　was　dangerous　to　sleep　beneath　it；　as　many　people　who　had　tried
the　experiment　had　died。

I　believe　this　superstition　is　simply　the　result　of　some　old　legends
concerning　the　death　of　a　person　who　may　have　been　killed　in　his　sleep；
by　a　stone　that　probably　detached　and　fell　from　the　under　surface　of　the
slab。

I　examined　the　rock　carefully；　and　found　many　pieces　that　gave　warning
of　scaling　off。　Several　large　flakes；　each　weighing　some　hundredweight；
lay　beneath　the　table　rock；…upon　the　under　surface　of　which　could　be
distinctly　traced　the　mould　of　the　detached　slab。

On　27th　January；　we　arrived　with　all　the　vessels　at　the　foot　of　the
cataracts；　in　N。　lat。　4　degrees　38'。　This　is　a　very　lovely　spot；　as　the
rocky　islands　are　covered　with　rich；　green　forest；　the　verdure　being
perpetual；　as　the　roots　of　the　trees　are　well　nourished　by　water。

Our　old　friend　Bedden　met　us　with　a　number　of　his　people；　and　came　on
board　the　diahbeeah。　He　professed　to　be　quite　ready　to　convey　our
baggage　to　the　south；　and　I　proposed　that　his　people　should　go　as　far　as
Lobore；　about　sixty　miles　from　this　spot；　where　I　knew　we　could　procure
carriers；　as　during　my　former　journey　the　natives　of　Lobore　were　the
only　people　who　could　be　depended　upon。

Bedden　seemed　determined　to　help　us；　and　I　really　believed　that　our　luck
had　arrived　at　last；　and　that　I　should　be　able　to　convey　the　carts；
together　with　the　steamer；　to　the　navigable　portion　of　the　Nile　in　N。
lat。　3　degrees　32'。

I　determined　to　be　very　civil　to　the　great　sheik；　Bedden；　I　therefore
arranged　with　him　that　the　work　should　be　entirely　in　his　hands；　and
that　he　should　represent　the　government　as　my　vakeel。　At　the　same　time；
I　gave　him　a　grand　cloak　of　purple　and　silver　tissue；　together　with　a
tin　helmet；　and　turban　of　cobalt…blue　serge；　also　a　looking…glass；　and　a
quantity　of　beads　of　various　colours。

The　country　was　dried　up；　and　there　was　only　scant　herbage　for　my　large
herd　of　cattle；　the　half　of　which　I　promised　to　give　Bedden　if　he　would
carry　our　baggage　to　Lobore。

The　sheik　returned　to　his　village　to　make　arrangements　with　his　people
for　the　journey。

Somehow　or　other；　as　he　took　leave　and　marched　off　in　his　grand　cloak　of
silver　and　purple；　I　had　certain　misgivings　of　his　sincerity。

Although　great　numbers　of　natives　thronged　the　country；　and　came　down　to
the　vessels；　there　was　not　one　woman　or　child。　The　absence　of　women　and
children　is　a　sure　sign　of　evil　intentions。　My　wife；　whose　experience
was　equal　to　my　own；　at　once　expressed　her　suspicions。　Had　the　natives
been　honest　and　sincere；　their