ismailia-第66节

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I　had　them　in　hand；　therefore　I　at　once　terminated　the　scene　by
commanding　silence。　I　then　gave　an　order　aloud　to　the　officers：　〃Return
carts　and　all　baggage　on　board　vessels　at　sunrise　to…morrow。　All　troops
to　be　ready　for　the　advance。〃

〃Bugler！　sound　the　retreat。〃

That　peculiar　habit　of　discipline　yielded　instinctively　to　the　sound　of
the　bugle。　The　officer　gave　the　order；　〃Right；　turn；〃　and　the　late
tumultuous　crowd　marched　quietly　to　their　quarters。　This　was　ended；　at
the　same　time　it　was　not　cheering。

My　Englishmen；　who　had　been　witnesses　of　this　scene；　were　filled　with
indignation。　They　were　men　who　thoroughly　represented　English
determination；　and　they　at　once　volunteered　to　carry　their　own　baggage
if　I　would　only　permit　them　to　accompany　me。

How　often　my　heart　has　beaten　with　pride　when　I　have　seen　the
unconquerable　spirit　of　the　country　burst　forth　like　an　unextinguishable
flame　in　any　great　emergency！

I　now　had　to　quell　the　eagerness　of　my　own　good　fellows；　as　I　knew　that
if　〃the　spirit　was　willing；　the　flesh　was　weak；〃　and　it　would　be
impossible　for　Englishmen　to　carry　loads　through　a　journey　in　a　tropical
country。

I　saw　the　necessity　of　the　occasion　at　a　glance；　and　I　gave　the
necessary　orders。

The　Englishmen；　together　with　the　steamer　sections；　machinery；　&c。；　must
return　to　Gondokoro。　They　must　immediately　commence　the　construction　of
the　No。　2　steamer　of　108　tons　and　20…horse　power；　as　this　vessel；　being
provided　with　twin　screws　instead　of　paddles；　would　be　able　to　pass
through　the　narrow　channels　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　and　communicate　with
Khartoum。

I　gave　the　order　to　prepare　to…morrow　for　a　return　to　Gondokoro。

On　6th　February；　at　sunrise；　all　hands　were　at　work　dismounting　the
carts；　and　returning　on　board　the　vessels　all　material　connected　with
the　steamer；　&c。　I　altered　the　loads；　and　made　arrangements　for　a　new
plan　of　action。

I　had　determined　to　push　on　to　Lobore　with　one　hundred　men；　in　heavy
marching　order；　if　I　could　only　engage　a　few　natives　to　carry　the
necessaries　for　the　road。　At　Lobore　I　might　be　able　to　engage　a　few
hundred　porters　that　I　should　send　back　to　the　vessels　with　an　escort　of
fifty　soldiers；　to　bring　up　sufficient　ammunition　and　material　for　an
advance　south。　I　knew　the　route。

It　was　therefore　necessary　to　assort　the　baggage：　much　had　to　be
returned　to　Gondokoro　with　the　Englishmen。

I　had　a　small　invoice…book　that　had　been　carefully　prepared　by　Mr。
Marcopolo；　which　gave　the　numbers　and　contents　of　every　box；　therefore
the　difficulty　of　assortment　was　not　great。

All　the　boxes　were　of　block　tin；　painted；　thus　they　could　be　piled　like
bricks　one　upon　the　other　to　form　a　wall。　I　arranged　about　400　loads
which　were　set　apart　for　the　carriers；　should　I　be　fortunate　in
procuring　that　number　from　Lobore。

On　7th　February　the　carts　were　shipped。　All　the　loads　were　perfected　and
ready　for　a　start　on　the　following　day。　Some　of　my　men　were　endeavouring
to　train　a　few　oxen　to　carry　their　baggage。

On　8th　February　the　Englishmen；　in　very　low　spirits；　started　for
Ismailia　（Gondokoro）　in　two　vessels；　with　ninety　urdeps　of　dhurra
consigned　to　Mr。　Marcopolo。

I　had　arranged　that　twenty…two　boatmen　should　accompany　me　to　Lobore；
carrying　such　loads　as　were　absolutely　necessary　for　our　party。　They
would　then　return　together　with　the　fifty　soldiers　who　would　escort　the
native　carriers　to　the　vessels。

I　had　given　the　Englishmen　instructions　to　commence　the　building　of　the
steamer　immediately；　and　to　confine　their　work　to　this　vessel　until　she
should　be　completed。

Having　counted　all　the　loads　that　were　left　in　charge　of　Major　Abdullah；
I　took　a　receipt　for　them；　and　gave　that　officer　both　clear　and　positive
orders　for　his　conduct。

I　left　with　him　120　men；　together　with　the　field…piece　and　eight
artillerymen。　In　addition　to　these　men　was　the　crew　of　the　No。　10
steamer；　all　of　whom　were　trained　as　soldiers。　Thus　with　the　armed　crews
of　the　different　vessels　he　would　have　a　force　of　about　145　muskets。　It
was　highly　probable　that　the　natives　would　attack　the　vessels　and　the
cattle　in　my　absence；　as　they　would　have　remarked　the　great　reduction　of
force。　Although　the　country　was　perfectly　open；　the　ground　was　high　and
rocky；　and　rapidly　rose　to　about　200　feet　above　the　level　of　the　river
within　a　distance　of　a　mile；　thus　the　natives　scattered　about　the
heights　could　always　observe　our　proceedings。

Before　I　quitted　the　vessels；　I　made　every　preparation　for　their
security。　All　the　metal　boxes　were　built　into　a　quadrangular　breastwork；
that　would　form　a　little　fort　for　a　dozen　people。

I　moored　the　vessels　in　line　close　to　the　mouth　of　a　deep　flat…bottomed
ravine；　which；　although　now　dry　and　about　thirty　paces　wide；　had　formed
the　bed　of　a　river　during　the　wet　season。　The　perpendicular　banks　of
this　fosse　would　make　a　grand　protection　for　the　cattle；　I　therefore
ordered　a　fence　of　thorns　to　be　constructed　across　the　ravine　about　a
hundred　yards　from　the　river；　so　as　to　form　a　kraal；　in　which　the　cows
would　be　confined　below　the　level　of　the　country。

Sixty　men　were　to　guard　the　cattle　at　night；　thirty　upon　either　bank。　As
this　ravine　ran　at　right　angles　with　the　river；　the　sixty　men　would
enfilade　an　enemy　attacking　the　vessels；　and　the　guard　of　the　vessels
would　at　the　same　time　enfilade　an　enemy　should　he　attack　the　cattle　on
the　north　side。

I　placed　the　gun　in　a　convenient　position　about　twenty　yards　from　the
margin　of　the　river；　on　a　piece　of　hard；　flat　ground；　exactly　opposite
the　centre　of　the　line　of　vessels。　This　would　sweep　the　approach　in
front　and　upon　the　left　flank。

I　ordered　the　officer　to　load　with　canister　containing　250　small　musket
balls。　Having　served　out　a　dozen　Woolwich　tubes；　instead　of　the
uncertain　Egyptian　articles；　I　gave　positive　orders　that　the　gun　was　to
be　laid　for　a　point…blank　range　of　200　yards　every　evening　at　sunset；
with　the　tube　in　its　place；　the　lanyard　attached　and　coiled。　A　piece　of
raw　hide　was　to　cover　the　breech　of　the　gun　to　protect　it　from　the　night
dew。

Having　given　every　instruction；　and　impressed　upon　officers　and　men　the
necessity　of　vigilance；　I　ordered　Major　Abdullah；　in　command；　to　remain
in　charge　of　the　vessels　and　cattle　until　I　should　either　send　him
carriers　for　an　advance；　or　fall　back　myself；　should　I　be　unable　to
obtain　them。

A　tall　old　man　of　about　seventy；　or　perhaps　eighty　years；　had　paid　us　a
visit。　From　his　appearance；　and　the　numerous　spells　hung　about　his
person；　I　judged　him　to　be　a　rain…maker。　His　face　was　smeared　with　wood
ashes；　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　the　ideal　demon　in　his　personal
exterior。

I　gave　him　a　blue　shirt；　and　a　glass　of　Marsala　wine；　thus　appealing　at
once　to　his　exterior　and　interior。

It　is　always　advisable　to　make　friends　with　the　rain…makers；　as　they　are
regarded　by　the　natives　as　priests；　and　are　considered　with　a　certain
respect。　I　therefore　give　him　another　glass　of　wine；　or；　to　be　correct；
he　drank　it　from　a　tin　that　had　contained　preserved　provisions。

This　caused　him　to　blink　his　eyes　and　smack　his　lips；　and　the　old
rain…maker　grinned　a　ghastly　smile　of　admiration。　His　wood　ash…smeared
features　relaxed　into　an　expression　that　denoted　〃more　wine。〃　I　thought
he　had　enough；　and　there　was　none　to　spare；　therefore；　having　opened　his
heart；　I　began　to　ask　him　questions。

That　unfailing　key；　liquor；　had　established　a　confidential　flow　of
conversation。　The　old　fellow　explained　that　he　knew　the　entire　country；
and　he　had　no　objection　to　accompany　us　to　Lobore　for　a　small
consideration　in　the　shape　of　a　cow。　He　assured　me　that　if　he　were　with
us；　the　natives　would　be　civil　throughout　the　journey。　Bedden　had
behaved　very　badly；　but　he　had　got　the　worst　of　it；　and　the　news　had
spread　up　the　country。

I　asked　him　whether　he　would　keep　the　rain　away　during　the　journey；　as
it　would　be　very　unpleasant　should　the　soldiers'　kits　get　wet。　He
immediately　blew　his　rain…whistle　that　was　suspended　to　his　neck；　and
looked　at　me　as　though　I　could　no　longer　doubt　his　capability。　I　then
sent　for　a　German　horn　from　my　cabin。　This　was　a　polished　cow's　horn；
fitted　with　brass；　which　I　think　had　cost　a　shilling。　I　begged　the　old
rain…maker's　acceptance　of　this　instrument；　which　might　be　perhaps
superior　to　his　whistle。

The　wine　had　now　so　far　warmed　his　old　blood；　that　the　ancient　sorcerer
was　just　in　that　state　of　good…will　with　all　mankind　which　made　him
doubly　grateful　for　so　interesting　a　present。　He　blew　the　horn！again；
and　again！　He　grinned　till　the　tears　ran　down　his　eyes；　and　at　once
suspended　the　glittering　toy　around　his　neck。　He　now　said；　〃I　am　a　great
sheik；　there　is　no　rain…maker　so　great　as　I；　you　will　travel　with　me；
and　this　horn　shall　keep　you　dry。　Don't　trouble　yourself　about　the
Baris；　they　won't　molest　you；　but　start　as　soon　as　you　can。〃

We　had　thus　gained　a　valuable　ally　and　guide。　Although　I　knew　the
direction　of　Lobore；　I　should　have　been　obliged　to　travel　by　compass；
therefore　I　was　overjoyed　that　we　had　obtained　so　experienced　an　old
fellow　as　the　rain…maker。　His　name　was　Lokko。

At　3　p。m。；　on　8th　February；　we　started；　old　Lokko　lea