ismailia-第69节

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The　sentries　by　the　ravine　immediately　fired；　and　the　sixty　men　who
formed　the　cattle　guard　quickly　responded；　and　poured　a　fire　into　the
enemy's　flank。

The　delay　caused　by　the　thorns　was　only　momentary；　but　it　had　been
sufficient　to　allow　the　troops　to　awaken　and　to　clutch　their　muskets。
Here　was　a　glorious　opportunity　for　the　gun；　if　loaded　with　canister　and
ready　at　point…blank　range！

The　enemy　were　already　at　the　muzzle。　The　Egyptian　artillerymen　forsook
their　piece　and　fled　ignominiously　to　the　vessels　for　protection。　Only
one　fine　fellow　had　stood　by　the　gun；　and　he　pulled　the　lanyard　when　the
crowd　of　natives　were　almost　upon　him。　Where　were　the　unfailing　English
tubes？　An　Egyptian　tube　had　been　placed　in　the　vent　in　spite　of　all　my
orders。　It　MISSED　FIRE！

The　gun　that　should　have　swept　a　clear　road　through　the　enemy　was
silent；　and　the　gallant　soldier　who　alone　had　stood　faithful　at　his　post
was　immediately　speared　through　the　body；　and　fell　dead。　The　gun　was　in
the　hands　of　the　Baris。

The　troops；　seized　with　a　panic；　fled　on　board　the　vessels；　where　they
were　with　difficulty　rallied　by　their　officers　so　as　to　open　fire　from
the　protection　of　the　banks　of　the　river。

The　Baris　were　prepared　with　fire　to　burn　the　ships；　which　they　not　only
succeeded　in　throwing　within　the　vessels；　but　they　killed　an　unfortunate
woman　with　a　lance；　who　was　on　the　fore　part　of　a　noggur。

Troops　had　rushed　into　the　cabins　and　upon　the　poop…deck　of　my
diahbeeah；　from　which　they　now　opened　fire　upon　the　enemy　who　were　at
the　same　time　exposed　to　a　flank　fire　from　the　sixty　cattle　guards。　Thus
checked　the　advance；　and　the　major；　Abdullah；　succeeded　in　leading　his
men　forward　and　recapturing　the　gun。　At　length　a　tube　was　found　and
fitted　in　the　vent。　Fortunately　the　Baris　were　ignorant；　and　the　lanyard
was　lying　by　the　gun。　Another　tube　failed；　but　after　some　delay；　the　gun
at　length　spoke；　but　unfortunately　not　with　canister。

It　was　already　too　hot　for　the　Baris；　who　were　between　two　fires；　and　a
few　shots　from　the　cannon　settled　the　affair　and　determined　the　retreat。

I　could　not　have　believed　in　such　negligence　and　folly　had　I　not　had　a
long　experience　of　Egyptian　troops；　whether　brown　or　black。　These　people
can　generally　be　surprised；　unless　their　commanding　officer　is　vigilant
and　most　severe。　Little　or　no　dependence　can　be　placed　on　the
non…commissioned　officers；　these　are　ignorant；　thoughtless　people；　who
having　learnt　from　their　Mohammedan　teachers　to　trust　themselves　to　God；
would　seldom　remain　awake　unless　kept　to　their　duty　by　their　superior
officers。

On　the　morning　following　this　attack；　the　big　drums　of　the　natives　were
sounding　in　all　directions　upon　both　sides　of　the　river。　Thousands　of
Baris　had　congregated　upon　the　various　heights；　and　it　appeared　that　a
general　attack　would　be　renewed　upon　the　camp。

It　was　not　considered　safe　to　drive　the　cattle　out　to　pasturage。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　with　a　force　of　145　men；　Major　Abdullah
should　have　anchored　his　vessels　a　few　yards　from　the　shore；　and　have
then　made　a　vigorous　attack　upon　the　Baris。　He　was　provided　with　Hale's
rockets　in　addition　to　the　field…piece；　and　he　should　have　given　the
enemy　a　severe　example。

Instead　of　assuming　the　offensive；　he　remained　inactive；　which　so
encouraged　the　enemy　that　they　gathered　from　every　quarter；　and
naturally　concluded　that　the　troops　had　received　a　panic　from　the　night
attack。

At　this　critical　time；　the　scarlet　uniforms　of　my　fifty　men　appeared　in
the　rear　of　the　natives；　together　with　400　of　the　Lobore。　Some　of　my　men
belonged　to　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　and　the　Baris　upon　seeing　the　arrival
of　so　powerful　a　reinforcement；　immediately　dispersed；　with　much　blowing
of　horns　and　whistles　in　defiance　of　Major　Abdullah。

It　was　declared　that　the　Baris　had　suffered　severely　during　the　night
attack；　but　I　had　ceased　to　pay　much　attention　to　the　official　reports
of　the　enemy's　losses；　which　were　always　exaggerated。

Between　the　river　and　Lobore；　the　troops　had　marched　without　opposition；
and　they　had　followed　my　instructions　by　leaving　cows　for　payment　at
every　night's　halting…place。

I　now　divided　the　flour　into　loads　of　sixty　pounds　each；　packed　in
baskets　covered　with　raw　hide。

I　thus　carried　3；600　lbs。　by　sixty　porters。　My　troops　were　now　relieved
from　much　weight；　as　I　engaged　500　natives　for　the　journey　to　the
interior；　at　the　same　time　I　ordered　every　soldier　to　carry　six　pounds
of　flour　in　addition　to　his　knapsack　and　accoutrements。　Every　one　of　my
men　was　provided　with　a　small　tanned　goatskin　stripped　from　the　animal
（like　a　stocking　from　the　leg）　and　secured　at　one　end　like　a　bag。　These
little　chorabs；　or　travelling　sacks；　were　most　convenient；　and　were　well
adapted　for　carrying　flour；　as　they　were　easily　strapped　to　the　top　of
the　knapsack。

I　lost　no　time　in　preparing　for　a　move　forward。　Wani　the　interpreter　was
invaluable；　as　he　superintended　all　the　arrangements　necessary　for
collecting　the　carriers。

The　cattle　were　confined　within　the　kraal　waiting　for　selection。　About
1；000　natives　assembled；　and　they　were　allowed　to　enter　the　zareeba　and
choose　their　cows；　in　parties　of　four　at　one　time；　to　prevent　confusion。

This　was　a　tedious　operation；　as　the　Lobore　carriers　were　almost　as
particular　in　their　selection　of　cattle　as　ladies　are　supposed　to　be　in
the　choice　of　their　dresses。

February　27。The　Lobore　were　exceedingly　quiet　and　orderly　in　their
conduct；　and　500　cows　having　been　received　by　as　many　natives；　they
returned　to　their　homes　to　make　arrangements　for　the　journey　to　Fatiko。
I　find　the　following　extract　in　my　journal　of　this　date　：

〃The　Lobore　will　be　useful　allies　as　they　are　enemies　of　the　Bari；　and
their　country　is　well　situated；　lying　between　Bari　and　Madi；　on　the
route　to　Fatiko；　thus　they　will　be　ready　as　carriers　for　both　ends　of
the　line。

〃If　I　can　obtain　eighty　camels　from　Khartoum；　I　can　get　the　steamer
along　without　any　serious　difficulty；　as　the　Lobore　natives　can　be
engaged　to　make　the　road；　but　nothing　can　prosper　until　a　regular　camel
transport　service　shall　be　established。

〃I　am　sadly　in　want　of　troops　and　European　officers。　There　should　be　200
men　in　four　parties　stationed　at　intervals　along　the　line　to　direct　the
natives　in　opening　the　road。

〃A　soldier　deserted　and　ran　away　with　his　arms　and　ammunition　to　some
distant　village。　I　immediately　called　Wani　and　the　old　sheik　Abbio；　to
whom　I　explained　that　I　should　hold　them　responsible　if　the　deserter
were　not　captured。　They　sent　out　natives　in　all　directions　in　search。

〃February　28。The　natives　returned；　saying　they　had　found　the　deserter
about　half　a　march　distant；　but　they　could　not　seize　him　alive；　as　he
threatened　to　shoot　them；　at　the　same　time　they　were　afraid　to　kill　him；
as　he　was　my　soldier。

〃I　immediately　sent　a　sergeant　and　three　men　of　'The　Forty'　to　take　him
prisoner。

〃In　the　evening　the　soldiers　returned；　having　captured　the　deserter。　I
left　him　in　irons　to　be　kept　at　hard　labour　by　the　sheik　Abbio　at
Lobore；　until　I　should　return　to　the　country。　This　is　a　good　lesson　to
the　troops。

〃The　natives　had　a　grand　dance　to…day；　the　men　and　women　as　usual　naked；
leaping；　and　yelling　wild　songs　to　an　extraordinary　accompaniment　of
music；　produced　by　beating　a　long　stick　of　extremely　hard　wood　with　a
short　stick　of　the　same　substance。　Some　of　the　girls　were　pretty；　but
being　smeared　with　red　ochre　and　fat；　they　were　not　attractive。　The
natives　were　very　civil；　and　although　at　least　a　thousand　were　present；
they　immediately　made　room　for　me　upon　my　arrival；　that　I　might　have　a
good　place　to　witness　their　performance。〃

I　was　much　struck　with　a　simple　arrangement　made　use　of　by　the　old
people　to　support　the　back　in　lieu　of　an　arm…chair。　Each　person　had　a
cord　knotted　by　the　ends　so　as　to　form　an　endless　loop　or　hoop。　The　size
depended　upon　the　measurement　required；　so　that　if　the　hoop　were　thrown
over　the　body　when　in　a　sitting　posture　upon　the　ground；　with　the　knees
raised；　the　rope　would　form　a　band　around　the　forepart　of　the　knees　and
the　small　of　the　back；　which　would　thus　be　supported。

The　Lobore　are　great　workers　in　iron；　which　is　used　generally　in　the
manufacture　of　ornaments。　Large　rings　of　this　metal　are　worn　round　the
neck；　and　upon　the　arms　and　ankles。　Many　of　these　ankle…rings　are　of
extreme　thickness；　and　would　suffice　for　the　punishment　of　prisoners。　I
was　interested　with　the　mechanical　contrivance　of　the　Lobore　for
detaching　the　heavy　metal　anklets；　which；　when　hammered　firmly　together；
appeared　to　be　hopeless　fixtures　in　the　absence　of　a　file。

I　required　several　irons　to　construct　the　manacles　for　the　deserter；
thus　I　had　purchased　the　massive　ornaments　which　had　to　be　detached　from
the　ankles　of　the　owner。

The　man　sat　upon　the　ground。　A　stick　of　hard；　unyielding　wood　was　thrust
through　the　ring　beneath　the　ankle；　so　that　each　end　of　the　stick　rested
on　the　earth。　A　man　secured　one　end　by　standing　upon　it；　while　another
placed　a　stone　upon　the　stick　thus　secured；　which　he　used　as　a　fulcrum。
The　lever　employed　was　a　piece　of　abdnoos；　which　worked　upon　the　ston