ismailia-第15部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


fortunately　arrived　in　the　Shillook　country；　and　caught　the　Koordi　in
the　very　act　of　kidnapping。

〃I　had　heard　this　story　a　few　days　before；　and　I　was　much　struck　with
the　clear　and　forcible　manner　in　which　the　old　wife　described　the
history。

〃Here　we　have　an　average　picture　of　Soudan　rule。　In　a　country　blessed
with　the　most　productive　soil　and　favourable　climate；　with　a　population
estimated　at　above　a　million；　the　only　step　towards　improvement；　after
seven　years　of　possession；　is　a　system　of　plunder　and　massacre。　Instead
of　peace；　a　series　of　intrigues　have　thrown　the　country　into　hopeless
anarchy。　With　a　good　government；　this　fertile　land　might　produce
enormous　wealth　in　the　cultivation　of　corn　and　cotton。　I　arranged　with
the　king　that　he　should　wait　patiently；　and　that　I　would　bring　the
affair　before　the　proper　authority；　in　the　mean　time；　his　people　should
return　to　their　villages。

〃After　a　feast　upon　an　ox；　and　the　entertainment　of　the　magnetic　battery
and　the　wheel　of　life；　I　gave　Quat　Kare；　and　the　various　members　of　his
family；　an　assortment　of　presents；　and　sent　them　back　rejoicing　in　the
No。　8　steamer。　I　had　been　amused　by　the　stoical　countenance　of　the　king
while　undergoing　a　severe　shock　from　the　battery。　Although　every　muscle
of　his　arms　was　quivering；　he　never　altered　the　expression　of　his
features。　One　of　his　wives　followed　his　example；　and　resisted　a　shock
with　great　determination；　and　after　many　attempts　she　succeeded　in
extracting　a　necklace　from　a　basin　of　water　so　highly　charged；　that　her
hand　was　completely　cramped　and　paralysed。

〃I　have　thoroughly　gained　the　confidence　of　the　natives；　as　vast　herds
of　cattle　are　now　fearlessly　brought　to　graze　on　the　large　island
opposite　the　camp。　The　natives　assure　me　that　all　the　male　children　that
may　be　born　this　year　will　be　called　the　‘Pacha；'　in　commemoration　of
the　release　given　to　the　captives。

〃A　soldier　was　caught　this　afternoon　in　the　act　of　stealing　a　fowl　from
a　native。　I　had　him　flogged　and　secured　in　irons　for　five　days。　I　have
determined　upon　the　strictest　discipline；　in　spite　of　the　old　prejudice。
As　the　greater　portion　of　the　Egyptian　regiment　is　composed　of　felons；
convicted　of　offences　in　Cairo；　and　transported　to　the　White　Nile；　my
task　is　rather　difficult　in　establishing　a　reformation。　The　good　taste
of　the　authorities　might　be　questioned　for　supplying　me　with　a　regiment
of　convicts　to　carry　out　an　enterprise　where　a　high　state　of　discipline
and　good　conduct　are　essential　to　success。〃

I　gave　the　name　Tewfikeeyah　＇*＇　to　the　new　station；　which　rapidly　grew
into　a　place　of　importance。　It　was　totally　unlike　an　Egyptian　camp；　as
all　the　lines　were　straight。　Deep　ditches；　cut　in　every　necessary
direction；　drained　the　station　to　the　river。　I　made　a　quay　about　500
yards　in　length；　on　the　bank　of　the　river；　by　which　the　whole　fleet
could　lie；　and　embark　or　disembark　cargo。　A　large　stable　contained　the
twenty　horses；　which　by　great　care　had　kept　their　condition。　It　was
absolutely　necessary　to　keep　them　in　a　dark　stable　on　account　of　the
flies；　which　attacked　all　animals　in　swarms。　Even　within　the　darkened
building　it　was　necessary　to　light　fires　composed　of　dried　horse…dung；
to　drive　away　the　these　persecuting　insects。　The　hair　fell　completely
off　the　ears　and　legs　of　the　donkeys　（which　were　allowed　to　ramble
about）；　owing　to　the　swarms　of　flies　that　irritated　the　skin；　but　in
spite　of　the　comparative　comfort　of　a　stable；　the　donkeys　preferred　a
life　of　out…door　independence；　and　fell　off　in　condition　if　confined　to
a　house。　The　worst　flies　were　the　small　grey　species；　with　a　long
proboscis；　similar　to　those　that　are　often　seen　in　houses　in　England。

＇*Footnote：　After　the　Khedive's　eldest　son；　Mahomed　Tewfik　Pacha＇

In　an　incredibly　short　time　the　station　fell　into　shape。　I　constructed
three　magazines　of　galvanized　iron；　each　eighty　feet　in　length；　and　the
head　storekeeper；　Mr。　Marcopolo；　at　last　completed　his　arduous　task　of
storing　the　immense　amount　of　supplies　that　had　been　contained　in　the
fleet　of　vessels。

This　introduced　us　to　the　White　Nile　rats；　which　volunteered　their
services　in　thousands；　and　quickly　took　possession　of　the　magazines　by
tunneling　beneath；　and　appearing　in　the　midst　of　a　rat's　paradise；　among
thousands　of　bushels　of　rice；　biscuits；　lentils；　&c。　The　destruction
caused　by　these　animals　was　frightful。　They　gnawed　holes　in　the　sacks；
and　the　contents　poured　upon　the　ground　like　sand　from　an　hour…glass；　to
be　immediately　attacked　and　destroyed　by　white　ants。　There　was　no　lime
in　the　country；　nor　stone　of　any　kind；　thus　it　was　absolutely　impossible
to　stop　the　ravages　of　white　ants　except　by　the　constant　labour　of
turning　over　the　vast　masses　of　boxes　and　stores；　to　cleanse　them　from
the　earthen　galleries　which　denote　their　presence。

I　had　European　vegetable　seeds　of　all　kinds；　and　having　cleared　and
grubbed　up　a　portion　of　forest；　we　quickly　established　gardens。　The
English　quarter　was　particularly　neat。　The　various　plots　were　separated
by　fences；　and　the　ground　was　under　cultivation　for　about　two　acres
extending　to　the　margin　of　the　river。　I　did　not　build　a　house　for
myself；　as　we　preferred　our　comfortable　diahbeeah；　which　was　moored
alongside　the　garden；　from　the　entrance　of　which；　a　walk　led　to　a　couple
of　large　shady　mimosas　that　formed　my　public　divan；　where　all　visitors
were　received。

In　a　short　time　we　had　above　ground　sweet　melons；　watermelons；　pumpkins；
cabbages；　tomatoes；　cauliflowers；　beet…root；　parsley；　lettuce；　celery；
&c。；　but　all　the　peas；　beans；　and　a　very　choice　selection　of　maize　that
I　had　received　from　England；　were　destroyed　during　the　voyage。　Against
my　express　orders；　the　box　had　been　hermetically　sealed；　and　the
vitality　of　the　larger　seeds　was　entirely　gone。　Seeds　should　be　simply
packed　in　brown　paper　bags　and　secured　in　a　basket。

The　neighbouring　country　was；　as　usual　in　the　White　Nile　districts；　flat
and　uninteresting。　Forest　and　bush　clothed　the　banks　of　the　river；　but
this　formed　a　mere　fringe　for　a　depth　of　about　half　a　mile；　beyond　which
all　was　open　prairie。

Although　there　was　a　considerable　extent　of　forest；　there　was　a　dearth
of　useful　timber　for　building　purposes。　The　only　large　trees　were　a
species　of　mimosa；　named　by　the　Arabs　〃kook。〃　We　were　very　short　of
small　rowing　boats；　those　belonging　to　the　steamers　were　large　and
clumsy；　and　I　wished　to　build　a　few　handy　dingies　that　would　be
extremely　useful　for　the　next　voyage　up　the　obstructions　of　the　Bahr
Giraffe。　I　therefore　instructed　the　English　shipwrights　to　take　the　job
in　hand；　and　during　a　ramble　through　the　forest　they　selected　several
trees。　These　were　quickly　felled；　and　the　sawyers　were　soon　at　work
cutting　planks；　keels；　and　all　the　necessary　wood　for　boat…building。　It
is　a　pleasure　to　see　English　mechanics　at　work　in　a　wild　country；　they
finish　a　job　while　an　Egyptian　workman　is　considering　how　to　do　it。　In　a
very　short　time　Mr。　Jarvis；　the　head　shipwright；　had　constructed　an
impromptu　workshop；　with　an　iron　roof；　within　the　forest；　several　sets
of　sawyers　were　at　work；　and　in　a　few　days　the　keel　of　a　new　boat　was
laid　down。

The　chief　mechanical　engineer；　Mr。　McWilliam；　was　engaged　in　setting　up
the　steam　saw…mills；　and　in　a　few　weeks　after　our　first　arrival　in　this
uninhabited　wilderness；　the　change　appeared　magical。　In　addition　to　the
long　rows　of　white　tents；　and　the　permanent　iron　magazines；　were
hundreds　of　neat　huts　arranged　in　exact　lines；　a　large　iron　workshop
containing　lathes；　drilling　machines；　and　small　vertical　saw　machine；
next　to　this　the　blacksmith's　bellows　roared；　and　the　constant　sound　of
the　hammer　and　anvil　betokened　a　new　life　in　the　silent　forests　of　the
White　Nile。　There　were　several　good　men　who　had　received　a　European
mechanical　education　among　those　I　had　brought　from　Egypt；　these　were
now　engaged　with　the　English　engineers　in　repairing　the　engine　of　the
No。　10　steamer；　which　required　a　new　piston。　I　ordered　a　number　of　very
crooked　bill…hooks　to　be　prepared　for　cutting　the　tangled　vegetation
during　our　next　voyage。　The　first　boat；　about　sixteen　feet　long；　was
progressing；　and　the　entire　station　was　a　field　of　industry。　The　gardens
were　green　with　vegetables；　and　everything　would　have　been　flourishing
had　the　troops　been　in　good　health。　Those　miserable　Egyptians　appeared
to　be　in　a　hopeless　condition　morally。　It　was　impossible　to　instil　any
spirit　into　them；　and　if　sick；　they　at　once　made　up　their　minds　to　die。
It　is　to　be　hoped　that　my　regiment　of　convicts　was　not　a　fair　sample　of
the　spirit　and　intelligence　of　the　Egyptian　fellah。　Some　of　them
DESERTED。

There　is　an　absurd　prejudice　among　the　men　that　the　grinding　of　flour
upon　the　usual　flat　millstone　is　an　unmanly　task　that　should　always　be
performed　by　a　woman。　This　is　a　very　ancient　prejudice；　if　we　may　judge
by　the　symbols　found　upon　the　flat　millstones　of　the　ancient　Egyptians。
We　also　hear　in　the　Testament；　〃two　women　shall　be　grinding　together；
one　shall　be　taken；　the　other　left。〃　There　was　a　scarcity　of　women　in
our　station；　and　the　grinding　of　the　corn　would　have　given　rise　to　much
discontent　had　I　not　experienced　this　difficulty　in　a　former　voyage；　and
provided　myself　with　steel　corn…mills。　I　had　one　of　these　erected　for
each　company　of　troops；　and　in　addition　to　the　usual　labour；　I　always
sentenced　men　under　punishment　to　so　many　hours　at　the　mill。

Although　this　country　was　exceedingly　rich　in　soil；　it　was　entirely
uninhabited　on　our　side　（the　east）　of　the　river。　This　had　formerly　been
the　Dinka　country；　but　it　had　been　quite　depopulated　by　razzias　made　for
slaves　by　the　former　and　present　governors　of　Fashoda。　These　raids　had
been　made　on　a　large　scale；　with　several　thousand　troops；　in　addition　to
the　sharp　slave…hunters；　the　Baggara　Arabs；　as　allies。　The　result　was
almost　the　extermination　of　the　Dinka　tribe。　It　seemed　incomprehensible
to　the　Shillook　natives　that　a　government　that　had　only　lately　made
slave…hunting　a　profession　should　suddenly　turn　against　the
slave…hunters。

I　frequently　rode　on　horseback　about　the　country；　and　wherever　I　found　a
spot　slightly　raised　above　the　gen