ismailia-第25部分

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We　left　Tewfikeeyah　at　11　o'clock；　we　have　therefore　been　twenty…seven
days　to　the　spot　at　the　dubba　that　we　should　reach　this　evening。　Last
year　we　left　Khartoum　on　8th　February；　and　we　arrived　at　the　station　in
the　following　order：

〃February　15thFashoda。　16thSobat　junction。　18thBahr　Giraffe
junction。　March　2ndarrived　at　the　forest　beyond　Kutchuk　Ali's　station。
This　is　the　same　spot　where　we　overtook　Raouf　Bey　last　night；　he　having
left　Tewfikeeyah　on　11th　December。　Thus　he　has　been　twenty…six　days　from
Tewfikeeyah　in　reaching　the　spot　this　year　which　he　arrived　at　from　the
great　distance　of　Khartoum　in　our　former　voyage　in　twenty…two　days！　Last
year　the　fleet　was　fourteen　days　on　the　voyage　from　the　Sobat　to　the
above　spot；　this　year　they　have　been　twenty…six　days！　I　believe
thoroughly　that　they　delay　purposely；　in　the　hope　of　thwarting　the
expedition。

〃Last　year　the　whole　fleet　assembled　at　the　dubba　in　twenty　days　from
Fashoda。

〃We　arrived　at　the　dubba　at　5。30　P。M。；　having　been　delayed　two　hours　by
obstructions　and　rapids。

〃January　8。We　cut　through　a　horrid　accumulation　of　floating　rafts　that
have　filled　the　open　space　of　last　year　between　the　dubba　and　the　mouth
of　our　old　channel。　This　being　completed；　I　ordered　the　boats　to　keep　in
close　line　until　the　arrival　of　the　main　body；　otherwise　the　floating
rafts　would　again　block　up　the　channel　should　the　boats　proceed。

〃January　9。Hauled　the　dingy　over　the　marsh；　and　explored　the　old
channel　for　a　distance　of　fifty　minutes。　Thank　goodness；　this　was　clear
to　that　point；　a　distance　of　about　two　miles；　but　at　length　we　were
stopped　by　vegetation。　The　latter　is　of　a　light　character；　and　can　be
easily　removed。　Clouds　of　mosquitoes；　the　dew　very　heavy　at　night。

〃Shot　a　Baleniceps　Rex；　with　rifle。

〃January　10。At　day…break　we　distinguished　eight　sail　on　the　northern
horizon。

〃January　11。Brisk　north　wind。　Raouf　Bey　arrived　in　the　evening。

〃January　12。Started　and　passed　the　choked　river　with　much　difficulty；
and　entered　the　channel　of　last　year's　clearing。

〃January　13。We　only　made　about　two　miles　yesterday　and　to…day；　being
stopped　by　vegetation。

〃January　14。Cutting　partially；　but　the　channel　is　much　improved　since
last　year。　Made　two　and　a　half　miles。

〃January　15。Made　three…quarters　of　a　mile；　and　having　reached　the　lake
Timsah　（crocodile　lake）　we　found　the　river　blocked　up；　we　therefore　cut
our　way　into　an　open　but　shallow　channel　which　last　year　was　impassable
from　want　of　depth。

〃January　16。…The　diahbeeah　went　ahead；　but　the　steamer　and　heavy　vessels
were　much　delayed　by　shallows。　I　went　on　and　determined　upon　the
passage；　the　open　lake　being　visible　about　600　yards　distant。

〃January　17。…Made　about　300　yards　of　heavy　cutting　through　rafts　of
vegetation。　The　lake　of　last　year　nearly　choked　up；　about　100　acres　of
rafts　having　completely　destroyed　it。

〃January　18。…Cut　about　350　yards；　and　at　3。30　p。m。　we　entered　the　lake。
From　the　mast…head　it　appears　that　an　unbroken　sheet　of　water　now　exists
for　some　miles。　I　trust　this　may　be　true；　and　that　no　mirage　deceives
us。

〃January　19。…Sailed　four　miles；　at　which　place　we　found　a　new　channel
coming　from　the　south；　while　our　channel　of　last　year　from　south…east
appeared　to　be　closed　at　half　a　mile　distance。　Explored　the　new　channel
for　about　two　miles；　in　appearance　it　was　a　river　of　200　or　300　yards
wide。　At　length　we　arrived　at　a　sudd　of　small　dimensions　with　open　water
beyond。　We　returned　to　the　junction；　and　passed　the　night　at　a　sudd　half
a　mile　up　our　old　channel。

〃January　20。…At　7　a。m。　I　took　the　dingy；　and　with　much　difficulty　pushed
about　a　mile　through　the　grass　until　I　found　the　whole　country　closed　by
vegetation。　I　think　the　river　has　opened　a　new　channel；　and　that　the
passage　of　yesterday　will　take　us　to　nearly　the　same　spot　above　the　sudd
that　we　reached　by　another　route　last　year。

〃Many　vessels　having　arrived；　I　visited　the　Englishmen　and　physicked
Ramsall　and　Mr。　Higginbotham。　At　4。15　p。m。　we　started；　poling　round　the
angle　to　enter　the　new　channel　discovered　yesterday。　In　the　evening　we
all　sailed　with　a　light　breeze；　and　found　the　river　open　for　three　and　a
half　miles　ahead。　Halted　for　the　night。

〃January　21。…The　river　being　closed　ahead；　I　took　the　dingy；　and　after
much　trouble　succeeded　in　reaching　our　old　channel　in　the　clear　river。
Having　started　at　7　a。m。；　I　returned　at　1　p。m。　I　had　sounded　the　channel
the　whole　distance；　and　I　have　determined　to　cut　a　passage　through
to…morrow。

〃January　22。…Cut　350　yards　through　heavy　sudd。　Last　year　this　piece　was
600　yards。　We　at　length　reached　the　small　lake　where　we　last　year　buried
the　two　artillerymen　in　an　ant…hill。

〃January　23。…I　took　the　diahbeeah　a　mile　and　a　quarter　up　　the　river；
while　the　fleet　was　being　squeezed　through　our　spongy　channel。

〃January　24。…Yesterday　the　five　vessels　that　were　left　behind　by　Raouf
Bey　arrived；　and　the　fleet　assembled。

〃I　am　in　great　anxiety　about　Tayib　Agha　who　has　twelve　vessels　with　him；
none　of　which　are　yet　in　sight。

〃This　black　colonel　is　not　clever；　and　should　an　accident　occur；　he　will
be　at　a　loss　how　to　act。　Julian　is　unwell　with　fever；　but　Higginbotham
is　better。

〃I　went　a　long　way　in　the　dingy；　and　succeeded　in　finding　the　true
channel　of　the　stream　by　probing　with　the　twelve…foot　pole　through　the
grass。　To…morrow　we　shall　begin　cutting；　as　the　whole　country　is　closed。

〃The　tree　that　marks　the　open　water　of　last　year　is　about　a　mile　and　a
half　distant。　There　is　a　solitary　dry　spot　near　this；　the　heart　of
desolationa　tumulus　of　about　half　an　acre；　like　the　back　of　a　huge
tortoise；　is　raised　about　five　feet　above　the　highest　water　level。　Upon
this　crocodiles　love　to　bask　in　undisturbed　sleep。

〃January　25。…The　men　cut　about　300　yards。

〃January　26。…We　again　accomplished　about　300　yards；　and　pushed　the
vessels　within　the　channel。

〃January　27。…We　are　thankful　for　a　comparatively　open　ditch；　deep；　but
covered　with　grass；　through　which　the　diahbeeah　cut　her　path　by　sailing
before　a　strong　breeze；　and　we　entered　the　lake　at　11。20　a。m。　There　is
no　change　here　since　last　year。　The　steamer　and　fleet　are　close　up；　but
there　is　a　little　deepening　necessary　at　the　mouth　of　the　channel。　The
diahbeeah　went　ahead　for　six　miles　along　the　lake　and　broad　river；　and
anchored　for　the　night。

〃January　28。…With　a　light　breeze；　the　diahbeeah　sailed　four　miles；　and
stopped　at　the　three　dubbas；　whence　we　turned　back　last　year。　Even　now
there　is　only　three　feet　and　a　half　of　water；　and　we　shall　have　great
trouble。　Our　fisherman；　Howarti；　caught　a　great　haul　of　fine　boulti　with
the　casting…net。

〃January　29。…I　shot　some　ducks　and　geese。　A　slight　shower　fell　in　early
morning。　I　explored　about　seven　miles　of　the　river　in　advance。　The　depth
is　very　unsatisfactory；　varying　from　shallows　to　deep　channels。

〃January　30。…The　fleet　joined　in　sections　during　last　night　and　to…day。
Set　to　work　with　the　long…handled　hoes；　and　cut　a　channel　through　the
shallows　for　fifty　yards；　and　took　the　vessels　forward。

〃January　31。…Cut　a　channel　through　the　shallows；　but　we　could　not　get
the　steamer　along。

〃February　1。…About　1；200　men　at　work　cutting　a　channel　and　towing　the
steamer　and　noggurs　through。　The　diahbeeah　and　two　noggurs　passed　ahead
for　about　a　mile。　We　then　stopped　to　await　the　steamer　and　other　vessels
that　were　delayed　by　the　powerful　current。

〃February　2。…Stopped　all　day　waiting　for　the　steamer　about　a　mile　ahead
of　the　noggurs。　When　we　left　the　dubba；　I　had　left　a　letter　in　a　bottle；
addressed　to　Tayib　Agha；　to　order　him　to　come　on　without　delay；　and
deepen　the　channels　we　have　cut；　should　it　be　necessary。

〃February　3。…The　steamer　came　up　at　10　a。m。　At　10。45　the　diahbeeah　made
sail；　and　after　two　miles　was　delayed　by　a　small　sudd。　Care　must　be
taken　to　sail　by　the　west　branch　of　the　two　streams；　as　there　is　no
water　in　the　east　channel。

〃For　six　miles　we　have　had　nothing　but　shallows。　Even　at　this　season
there　is　only　a　depth　of　four　feet　in　many　places；　and　a　month　hence　the
river　will　be　impassable。

〃Tayib　Agha's　boats　are　in　sight；　about　four　miles　distance；　bearing
north。　We　cut　through　the　small　sudd；　and　in　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　we
arrived　at　an　open　water；　very　shallow：　in　many　places　only　three　feet
deep。　Stopped　for　the　fleet；　and　upon　arrival　of　the　steamer　and　others；
I　had　marked　out　the　channel　to　be　cleared。　The　men　set　to　work
immediately。　I　then　passed　ahead　with　the　diahbeeah　for　about　a　mile　and
a　half；　the　depth　of　water；　as　usual；　varying；　but　often　as　low　as　four
feet。　We　were　at　length　stopped　at　the　confluence　of　two　channels；　each
shallow。　The　sun　was　setting；　therefore　we　halted　for　the　night。　A
buffalo　crossed　the　river　about　200　yards　ahead。

〃February　4。…I　took　the　dingy　early　in　the　morning　and　explored　both
channels；　that　on　the　right　has　no　water　beyond　a　depth　of　about　two
feet。　The　left　is　the　true　stream；　but　the　depth　in　some　places　is　only
three　feet；　thus　there　is　more　work　for　the　men　upon　their　arrival。　Had
we　arrived　here　a　month　earlier；　we　could　have　just　passed　the　shallows；
as　our　vessels　draw　an　average　of　a　little　over　four　feet。　No　vessels
should　arrive　here　later　than　1st　of　January；　the　entire　river　is　a
ridiculous　imposition；　a　month　later；　the　bed　will　be　nearly　dry。　A　mile
ahead；　both　channels　are　closed　by　a　sudd　of　vegetation；　we　must　thus
await　until　the　boats　arrive。　Altogether　the　entire　journey　by　the　Bahr
Giraffe　is　a　painful　absurdity；　and　my　expedition　will　be　fruitless　in
all　but　geographical　results　unless　the　authorities　of　the　Soudan　will
clear　the　main　channel　of　the　White　Nile。

〃February　5。…None　of　the　vessels　arrived　yesterday。　I　went　back　and
found　them　in　a　terrible　fix；　as　the　water　is　leaving　us　rapidly；　and　we
must　cut　a　fresh　channel　through　the　sand；　about　one　hundred　yards　long。

〃February　6。…I　took　the　diahbeeah　a　mile　and　a　quarter　ahead　to　a　sudd；
passing　over　several　shallows　of　only　two　feet　eight　inches；　and　three
feet；　which　will　again　cause　great　delay　and　labour。　I　returned　to　the
fleet　and　assisted　in　the　tedious　work　of　dragging　the　vessels　over　the
shallows。　In　th