ismailia-第6部分

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purchases　personally；　but　simply　gave　the　necessary　instructions　to　be
executed　by　the　governor。　It　is　only　fair　to　admit　that　he　now　worked
hard；　and　took　great　interest　in　the　outfit　of　the　flotilla。　This
governor…general；　Djiaffer　Pacha；　had　formerly　shown　me　much　kindness　on
my　arrival　at　Souakim；　during　my　first　journey　in　Africa。　I　had
therefore　reckoned　upon　him　as　a　friend；　but　no　personal　considerations
could　palliate　the　secret　hatred　to　the　object　of　the　expedition。

From　morning　till　night　I　was　occupied　in　pushing　on　the　work；　in　this　I
was　ably　assisted　by　Lieutenant　J。　A。　Baker；　R。N。；　whose　professional
experience　was　of　much　service。　A　new　spirit　seemed　to　move　in　Khartoum；
hundreds　of　men　were　at　work；　a　row　of　masts　and　yards　rose　up　before
the　government　house；　and　in　a　few　weeks　we　had　thirty…three　vessels　of
fifty　or　sixty　tons　each；　caulked；　rigged；　and　ready　for　the　voyage　of
1；450　miles　to　Gondokoro。

If　the　same　energy　had　been　shown　some　months　ago；　I　should　have　found　a
fleet　of　fifty　ships　awaiting　me。　I　had　lost　a　month　at　Khartoum　at　a
season　when　every　day　was　precious。

I　reviewed　the　troops；　about　1；400　infantry；　and　two　batteries　of
artillery。　The　men　were　in　fine　condition；　but　I　had　no　means　of
transport　for　the　entire　force。　I　therefore　instructed　Djiaffer　Pacha　to
continue　his　exertions　in　preparing　vessels；　so　that　on　Dr。
Higginbotham's　arrival　he　might　follow　with　the　remaining　detachment。

I　reviewed　the　irregular　cavalry；　about　250　horse。　These　were　certainly
VERY　irregular。　Each　man　was　horsed　and　armed　according　to　his
individual　notion　of　a　trooper's　requirements。　There　were　lank；
half…starved　horses；　round　short　horses；　very　small　ponies；　horses　that
were　all　legs；　others　that　were　all　heads；　horses　that　had　been　groomed；
horses　that　had　never　gone　through　that　operation。　The　saddles　and
bridles　were　only　fit　for　an　old　curiosity　shop。　There　were　some　with
faded　strips　of　gold　and　silver　lace　adhering　here　and　there；　others
that　resembled　the　horse　in　skeleton　appearance；　which　had　been
strengthened　by　strips　of　raw　crocodile　skin。　The　unseemly　huge
shovel…stirrups　were　rusty；　the　bits　were　filthy。　Some　of　the　men　had
swords　and　pistols；　others　had　short　blunderbusses　with　brass　barrels；
many　had　guns　of　various　patterns；　from　the　long　old…fashioned　Arab　to
the　commonest　double…barrelled　French　gun　that　was　imported。　The
costumes　varied　in　a　like　manner　to　the　arms　and　animals。

Having　formed　in　line；　they　now　executed　a　brilliant　charge　at　a
supposed　enemy；　and　performed　many　feats　of　valour　in　dense　clouds　of
dust；　and　having　quickly　got　into　inconceivable　confusion；　they　at
length　rallied　and　returned　to　their　original　position。

I　complimented　their　officer；and　having　asked　the　governor　if　these
brave　troops　represented　my　cavalry　force；　and　being　assured　of　the
fact；　I　dismissed　them；　and　requested　Djiaffer　Pacha　to　inform　them　that
〃I　regretted　the　want　of　transport　would　not　permit　me　the　advantage　of
their　services。　‘Inshallah！'　（Please　God！）　at　some　future　time；〃　&c。；
&c。

I　thus　got　rid　of　my　cavalry；　which　I　never　wished　to　see　again。　I　had
twenty…one　good　horses　that　I　had　brought　from　Cairo；　and　these　together
with　the　horses　belonging　to　the　various　officers　were　as　much　as　we
could　convey。

The　flotilla　was　ready　for　the　voyage。　We　had　engaged　sailors　with　the
greatest　difficulty；　as　a　general　stampede　of　boatmen　had　taken　place。
Every　one　ran　from　Khartoum　to　avoid　the　expedition。

This　was　a　dodge　of　the　slave…traders；　who　had　incited　the　people　to
escape　from　any　connection　with　such　an　enterprise。　It　was　supposed　that
without　boatmen　we　should　be　unable　to　start。

The　police　authorities　were　employed；　and　by　degrees　the　necessary　crews
were　secured；all　unwilling；　and　composed　of　the　worst　material。

I　had　taken　the　precaution　of　selecting　from　the　two　regiments　a
body…guard　of　forty…six　men。　Their　numbers　were　equal　black　and　white；
as　I　considered　this　arrangement　might　excite　an　esprit　de　corps；　and
would　in　the　event　of　discontent　prevent　a　coalition。

The　men　having　been　well　chosen　were　fine　examples　of　physique；　and
being　armed　with　the　snider　rifle　and　carefully　drilled；　such　a　body　of
picked　troops　would　form　a　nucleus　for　further　development；　and　might
become　a　dependable　support　in　any　emergency。　This　corps　was　commanded
by　an　excellent　officer；　my　aide…de…camp；　Lieut。…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；
but　owing　to　the　peculiar　light…fingered　character　of　the　men；　I　gave　it
the　name　of　〃The　Forty　Thieves。〃

Eventually　the　corps　became　a　model　of　morality；　and　was　distinguished
for　valour　and　fidelity　throughout　the　expedition。

Six　months'　rations　were　on　board　for　all　hands；　in　addition　to　the
general　stores　of　corn；　and　cases；　bales；　&c。；　innumerable。

On　the　8th　February；　1870；　the　bugles　announced　the　departure。　The
troops　hurried　on　board　their　respective　transports　according　to　the
numbers　painted　on　their　sides　and　sails。　The　official　parting　was
accomplished。　I　had　had　to　embrace　the　governor；　then　a　black　pacha；　a
rara　avis　in　terris；　and　a　whole　host　of　beys；　concluding　the　affecting
ceremony　with　a　very　fat　colonel　whom　my　arms　could　not　properly
encircle。

A　couple　of　battalions　lined　the　shore；　the　guns　fired　the　usual　salute
as　we　started　on　our　voyage；　the　flotilla；　composed　of　two　steamers；
respectively　of　thirty…two　and　twenty…four　horsepower；　and　thirty…one
sailing　vessels；　with　a　military　force　of　about　800　men；　got　away　in
tolerable　order。　The　powerful　current　of　the　Blue　Nile　quickly　swept　us
past　Khartoum；　and　having　rounded　the　point；　we　steamed　up　the　grand
White　Nile。　The　wind　blew　very　strong　from　the　north；　thus　the　entire
fleet　kept　pace　with　the　steamers；　one　of　which　was　towing　my　diahbeeah；
and　the　other　that　of　the　colonel；　Raouf　Bey。　Thank　God　we　were　off；
thus　all　intrigues　were　left　behind；　and　the　future　would　be　under　my
own　command。

On　reference　to　my　journal；　I　find　the　following　entry　upon　8th
February；　1870：

〃Mr。　Higginbotham；　who　has　safely　arrived　at　Berber　with　the　steel
steamers　in　sections　for　the　Albert　N'yanza；　will；　I　trust；　be　provided
with　vessels　at　Khartoum；　according　to　my　orders；　so　as　to　follow　me　to
Gondokoro　with　supplies；　and　about　350　troops　with　four　guns。

〃My　original　programmeagreed　to　by　his　Highness　the　Khedive；　who
ordered　the　execution　of　my　orders　by　the　authoritiesarranged　that
six　steamers；　fifteen　sloops；　and　fifteen　diahbeeahs；　should　leave　Cairo
on　10th　June；　to　ascend　the　cataracts　to　Khartoum；　at　which　place
Djiaffer　Pacha　was　to　prepare　three　steamers　and　twenty…five　vessels　to
convey　1；650　troops；　together　with　transport　animals　and　supplies。

〃The　usual　Egyptian　delays　have　entirely　thwarted　my　plans。　No　vessels
have　arrived　from　Cairo；　as　they　only　started　on　29th　August。　Thus；
rather　than　turn　back；　I　start　with　a　mutilated　expedition；　without　a
SINGLE　TRANSPORT　ANIMAL。〃

Having　minutely　described　the　White　Nile　in　a　former　work；　〃The　Albert
N'yanza；〃　I　shall　not　repeat　the　description。　In　103　hours　and　ten
minutes'　steaming　we　reached　Fashoda；　the　government　station　in　the
Shillook　country；　N。　lat。　9　degrees　52　minutes；　618　miles　by　river　
from　Khartoum。

This　town　had　been　fortified　by　a　wall　and　flanking　towers　since　I　had
last　visited　the　White　Nile；　and　it　was　garrisoned　by　a　regiment　of
Egyptian　soldiers。　Ali　Bey；　the　governor；　was　a　remarkably　handsome　old
man；　a　Kurd。　He　assured　me　that　the　Shillook　country　was　in　excellent
order；　and　that　according　to　the　instructions　received　from　the　Khedive
he　had　exerted　himself　against　the　slave　trade；　so　that　it　was
impossible　for　vessels　to　pass　the　station。

Fashoda　was　well　situated　for　this　purpose；　as　it　completely　dominated
the　river；　but　I　much　doubted　my　friend's　veracity。

Having　taken　on　board　a　month's　rations　for　all　hands；　we　started；　and；
with　a　strong　breeze　in　our　favour；　we　reached　the　Sobat　junction　on
16th　February；　at　12。30　p。m。

There　we　took　in　fresh　water；　as　that　of　the　Sobat　is　superior　to　the
White　Nile。　At　this　season　the　river　was　about　eight　feet　below　the
level　of　the　bank。　The　water　of　the　Sobat　is　yellowish；　and　it　colours
that　of　the　White　Nile　for　a　great　distance。　By　dead　reckoning　I　made
the　Sobat　junction　684　miles　by　river　from　Khartoum。

When　I　saw　the　Sobat；　in　the　first　week　of　January　1863；　it　was
bank…full。　The　current　is　very　powerful；　and　when　I　sounded　in　various
places　during　my　former　voyage；　I　found　a　depth　of　twenty…six　to
twenty…eight　feet。　The　volume　of　water　brought　to　the　Nile　by　this　river
is　immense；　and　the　power　of　the　stream　is　so　superior　to　that　of　the
White　Nile；　that　as　it　arrives　at　right　angles；　the　waters　of　the　Nile
are　banked　up。　The　yellow　water　of　the　Sobat　forms　a　distinct　line　as　it
cuts　through　the　clear　water　of　the　main　river；　and　the　floating　rafts
of　vegetation　brought　down　by　the　White　Nile；　instead　of　continuing
their　voyage；　are　headed　back；　and　remain　helplessly　in　the　backwater。
The　sources　of　the　Sobat　are　still　a　mystery；　but　there　can　be　no　doubt
that　the　principal　volume　must　be　water　of　mountain　origin；　as　it　is
coloured　by　earthy　matter；　and　is　quite　unlike　the　marsh　water　of　the
White　Nile。　The　expeditions　of　the　slave…hunters　have　ascended　the
river　as　far　as　it　is　navigable。　At　that　point　seven　different　streams
converge　into　one　channel；　which　forms　the　great　river　Sobat。　It　is　my
opinion　that　some　of　these　streams　are　torrents　from　the　Galla　country；
while　others　are　the　continuation　of　those　southern　rivers　which　have
lately　been　crossed　by　the　slave…hunters　between　the　second　and　third
degrees　of　N。　latitude。

The　White　Nile　is　a　grand　river　between　the　Sobat　junction　and　Khartoum；
and　after　passing　to　the　south　of　the　great　affluent　the　difference　in
the　character　is　quickly　perceived。　We　now　enter　upon　the　region　of
immense　flats　and　boundless　marshes；　through　which　the　river　winds　in　a
labyrinth…like　course　for　about　750　miles　to　Gondokoro。

Having　left　the　Sobat；　we　arrived　at　the　junction　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe；
thirty…eight　miles　distant；　at　11　a。m。　on　17th　February。　We　turn