ismailia-第61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！


distance　of　fourteen　miles。　The　road　was　through　forest；　intersected　at
right…angles　with　deep　watercourses　from　the　mountain；　called　Forke；
about　a　mile　distant　upon　our　left。　This　fine；　rocky；　and　almost
perpendicular　hill　is　2；000　feet　high。

On　arrival　at　Lobore　we　halted　beneath　a　large　tree；　and　waited　for　the
cattle；　which　were　some　distance　in　the　rear；　owing　to　the　difficulty　in
crossing　the　numerous　steep　ravines。　Some　work　would　be　necessary　on
this　road　to　render　it　possible　for　carts。

We　had　thus　marched　fifty…seven　miles　from　our　vessels　without　the
necessity　of　firing　a　shot；　although　we　were　accompanied　by　so　tempting
a　prize　as　a　large　herd　of　cattle　and　sheep。

The　natives　of　Lobore　soon　began　to　collect；　and　the　dragoman；　Wani；
shortly　appeared；　who　proved　to　be　an　old　acquaintance　in　my　former
journey。　This　man；　who　had　been　an　interpreter　when　a　boy　among　the
traders；　spoke　good　Arabic；　and　we　soon　felt　quite　at　home。　Abbio；　the
old　sheik　of　Lobore　appeared。　This　old　fellow　was　half…blind；　but　he
seemed　very　willing　to　assist；　and；　after　I　had　explained　the　object　of
my　visit；　he　assured　me　that　his　people　would　go　to　the　vessels　if
accompanied　by　my　soldiers；　and　that　I　need　not　be　uneasy　about　my
baggage。

The　Lobore　are　not　Bari。　I　was　delighted　to　have　passed　the　southern
frontier　at　Mooge；　and　to　have　quitted　that　incomprehensible　tribe。　The
language　of　the　Lobore　is　a　dialect　of　the　Madi。

In　the　evening；　the　cattle　arrived　with　the　rear…guard。　I　had　requested
the　old　sheik　to　have　a　zareeba　prepare；　for　them；　this　was　quickly
accomplished；　therefore　an　ox　was　slaughtered　as　a　reward　for　all　those
who　had　worked　at　the　inclosure。

On　13th　February　〃we　held　a　regular　market　for　the　purchase　of　flour　in
exchange　for　sheep　and　goats。　Many　of　these　useful　little　animals　were
sickly；　owing　to　the　marches　in　the　hot　sun；　which　had　created　intense
thirst。　Upon　arrival　at　streams　upon　the　route；　they　had　drunk　too
greedily；　and　some　had　died　of　inflammation。

〃The　natives　purchased　live　goats　at　the　rate　of　about　30　lbs。　of　flour。
This　was　an　equal　exchange　in　live　weight　of　the　animal；　a　pound　of
flour　for　a　pound　of　goat。

〃February　14。The　whole　country　turned　out　to　hunt；　and　the　natives
returned　in　the　evening；　having　only　killed　two　buffaloes　and　a　few
small　antelopes。　Even　the　small　boys　are　armed　in　this　country　with　bows
and　barbed　arrows；　with　which　they　shoot　remarkably　well。

〃February　15。The　old　sheik；　Abbio；　accompanied　by　Wani；　appeared
early；　together　with　a　considerable　number　of　natives。　They　selected　396
cows　from　my　zareeba；　and　a　similar　number　of　men　promised　to　start
to…morrow　with　fifty　soldiers　to　convoy　the　material　from　the　vessels。

〃February　16。After　some　delay　the　natives　assembled；　and　with　horns
blowing　and　much　shouting　and　whistling；　they　at　length　started；
together　with　our　return　sailors；　and　an　escort　of　fifty　soldiers。

〃I　shall　thus；　after　much　care　and　anxiety；　be　able　to　push　on　with　a
quantity　of　goods　sufficient　to　open　the　path　and　to　establish　relations
with　the　equatorial　countries。　I　shall　have　212　troops　and　a　good　supply
of　ammunition；　goods；　and　cattle：　thus　there　should　be　no　insurmountable
difficulty。

〃I　wrote　to　Mr。　Higginbotham；　also　to　Mr。　Marcopolo；　and　sent　the
letters　inclosed　in　a　bottle。

〃February　17。　A　slight　shower　fell　this　morning。　The　sheik　of　Mooge
arrived　to　see　me　last　evening；　and　presented　a　fat　goat。

〃I　am　trying　to　persuade　him　and　old　Abbio　to　join　in　cutting　the
cart…road　through　the　forest　from　Mooge。　I　gave　Abbio　a　mixture　of
sulphate　of　zinc　for　his　eyes；　and　put　a　mustard　plaster　on　Wani　the
interpreter's　stomach。　At　first　he　said　it　was　of　no　use；　as　it　only
felt　like　cold　water；　but　when　it　began　to　burn；　he　was　greatly　amazed；
and　said　the　cold　water　had　turned　to　fire。

〃I　then　physicked　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　Monsoor；　both　of　whom　were
overheated。

〃A　judicious　present　of　a　few　blue　shirts　to　certain　headmen　put　every
one　in　good　humour。

〃February　18。I　took　a　stroll　for　some　miles　in　the　forest　accompanied
by　Lieutenant　Baker。　Game　was　very　scarce；　but　we　at　length　came　upon　a
fine　herd　of　tetel　（Antelope　Babalis）。　These　having　been　disturbed　by
the　noise　we　had　made　in　walking　over　loose　stony　ground；　dashed　through
the　open　forest；　about　120　paces　in　my　front。　I　shot　one　through　the
shoulder；　and　upon　running　up　I　found　it　in　the　act　of　falling。

〃I　then　heard　a　shot　from　Lieutenant　Baker　on　my　left；　to　whom　my　shot
had　turned　the　antelopes。　He　had　killed　a　very　large　bull　by　a　good　shot
in　the　neck。

〃This　luck　was　a　windfall　for　the　Lobore　natives　who　had　accompanied　us；
and　a　man　immediately　started　off　for　assistance；　as　many　men　were
required　to　transport　the　flesh　and　hides　of　such　large　animals。

〃February　19。…The　natives　begged　that　we　would　accompany　them　to　hunt；
and　they　started　with　a　considerable　party。

〃Having　formed　a　long　line　like　skirmishers；　with　intervals　of　about　ten
yards　between　each；　they　advanced　with　their　bows　prepared；　and　the
arrows　on　the　string；　ready　for　a　shot　on　the　instant　should　game　start
on　foot。　There　were　many　boys　of　about　twelve　years　old；　all　of　whom
were　armed　with　bows　and　arrows；　and　they　advanced　in　the　same　line　with
the　men。　There　were　too　many　people；　and　the　game　became　scared；　so　that
after　a　long　walk；　we　returned　to　camp　without　having　fired　a　shot。

〃I　found　some　very　curious　flowers；　which　issued　from　the　ground　in
pods；　without　leaves；　these　burst　and　threw　out　beautiful　compact　silk
balls　in　great　numbers；　not　half　of　which　could　be　returned　to　the　pod
that　had　scattered　them。

〃On　22nd　February　we　had　purchased　and　stored；　in　expectation　of　the
arrival　of　the　troops；　3；740　lbs。　of　flour。

〃I　was　determined　to　carry　a　large　supply　to　the　south；　as　the　country
had　in　some　places　been　depopulated　by　the　slave…hunters。

〃February　23。I　went　out　with　Lieutenant　Baker；　accompanied　by　some
natives；　and　travelled　over　very　likely　ground；　composed　of　forest；
glades；　ravines　full　of　bamboos；　&c。；　until　we　reached　the　base　of　Gebel
Forke。

〃We　had　passed　over　several　miles　and　had　only　seen　a　few　small
antelopes；　when　upon　ascending　some　rising　ground　in　the　very　open
forest；　we　caught　sight　of　a　herd　of　tetel　bounding　along　through　some
high　grass　towards　some　low；　rocky　hills；　a　few　hundred　yards　distant。
There　were　many　large　trees　growing　out　of　the　clefts　of　the　rocks；　and
I　proposed　that　Lieutenant　Baker　should　go　round　the　hill　on　my　right；
while　I　should　creep　quietly　over　the　summit　of　the　rocks；　as　I　expected
we　should　find　the　antelopes　standing　in　some　sheltered　glade。

〃When　I　arrived　at　the　base　of　the　small　hill；　which　was　not　higher　than
seventy　or　eighty　feet；　and　was　composed　of　large　masses　of　granite；　I
carefully　ascended；　without　making　the　slightest　noise。

〃On　arrival　at　the　denuded　summit；　I　was　well　concealed　by　a　detached
block　of　granite　that　lay　upon　a　flat　weather…worn　surface　of　the　same
rock。

〃I　raised　my　head；　and　looked　in　vain　for　the　antelopes。　The　ground　was
a　beautiful　park；　characterized　by　numerous　masses　of　granite；　like
ruined　castles；　among　trees　of　all　shades　of　green。　The　ground　was
covered　with　young　grass　about　six　inches　high；　which　had　sprung　up
after　the　annual　fire　that　had　destroyed　the　last　year's　dry　herbage。

〃I　could　see　no　game。　Presently　I　observed　the　native；　who　was　a　few
yards　on　my　left；　making　eager　gestures；　and　pointing　with　his　finder　in
order　to　direct　my　attention。　I　at　once　perceived　a　family　of　wild　pigs
which　had　emerged　from　some　bush；　and　were　quietly　feeding　along　the
glade；　so　that　they　would　shortly　pass　in　front　of　me　within　sixty
yards。

〃The　natives　love　pork　beyond　all　other　flesh；　thus　I　had　a　good
opportunity　for　showing　them　a　little　treat。　With　a　quick　right　and　left
shot　I　knocked　over　two　pigs；　and　reloading　the　〃Dutchman〃　in　a　few
instants；　I　rolled　over　a　boar　that　had　galloped　off　to　about　120　yards'
distance。　This　animal　recovered　itself　and　got　away　to　some　place　of
cover。

〃Upon　the　arrival　of　Lieutenant　Baker　and　the　natives；　we　tracked　the
blood　for　about　300　yards　to　a　small　plot　of　high　grass　that　had　escaped
the　fire。　I　knew　that　we　must　find　the　wounded　boar　in　this　retreat。　I
therefore　ordered　the　natives　to　beat　it　out。　The　boar　soon　broke　cover
and　galloped　off　along　the　open；　but　quickly　rolled　over　as　a　shot　from
the　〃Dutchman〃　struck　it　behind　the　shoulder。　The　natives　were　delighted
with　the　success　of　the　rifle；　as　it　had　produced　three　fine　pigs　for
their　service　within　a　few　minutes。〃

〃February　24。　The　whole　of　the　troops　and　baggage　from　the　vessels
arrived　safely　to…day；　together　with　the　cattle　and　sheep；　thus　all　my
arrangements　have；　thank　God；　speeded；　and　I　am　now　in　possession　of　my
force　and　material。〃

Major　Abdullah　delivered　his　report。　As　I　had　expected；　he　had　been
attacked　in　great　force　by　the　natives　after　my　departure。　The　Baris；　as
usual；　had　employed　treachery；　which　had　very　nearly　succeeded。

A　day　or　two　after　I　had　left　the　vessels；　several　natives　had　desired
to　communicate　with　Major　Abdullah。　These　men　declared　that　they　had
nothing　to　do　with　Bedden；　and　that　all　the　Baris　of　the　east　side　of
the　Nile　desired　peace。

It　would　have　been　natural　to　suppose　that　after　so　recent　an　example　of
treachery　on　the　part　of　Bedden；　Major　Abdullah　would　have　been　keenly
suspicious；　he　was　nevertheless　deceived　by　the　specious　promises　of　the
wily　Baris。　This　officer　knew　my　wish　for　peace　and　good…will；　and　he
trusted　to　be　able　to　assure　me；　that　after　my　departure　he　had　been
able　to　establish　amicable　relations　with　our　late　enemies。

The　messengers　returned　to　their　villages；　and　natives　visited　the　camp
with　fowls；　tobacco；　and　various　articles　for　sale。　The　soldiers　were
ready　purchasers；　as　they　were　well　supplied　with　beads；　zinc　mirrors；
and　various　trifles　which　they　had　recently　obtained　from　the　government
magazines。　The　fault　of　my　men　lay　in　their　extravagance；　and　they
usually　spoiled　a　market　by　offering　too　much。　The　trade　commenced
vigorously；　and　the　no