ismailia-第7部分

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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　turned　into
the　river；　and　waited　for　the　arrival　of　the　fleet。

The　Bahr　Giraffe　was　to　be　our　new　passage　instead　of　the　original　White
Nile。　That　river；　which　had　become　so　curiously　obstructed　by　masses　of
vegetation　that　had　formed　a　solid　dam；　already　described　by　me　in　〃The
Albert　N'yanza；〃　had　been　entirely　neglected　by　the　Egyptian
authorities。　In　consequence　of　this　neglect　an　extraordinary　change　had
taken　place。　The　immense　number　of　floating　islands　which　are　constantly
passing　down　the　stream　of　the　White　Nile　had　no　exit；　thus　they　were
sucked　under　the　original　obstruction　by　the　force　of　the　stream；　which
passed　through　some　mysterious　channel；　until　the　subterranean　passage
became　choked　with　a　wondrous　accumulation　of　vegetable　matter。　The
entire　river　became　a　marsh；　beneath　which；　by　the　great　pressure　of
water；　the　stream　oozed　through　innumerable　small　channels。　In　fact；　the
White　Nile　had　disappeared。　A　vessel　arriving　from　Khartoum　in　her
passage　to　Gondokoro　would　find；　after　passing　through　a　broad　river　of
clear　water；　that　her　bow　would　suddenly　strike　against　a　bank　of　solid
compressed　vegetationthis　was　the　natural　dam　that　had　been　formed　to
an　unknown　extent：　the　river　ceased　to　exist。

It　may　readily　be　imagined　that　a　dense　spongy　mass　which　completely
closed　the　river　would　act　as　a　filter：　thus；　as　the　water　charged　with
muddy　particles　arrived　at　the　dam　where　the　stream　was　suddenly
checked；　it　would　deposit　all　impurities　as　it　oozed　and　percolated
slowly　through　the　tangled　but　compressed　mass　of　vegetation。　This
deposit　quickly　created　mud…banks　and　shoals；　which　effectually　blocked
the　original　bed　of　the　river。　The　reedy　vegetation　of　the　country
immediately　took　root　upon　these　favourable　conditions；　and　the　rapid
growth　in　a　tropical　climate　may　be　imagined。　That　which　had　been　the
river　bed　was　converted　into　a　solid　marsh。

This　terrible　accumulation　had　been　increasing　for　five　or　six　years；
therefore　it　is　impossible　to　ascertain　or　even　to　speculate　upon　the
distance　to　which　it　might　extend。　The　slave…traders　had　been　obliged　to
seek　another　rout；　which　they　had　found　via　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　which
river　had　proved　to　be　merely　a　branch　of　the　White　Nile；　as　I　had
suggested　in　my　former　work；　and　not　an　independent　river。

I　was　rather　anxious　about　this　new　route；　as　I　had　heard　conflicting
accounts　in　Khartoum　concerning　the　possibility　of　navigating　such　large
vessels　as　the　steamers　of　thirty…two　horse…power　and　a　hundred　feet
length　of　deck。　I　was　provided　with　guides　who　professed　to　be
thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　river；　these　people　were　captains　of
trading　vessels；　who　had　made　the　voyage　frequently。

On　18th　February；　at　10　A。M。；　the　rear　vessels　of　the　fleet　arrived；　and
at　11。40　A。M。；　the　steamers　worked　up　against　the　strong　current
independently。　Towing　was　difficult；　owing　to　the　sharp　turns　of　the
river。　The　Bahr　Giraffe　was　about　seventy　yards　in　width；　and　at　this
season　the　banks　were　high　and　dry。　Throughout　the　voyage　on　the　White
Nile　we　had　had　excellent　wild…fowl　shooting　whenever　we　had　halted　to
cut　fuel　for　the　steamers。　One　afternoon　I　killed　a　hippopotamus；　two
crocodiles；　and　two　pelicans；　with　the　rifle。　At　the　mouth　of　the　Bahr
Giraffe　I　bagged　twenty…two　ducks　at　a　right　and　left　shot　with　a　No。
10…shot　gun。

As　the　fleet　now　slowly　sailed　against　the　strong；　current　of　the　Bahr
Giraffe；　I　walked　along　the　hank　with　Lieutenant　Baker；　and　shot　ten　of
the　large　francolin　partridge；　which　in　this　dry　season　were　very
numerous。　The　country　was　as　usual　flat；　but　bearing　due　south　of　the
Bahr　Giraffe　junction；　about　twelve　miles　distant；　is　a　low　granite
hill；　partially　covered　with　trees；　this　is　the　first　of　four　similar
low　hills　that　are　the　only　rising　points　above　the　vast　prairie　of　flat
plain。

As　we　were　walking　along　the　bank　I　perceived　an　animal　ascending　from
the　river；　about　two　hundred　yards　distant；　where　it　had　evidently　been
drinking：　we　immediately　endeavoured　to　cut　off　its　retreat；　when　it
suddenly　emerged　from　the　grass　and　discovered　a　fine　lion　with　large
shaggy　mane。　The　king　of　beasts；　as　usual；　would　not　stand　to　show　fight
in　the　open；　but　bounded　off　in　the　direction　of　the　rocky　hills。

It　will　be　necessary　to　give　a　few　extracts　from　my　journal　to　convey　an
exact　idea　of　the　Bahr　Giraffe。　The　river　was　very　deep；　averaging　about
nineteen　feet；　and　it　flowed　in　a　winding　course；　through　a　perfectly
flat　country　of　prairie；　diversified　with　forest　all　of　which；　although
now　dry；　had　the　appearance　of　being　flooded　during　the　rainy　season：

〃February　23。Steamed　from　6　A。M。　till　7　P。M。　Vast　treeless　marshes　in
wet　seasonnow　teeming　with　waterfowl：　say　fifty　miles　accomplished
to…day　through　the　ever…winding　river。　The　wood　from　the　last　forest　is
inferior；　and　we　have　only　sufficient　fuel　for　five　hours　left　upon　the
steamer。　The　diahbeeah　in　tow　carries　about　twenty　hours'　fuel：　thus；
should　we　not　arrive　at　some　forest　in　twenty…five　hours；　we　shall　be
helpless。

〃The　river　was　exceedingly　narrow　about　fifteen　miles　from　our　starting
point　this　morning。　The　stream　was　strong　but　deep；　flowing　through　the
usual　tangled　grass；　but　divided　into　numerous　small　channels　and
backwaters　that　render　the　navigation　difficult。

〃In　this　spot　the　river　is　quite　bank…full；　and　the　scattered　native
villages　in　the　distance　are　in　swamps。　The　innumerable　high　white
ant…hills　are　the　only　dry　spots。

〃February　24。Started　at　6　A。M。　Everybody　eaten　up　by　mosquitoes。　At　9
A。M。　the　steamer　smashed　her　starboard　paddle：　the　whole　day　occupied　in
repairing。　Saw　a　bull　elephant　in　the　marshes　at　a　distance。　Horrible
treeless　swamps　swarming　with　mosquitoes。

〃February　25。Started　at　7　A。M。　At　10　A。M。　arrived　at　a　very　narrow　and
shallow　portion　of　this　chaotic　river　completely　choked　by　drift
vegetation。　All　hands　worked　hard　to　clear　a　passage　through　this
obstruction　until　2。30；　when　we　passed　ahead。　At　4　P。M。　we　arrived　at　a
similar　obstacle；　the　water　very　shallow；　and　to…morrow　we　shall　have　to
cut　a　passage　through　the　high　grass；　beneath　which　there　is　deeper
water。　I　ordered　fifty　swords　to　be　sharpened　for　the　work。　We　counted
seventy　elephants　in　the　distance；　but　there　is　no　possibility　of
reaching　them　through　the　immense　area；　of　floating　vegetation。

〃February　26。Hard　at　work　with　forty　men　cutting　a　canal　about　150
yards　long　through　the　dense　mass　of　compressed　vegetation。

〃February　27。Working　hard　at　canal。　The　fleet　has　not　arrived；　thus　we
are　short…handed。

〃February　28。The　canal　progresses；　the　men　having　worked　well。　It　is　a
curious　collection　of　trash　that　seriously　impedes　navigation。　The　grass
resembles　sugar…canes；　this　grows　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet　in　length；
and　throws　out　roots　at　every　joint；　thus；　when　matted　together；　its
roots　still　increase；　and　render　the　mass　a　complete　tangle。　During　the
wet　season　the　rush　of　water　tears　off　large　rafts　of　this　floating
water…grass；　which　accumulate　in　any　favourable　locality。　The　difficulty
of　clearing　a　passage　is　extreme。　After　cutting　out　a　large　mass　with
swords；　a　rope　is　made　fast；　and　the　raft　is　towed　out　by　hauling　with
thirty　or　forty　men　until　it　is　detached　and　floated　down　the　stream。
Yesterday　I　cut　a　narrow　channel　from　above　stream　in　the　hope　that　the
rush　of　water　would　loosen　the　mass　of　vegetation。　After　much　labour；　at
12。30　p。m。　the　whole　obstruction　appeared　to　heave。　There　was　soon　no
doubt　that　it　was　moving；　and　suddenly　the　entire　dam　broke　up。　Immense
masses　were　carried　away　by　the　rush　of　water　and　floated　down　the
river；　these　will；　I　fear；　cause　an　obstruction　lower　down　the　stream。

〃We　got　up　steam；　served　out　grog　to　all　the　men；　and　started　at　2　P。M。
In　half…an…hour's　steaming　we　arrived　at　another　block　vegetation。　In
one　hour　and　three…quarters　we　cleared　a　passage；　and　almost　immediately
afterwards　we　arrived　at　the　first　piece　of　dry　ground　that　we　have　seen
for　days。　This　piece　of　firm　land　was　a　few　feet　higher　than　the　maximum
rise　of　the　river；　and　afforded　about　half　an　acre。　We　stopped　for　the
night。

〃March　1。Started　at　6。30　A。M。；　the　river　narrowing　immediately；　and
after　a　run　of　half　a　mile　we　found　ourselves　caught　in　a　trap。　The
river；　although　fourteen　feet　deep；　had　entirely　disappeared　in　a
boundless　sea　of　high　grass；　which　resembled　sugar…canes。　There　was　no
possibility　of　progress。　I　returned　to　our　halting…place　of　last　night
in　a　small　rowing…boat；　and　examined　it　thoroughly。　I　found　marks　of
occupation　by　the　slave…traders；　about　three　months　old。　Among　the
vestiges　were　the　remains　of　fires；　a　piece　of　a　lucifer…match　box；　a
number　of　cartridge　casesthey　had　been　firedand　a　piece　of　raw　hide
pierced　with　bullets；　that　had　evidently　been　used　as　a　target。

〃I　shot　two　geese　and　five　plover；　and　returned　to　our　vessel。　My
opinion　is　that　the　slave…hunters　have　made　a　razzia　inland　from　this
spot；　but　that　our　guide；　Bedawi；　has　led　us　into　a　wrong　channel。

〃I　attempted　to　seek　a　passage　ahead；　but　it　was　quite　impossible　for
the　smallest　rowing　boat　to　penetrate　the　dense　vegetation。

〃An　advance　being　impossible；　I　ordered　the　steamer　and　two　diahbeeahs
to　return　down　the　river　about　eighty　miles　to　our　old　wooding…place　at
the　last　forest；　as　we　are　nearly　out　of　fuel。　We　thus　lose　time　and
trouble；　but　there　is　no　help　for　it。　For　some　days　there　has　been　no
wind；　except　uncertain　breaths　from　the　south。　Unless　a　change　shall
take　place；　I　have　no　idea　how　the　fleet　will　be　able　to　come　up　against
the　stream。

〃March　2。At　6。30　a。m。　we　got　under　way　and　ran　down　stream　at　eight
miles　an　hour　towards　our　old　wooding…place。　Saw　a　few　buffaloes。　At　1
p。m。　we　passed　on　left　bank　a　branch　of　the　river。　At　3。30　sighted　the
tall　yards　of　the　fleet　in　the　distance。　At　4。30　we　arrived　at　the
extreme　southern　limit　of　the　forest；　and　met　Raouf　Bey　with　the　steamer
and　twenty…five　vessels；　with　a　good　supply　of　wood。　The　troops　wer