ismailia-第94部分

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musket；　which　was　slung　across　his　shoulders；　I　had　given　him　one　of　my
double　breechloading　pistols；　which　he　carried　in　his　belt。

The　word　was　suddenly　passed　that　〃Howarti　was　speared！〃

Lances　now　flew　across　the　path；　and　the　line　opened　fire　into　the　grass
upon　our　right；　according　to　orders。

I　immediately　went　up　to　Howarti。　　I　found　him　sitting　upon　the　ground
by　the　side　of　his　box；　in　the　act　of　reloading　his　pistol　with　a　Boxer
cartridge。　A　lance　had　struck　him　in　the　fleshy　part　of　the　right　arm；
just　below　the　point　of　junction　with　the　shoulder；　and；　passing　through
his　body；　it　had　protruded　from　his　stomach。　Upon　feeling　the　wound；
Howarti　had　dropped　his　load；　and　drawing　his　pistol；　he　shot　the　native
dead；　as　he　leapt　from　his　ambush　to　recover　the　lance　which　was
sticking　in　the　poor　fellow's　body。

Here　was　another　of　my　best　men　sacrificed。　　Howarti　had　always　been　a
true；　good　man；　and　he　had　just　exhibited　his　cool　courage。　He　had
himself　pulled　the　spear　from　his　body。

My　wife　had　followed　me　immediately　upon　hearing　that　Howarti　was
injured。　He　had　reloaded　his　pistol；　but　in　reply　to　my　question　whether
he　could　sit　upon　a　donkey；　he　fainted。　I　roughly　bandaged　him　for　the
present　moment；　and　we　laid　him　upon　an　angareb　（stretcher…bedstead）；
but　the　men　were　so　heavily　laden　that　it　was　difficult　to　find
supporters。　Lieutenant　Baker　kindly　took　one　end　upon　his　shoulder；　and
with　the　assistance　of　the　guard；　we　carried　him　forward。　The　bugle
sounded　the　〃advance。〃

Again　the　lances　flew　across　the　path；　but　a　few　shots　with　the　sniders
cleared　the　way；　and　leaving　the　narrow　route；　we　broke　our　way　through
the　tangled　grass；　and　ascended　the　slope　to　the　plantain　forest。　Here；
thank　goodness；　there　was　no　grass。　The　bugle　sounded　〃halt〃　in　the
middle　of　the　plantains。

Sentries　having　been　posted；　every　man　was　now　employed　in　felling　the
tall　plantain　trees；　and　in　arranging　them　to　form　a　wall　around　the
camp。

One　blow　of　a　sharp；　heavy　sabre　will　cut　through　the　stem；　thus　in　a
short　time；　as　we　all　worked；　a　clearing　of　about　an　acre　was　made；　and
by　sunset　we　had　piled　them　so　as　to　form　a　tolerable　protection　from
lances。

Throughout　the　day　it　had　never　ceased　raining；　thus　every　one　was
soaking　and　miserable。　Of　course　we　had　no　tent；　but　some　invaluable
mackintosh　camp　sheets。　I　had　examined　Howarti's　wounds；　which　I　knew
were　mortal。　The　air　as　he　breathed　was　rattling　through　the　gash　in　his
stomach。　I　washed　and　bandaged　him　carefully；　and　gave　him　a　dose　of
brandy　and　laudanum。

No　one　had　a　drop　of　water　to　drink；　neither　did　any　one　know　the
direction　of　the　well；　but；　as　all　were　cold　and　wet　through；　no　person
suffered　from　thirst。　Fortunately；　we　had　matches　in　a　small　silver　case
that　had　resisted　the　damp；　and　after　some　difficulty　and　delay；　fires
were　blazing　through　the　little　bivouac；　and　the　soldiers　and　women　were
crouching　round　them。

We　were　comfortable　that　night；　as　we　had　beds　to　lie　upon；　but　I　felt
sure　it　would　be　for　the　last　time；　as　it　would　be　necessary　to　destroy
much　luggage；　the　men　being　too　heavily　laden。

All　was　at　length　still；　the　soldiers；　who　were　tired；　went　to　sleep；
with　the　exception　of　the　sentries；　who　were　well　on　the　alert。

As　I　lay　on　my　bed；　I　thought　of　the　morrow。　　I　knew　we　should　have　a
trying　time；　as　the　whole　country　would　now　be　thoroughly　organized
against　us。　Our　start　from　Masindi　had　taken　them　by　surprisethus　we
had　not　met　with　much　resistance；　but　to…morrow　would　be　a　fighting　day；
and　I　made　up　my　mind　to　leave　the　cattle　to　themselves；　as　it　would　be
simply　impossible　to　drive　them。

The　night　passed　without　an　attack。

On　the　following　morning；　15th　June；　poor　Howarti　was　evidently　about　to
die；　but　the　plucky　fellow　faintly　said　that　he　could　ride　a　donkey　if
assisted。　It　was　impossible　to　carry　him　as　the　path　was　too　narrow　for
four　people　to　walk　beneath　a　stretcher。　He　was　placed　upon　a　donkey；
and　supported　with　difficulty　by　a　man　at　his　side。

I　was　obliged　to　pile　upon　the　fire　a　number　of　things　that　we　could　not
carry；　including　the　large　oaken　stand　of　the　astronomical　telescope。

It　was　7。30　A。M。　before　we　started。

The　troublesome　cattle　at　once　began　to　stray；　and　I　immediately　ordered
them　to　be　abandoned。　I　felt　certain　that　in　the　event　of　a　general
attack　they　would　have　created　great　confusion；　by　probably　rushing　down
the　line　and　overturning　the　men。

It　was　the　greatest　relief　to　be　rid　of　the　animals：　thus　we　marched　on
merrily　at　about　two　and　a　half　miles　an　hour；　through　the　usual　narrow
path　amidst　gigantic　grass　（now　about　nine　feet　high）　and　thick　forest。

In　about　an　hour　and　a　half　we　arrived　at　a　descent；　towards　a　bottom　in
which　there　was　a　broad；　open　swamp；　with　a　stream　running　through　the
centre。

The　advance…guard　was　not　more　than　a　hundred　yards　from　the　bottom；　and
the　line　was　descending　the　hill　in　close　order；　when　a　sudden　uproar
broke　out；　as　though　all　the　demons　of　hell　were　let　loose。　Yells；
screams；　drums；　horns；　whistles　from　many　thousand　concealed　enemies；
for　an　instant　startled　the　troops！　A　tremendous　rush　in　the　grass　gave
notice　of　a　general　attack　from　an　immensely　powerful　ambuscade。　The
officers　did　their　duty。

Every　load　was　upon　the　ground；　and　in　a　moment　alternate　files　were
facing　to　the　right　and　left；　kneeling　just　as　the　lances　began　to　fly
across　the　path。　The　bugles　rang　out　〃fire；〃　and　the　fight　commenced　on
our　side。

I　saw　several　lances　pass　within　an　inch　or　two　of　my　wife's　head；
luckily　we　were　kneeling　on　one　knee。　The　file…firing　was　extremely
good；　and　the　sniders　rattled　without　intermission。　The　grass　was　so
dense；　that　simple　buck…shot　would　be　reduced　to　a　very　limited　range；
although　excellent　at　close　quarters。　The　servants　quickly　handed　the
elephant　breechloaders；　and　a　double　shot　to　the　right　and　left　was
followed　by　the　loud　explosion　of　the　picrate　of　potash　shells　against
some　unseen　objects；　either　men　or　trees。

A　quick　repetition　of　the　picrate　shells　seemed　to　affect　the　spirit　of
the　attack。　I　imagine　that　the　extremely　loud　explosion　of　the　shells　in
the　midst；　and　perhaps　also　in　the　rear　of　the　enemy；　led　them　to
suppose　that　they　were　attacked　from　behind。

It　is　difficult　to　say　how　long　the　attack　continued；　but　a　vast　amount
of　ammunition　was　expended　before　the　lances　ceased　to　fly　through　the
line；　and　the　drums　and　horns　were　at　length　heard　at　a　greater　distance
in　the　rear。　The　bugle　at　once　sounded　the　〃advance；〃　and　I　marched　the
men　forward；　crossing　the　stream　at　the　bottom；　and　gained　the　open；
where　we　found　ourselves　in　a　kind　of　swampy　field　of　about　ten　acres。
〃Ha！〃　exclaimed　many　of　the　soldiers；　〃if　we　could　only　get　them　on　a
clear　space　like　this。〃

The　men　were　mustered。　　Poor　Howarti　was　dead；　and　they　had　left　him　in
the　grass　by　the　roadside；　as　it　was　impossible　to　transport　him。

The　rear…guard　had　been　hotly　pressed；　and　the　natives　had　rushed　upon
the　path　close　to　the　sniders；　which　had　punished　them　severely。　Had　we
depended　upon　muzzle…loading　muskets；　the　party　would　have　been　quickly
destroyed；　the　sharp　fire　of　the　sniders　at　close　quarters　must　have
caused　immense　loss　at　the　first　onset。

I　now　determined　to　lighten　the　loads　considerably。　　It　was　difficult　to
carry　the　angarebs；　as　the　leas　caught　in　the　high　grass。　I　spoke　a　few
words　to　my　men；　who　declared　that　they　were　not　afraid　of　the　natives
if　they　were　not　so　heavily　laden。

We　collected　wood　and　made　a　fire；　upon　which　I　ordered　everything　to　be
burnt　that　was　really　cumbersome。　The　bedsteads　were　broken　up；　a　case
of　good　French　cognac　was　committed　to　the　flames；　Lieutenant　Baker's
naval　uniform；　with　box；　&e。；　the　cocked　hat　frizzled　up　on　the　top　of
the　bonfire。

The　men　were　provided　with　raw　hides；　upon　which　they　slept　at　night；
these　were　now　wet　through　and　cumbersome：　I　therefore　ordered　them　to
be　thrown　into　the　high　grass　and　abandoned。

The　brandy　bottles　burst　upon　the　fire。　　A　sergeant　of　the　〃Forty
Thieves；〃　named　Fadlullah；　had　been　attending　to　the　heap　of　burning
materials；　and　I　saw　him　stoop　over　the　flames；　as　though　intending　to
save　one　of　the　liquor　bottles　for　himself。　At　this　moment　several　burst
and　saturated　his　loose　cotton　trousers　with　blazing　spirit。　The　man
vainly　endeavoured　to　extinguish　the　fire；　and　he　danced　wildly　about；
until　I　seized　and　threw　him　down　in　the　swamp；　and　quickly　drew　the　wet
green　grass　over　him　and　subdued　the　flames。　He　was　severely　burnt　about
the　legs；　from　which　the　skin　slipped　off　in　large　flakes。

I　now　had　to　doctor　him；　when　every　man's　legs　ought　to　have　been　in　the
best　order。　Fortunately　I　had　a　little　oil　（for　the　lamp）；　and　the
wounds　were　quickly　dressed　and　bandaged　with　cotton　wool　and　lint。

The　force　was　now　much　relieved；　as　the　loads　had　been　lightened。　
During　the　operation　of　burning　the　supplies；　the　best　shots　of　the
〃Forty　Thieves〃　had　been　stationed　to　pick　off　any　natives　who　attempted
to　spy　our　movements　by　ascending　the　lofty　trees。

I　now　gave　the　order　for　the　advance；　and　the　march　recommenced。　In　a
few　minutes　we　were　once　more　buried　in　the　gigantic　grass　jungle。

We　had　hardly　entered　the　covert　when　the　shouts　and　blowing　of　horns
and　beating　of　drums　once　more　commenced。　This　was　the　signal　to
ambuscades　in　front　that　we　were　moving　forward。

In　the　course　of　an　hour's　march；　the　rear　bugle　had　sounded　〃halt〃　at
least　half　a　dozen　times；　as　two　of　the　donkeys　were　weakly；　and　could
not　be　driven　on　without　difficulty。

Again　the　rear　bugle　sounded　〃halt！〃　I　immediately　sent　the　sergeant　of
the　bodyguard；　Mohammed…el…Feel；　to　shoot　the　donkeys；　and　to　throw
their　loads　into　the　high　grass。　Two　shots　announced　their　end。

The　bugle　sounded　〃advance〃；　and　we　at　length　travelled　comfortably。　
The　weather　was　fine：　we　rejoiced　in　the　sun；　as　it　dried　our　reeking
clothes。

Suddenly　the　advance…guard　opened　fire！　then　the　rear…guard　was　closed
upon　by　a　sudden　rush　of　the　enemy；　and　the　whole　line　commenced
file…firing　into　the　thick　covert。

I