ismailia-第96部分

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completely　through　his　body。　The　poor　boy　crept　to　me　on　his　hands　and
knees；　and　asked；　〃Shall　I　creep　into　the　grass；　Pacha？…where　shall　I
go？〃　He　had　not　another　minute　to　live。

A　spear　struck　another　horsekeeper　on　the　hip；　and　the　soft　iron　point
turned　up　against　the　bone　in　a　curve　like　a　fish…hook。

A　sharp　fire　dispersed　the　enemy；　who　retired　to　a　distance；　　yelling
and　blowing　their　whistles。　The　wounded　horsekeeper　could　manage　to　walk
forward。

There　is　a　peculiar　bird　in　the　forests　of　Unyoro　which　utters　a　shrill
cry；　with　these　notes。

The　natives　imitate　this　cry　with　their　whistles　of　antelope's　horn。　　I
had　noticed　that　previous　to　an　attack　from　an　ambuscade；　we　had　always
heard　the　call　of　this　bird。

My　Baris　declared　that　the　bird　warned　us　of　the　danger；　and　cried；
〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me！〃　which　in　their　language　means；　〃Look　out！　look
out！〃

My　soldiers　said　that　the　birds　exclaimed；　〃Shat…mo…koor！　Shat…mo…koor！〃
which　is　the　order；　〃Make　ready；〃　They　accordingly　always　brought　their
rifles　on　full　cock　when　they　heard　the　signal。

There　was　something　puzzling　this　day　respecting　the　distance。　According
to　my　calculation；　we　should　leave　reached　Koki。　Still　we　marched　on
through　high　forest　and　the　interminable　grass。　My　wife　was　dreadfully
fatigued。　The　constant　marching　in　wet　boots；　which　became　filled　with
sand　when　crossing　the　small　streams　and　wading　through　muddy　hollows；
had　made　her　terribly　foot…sore。　She　walked　on　with　pain　and　difficulty。
I　was　sure　that　we　had　passed　the　village　of　Koki；　which　was　surrounded
by　much　open　ground　and　cultivation；　and　I　now　felt　certain　that　the
broad　road；　which　had　been　constructed　to　mislead　us；　had　taken　us　by
the　rear　of　Koki；　which　we　had　thus　over…shot。

We　were　marching　forward　in　perfect　silence；　when　I　heard　a　bird　cry
〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me〃！

That　instant　the　spears　came　among　us；　and　the　rifles　replied　as　quick
as　lightning！

The　bugle　of　the　advance…guard　sounded　〃halt〃。　　I　never　liked　to　hear
that　order；　as　something　must　have　gone　wrong。

I　immediately　walked　forward；　and　found　that　Lieutenant　Mohammed
Mustapha　had　been　wounded。　The　spear　had　struck　him　just　behind　the
shoulderjoint　of　the　left　arm；　and　had　passed　over　the　blade…bone　and
spine　previous　to　making　its　exit　by　the　right　arm。　This　was　a　very
nasty　wound；　and　he　was　bleeding　profusely。　I　made　a　couple　of　pads；
and；　placing　one　upon　each　hole；　we　bandaged　him　tightly。

I　now　went　up　to　my　poor　old　horse；　〃Zafteer〃。　　The　unfortunate　animal
was　carrying　a　heavy　load；　and　a　large　hunting　spear　had　struck　him　just
behind　the　saddle。　The　weapon　was　so　sharp　and　heavy；　and　had　been
thrown　with　such　force；　that　it　had　penetrated　a　double　blanket；　and　had
not　only　passed　clean　through　the　horse's　body；　but　had　also　cut　through
a　blanket…fold　upon　the　other　side。

A　large　portion　of　the　bowels　protruded；　and　were　hanging　a　foot　below
the　horse's　belly。　The　intestines　were　divided；　thus　death　was　certain。

As　the　old　horse　could　still　walk；　and　did　not　know　its　own　danger；　I
ordered　the　advance。　I　intended　to　halt　at　the　first　convenient　point。

In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　we　saw　increased　light　in　the　distance；
and　we　presently　emerged　upon　a　large　open　vale　surrounded　by　forest。
This　cheerful　space　extended　over　about　ten　acres；　in　the　centre　of
which　was　a　well　of　good　water；　about　fourteen　feet　deep；　and　so　wide
that　a　man　could　descend　by　steps　hewn　out　of　the　gravel。　This　was　a
grand　place　for　the　halt。

My　first　duty　was　to　remove　the　load；　together　with　the　saddle；　from　my
good　old　horse。　I　returned　the　bowels；　and　having　placed　a　strong　pad
over　the　wounds；　I　passed　the　roller　round　his　body；　and　buckled　it
tight　over　the　pads。

This　operation　was　hardly　completed；　when　a　severe　shivering　fit　seized
the　poor　animal；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground　to　die。

With　great　sorrow　I　placed　my　pistol　to　the　forehead　of　the　faithful　old
Zafteer；　and　he　died；　having　carried　and　laid　down　his　load；　together
with　his　life；　at　the　end　of　the　day's　march。

I　was　much　distressed　at　this　loss。　　It　seemed　that　I　was　to　lose　all　my
best　and　most　faithful　followersthe　good　Monsoor；　whom　to　this　hour　I
regret　as　a　brother；　the　ever…ready　and　true　Howarti；　Ferritch　Baggara；
the　unfortunate　Ramadan；　besides　others　who　were　very　valuable；　and　now
my　old　horse　was　gone。

We　slept　that　night　by　his　body；　and　warmed　ourselves　by　a　fire　that
consumed　his　loadfor　there　was　no　one　to　carry　it。　My　despatch…box
helped　to　cook　our　scanty　dinner。　We　had　marched　sixteen　miles。

My　troops　had　behaved　remarkably　well。　　The　scolding　that　I　had　given
them　had　produced　a　good　effect。　Very　little　ammunition　had　been
expended；　and　the　firing　had　been　exceedingly　steady。

Although　we　had　not　been　attacked　at　night；　I　never　omitted　the
precaution　of　a　defence　of　strong　thorns　and　branches　of　trees。

Had　this　march　through　a　frightful　route　of　forest　and　high　grass　been
made　in　the　Bari　tribe；　we　should　not　have　had　a　night's　rest。

We　started　at　6　A。M。；　with　sunrise；　on　18th　June。　The　weather　had　been
fine　since　the　first　day　of　soaking　rain　on　the　start　from　Masindi：　we
were　thankful　for　this　blessing；　as　there　was　no　shelter　for　any　one。

It　would　be　fatiguing　to　narrate　the　incidents　of　the　continual
ambuscades。　Every　day　we　were　attacked；　and　the　enemy　was　repulsed　many
times。　〃Co…co…me！　Co…co…me！〃　was　now　well　understood　by　the　troops；　and
although　we　had　men　wounded；　the　enemy　invariably　got　the　worst　of　the
encounter。　Up　to　the　present　we　had　been　most　fortunate　in　bringing　on
all　our　people；　but　I　was　anxious　lest　some　should　receive　wounds　that
would　actually　incapacitate　them　from　marching。　Should　a　man　be　killed
outright；　how　much　soever　he　might　be　regretted；　still　there　was　an　end
of　him；　but　there　was　no　end　to　the　difficulty　of　transporting　wounded
men　in　our　helpless　condition；　without　carriers。

We　had　rather　hot　work　during　this　day's　march；　and　four　soldiers　had
been　wounded　by　spears。

My　wife　was　dreadfully　tired；　and　sometimes　the　pace　was　too　severe　for
her。　At　length　she　was　so　fatigued　that　she　declared　she　must　rest；　if
only　for　a　few　minutes。　It　was　impossible　to　halt　in　the　thick　jungle
and　grass；　therefore；　as　I　had　observed　a　large　grove　of　plantains　on
the　crest　of　the　hill　before　us；　I　gave　her　my　hand　to　assist　in　the
ascent；　and　we　shortly　entered　the　dark　forest　of　bananas；　which　was；　as
usual；　clear　and　free　from　grass。

All　the　women　were　glad　to　rest；　as　the　poor　things　were　carrying　heavy
loads。　We　halted　in　the　midst　of　the　plantains；　and　every　one　sat　down；
except　the　numerous　sentries　whom　I　placed　in　concealment　in　various
positions。　I　fully　expected　that　natives　might　be　following　us；　in　the
hopes　of　picking　up　the　load　of　some　wounded　man　that　had　been　left
behind。

Not　a　word　was　spoken；　or　even　whispered。

My　men　were　very　bloodthirsty。　　They　had　been　atrociously　treated　by　the
natives；　and　had　suffered　much。　They　longed　to　get　their　enemies　fairly
before　them；　and　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　now　keenly　looking　out　for　the
approach　of　the　wily　Unyoros。

We　heard　distant　voices；　they　were　coming　nearer。　　A　sharp　clicking　of
locks　might　be　heard；　as　the　men　got　ready。

All　Sadik　was　one　of　my　best　shots　in　〃The　Forty。〃　　I　now　saw　him　taking
a　steady　aim。　Saat　Choush；　who　was　the　champion　shot　of　〃The　Forty〃；　had
also　raised　his　rifle；　and　almost　immediately　several　shots　were　fired；
and　the　troops　rushed　forward！　Two　natives　had　been　knocked　over；　and
some　of　the　men　returned；　dragging　in　a　body　by　the　heels。

I　now　scoured　the　immediate　neighbourhood；　and　discovered　a　quantity　of
dhurra　that　was　just　ripened。　This　was　immediately　gathered　as　a　great
prize。

During　this　interval；　my　men　had　been　engaged　in　a　most　barbarous
ceremony；　that　perfectly　disgusted　me。

These　superstitious　people　had　an　idea；　that　every　bullet　they　might
fire　would　kill　an　Unyoro；　if　they　could　only　devour　a　portion　of　their
enemy's　liver。

They　had　accordingly　cut　out　the　liver　of　the　dead　man；　and　having
divided　it　among　them；　they　positively　HAD　EATEN　ITraw！　They　had　then
cut　the　body　into　pieces　with　their　sword…bayonets；　and　had　disposed
them　upon　the　limbs　of　various　bushes　that　overhung　the　path；　as　a
warning　to　any　Unyoros　who　should　attempt　to　follow　us。

I　would　not　have　believed　that　my　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　whom　I　had　considered
to　be　nearly　civilized；　could　have　committed　such　a　barbarity。　The　truth
was；　that　in　the　high　grass　they　could　not　see　the　effect　of　their
shots；　therefore　they　imagined　that　the　horrid　rite　of　eating　an　enemy's
liver　would　give　a　fatal　direction　to　a　random　bullet。

We　marched；　and　having　had　several　encounters　with　the　enemy　in　jungle；
if　possible　worse　than　before；　we　halted　at　Kaseega。

One　of　my　best　men；　Serroor；　had　a　narrow　escape；　a　lance　went　through
his　neck；　almost　grazing　the　jugular　vein。

On　19th　June；　we　marched　at　6。5　A。M。　This　was　one　of　the　worst　journeys；
as　the　ravines　were　numerous；　and　the　forest　dark　and　tangled。　It　was
difficult　for　our　solitary　horse　（Jamoos）　to　carry　his　load；　as　it
became　continually　hooked　in　the　hanging　loops　of　the　wild　vines。　We
were　quickly　attacked　by　various　ambuscades；　in　one　of　which　my　wife
suffered　the　loss　of　a　great　favourite。　This　was　poor　little　Jarvah；　who
went　by　the　name　of　the　〃fat　boy。〃　Two　spears　struck　the　unhappy　lad　at
the　same　moment　one　of　which　pinned　both　his　legs　as　though　upon　a　spit；
the　other　went　through　his　body。　This　loss　completely　upset　my　wife；　as
the　unfortunate　Jarvah　had　upon　several　occasions　endeavoured　to　protect
her　from　danger。　He　was　killed　only　a　few　paces　behind　her。

In　one　of　the　ambuscades；　just　as　the　enemy　had　been　repulsed；　Faddul；
the　strongest　man　in　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃；　who　was　close　to　me；　carrying
his　knapsack　on　his　back；　his　rifle　slung　across　his　shoulders；　and　a
box　of　500　snider　cartridges　（64　lbs。）　upon　his　head；　walked　up　to　me
during　the　halt　and　reported　himself　as　badly　wounded。

A　spear　had　struck　him　obliquely　in　the　posterior；　and　had　taken　a
direction　towards　the　groin。　The　nian　was　li