ismailia-第10章

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view　of　the　country；　I　observed　a　herd　of　very　beautiful　antelopes；　of　a
kind　that　were　quite　un　known　to　me。

〃By　careful　stalking　on　the　flat　plain　from　one　ant…hill　to　another；　I
obtained　a　fair　shot　at　about　140　yards；　and　killed。　Both　male　and
female　have　horns；　therefore　I　found　it　difficult　to　distinguish　the　sex
at　that　distance。　I　was　delighted　with　my　prize；　it　was　a　female；
weighing；　I　should　estimate；　about　twenty　stone；　clean。　The　hide　was　a
deep　reddish　yellow；　with　black　shoulders　and　legs；　also　black　from　the
hind　quarters　down　the　hind　legs。　It　belonged　to　the　species
hippotragus；　and　had　horns　that　curved　backwards；　something　similar　to
the　hippotragus　niger；　but　much　shorter。＇*＇

＇*Footnote：　Vide　Appendix。　This　antelope；　which　I　considered　to　be　a　
new　species；　proved　to　be　the　Damalis　Senegalensis　of　Western　Africa。＇

〃We　soon　cut　it　into　quarters；　and　carried　it　to　the　boat。　This　little
success　in　sport　had　cheered　me　for　the　moment；　but　the　happy　excitement
quickly　passed　away；　and　we　returned　to　the　diahbeeah　quite
disheartened。　It　is　simply　impossible　to　continue　the　voyage；　as　there
is　no　means　of　floating　the　vessels。

〃To…morrow　I　shall　explore　the　channel　No。　3；　which　runs　from　the　W。S。W。

〃April　2。I　explored　the　west　channel。　This　is　very　narrow；　and
overgrown　with　grass。　After　about　a　mile　we　arrived　at　a　shallow　place
only　two　feet　deep。　The　whole　river　is　absolutely　impracticable　at　this
season。　During　the　rains；　and　even　to　the　end　of　December；　when　the
river　is　full；　the　vessels　could　pass；　but　at　no　other　time。　All　my
labour　has　been　useless；　but　it　would　be　utterly　absurd　to　attempt　a
further　advance。　I　have　therefore　determined　to　return　at　once　to　the
Shillook　country；　and　establish　a　station。　Mr。　Higginbotham　and　party
will　then　unite　with　us；　and　I　will　collect　the　entire　force　from
Khartoum；　and　start　with　the　expedition　complete　in　the　end　of　November。
Although　I　am　grievously　disappointed；　I　am　convinced　that　this　is　the
wisest　course。　During　the　rainy　season　the　troops　shall　cultivate　corn；
and　I　shall　explore　the　old　White　Nile　in　a　steamer；　and　endeavour　to
discover　a　navigable　channel　via　the　original　route　by　the　Bahr　Gazal。

〃I　was　obliged　with　a　heavy　heart　to　give　the　sad　order　to　turn　back；　at
3　p。m。　we　arrived　at　the　assembled　fleet。

〃I　summoned　all　the　officers；　and　in　the　presence　of　Raouf　Bey　I
explained　the　necessity。　The　vessels　immediately　commenced　the　return
voyage；　all　the　officers　and　men　being　delighted　at　the　idea　of　a
retreat　which　they　imagined　would　take　them　to　Khartoum；　and　terminate
the　expedition；　thus　I　had　little　sympathy。However；　I　determined　to
make　arrangements　for　the　following　season　that　would　enable　me　to　cut
through　every　difficulty。　I　kept　these　intentions　to　myself；　or　only
shared　them　with　my　wife　and　Lieutenant　Baker。

〃April　3。Washed　decks　early；　and　sent　off　three　soldiers；　thus
reducing　the　escort　on　the　diahbeeah　to　seven　men。

〃The　entire　fleet　was　in　full　retreat　with　wind　and　stream　in　favour。　I
would　not　permit　the　diahbeeah　that　had　always　led　the　advance　to
accompany　them　in　the　retreat；　therefore　I　allowed　them　to　push　on
ahead。

〃A　shower　of　rain　fell　to…day；　also　yesterday。

〃A　few　minutes　after　starting；　both　the　steamers　stuck　fast。　As　I　was
walking　the　poop　of　the　diahbeeah；　I　noticed　with　the　telescope　an
antelope　standing　on　the　summit　of　an　ant…hill　about　a　mile　and　a
quarter　distant。　There　is　no　change　so　delightful　as　a　little　sport　if
you　are　in　low　spirits；　thus；　taking　the　rifle；　I　rowed　up　the　river　for
about　half　a　mile　in　the　small　boat；　and　then　landing；　I　obtained　the
right　wind。　It　was　exceedingly　difficult　to　approach　game　in　these
extensive　treeless　flats；　and　it　would　have　been　quite　impossible；　had
it　not　been　for　the　innumerable　hills　of　the　white　ants；　these　are　the
peculiar　features　of　these　swampy　countries；　and　the　intelligence　of　the
insects　directs　their　architecture　to　a　height　far　above　the　level　of
the　highest　floods。　The　earth　used　in　their　construction　is　the　subsoil；
brought　up　from　a　considerable　depth；　as　the　ant…hills　are　yellow；　while
the　surface　soil　is　black。　The　earth　is　first　swallowed　by　the　insect
and　thus　it　becomes　mixed　with　some　albuminous　matter　which　converts　it
into　a　cement　that　resists　the　action　of　rain。　These　hills　were
generally　about　eight　feet　high　in　the　swampy　districts；　but　I　have
frequently　seen　them　above　ten　feet。　The　antelopes　make　use　of　such
ant…hills　as　watch　towers；　from　which　lofty　position　they　can　observe　an
enemy　at　a　great　distance。　It　is　the　custom　of　several　varieties　to
place　sentries　while　the　herd　is　grazing；　and　upon　this　occasion；
although　the　sentry　was　alone　visible；　I　felt　sure　that　the　herd　was
somewhere　in　his　neighbourhood。　I　have　noticed　that　the　sentries　are
generally　bulls。　On　this　occasion　I　resolved；　if　possible；　to　stalk　the
watchman。　I　was　shooting　with　a　very　accurate　express　rifle；　a　No。　70
bore　of　Purdey's；　belonging　to　my　friend；　Sir　Edward　Kerrison；　who　had
kindly　lent　it　to　me　as　a　favourite　weapon　when　I　left　England。　The
grass　was　very　low；　and　quite　green；　as　it　had　been　fired　by　the
wandering　natives　some　time　since；　thus；　in　places　there　were　patches　of
the　tall　withered　herbage　that　had　been　only　partially　consumed　by　the
fire　while　unripe：　these　patches　were　an　assistance　in　stalking。

〃It　was；　of　course；　necessary　to　keep　several　tall　ant…hills　in　a　line
with　that　upon　which　the　antelope　was　standing；　and　to　stoop　so　low　that
I　could　only　see　the　horns　of　the　animal　upon　the　sky…line。　In　some
places　it　was　necessary　to　crawl　upon　the　ground；　this　was　trying　work；
on　account　of　the　sharp　stumps　of　the　burnt　herbage　which　punished　the
hands　and　knees。　The　fine　charcoal　dust　from　the　recent　fire　was　also　a
trouble；　as　the　wind　blew　it　into　the　eyes。　The　watermark　upon　the
ant…hills　was　about　eighteen　inches　above　the　base；　proving　the　height
of　the　annual　floods；　and　a　vast　number　of　the　large　water　helix；　the
size　of　a　man's　fist；　lay　scattered　over　the　ground；　destroyed　and
partially　calcined　by　the　late　prairie　fire。

〃The　sun　was　very　hot；　and　I　found　crawling　so　great　a　distance　a
laborious　operation；　my　eyes　were　nearly　blinded　with　perspiration　and
charcoal　dust；　but　every　now　and　then；　as　I　carefully　raised　my　head；　I
could　distinguish　the　horns　of　the　antelope　in　the　original　position。　At
length　I　arrived　at　the　base　of　the　last　ant…hill　from　which　I　must　take
my　shot。

〃There　were　a　few　tufts　of　low　scrub　growing　on　the　summit；　to　these　I
climbed；　and　digging　my　toes　firmly　into　an　inequality　in　the　side　of
the　hill；　I　planted　my　elbows　well　on　the　surface；　my　cap　being
concealed　by　the　small　bushes　and　tufts　of　withered　grass。　The　antelope
was　standing　unconsciously　about　170　yards；　or；　as　I　then　considered；
about　180　yards　from　me；　perfectly　motionless；　and　much　resembling　a
figure　fixed　upon　a　pedestal。　The　broadside　was　exposed；　thus　it　would
have　been　impossible　to　have　had　a　more　perfect　opportunity　after　a　long
stalk。　Having　waited　in　a　position　for　a　minute　or　two；　to　become　cool
and　to　clear　my　eyes；　I　aimed　at　his　shoulder。　Almost　as　I　touched　the
trigger；　the　antelope　sank　suddenly　upon　its　knees；　in　which　position　it
remained　for　some　seconds　on　the　summit　of　the　ant…hill；　and　then　rolled
down　to　the　base；　dead。　I　stepped　the　exact　distance；　169　paces。　I　had
fired　rather　high；　as　the　bullet　had　broken　the　spine　a　little　in　front
of　the　shoulder…blade。　It　was　a　very　beautiful　animal；　a　fine　bull；　of
the　same　kind　that　I　had　killed　on　1st　April。　This　antelope　was　about
thirteen　hands　high　at　the　shoulder；　the　head　long；　the　face　and　ears
black；　also　the　top　of　the　head；　the　body　bright　bay；　with　a　stripe　of
black　about　fifteen　inches　in　width　extending　obliquely　across　the
shoulder；　down　both　the　fore　and　the　hind　legs；　and　meeting　at　the　rump。
The　tail　was　long；　with　a　tuft　of　long　black　hair　at　the　extremity。　The
horns　were　deeply　annulated；　and　curved　backwards　towards　the　shoulders。

〃This　was　a　very　large　animal；　that　would　have　weighed　quite　thirty
stone　when　gralloched。　My　boatman；　who　had　been　watching　the　sport；
immediately　despatched　a　man　for　assistance　to　the　diahbeeah。　I　enjoyed
the　beauty　of　this　animal：　the　hide　glistened　like　the　coat　of　a
well…groomed　horse。

〃I　did　not　reach　the　diahbeeah　until　6　p。m。；　we　then　started　without
delay；　and　reached　the　fleet　at　midnight；　at　the　junction　of　the　ditch
through　which　we　had　previously　arrived　at　the　main　river。

〃April　4。The　vessels　are　passing　with　great　difficulty　over　the
shallow　entrance　of　the　ditch。

〃April　5。All　the　vessels　have　passed。　At　6　p。m。　we　succeeded；　after
much　labour；　in　getting　the　last　of　the　steamers　through。　This
accomplished；　and　having　the　stream　in　our　favour；　we　passed　along　in　a
compact　line　for　about　a　mile　and　a　half；　the　ditch　that　we　had　opened
being　clear　and　in　good　order。

〃April　6。Another　soldier　died。　This　poor　man　was　the　companion　of　him
who；　a　few　days　ago；　prophesied　his　own　end　when　he　lost　his　friend。
Curiously　enough；　he　died　as　he　was　passing　the　spot　where　his　friend
was　buried；　and　we　had　to　bury　him　in　the　same　ant…hill。　The　Egyptian
troops　are　very　unhealthy。　When　they　first　joined　the　expedition；　they
were　an　exceedingly　powerful　body　of　men；　whose　PHYSIQUE　I　much　admired；
although　their　MORALE　was　of　the　worst　type。　I　think　that　every　man　has
lost　at　least　a　stone　in　weight　since　we　commenced　this　dreadful　voyage
in　chaos；　or　the　Slough　of　Despond。

〃The　boats　reached　the　small　lake；　and　continued　their　voyage　through
the　channel；　and　anchored　for　the　night　at　the　northern　extremity　of　the
five…mile　lake。　We　catch　delicious　fish　daily　with　the　casting…net；　the
best　are　the　Nile　perch；　that　runs　from　a　pound　to　four　or　five　pounds；
and　a　species　of　carp。　One　of　my　boatmen　is　a　professional　fisherman　who
understands　the　casting…net；　but　he　is　the　only　man　who　can　use　it。

〃April　7。The　channel　is　again　blocked　up；　all　hands　clearing　into　the
next　lake。　Another　soldier　diedmaking　a　total　of　nine；　with　two
sailors　and　a　boytotal　twelve。

〃April　8。Passed　into　lake　No。　2；　and　by　the　afternoon　reached　lake　No。
3；　where　we　found　our　old　channel　blocked　up。　I　set　men　to　work　to　open
the　passage；　but　there　is　no　chance　of　its　completion　until　about　noon
to…morrow。　Since　we　passed　this　lake　a　change　has　taken　place；　the
obstruction　through　which　we　cut　a　channel　has　entirely　broken　up。　Large
rafts　of　about　two　acres　each　have　drifted　asunder；　and　have　floated　to
the　end　of　the　lake。　It　is　thus　impossible　to　predict　what　the　future
may　effect。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　whole　of　this　country　was　at
some　former　period　a　lake；　which　has　gradually　filled　up　with
vegetation。　The　dry　land；　which　is　only　exposed　during　the　hot　season；
is　the　result　of　the　decay　of　vegetable　matter。　The　ashes　of　the　grass
that　is　annually　burnt；　by　degrees　form　a　soil。　We　are　even　now
witnessing　the　operation　that　has　formed；　and　is　still　increasing；　the
vast　tract　of　alluvial　soil　through　which　we　have　passed。　There　is　not　a
stone　nor　even　a　small　pebble　for　a　di