ismailia-第20章

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Some　little　diplomacy　was　necessary　to　smooth　the　troubled　waters　of
Khartoum。　I　made　every　allowance　for　the　passive　obstructiveness　of　the
authorities；　it　was　perfectly　natural　under　the　circumstances　of　a
sudden　reform　that　affected　materially　the　interests　of　the　entire
population；　both　high　and　low。　At　the　same　time；　it　was　necessary　to　win
the　game。　I　was　much　attached　to　Djiaffer　Pacha　in　his　unofficial
capacity；　as　I　could　never　forget　the　kindness　that　I　had　received　from
him　at　Souakim　when　he　welcomed　my　wife　and　myself　on　our　return　from　a
long　and　arduous　expedition。　He　was　a　perfectly　honest　man　in　his
dealings；　and　most　generous　to　all　around　him。　His　great　desire　was　to
earn　a　good　reputation；　thus　he　was　not　sufficiently　vigilant　or　severe
with　the　sub…officials　throughout　the　vast　territory　which　he　governed。

He　had　formerly　been　an　admiral　in　the　Egyptian　navy；　and　he　had　visited
England；　where　he　had　learnt　to　respect　the　English　name　of　〃gentleman。〃　
To　be　considered　a　〃gentleman〃　（which　he　pronounced　in　English）；　was　
in　his　estimation　a　great　honour。

I　was　delighted　with　the　lasting　impression　that　had　been　made　by　the
manners　of　our　country；　and　certainly；　in　courtesy　and　hospitality；
Djiaffer　Pacha　thoroughly　represented　the　qualities　of　the　name　he
coveted。　Whenever　we　differed　in　opinion　upon　official　matters；　we　were
always　cordial　in　our　private　capacity。

On　6th　October　the　post　arrived　from　Cairo　with　the　astounding　news　of
the　battle　of　Sedan；　the　capture　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　the　revolution
in　Paris；　and　the　fall　of　the　Napoleon　dynasty！　Never　were　so　many
grave　events　condensed　in　one　despatch。　I　felt　much　for　de　Bizemont：　he
had　become　a　general　favourite；　and　I　had　received　him　con　amore　as　one
of　our　party。　This　was　a　blow　too　terrible　even　for　his　high　spirit。　He
had　received　the　greatest　kindness　from　the　emperor　and　empress；　and　his
loyalty　was　shown　by　the　deepest　grief；　and　an　immediate　resolve　to　give
up　the　expedition；　and　to　return　to　share　the　trembling　fortunes　of　his
country。　We　had　ourselves　received　much　kindness　from　the　empress。　Only
a　few　days　before　this　grave　news　arrived；　my　wife　had　received　a　token
from　her　Majesty；　graciously　bestowed　when　she　was　in　power　and
prosperity；　this　was　now　more　deeply　prized　since　adversity　had　fallen
so　heavily　upon　her。

De　Bizemont　had　vigorously　commenced　his　work　as　a　member　of　the
expedition　by　accompanying　the　sections　of　the　third　steamer　from　Cairo
to　Berber。　The　desert　journey　was　intrusted　to　the　great　sheik　of　the
Arabs；　Hussein　Halifa；　who　had　already　so　notably　distinguished　himself
in　the　transport　of　the　two　steamers　that　had　arrived　with　Mr。
Higginbotham。　I　was　very　sorry　to　say　good…bye；　and　I　parted　with　de
Bizemont　and　his　companion；　Le　Blanc；　with　sincere　regret。

I　had　now　set　everything　in　order；　the　vessels　were　loaded。
On　10th　October；　1870；　I　find　this　entry　in　my　journal：…

〃Started　for　Tewfikeeyah。　Thankful　to　be　free　from　that　hateful　spot；
Khartoum。　Nothing　can　exceed　the　misery　of　the　place　at　this　season。　No
drainagemuddense　population；　with　exaggerated　stench。　These　enemies
to　civilization　have　at　length　vanquished　the　European　settlers。

〃Djiaffer　Pacha；　accompanied　by　all　the　big　people；　came　on　board　to
take　an　official　farewell：　embracingbands　of　musicsalutes　of
cannonsteam　up；　and　off；　thank　God！I　with　a　horrid　cold　and　Julian
with　nasty　fever。〃

We　were　short　of　hands　for　wood…cutting；　thus　we　only　arrived　at
Tewfikeeyah　on　22d　October。　The　river　was　now　at　its　maximum；　and　had
risen　at　this　spot　from　the　lowest　level　of　the　dry　season；　fourteen
feet　and　one　inch。

We　were　now　busily　employed；　as　I　had　arranged　to　start　the　first
division　of　the　fleet　for　Gondokoro　on　the　1st　December。

On　25th　October　several　vessels　attempted　to　pass　the　station　with
slaves。　All　were　captured　and　the　slaves　liberated。

〃Many　of　the　women　slaves　who　were　released　from　the　slave　vessels　at
the　first　capture　seemed　thoroughly　to　realize　the　principle　of
'liberte；　fraternite；　egalite；'　as　they　ran　away　during　the　night；　not
only　with　their　new　clothes　recently　given　them　by　the　government；　but
they　also　stole　some　of　the　soldiers'　kit。　It　is　very　difficult　to
manage　these　people。　The　fact　of　their　having　been　kidnapped　by　the
slave…hunters　destroys　all　confidence；　and　they　cannot　understand　their
true　position。　It　is　difficult　to　persuade　them　that　the　government　has
interfered　in　their　behalf　simply　with　a　view　to　their　welfare；　they
imagine　that　we　have　some　ulterior　object　in　their　release；　and　many
have　a　strong　suspicion　that　they　may　at　some　future　time　be　transported
to　some　distant　country　and　sold。　They　have　been　so　often　deceived　that
they　cannot　understand　the　truth；　and　having　been　accustomed　to　brutal
treatment；　they　cannot　comprehend　the　intention　of　kindness；　which　they
attribute　to　a　wish　to　deceive　them。　This　is　a　dreadful　state　of　moral
degradation；　which　nothing　but　time　and　patience　will　overcome。〃

On　the　23rd　November　the　wind　began　steadily　from　the　north。　I　was
nearly　ready。　Every　vessel　had　been　thoroughly　repaired；　but　many　were
so　rotten　that　the　caulking　was　considered　by　the　English　shipwrights　as
quite　unreliable　for　a　long　voyage。　I　had　dragged　the　iron　diahbeeah　out
of　the　water；　and　had　substituted　new　plates　in　many　places　where　the
metal　was　honeycombed　with　rust。　The　plate　that　had　been　pierced　by　the
tusks　of　the　hippopotamus　was　removed；　as　it　proved　to　be　very
defective；　and　could　be　broken　through　with　the　blow　of　a　heavy　hammer；
therefore　it　was　not　astonishing　that　it　had　been　easily　penetrated　by
the　sharp　ivory　of　so　powerful　an　animal。

When　the　diahbeeah　was　re…launched；　I　had　her　thoroughly　painted　inside
and　out。　In　the　mean　time；　I　had　formed　a　Robinson…Crusoe…like　house；
comprising　two　small　rooms；　open　on　the　river…side；　but　secured　at　night
and　morning　by　simple　Venetian　blinds。　The　three　sides　were　closed　with
planks。　I　had　paved　the　floor　with　the　cast…iron　plates　of　the　steamer's
engine　room；　thus　it　was　both　level　and　proof　against　the　white　ants。
The　two　rooms　were　separated　by　a　partition　with　a　doorway；　but　no　door。

I　had　not　resided　in　a　house　since　I　first　occupied　the　diahbeeah；　ten
months　ago；　as　the　vessel　was　more　convenient。

On　the　29th　November；　at　about　four　A。M。；　I　was　awakened　by　a　noise　in
the　adjoining　room。　My　bedstead　was　exactly　opposite　the　partition
doorway；　that　of　my　wife　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　room。　At　first　I
thought　the　sound　proceeded　from　rats　scampering　over　the　tin　boxes；　but
upon　listening　attentively；　I　distinctly　heard　the　lid　of　a　metal　box
opened　by　some　person；　and　again　carefully　closed。

After　a　few　moments；　I　heard　another　box　open；　and　a　sound　as　though
some　one　was　searching　among　the　contents。

Unfortunately　my　bedstead　was　the　most　horrible　creaker；　in　which　it　was
impossible　to　turn　without　producing　a　noise　that　would　create　an　alarm；
should　a　thief　be　on　the　alert。

I　always　slept　with　a　pistol　under　my　pillow；　therefore；　I　gently
grasped　the　revolver　in　my　hand；　and　endeavoured　quietly　to　get　out　of
my　noisy　bed。

The　wretched　piece　of　furniture　gave　the　most　alarming　creak；　this　was
immediately　succeeded　by　a　sound　in　the　next　room　of　the　sudden　closing
of　a　box；　and　the　movement　of　some　person。　I　could　not　be　sure　that　it
was　not　Lady　Baker；　who　had　perhaps　required　something　from　a　box；　and
did　not　wish　to　disturb　me。　This　was　not　likely；　and　I　felt　that　no　time
must　be　lost；　as　my　bedstead　had　given　the　alarm。　I　therefore　sprang　out
of　bed　and　rushed　through　the　open　doorway；　just　in　time　to　see　some
person　jump　through　the　Venetian　blinds　on　the　river　side　of　the　house。

To　cry　out　〃Who's　there？〃　and　to　fire　a　shot　was　the　work　of　an　instant；
and　jumping　after　him　in　pursuit　I　found　myself　in　darkness；　and　no　one
visible　outside　my　house。　Where　was　the　sentry？　Nowhere！

At　the　cry　of　〃Guard！〃　not　a　soul　appeared；　the　sentry　was　not　to　be
found。　At　length；　after　a　search；　he　turned　up　in　the　wrong　place；
looking　confused；　and　confessed　that　he　had　been　asleep；　but　awakened　by
the　sound　of　a　shot。　By　this　time　a　number　of　non…commissioned　officers
had　arrived；　who　had　been　alarmed　by　the　pistol…shot　and　the　cry　of
〃Guard！〃　The　sentry　was　put　under　arrest。　A　search　was　made　everywhere；
but　no　trace　of　the　thief　could　be　found。　On　making　an　examination　of
the　premises；　we　found　a　dirty　shirt　that　the　thief　had　in　his　hurry
left　behind　him；　this　was　evidently　intended　to　receive　the　spoil　in
lieu　of　a　bag。　I　could　not　find　the　trace　of　a　bullet…mark　either　upon
the　planks　or　upon　the　Venetian　blinds；　therefore；　I　considered　that　the
thief　must　have　been　hit；　or　if　missed；　the　ball　must　have　passed　out　as
he　pushed　the　blinds　aside　when　in　the　act　of　springing　through。

I　suspected　the　sentry；　who　was　an　Egyptian　belonging　to　the　〃Forty
Thieves。〃　He　was　stripped　and　examined；　but　there　was　no　wound。　All　the
shirts　were　alike；　therefore　the　shirt　in　my　possession　was　no　clue。　My
wife　had　been　startled；　but　she　quickly　recovered　herself；　the　sentry
was　flogged；　and　there　the　matter　ended；　we　had　no　London　detectives。



CHAPTER　VI。

THE　START。

December　11。The　first　division　of　the　fleet；　composed　of　eight
vessels；　had　started；　according　to　my　previous　arrangement；　on　1st　inst。
Every　third　or　fourth　day　another　division　followed　the　advance；　until
on　the　11th　I　brought　up　the　rear；　and　completed　the　departure　with
twenty…six　vessels；　including　the　No。　10　steamer　and　my　diahbeeah。　The
wind　was　fair　from　the　north。

The　extensive　and　neat　station　of　Tewfikeeyah　was　completely　dismantled。
The　iron　magazines　and　their　contents　were　now　safely　stowed　in　the
various　ships；　and　were　already　on　their　voyage　towards　Gondokoro。　The
horses　were　shipped　and　the　stables　had　been　pulled　down；　and　the　wood
cut　up　for　fuel。　The　long　rows　of　white　tents　had　vanished；　and　little
remained　of　the　station　except　a　few　rows　of　deserted　huts。　It　seemed
extraordinary　that　so　large　a　place　could　be　packed　up　and　stowed　away
among　the　fifty…nine　vessels　of　the　fleet。

The　English　shipwrights　had　constructed　three　very　useful　boats；　each
exactly　the　same　size；　about　16　ft。　x　5　ft。；　thus　we　had　a　total　of
seven　small　boats　to　assist　in　the　explorations　of　the　obstructed　river。

I　left　the　Shillook　country　at　peace。　Djiaffer　Pacha　had　paid　much
attention　to　the　sons　of　Quat　Kare　at　Khartoum；　and　the　Khedive；　in
reply　to　my　representations；　had　appointed　him　chief　of　the　country　in
place　of　the　pretender　Jangy。　The　governor　of　Fashoda　had　been　condemned
to　disgrace。　I　left　a　handsome　present　for　the　old　king　Quat　Kare；　and
we　departed　excellent　friends。　The　English　party　had　been　reduced　by　the
departure　of　Mr。　Wood；　Dr。　Gedge；　and　two　servants。

We　had　been　deeply　grieved　by　the　sad　news　of　the　death　of　Dr。　Gedge；　at
Khartoum；　a　few　days　before　we　broke　up　the　station　of　Tewfikeeyah。　This
unfortunate　gentleman　was　a　great　loss　to　the　expedition；　as　he　was　not
only　my　chief　medical　officer；　but　combined　the　scientific　attainments
of　a　botanist　and　naturalist。