ismailia-第23章

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and　entered　the　channel　of　last　year's　clearing。

〃January　13。We　only　made　about　two　miles　yesterday　and　to…day；　being
stopped　by　vegetation。

〃January　14。Cutting　partially；　but　the　channel　is　much　improved　since
last　year。　Made　two　and　a　half　miles。

〃January　15。Made　three…quarters　of　a　mile；　and　having　reached　the　lake
Timsah　（crocodile　lake）　we　found　the　river　blocked　up；　we　therefore　cut
our　way　into　an　open　but　shallow　channel　which　last　year　was　impassable
from　want　of　depth。

〃January　16。…The　diahbeeah　went　ahead；　but　the　steamer　and　heavy　vessels
were　much　delayed　by　shallows。　I　went　on　and　determined　upon　the
passage；　the　open　lake　being　visible　about　600　yards　distant。

〃January　17。…Made　about　300　yards　of　heavy　cutting　through　rafts　of
vegetation。　The　lake　of　last　year　nearly　choked　up；　about　100　acres　of
rafts　having　completely　destroyed　it。

〃January　18。…Cut　about　350　yards；　and　at　3。30　p。m。　we　entered　the　lake。
From　the　mast…head　it　appears　that　an　unbroken　sheet　of　water　now　exists
for　some　miles。　I　trust　this　may　be　true；　and　that　no　mirage　deceives
us。

〃January　19。…Sailed　four　miles；　at　which　place　we　found　a　new　channel
coming　from　the　south；　while　our　channel　of　last　year　from　south…east
appeared　to　be　closed　at　half　a　mile　distance。　Explored　the　new　channel
for　about　two　miles；　in　appearance　it　was　a　river　of　200　or　300　yards
wide。　At　length　we　arrived　at　a　sudd　of　small　dimensions　with　open　water
beyond。　We　returned　to　the　junction；　and　passed　the　night　at　a　sudd　half
a　mile　up　our　old　channel。

〃January　20。…At　7　a。m。　I　took　the　dingy；　and　with　much　difficulty　pushed
about　a　mile　through　the　grass　until　I　found　the　whole　country　closed　by
vegetation。　I　think　the　river　has　opened　a　new　channel；　and　that　the
passage　of　yesterday　will　take　us　to　nearly　the　same　spot　above　the　sudd
that　we　reached　by　another　route　last　year。

〃Many　vessels　having　arrived；　I　visited　the　Englishmen　and　physicked
Ramsall　and　Mr。　Higginbotham。　At　4。15　p。m。　we　started；　poling　round　the
angle　to　enter　the　new　channel　discovered　yesterday。　In　the　evening　we
all　sailed　with　a　light　breeze；　and　found　the　river　open　for　three　and　a
half　miles　ahead。　Halted　for　the　night。

〃January　21。…The　river　being　closed　ahead；　I　took　the　dingy；　and　after
much　trouble　succeeded　in　reaching　our　old　channel　in　the　clear　river。
Having　started　at　7　a。m。；　I　returned　at　1　p。m。　I　had　sounded　the　channel
the　whole　distance；　and　I　have　determined　to　cut　a　passage　through
to…morrow。

〃January　22。…Cut　350　yards　through　heavy　sudd。　Last　year　this　piece　was
600　yards。　We　at　length　reached　the　small　lake　where　we　last　year　buried
the　two　artillerymen　in　an　ant…hill。

〃January　23。…I　took　the　diahbeeah　a　mile　and　a　quarter　up　　the　river；
while　the　fleet　was　being　squeezed　through　our　spongy　channel。

〃January　24。…Yesterday　the　five　vessels　that　were　left　behind　by　Raouf
Bey　arrived；　and　the　fleet　assembled。

〃I　am　in　great　anxiety　about　Tayib　Agha　who　has　twelve　vessels　with　him；
none　of　which　are　yet　in　sight。

〃This　black　colonel　is　not　clever；　and　should　an　accident　occur；　he　will
be　at　a　loss　how　to　act。　Julian　is　unwell　with　fever；　but　Higginbotham
is　better。

〃I　went　a　long　way　in　the　dingy；　and　succeeded　in　finding　the　true
channel　of　the　stream　by　probing　with　the　twelve…foot　pole　through　the
grass。　To…morrow　we　shall　begin　cutting；　as　the　whole　country　is　closed。

〃The　tree　that　marks　the　open　water　of　last　year　is　about　a　mile　and　a
half　distant。　There　is　a　solitary　dry　spot　near　this；　the　heart　of
desolationa　tumulus　of　about　half　an　acre；　like　the　back　of　a　huge
tortoise；　is　raised　about　five　feet　above　the　highest　water　level。　Upon
this　crocodiles　love　to　bask　in　undisturbed　sleep。

〃January　25。…The　men　cut　about　300　yards。

〃January　26。…We　again　accomplished　about　300　yards；　and　pushed　the
vessels　within　the　channel。

〃January　27。…We　are　thankful　for　a　comparatively　open　ditch；　deep；　but
covered　with　grass；　through　which　the　diahbeeah　cut　her　path　by　sailing
before　a　strong　breeze；　and　we　entered　the　lake　at　11。20　a。m。　There　is
no　change　here　since　last　year。　The　steamer　and　fleet　are　close　up；　but
there　is　a　little　deepening　necessary　at　the　mouth　of　the　channel。　The
diahbeeah　went　ahead　for　six　miles　along　the　lake　and　broad　river；　and
anchored　for　the　night。

〃January　28。…With　a　light　breeze；　the　diahbeeah　sailed　four　miles；　and
stopped　at　the　three　dubbas；　whence　we　turned　back　last　year。　Even　now
there　is　only　three　feet　and　a　half　of　water；　and　we　shall　have　great
trouble。　Our　fisherman；　Howarti；　caught　a　great　haul　of　fine　boulti　with
the　casting…net。

〃January　29。…I　shot　some　ducks　and　geese。　A　slight　shower　fell　in　early
morning。　I　explored　about　seven　miles　of　the　river　in　advance。　The　depth
is　very　unsatisfactory；　varying　from　shallows　to　deep　channels。

〃January　30。…The　fleet　joined　in　sections　during　last　night　and　to…day。
Set　to　work　with　the　long…handled　hoes；　and　cut　a　channel　through　the
shallows　for　fifty　yards；　and　took　the　vessels　forward。

〃January　31。…Cut　a　channel　through　the　shallows；　but　we　could　not　get
the　steamer　along。

〃February　1。…About　1；200　men　at　work　cutting　a　channel　and　towing　the
steamer　and　noggurs　through。　The　diahbeeah　and　two　noggurs　passed　ahead
for　about　a　mile。　We　then　stopped　to　await　the　steamer　and　other　vessels
that　were　delayed　by　the　powerful　current。

〃February　2。…Stopped　all　day　waiting　for　the　steamer　about　a　mile　ahead
of　the　noggurs。　When　we　left　the　dubba；　I　had　left　a　letter　in　a　bottle；
addressed　to　Tayib　Agha；　to　order　him　to　come　on　without　delay；　and
deepen　the　channels　we　have　cut；　should　it　be　necessary。

〃February　3。…The　steamer　came　up　at　10　a。m。　At　10。45　the　diahbeeah　made
sail；　and　after　two　miles　was　delayed　by　a　small　sudd。　Care　must　be
taken　to　sail　by　the　west　branch　of　the　two　streams；　as　there　is　no
water　in　the　east　channel。

〃For　six　miles　we　have　had　nothing　but　shallows。　Even　at　this　season
there　is　only　a　depth　of　four　feet　in　many　places；　and　a　month　hence　the
river　will　be　impassable。

〃Tayib　Agha's　boats　are　in　sight；　about　four　miles　distance；　bearing
north。　We　cut　through　the　small　sudd；　and　in　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　we
arrived　at　an　open　water；　very　shallow：　in　many　places　only　three　feet
deep。　Stopped　for　the　fleet；　and　upon　arrival　of　the　steamer　and　others；
I　had　marked　out　the　channel　to　be　cleared。　The　men　set　to　work
immediately。　I　then　passed　ahead　with　the　diahbeeah　for　about　a　mile　and
a　half；　the　depth　of　water；　as　usual；　varying；　but　often　as　low　as　four
feet。　We　were　at　length　stopped　at　the　confluence　of　two　channels；　each
shallow。　The　sun　was　setting；　therefore　we　halted　for　the　night。　A
buffalo　crossed　the　river　about　200　yards　ahead。

〃February　4。…I　took　the　dingy　early　in　the　morning　and　explored　both
channels；　that　on　the　right　has　no　water　beyond　a　depth　of　about　two
feet。　The　left　is　the　true　stream；　but　the　depth　in　some　places　is　only
three　feet；　thus　there　is　more　work　for　the　men　upon　their　arrival。　Had
we　arrived　here　a　month　earlier；　we　could　have　just　passed　the　shallows；
as　our　vessels　draw　an　average　of　a　little　over　four　feet。　No　vessels
should　arrive　here　later　than　1st　of　January；　the　entire　river　is　a
ridiculous　imposition；　a　month　later；　the　bed　will　be　nearly　dry。　A　mile
ahead；　both　channels　are　closed　by　a　sudd　of　vegetation；　we　must　thus
await　until　the　boats　arrive。　Altogether　the　entire　journey　by　the　Bahr
Giraffe　is　a　painful　absurdity；　and　my　expedition　will　be　fruitless　in
all　but　geographical　results　unless　the　authorities　of　the　Soudan　will
clear　the　main　channel　of　the　White　Nile。

〃February　5。…None　of　the　vessels　arrived　yesterday。　I　went　back　and
found　them　in　a　terrible　fix；　as　the　water　is　leaving　us　rapidly；　and　we
must　cut　a　fresh　channel　through　the　sand；　about　one　hundred　yards　long。

〃February　6。…I　took　the　diahbeeah　a　mile　and　a　quarter　ahead　to　a　sudd；
passing　over　several　shallows　of　only　two　feet　eight　inches；　and　three
feet；　which　will　again　cause　great　delay　and　labour。　I　returned　to　the
fleet　and　assisted　in　the　tedious　work　of　dragging　the　vessels　over　the
shallows。　In　the　evening　I　returned　to　the　diahbeeah；　and　having　dragged
the　dingy　across　the　sudd；　I　explored　the　channel　ahead　for　an　hour；　for
about　three　miles；　passed　over　distressing　shallows　for　a　space　of　a
quarter　of　a　mile　ahead　of　the　diahbeeah；　after　which　I　entered　a　deep；
narrow　channel　with　very　rapid　current。

〃It　is　quite　impossible　to　say　where　we　are　as　the　professed　guides　seem
to　know　nothing　of　this　horrible　chaos；　which　changes　its　appearance
constantly。　It　is　most　harassing。

〃February　7。…Last　evening　I　brought　the　diahbeeah　back　to　the　fleet；　so
as　to　push　the　work　forward　personally。　The　soldiers　and　officers　hope
we　shall　return　as　failures；　in　the　same　manner　as　last　year。　I　have；
therefore；　informed　them　and　Raouf　Bey　officially；　that　no　boats　shall
retreat；　but　that　should　the　river　run　dry；　they　shall　remain　here　until
the　rise　of　the　water　during　the　next　wet　season；　when　they　shall　go　on
to　Wat…el…Shambi。　This　decision　has　frightened　them；　and　they　are
working　to…day　with　better　spirit。

〃I　unpacked　and　served　out　a　hundred　spades　for　digging　channels；　and　I
have　ordered　them　to　commence　to…morrow　morning　and　dig　out　a　straight
passage　for　the　thirty　one　vessels　that　still　remain　in　the　shallows。

〃February　8。…This　is　the　date　of　departure　last　year　from　Khartoum；　an
inconceivable　madness　had　any　one　known　the　character　of　the　river。　All
hands　as　usual　tugging；　hauling；　and　deepening　the　river　with　spades　and
hoes；　but　the　more　we　dig；　the　faster　the　water　runs　out　of　the　bed；
which　threatens　to　leave　us　high　and　dry。

〃February　9…The　work　as　usual。　All　hands　thoroughly　disgusted。　I　am
obliged　to　lighten　the　vessels　by　discharging　cargo　in　the　mud。　Our
waggons　make　excellent　platforms　for　the　luggage。　Even　with　this
assistance　we　only　drew　seven　vessels　through　the　shallows　into　the　true
river　channel。

〃To…morrow　we　must　discharge　more　cargo。

〃The　anxiety　of　leading　1；600　men；　and　fifty…eight　vessels　with　heavy
cargoes；　through　this　horrible　country　is　very　distressing。

〃When　I　shall　have　succeeded　in　dragging　the　vessels　into　the　true
channel；　I　shall　construct　a　dam　in　the　rear；　so　as　to　retain　the　water
at　a　higher　level。　I　have　no　doubt　that　a　series　of　such　dams　will　be
required　to　enable　us　to　reach　the　Nile。　Should　it　be　impossible　to
proceed　with　the　heavy　vessels；　I　shall　leave　them　thatched　over　as
floating　stores；　with　a　small　guard；　until　the　next　wet　season　shall
raise　the　river　level。

〃February　10。…I　gave　orders　to　discharge　all　cargoes；　so　that　no　vessel
should　draw　more　than　three　feet。　All　hands　are　now　employed　at　this
work；　as　it　is　impossible　to　cut　a　channel　through　the　sand；　which　fills
in　as　fast　as　it　is　deepened。

〃February　11。…Twenty…seven　vessels　passed　the　diahbeeah；　having
lightened　their　cargoes；　these　vessels　must　discharge　everything　at
Khor；　one　and　a　half　mile　ahead；　and　return　to　fetch　the　remaining
baggage。　The　work　is　tremendous；　and　the　risk　great。　The　damage　of
stores　is　certain；　and　shou