ismailia-第24章

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baggage。　The　work　is　tremendous；　and　the　risk　great。　The　damage　of
stores　is　certain；　and　should　a　heavy　shower　fall；　which　the　cloudy
state　of　the　weather　renders　probable；　the　whole　of　our　stores；　now
lying　on　the　soft　mud；　will　be　destroyed。

〃To…day　I　cut　a　deeper　channel　near　the　diahbeeah；　and　divided　the　men
into　gangs　on　the　various　shallow　spots；　to　tow　each　boat　past　as　she
may　arrive。　The　steamer　is　hard　and　fast；　although　she　has　discharged
everything；　and　she　must　be　literally　dug　out　of　the　passage。〃

March　9。…From　Feb。　11　to　this　date　we　had　toiled　through　every　species
of　difficulty。　The　men　had　cut　one　straight　line　of　canal　through　a
stiff　clay　for　a　distance　of　600　yards。　Many　were　sick；　some　had　died；
there　appeared　to　be　no　hope。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　endeavoured　to　cheer
both　officers　and　men　with　tales　and　assurances　of　the　promised　land
before　them；　should　they　only　reach　the　Nile。　They　had　worked　like
slaves　in　these　fetid　marshes　until　their　spirits　were　entirely
broken；the　Egyptians　had　ceased　to　care　whether　they　lived　or　died。

The　enormous　quantity　of　machinery；　iron　sections　of　steamers；　supplies；
&c。；　had　actually　been　discharged　from　fifty…eight　vessels。　The　river
had　fallen　still　lower；　and　upon　the　quickly　sun…baked　surface　I　made　a
road；　and　having　set　up　my　waggons；　I　conveyed　the　great　mass　of　cargo
across　the　land　by　a　short　cut；　and　thus　reached　my　long　line　of
vessels；　and　reloaded　them　after　great　labour。　The　waggons　were　then
taken　to　pieces　and　re…shipped。　It　would　be　wearying　to　give　the　journal
of　every　incident　during　this　trying　period；　but　from　the　description
already　given；　the　fatigue　and　anxiety　may　be　imagined。　Thank　God；　I
seemed　to　bear　a　charmed　life。　From　morning　till　night　I　was　exploring
in　a　small　boat　through　mud　and　marsh；　but　I　was　completely　fever…proof。
My　wife　was　also　well。　Lieutenant　Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham　had
suffered　frequently　from　fever；　but　these　energetic　officers　rendered　me
most　important　service。　While　I　was　ahead　exploring；　sounding；　and
planning　out　the　route；　Lieutenant　Baker　was　commanding　and　directing
the　steamer；　which　appeared　more　like　a　huge　stranded　whale　among　the
rushes　than　an　object　adapted　for　the　navigation　of　this　horrible
country。　I　had　a　first…rate　crew　on　my　diahbeeah；　and　some　picked　men　of
the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　who　always　accompanied　me。　The　best　and　most　devoted
man　that　I　have　ever　seen　was　a　corporal　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　named
Monsoor。　This　man　was　a　Copt　（Christian　descendant　of　the　true
Egyptians）；　he　was　rather　short；　but　exceedingly　powerful；　he　swam　and
dived　like　an　otter；　and　never　seemed　to　feel　fatigue。　He　was　always　in
good　health；　very　courageous；　and　he　accompanied　me　like　my　own　shadow；
he　seemed　to　watch　over　me　as　a　mother　would　regard　an　only　child。　In
fact；　this　excellent　man　appeared　to　have　only　one　thought　and　object。

I　had　been　as　usual　exploring　far　ahead　of　the　toiling　and　labouring
fleet；　when；　after　pulling　our　little　boat　with　the　aid　of　fourteen　men
for　several　hours　over　a　great　mass　of　high　floating　grass；　we　suddenly
emerged　upon　open　water。　We　at　once　took　to　our　boat；　and　hoisted　the
sprit…sail。　The　men　stowed　themselves　as　ballast　in　the　bottom。　The　wind
was　strong　from　the　north；　and　we　travelled　at　about　five　miles　per
hour；　the　lake　expanding　as　we　rounded　a　promontory　until　it　attained　a
width　of　about　half　a　mile。　Following　the　course　of　the　lake　for　about
five　miles；　we　found　a　river　flowing　directly　into　the　long…sought
channel。　Only　one　mile　and　a　quarter　from　the　lake；　by　this　small　river；
we　entered　the　great　White　Nile！　I　cannot　describe　my　joy　and
thankfulness。　My　men　shared　my　feelings。　We　all　drank　water　from　the
turbid　river；　so　unlike　the　marsh…filtered　water　of　the　swamps；　and　as
each　man　washed　his　hands　and　face　in　the　noble　stream；　he　ejaculated
from　his　heart；　〃El　hambd　el　Illah！〃　（〃Thank　God！〃）　I　also　thanked　God。
It　was　an　hour　after　dark　when　we　returned　that　night；　after　much
difficulty；　to　my　diahbeeah；　to　which　we　were　guided　by　a　lantern　at　the
mast…head；　thoughtfully　placed　there　by　my　wife's　orders。　The　good　news
made　all　happy。　We　had　actually　that　day　drunk　water　from　the　White
Nile！

The　great　difficulty　remained　of　bringing　the　larger　vessels　into　the
lake　that　communicated　with　the　river。　After　all　the　labour　of　the　last
two　months；　I　had　succeeded　in　assembling　the　entire　fleet　in　a　sort　of
shallow　pond；　from　which　there　was　actually　no　exit。　I　had　certainly
escaped　from　this　place　by　dragging　the　little　dingy　over　about　a　mile
of　frightful　sudd；　but　although　this　sudd　covered　deep　water；　it
appeared　to　be　shut　out　from　us　by　solid　mud；　through　which　numerous
streams　percolated；　the　largest　of　which　was　about　three　feet　broad　and
six　inches　deep。　These　small　drains　concentrated　in　a　narrow　ditch；
which　was　the　principal　feeder　of　the　pond；　in　which；　with　such　infinite
trouble；　the　fleet　had　been　assembled。　It　was　an　anxious　moment；　as　it
would　be　necessary　to　cut　a　canal　through　solid　mud　for　a　great　distance
before　we　could　reach　the　lake；　and　as　we　had　made　a　free　exit　for　the
water　behind　us；　while　it　only　slowly　oozed　through　before　us；　we　stood
a　fair　chance　of　being　left　helplessly　around。

On　the　following　morning；　the　good　news　of　the　discovery　of　the　White
Nile　flew　through　the　expedition。　Many　did　not　believe　it；　but
considered　it　was　a　dodge　to　induce　them　to　extra　exertion。　I
immediately　gave　orders　for　a　channel　to　be　opened　through　the　mud　and
large　obstruction　into　the　lake。　After　some　days'　hard　work；　a　passage
was　completed　that　was　sufficiently　deep　to　admit　the　diahbeeah。　It
required　a　whole　day　to　force　her　through　this　narrow　channel；　and　in
the　evening　we　entered　the　lake；　and　hoisted　the　flag　at　the　end　of　the
tall　yard；　as　a　signal　to　the　fleet　that　we　had　accomplished　the
passage。

It　was　now　only　necessary　to　work　hard　and　improve　the　channel
sufficiently　to　admit　the　passage　of　the　steamer　and　heavier　vessels。

Unfortunately　my　fears　had　proved　correct；　the　fleet　was　hard　and　fast
aground！　The　steamer　was　so　helplessly　deserted　by　the　water；　that　she
would　have　served　for　a　Nilometer　upon　which　to　mark　the　level；　like　the
rock　at　Assouan。　It　was　simply　impossible　to　move　her；　as　she　was　as
solidly　fixed　as　a　church。　Every　other　vessel　of　the　fleet　stood　high
out　of　the　water；　which　had　run　out　by　the　clear　channel　we　had　opened
in　the　rear。

The　officers　and　men　were　in　consternation。　With　the　prize　within　our
grasp；　it　would　be　physically　impossible　to　proceed　Those　sort　of　people
are　soon　disheartened；　and　I　made　great　allowance　for　them；　as　the　work
of　the　last　two　months　had　been　sufficient　to　destroy　all　energy。

I　at　once　determined　to　make　a　dam　behind　the　vessels　so　as　to　inclose
the　position　in　which　we　lay　like　a　mill　pond。　Common　sense　assured　me
that　this　must　succeed　in　raising　the　level；　provided　we　could　construct
a　dam　of　sufficient　strength　to　bear　the　pressure　of　water。

I　had　a　great　quantity　of　fir　timber　in　the　shape　of　beams　and　rafters
for　building　purposes。　I　therefore　instructed　Mr。　Higginbotham　to
prepare　two　rows　of　piles　which　were　to　be　driven　across　the　river。　This
able　engineer　set　to　work　with　his　usual　energy；　assisted　by　Lieutenant
J。　A。　Baker　and　the　Englishmen；　together　with　all　the　mechanics　that　had
been　brought　from　Cairo。

The　piles　were　driven　with　some　difficulty；　and　diagonal　struts　were
fastened　from　the　top　of　the　front　row　to　the　base　of　the　rear。
Horizontal　beams　then　secured　the　entire　line　of　skeleton　bridge。

For　two　days　1；500　men　were　employed　in　making　fascines　of　long；　thick
reeds　tied　in　large　bundles；　in　the　centre　of　which　was　concealed　a　mass
of　about　fifty　pounds　of　stiff　clap。　These　bundles　were　firmly　lashed
with　twisted　rushes。　I　had　500　corn　sacks　filled　with　sand　and　clay；
these　were　to　form　the　foundation　of　the　dam；　and　to　prevent　the　water
from　burrowing　beneath。

Every　company　of　troops　had　to　prepare　a　certain　number　of　fascines；
which　were　piled　on　the　side　of　the　river；　which　had　now　exposed　solid
banks　overgrown　with　the　high　reedy　grass。　This　immensely　long　and　thick
grass；　resembling　sugar…canes；　was　exactly　the　material　that　we
required。　It　was　this　gratis　that　created　natural　obstructions；　and
would　therefore　assist　us　in　our　artificial　obstruction　or　dam。　The
sailors　of　the　fleet　worked　in　divisions　under　separate　officers。

On　March　13；　all　the　preparations　were　completed　for　the　work　of　filling
in　the　dam。　Great　piles　of　solid　balls　of　clay；　of　about　40　lbs。　each；
had　been　arranged　in　convenient　places　to　stop　up　any　leaks　that　should
occur。

I　stood　on　one　of　the　stranded　boats　only　a　few　yards　from　the　row　of
piles。　The　men　were　all　in　their　places。　The　buglers　and　drummers　stood
upon　another　vessel　ready　to　give　the　signal。

At　the　first　bugle；　every　two　men　lifted　the　sacks　of　sand　and　clay。　At
once　all　the　drums　and　bugles　then　sounded　the　advance；　and　500　heavy
sacks　were　dropped　into　the　row　of　piles；　and　firmly　stamped　down　by　the
men。　The　troops　now　worked　with　intense　energy。　It　was　a　race　between
the　Soudanis　and　the　Egyptians；　this　was　labour　to　which　the　latter　were
accustomed　in　their　own　country。　The　sailors　worked　as　vigorously　as　the
troops；　piles　of　fascines　and　clay　balls　were　laid　with　extraordinary
rapidity；　while　some　stamped　frantically　and　danced　upon　the　entangled
mass；　all　screaming　and　shouting　in　great　excitement；　and　the　bugles　and
drums　kept　up　an　incessant　din。　A　long　double　line　of　men　formed　a
transport　corps；　and　passed　a　never…failing　supply　of　fascines　to　the
workers　who　stood　in　the　water　and　kneaded　firmly　the　adhesive　mass。

At　2。15　P。M。　the　river　was　completely　shut　in；　and　the　people　with
increased　energy　worked　at　the　superstructure　of　the　dam；　which　now　rose
like　a　causeway　for　about　one　hundred　and　ten　yards　from　shore　to　shore。

At　3。30　the　water　had　risen　to　an　extent　that　obliged　the　men　in　some
places　to　swim。　The　steamer　that　had　been　hopelessly　stranded；　and　the
entire　fleet；　were　floating　merrily　in　the　pond。　Thank　God；　I　had
forgotten　nothing　in　the　preparatory　arrangements　for　the　expedition。
Without　the　spades；　hoes；　grass…knives；　bill…hooks；　timber；　&c。；　&c。；
we　never　could　have　succeeded　in　this　journey。

My　diahbeeah　was　in　the　lake　waiting　for　the　fleet　to　accomplish　the
passage。　I　had　made　an　excursion　one　day　in　the　dingy　to　examine　the
south　end　of　the　lake；　which　I　found　to　be　about　eight　miles　in　length。
On　returning；　I　was　rather　anxious　for　the　small　boat；　as　a　bull
hippopotamus　made　a　hostile　demonstration。　The　water　was　not　more　than
five　feet　six　inches　deep；　thus　as　the　hippo；　after　having　snorted　and
sunk；　continued　to　approach　the　boat；　I　could　distinguish　the　path　of
his　advance　by　the　slight　wave　raised　upon　the　surface。　He　presently
raised　his　head　about　twenty　yards　from　the　boat；　but　at　the　same　time
he　received　a　Reilly　explosive　shell　under　the　eye　which　ended　his
worldly　cares。

There　were　many　hippopotami　in　this　lake；　and；　very　shortly　after　I　had
killed　the　first；　I　shot　a　second　much　in　the　same　manner。