ismailia-第25章

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killed　the　first；　I　shot　a　second　much　in　the　same　manner。　I　always
carried　a　harpoon　in　the　boat　with　the　rope　and　ambatch　float。　The
latter　was　painted　red；　so　that　it　could　be　easily　observed。　I
therefore；　stuck　the　harpoon　in　the　dead　hippopotamus　as　a　mark；　and
hastened　back　to　my　diahbeeah　for　assistance；　as　the　flesh　of　two
hippopotami　would　be　very　welcome　to　the　people；　who　had　not　received
rations　of　butcher's　meat　for　many　weeks。　On　arrival　at　the　diahbeeah　we
quickly　made　sail；　and　soon　returned　to　the　hippopotamus。　By　the　time　we
had　cut　up　this　large　animal　and　secured　the　flesh；　the　sun　was　so　low
that　I　considered　it　would　be　better　to　fasten　the　other　hippo　by　a　rope
attached　to　the　hind　legs；　and　tow　it　bodily　astern　of　the　diahbeeah。　It
could　then　be　divided　on　the　following　day。

In　this　manner　we　returned　to　our　anchorage　at　the　tail　of　the　lake；
close　to　the　entrance　of　the　new　channel。　By　the　time　we　arrived；　the
moon　was　up。　The　diahbeeah　was　close　to　a　mud…bank　covered　with　high
grass；　and　about　thirty　yards　astern　of　her　was　a　shallow　part　of　the
lake　about　three　feet　deep。　A　light　boat　of　zinc　was　full　of　strips　of
hippopotamus'　flesh；　and　the　dingy　was　fastened　alongside。

After　dinner　and　a　pipe；　the　usual　arrangements　were　made　for　the　night。
There　were　many　servants；　male　and　female；　on　board；　these　began　to
suspend　their　mosquito　curtains　to　the　rigging　and　to　creep　beneath；　the
sailors；　after　chatting　for　a　considerable　time；　dropped　off　to
sleepuntil　the　sentry　was　the　only　man　on　board　who　was　on　the　alert。
I　always　slept　on　the　poop…deck；　which　was　comfortably　arranged　with
sofas　and　carpets。

The　night　was　cold；　and　the　moon　clear　and　bright。　Every　one　was　wrapped
up　in　warm　blankets；　and　I　was　so　sound　asleep；　that　I　cannot　describe
more　until　I　was　suddenly　awoke　by　a　tremendous　splashing　quite　close　to
the　diahbeeah；　accompanied　by　the　hoarse　wild　snorting　of　a　furious
hippopotamus。　I　jumped　up；　and　immediately　perceived　a　hippo　which　was
apparently　about　to　attack　the　vessel。　The　main　deck　being　crowded　with
people　sleeping　beneath　their　thick　mosquito　curtains；　attached　to　the
stairs　of　the　poop…deck；　and　to　the　rigging　in　all　directions；　rendered
it　impossible　to　descend。　I　at　once　tore　away　some　of　the　ties；　and
awakened　the　sleepy　people。　My　servant；　Suleiman；　was　sleeping　next　to
the　cabin　door。　I　called　to　him　for　a　rifle。　Before　the　affrighted
Suleiman　could　bring　the　rifle；　the　hippopotamus　dashed　at　us　with
indescribable　fury。　With　one　blow　he　capsized　and　sank　the　zinc　boat
with　its　cargo　of　flesh。　In　another　instant　he　seized　the　dingy　in　his
immense　jaws；　and　the　crash　of　splintered　wood　betokened　the　complete
destruction　of　my　favourite　boat。　By　this　time　Suleiman　appeared　from
the　cabin　with　an　unloaded　gun　in　his　hand　and　without　ammunition。　This
was　a　very　good　man；　but　he　was　never　overburdened　with　presence　of
mind；　he　was　shaking　so　fearfully　with　nervousness；　that　his　senses　had
entirely　abandoned　him。　All　the　people　were　shouting　and　endeavouring　to
scare　the　hippo；　which　attacked　us　without　ceasing　with　a　blind　fury
that　I　have　never　witnessed　in　any　animal　except　a　bull…dog。

By　this　time　I　had　procured　a　rifle　from　the　cabin；　where　they　were
always　kept　fixed　in　a　row；　loaded　and　ready　for　action；　with　bags　of
breechloading　ammunition　on　the　same　shelf。

The　movements　of　the　animal　were　so　rapid　as　he　charged　and　plunged
alternately　beneath　the　water　in　a　cloud　of　foam　and　wave；　that　it　was
impossible　to　aim　correctly　at　the　small　but　fatal　spot　upon　the　head。

The　moon　was　extremely　bright；　and　presently；　as　he　charged　straight　at
the　diahbeeah；　I　stopped　him　with　a　No。　8　Reilly　shell。　To　my　surprise；
he　soon　recovered；　and　again　commenced　the　attack。

I　fired　shot　after　shot　at　him　without　apparent　effect。　The　diahbeeah
rocked　about　upon　the　waves　raised　by　the　efforts　of　so　large　an　animal；
this　movement　rendered　the　aim　uncertain。　At　length；　apparently　badly
wounded；　he　retired　to　the　high　grass；　there　he　lay　by　the　bank；　at
about　twenty…five　yards'　distance；　snorting　and　blowing。

I　could　not　distinguish　him；　as　merely　the　head　was　above　water；　and
this　was　concealed　by　the　deep　shadow　thrown　by　the　high　grass。　Thinking
that　he　would　die；　I　went　to　bed；　but　before　this　I　took　the　precaution
to　arrange　a　white　paper　sight　upon　the　muzzle　of　my　rifle；　without
which；　night　shooting　is　very　uncertain。

We　had　fallen　asleep；　but　in　about　half　an　hour　we　were　awoke　by　another
tremendous　splash；　and　once　more　this　mad　beast　came　charging　directly
at　us　as　though　unhurt。　In　another　instant　he　was　at　the　diahbeeah；　but
I　met　him　with　a　ball　in　the　top　of　his　head　which　sent　him　rolling　over
and　over；　sometimes　on　his　back；　kicking　with　his　four　legs　above　the
surface；　and　again　producing　waves　which　rocked　the　diahbeeah。　In　this
helpless　manner　he　rolled　for　about　fifty　yards　down　the　stream；　and　we
all　thought　him　killed。

To　our　amazement　he　recovered；　and　we　heard　him　splashing　as　he　moved
slowly　along　the　river　through　the　high　grass　by　the　left　bank。　There　he
remained　snorting　and　blowing；　and　as　the　light　of　the　moon　was　of　no
service　in　the　dark　shadows　of　the　high　grass；　we　waited　for　a
considerable　time　and　then　went　to　bed；　with　the　rifle　placed　in
readiness　on　deck。

In　a　short　time　I　heard　louder　splashing。　I　again　got　up；　and　I
perceived　him　about　eighty　yards　distant；　walking　slowly　across　the
river　in　the　shallows。　Having　a　fair　shot　at　the　shoulder；　I　fired　right
and　left　with　the　No。　8　Reilly　rifle；　and　I　distinctly　heard　the　bullets
strike。　He　nevertheless　reached　the　right　bank；　when　he　presently　turned
round　and　attempted　to　re…cross　the　shallow。　This　gave　me　a　good　chance
at　the　shoulder；　as　his　body　was　entirely　exposed。　He　staggered　forward
at　the　shot；　and　fell　dead　in　the　shallow　flat　of　the　river。

He　was　now　past　recovery。　　It　was　very　cold：　the　thermometer　was　54
degrees　Fahrenheit；　and　the　blankets　were　very　agreeable；　as　once　more
all　hands　turned　in　to　sleep。

On　the　following　morning　I　made　a　post…mortem　examination。　　He　had
received　three　shots　in　the　flank　and　shoulder；　four　in　the　head；　one　of
which　had　broken　his　lower　jaw；　another　through　his　nose　had　passed
downward　and　cut　off　one　of　his　large　tusks。　I　never　witnessed　such
determined　and　unprovoked　fury　as　was　exhibited　by　this　animalhe
appeared　to　be　raving　mad。　His　body　was　a　mass　of　frightful　scars；　the
result　of　continual　conflicts　with　bulls　of　his　own　species；　some　of
these　wounds　were　still　unhealed。　There　was　one　scar　about　two　feet　in
length；　and　about　two　inches　below　the　level　of　the　surface　skin；　upon
the　flank。　He　was　evidently　a　character　of　the　worst　description；　but
whose　madness　rendered　him　callous　to　all　punishment。　I　can　only　suppose
that　the　attack　upon　the　vessels　was　induced　by　the　smell　of　the　raw
hippopotamus　flesh；　which　was　hung　in　long　strips　about　the　rigging；　and
with　which　the　zinc　boat　was　filled。　The　dead　hippopotamus　that　was
floating　astern　lashed　to　the　diahbeeah　had　not　been　molested。

We　raised　the　zinc　boat；　which　was　fortunately　unhurt。　　The　dingy　had
lost　a　mouthful；　as　the　hippopotamus　had　bitten　out　a　portion　of　the
side；　including　the　gunwale　of　hard　wood；　he　had　munched　out　a　piece
like　the　port　of　a　small　vessel；　which　he　had　accomplished　with　the　same
ease　as　though　it　had　been　a　slice　of　toast。

I　sent　the　boat　to　the　English　shipwrights　for　repair；　and　these　capital
workmen　turned　it　out　in　a　few　days　nearly　as　good　as　new。

The　success　of　the　dam　was　most　complete。　　The　river　rose　so　as　to
overflow　the　marshes；　which　enabled　us　to　push　all　the　vessels　up　the
channel　without　the　necessity　of　deepening　it　by　spade　labour。

〃March　14。Should　we　succeed　in　reaching　Gondokoro　without　serious
loss；　it　will　be　the　greatest　possible　triumph　over　difficulties；　which
no　one　can　understand　who　has　not　witnessed　the　necessities　of　the
journey。

〃A　diahbeeah　arrived　in　the　lake；　breaking　her　yard　in　a　sudden　shift　of
wind；　and　giving　a　man　a　fall　from　aloft；　which　was　fatal。

〃The　steamer　and　fleet　are　coming　through　the　sudd　as　fast　as　the　troops
clear　the　channel。

〃March　15。The　steamer　arrived　in　the　lake　at　3。30　P。M。

〃March　16。Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　61　degrees；　noon；　82　degrees。　Eleven
vessels　entered　the　lake　last　night。　The　wind　has　been　very　variable　for
the　last　few　days；　and　the　true　north　wind　appears　to　have　deserted　us；
the　absence　of　a　fair　breeze　delays　us　sadly　in　pushing　through　the
narrow　channels　against　the　stream。

〃Dysentery　and　scurvy　are　prevalent　among　the　Egyptians。　Four　Egyptian
soldiers　and　two　Soudanis　have　deserted。　Where　these　wretched　fools
intend　to　wander　is　quite　a　speculation；they　appear　to　have　yielded
to　a　temptation　to　run　away　upon　the　first　dry　land　that　they　have　seen
for　months。

〃The　fleet　assembled　in　the　lake。　　The　Egyptian　troops　cut　a　passage　for
fifty　yards　through　a　sudd　in　a　channel　through　which　the　fleet　must
pass；　as　there　is　a　shallow　that　will　prevent　them　from　taking　the　main
course　of　the　lake。

〃To…morrow　the　whole　force　will　turn　out　and　cut　the　remaining　portion
of　about　300　yards；　there　will　then　be　no　difficulty　except　a　sudd　of
about　three　quarters　of　a　mile　between　the　lake　and　the　White　Nile。

〃March　17。We　cut　through　the　sudd；　and　all　the　vessels　entered　the
broad　waters　of　the　lake　and　anchored　in　the　evening　opposite　some
native　huts；　close　to　the　channel　that　we　must　open　to…morrow。　These
huts　are　the　first　habitations　that　we　have　seen　for　more　than　two
months；they　are　now　deserted　by　the　frightened　fishermen　who　had
occupied　them。

〃March　18。The　diahbeeah　led　the　way　at　7。30　A。M。　through　the　channel
that　is　closed　by　grass　and　the　Pistia　Stratiotes。　At　10。15　we　arrived
in　the　White　Nile。　There　is　plenty　of　water　throughout　the　closed
channel；　but　there　was　some　heavy　work　to　clear　the　vegetation。

〃March　19。All　the　vessels　came　through　into　the　White　Nile；　and　there
was　great　rejoicing　throughout　the　fleet。　At　length　the　men　really
believed　that　a　country　of　dry　land　might　lie　before　them；　and　that　they
were　delivered　from　the　horrible　chaos　or　'Slough　of　Despond'　in　which
they　had　now　laboured　for　sixty　days。

〃I　served　out　new　tow…ropes　to　the　fleet；　and　ordered　No。　13　transport
to　discharge　and　divide　her　cargo　among　other　vessels；　and　to　take　on
board　thirty　soldiers　to　accompany　the　steamer　to…morrow。　We　remounted
the　steamer's　paddles　and　tautened　all　the　rigging　of　the　diahbeeah；
mended　sails；　and　thoroughly　repaired　for　a　start　to…morrow。　No。　31
being　a　rotten　vessel；　I　ordered　her　cargo　to　be　divided　among　the
lighter　boats。　I　gave　stringent　orders　to　the　officers　to　protect　all
ammunition　and　bales　of　goods　with　galvanized　iron　plates　in　case　of
rain。

〃March　20。All　the　vessels　got　away　by　9　A。M。　with　a　rattling　breeze。　
The　steamer　started　at　10。8　A。M。；　but　was　delayed　one　hour　and　twenty
minutes　by　her　stupidly　dragging　the　nogger　ashore　in　rounding　a　sharp
corner。

〃At　5。15　P。M。　we　arrived　at　a　forest　on　the　west　bank。　　At　6。45　P。M。　we
stopped；　as　I　was　afraid　we　might　pass　the　statio