ismailia-第31章

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in　entering　the　cattle　zareeba。　One　of　them　confessed　that　a　large　body
of　natives　was　assembled　in　the　high　grass　near　the　banks　of　the　river；
with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　camp　during　the　night。

I　immediately　took　eighteen　men；　and　posted　them　in　three　parties　of　six
at　various　points　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　my　station。　They　were
to　lie　concealed　in　these　positions；　which　commanded　every　approach　to
the　camp。

At　10。30　P。M。　I　was　aroused　by　the　sound　of　firing；　and　upon　arrival　at
the　shot　I　found　that　the　sentries　had　fired　into　the　advanced　party　of
natives；　some　of　whom　they　declared　to　be　wounded；　but　I　could　find　no
trace　of　blood。

Open　war　had　commenced。　The　natives　had　deserted　their　villages　on　the
portion　of　the　island　opposite　to　my　camp。　This　was　about　seven　miles　in
length；　therefore；　in　return　for　the　attacks　made　upon　my　people　on　our
mainland；　I　determined　to　pay　the　Baris　a　visit。

I　issued　the　necessary　orders。　At　3　A。M。；　on　June　5th；　five　boats　with
sixty　men　dropped　silently　down　the　east　channel　of　the　river；　with
orders　to　land　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　island。　At　the　same　time　two
companies　of　troops　landed　opposite　my　station；　where　they　waited　in　the
dark　until　the　steamer；　with　myself　and　two　companies　on　board；　had
rounded　the　head　of　the　island；　and　had　obtained　a　position　in　the　west
channel。　The　troops　then　advanced　while　the　steamer　ran　easily　down　the
strong　current。　Everything　went　well；　but　the　noise　of　the　paddles
quickly　gave　the　alarm；　and　the　sound　of　a　big　drum　in　the　distance　was
almost　immediately　responded　to　by　many　others　from　various　points。

The　steamer　now　ran　at　half　speed　along　the　river；　the　intention　of
cutting　off　any　native　canoes；　or　intercepting　any　herds　of　cattle　that
might　be　passing　to　the　west　mainland。　Every　arrangement　was　well
carried　out；　but；　unfortunately；　as　we　were　running　at　about　nine　miles
an　hour；　the　steamer　suddenly　struck　upon　a　sand…bank；　where　she
remained　fixed。

After　some　vain　attempts　to　float　her；　I　instructed　Raouf　Bey　to　do　his
best　with　her；　and　act；　according　to　circumstances；　at　his　own
discretion；　while　I　left　the　steamer　in　the　dingy；　accompanied　by
Lieutenant　Baker　and　six　soldiers　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　with　the
intention　of　joining　the　two　companies　under　Lieutenant…Colonel
Abd…el…Kader；　who　were　marching　down　the　island　from　south　to　north。

We　rowed　down　the　stream　for　forty…five　minutes　along　the　west　bank　of
the　island。　I　had　calculated　the　distance　by　time；　and　having　allowed
for　the　delay　on　the　steamer　and　the　pace　at　which　the　troops　under
Abd…el…Rader　would　march；　I　concluded　that　we　should　now　land　somewhere
near　them。　This　turned　out　correct；　as　we　joined　his　party　a　few　minutes
after　we　had　left　the　boat。　I　immediately　detached　a　sergeant　and
nineteen　men　to　march　along　the　east　bank　until　they　should　meet　my
boat；　which　had　been　ordered　to　continue　along　the　west　bank　until　it
should　turn　round　the　tail　of　the　island；　when　it　was　to　return　home　by
the　east　channel；　that　would　lead　direct　to　my　station。

We　had　not　seen　any　Baris　upon　the　island；　which　appeared　to　be　quite
deserted。　The　character　of　the　ground　had　changed。　We　had　left　the　dry
portion；　which　had　been　lately　sown　with　dhurra；　and　we　had　arrived
among　scattered　masses　of　tall　reeds　growing　from　mud　lately　hardened　by
the　sun　and　full　of　deep　cattle…ruts。

I　threw　out　skirmishers；　as　we　shortly　entered　a　bad　piece　of　country。
At　this　moment　wo　heard　shots　fired　at　the　tail　of　the　island；　about　two
miles　in　our　front。

We　pushed　on　at　the　double；　until　stopped　by　a　deep　channel　of　the　river
about　thirty　yards　wide。　On　the　other　side　we　now　heard　the　horns　of　the
natives　and　the　lowing　of　cattle。　It　was　necessary　to　skirt　the　banks　of
the　channel　through　thick　forest；　thus；　following　the　stream；　we　shortly
arrived　at　the　main　river；　just　in　time　to　see　the　natives　at　a　distance
of　a　quarter　of　a　mile　swimming　a　large　herd　of　cattle　across　the　stream
to　the　east　shore；　where　they　landed　and　safely　gained　the　forest。　They
were　quickly　pursued　by　the　troops　who；　having　landed　at　the　tail　of　the
island；　were　in　chase；　and　being　supplied　with　boats；　they　crossed　over
the　river　and　followed　hard　upon　the　track　of　the　retreating　cattle。

The　Baris　did　not　suspect　that　they　would　be　followed　to　the　main　shore；
thus　upon　reaching　the　forest　they　continued　their　retreat　leisurely。　My
black　troops　were　wonderful　runners；　thus；　when　once　upon　the　track　of
the　herd；　they　went　along　like　hounds　and　overtook　the　Baris；　who　had　no
idea　of　the　pursuit　until　the　soldiers　were　among　them。　The　affair　ended
by　the　capture　of　a　portion　of　the　herd；　and　the　return　to　camp　at　5。30
P。M。　We　had　eaten　nothing　since　the　previous　evening；　as　the　boat
containing　our　breakfast　had　not　yet　appeared。　We　had　been　on　our　legs
in　the　sun　for　fourteen　hours；　thus　we　were　ready　for　dinner　on　the
return　to　camp。　I　was　anxious　about　the　missing　boat。　On　the　following
day；　June　6；　at　4。40　P。M。；　the　lost　dingy　arrived　with　her　crew　all
safe。　They　had　missed　their　way　by　taking　a　wrong　channel　of　the　river；
which　led　them　into　a　labyrinth　of　high　reeds；　where　they　were　obliged
to　pass　the　night　among　clouds　of　mosquitoes。

On　the　following　day　they　began　the　tedious　journey　by　rowing　homeward
against　the　stream。　They　came　suddenly　upon　a　large　body　of　natives；　who
immediately　attacked　them　with　arrows；　one　of　which　went　through　the
trousers　of　a　soldier。　My　men　told　a　long　story；　and　made　themselves　out
to　be　perfect　heroes；　but　my　servants　and　the　boatmen　told　a　very
different　tale；　and　declared　that　they　had　thrown　themselves　down　in　the
bottom　of　the　boat　to　avoid　the　arrows；　and　my　servant；　Mohammed　Haroon；
had　himself　fired　my　heavy　gun　loaded　with　mould　shot　at　the　enemy。

On　7th　June　I　discovered　that　the　Baris　of　Gondokoro　had　leagued
themselves　with　the　natives　of　Belinian　against　us。

They　had　attacked　conjointly　on　several　occasions。　On　this　day　the
natives　in　force　having；　as　usual；　crept　stealthily　from　bush　to　tree
without　being　perceived　by　the　soldiers；　made　a　sudden　rush　upon　the
cattle　guards；　and　shot　one　soldier　with　an　arrow　and　wounded　another
with　a　lance。　I　immediately　gave　orders　for　an　attack　on　Belinian　that
night。　At　12。30　A。M。　I　left　my　station　on　horseback；　accompanied　by
Lieutenant　Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham；　together　with　Lieutenant…Colonel
Abdel…Kader　and　twenty　men　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃　Not　a　word　was
spoken；　as　it　was　important　to　march　without　the　slightest　noise　that
might　alarm　the　native　scouts　who　were　generally　prowling　about
throughout　the　night。　We　arrived　at　head…quarters；　a　mile　and　a　half
distant；　where　four　companies　with　one　gun　had　been　ordered　to　be　in
readiness。　（My　little　station；　Hellet…et…Sit；　was　a　mile　and　a　half
north　from　the　camp　of　Gondokoro；　on　the　river's　bank。）　At　1　A。M。　We
started　with　a　Bari　guide　named　Sherroom；　who　had　volunteered　to　serve
me；　together　with　his　friend　Morgian；　at　the　commencement　of　the　war。
These　men　spoke　Arabic；　and　since　the　flight　of　Tomby；　the　interpreter
（who　had　joined　our　enemies）；　these　two　Baris　were　our　invaluable
allies。

The　route　to　Belinian　lay　for　the　first　two　miles　through　open　park…like
country。　We　then　entered　the　forest；　where　the　darkness　made　it
difficult　to　drag　the　gun；　the　wheels　of　which　constantly　stuck　in　the
stumps　and　roots　of　trees。　Several　times　we　had　to　halt；　for　the　rear　to
come　up　with　this　unmanageable　gun；　and　I　feared　the　delay　might　destroy
our　chance　of　taking　the　enemy　by　surprise。

To　make　matters　worse；　the　route　became　swampy。　Sometimes　the　horses
sank　nearly　hock…deep　in　mud；　which　in　the　pitch　darkness　they　could　not
avoid。　In　such　places　it　required　the　force　of　thirty　men　to　drag　the
gun；　and　the　delays　became　serious。　Lieutenant…Colonel　Tayib　Agha
commanded　the　three　companies　of　Soudani　troops　who　escorted　the
field…piece；　and　took　it　in　turns　to　assist　the　artillerymen　in　the
weary　work　of　dragging　the　gun　through　swamps　and　bush。

The　night　wore　on；　it　began　to　rain。　I　was　riding　in　advance　with
Lieutenant　Baker；　Mr。　Higginbotham；　and　twenty　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃
while　Raouf　Bey　followed　me　with　fifty　Egyptian　troops。　It　was
absolutely　necessary　to　push　on。　Tayib　Agha　had　a　native　guide；
therefore　he　and　his　gun　could　take　care　of　themselves。　Accordingly　I
pushed　on　ahead　as　an　advanced　guard；　delighted　to　be　quit　of　the
impediment　of　artillery。

In　about　an　hour　we　arrived　at　firm　ground；　and　the　country　became　more
open　and　undulating。　The　clouds　began　to　break　and　the　rain　ceased。　We
pushed　briskly　forward　until；　after　marching　at　the　pace　of　four　miles
per　hour；　the　guide；　Sherroom；　suddenly　halted。　We　were　now　in　a　clear
space　where　a　few　large　trees　grew　in　a　clump　upon　our　right。　Sherroom；
who　evidently　knew　every　inch　of　the　country；　whispered　that　we　must
wait　here　in　silence；　as　there　were　villages　not　far　off；　and　the
stockade　that　we　were　to　attack　was　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood。　It
was　nearly　5　A。M。；　and　although　we　had　marched　since　one　o'clock；　we
were　not　more　than　nine　miles　from　Gondokoro。　I　trusted　that　our　halt
would　allow　the　rear　to　join　us　with　the　gun　which　had　caused　so　much
delay。

We　waited　for　about　half…an…hour　in　perfect　silence。　There　was　not　a
star　upon　the　sky；　which　was　dark　and　murky；　thus　we　could　distinguish
nothing。　At　length　the　black　night　began　to　grow　more　grey；　and　we　could
just　make　out　some　dark　masses；　that　appeared　to　be　villages；　upon　the
right　and　left。　We　now　marched　rapidly；　but　without　the　slightest　noise。
The　morning　grew　greyer；　and　birds　began　to　whistle。　We　could
distinguish　trees　and　the　tall　crops　of　dhurra。

There　was　no　sign　of　Tayib　Agha　and　his　detachment；　but　it　was
absolutely　necessary　to　push　forward。

We　were　thus　hurrying　on；　sometimes　through　cultivated　fields；　at　others
through　strips　of　forest；　when　we　suddenly　heard　the　long　shrill　cry
that　is　the　native　signal　of　danger。　This　was　from　a　Bari　watchman；　who；
more　awake　than　those　by　whom　we　must　have　passed　unobserved；　now　gave
the　alarm。　This　cry　was　immediately　repeated　in　various　directions。
There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　Sherroom　bounded　forward　like　an　antelope；
at　a　pace　that　kept　our　horses　at　a　hand　gallop。　In　a　couple　of　minutes
we　saw　a　large　circular　stockade　in　a　clear　space；　but　within　fifty
yards　of　the　forest　on　our　left。　We　galloped　up；　followed　closely　by　the
〃Forty　Thieves；〃　who　ran　like　hounds。　I　immediately　surrounded　the
stockade；　from　which　the　natives　had　commenced　to　shoot　their　arrows。
The　Egyptian　troops　were　close　up；　and　in　the　uncertain　light　it　was
impossible　to　see　the　arrows　in　their　flight；　thus　one　soldier　was
immediately　wounded；　another　received　a　shot　through　his　trousers。　An
arrow　stuck　in　Mr。　Higginbotham's　saddle；　and　they　began　to　fly　about
very　viciously。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　now　opened　fire；　while　the　Egyptians
were　drawn　up　in　a　line　about　fifty　yards　from　the　stockade。　It　was
rather　awkward；　as　the　defence　was　a　circle：　thus　as　the　troops　fired
into　a　common　centre；　the　bullets　that　passed　through　the　intervening
space