ismailia-第36章

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advance。〃　Again　firing　commenced；　this　time　in　volleys；　then　I　heard
once　more　〃cease　firing；〃　and　then　〃the　retreat：〃　the　attack　was
repulsed。

I　could　not　understand　why　my　little　station　had　not　been　attacked；　but
I　subsequently　heard　that　the　natives　were　more　afraid　of　the　〃Forty
Thieves〃　than　of　the　entire　force。　Added　to　this　was　the　powerful　reason
that　I　had　only　a　few　cows　for　milk；　while　the　attraction　of　many
thousand　head　of　cattle　induced　an　attack　on　the　camp　at　Gondokoro。

On　the　following　morning　before　sunrise　I　rode　up　to　camp　to　hear　the
news。　It　appeared　that　the　natives　had　actually　surprised　the　sentries。
We　had　lost　a　corporal；　killed；　and　a　lieutenant　and　one　soldier　were
wounded　by　arrows。

The　Baris　and　the　Loquia　had　attacked　in　large　force　with　the　intention
of　burning　the　station；　as　many　were　provided　with　flaming　firebrands；
with　which　they　had　advanced　bravely　to　the　edge　of　the　thorn　fence。　Had
the　station　not　been　protected　by　this　defence　it　is　probable　that　the
enemy　might　have　succeeded　in　firing　the　houses。

As　usual；　the　troops　had　fired　badly。　Such　a　fusilade　as　I　had　heard
should　have　covered　the　plain　with　dead。　The　officers　and　men　declared
that　great　numbers　of　the　enemy　were　killed；　but　their　comrades　had
carried　off　the　bodies。　This　was　true　to　a　certain　extent；　as　I　saw
blood　in　many　directions；　and　we　found　one　Loquia　lying　dead　with　two
bullet　wounds；　through　the　head　and　thigh。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　camp　was　surprised　through　the　neglect　of
the　patrol　and　the　sleepiness　of　sentries；　and　it　was　only　saved　by　the
thorn　fence　and　the　fire　of　so　large　a　force　as　1；100　men。　The　colonel
in　command　of　the　troops；　Raouf　Bey；　could　give　no　satisfactory
explanation　for　the　silence　of　the　artillery；　but　he　subsequently　told
me　they　HAD　FORGOTTEN　ITS　EXISTENCE　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment。
Another　officer　told　me　they　had　brought　up　one　gun；　but　could　not　find
the　key　of　the　ammunition。　I　remembered　what　David　said　in　his　haste；
and　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　they　had　been　disgracefully　surprised。

I　determined　to　lose　no　time　in　protecting　the　station　by　a　ditch　and
earthwork；　so　that　I　could　leave　a　garrison　without　risk；　and　I　would
then　attack　the　country　in　every　direction。

The　iron　magazines　were　completed；　and　all　goods　and　supplies　were
stored。　The　camp　was　so　far　finished　that　the　men　were　housed。　I
therefore　drew　a　plan　for　the　fort；　which　I　intrusted　to　the　care　of　Mr。
Higginbotham；　the　chief　engineer；　for　execution。　I　gave　orders　that　all
hands；　including　the　sailors；　should　immediately　be　employed　to　dig　the
fosse。　The　expedition　was　well　supplied　with　tools；　and　the　work　was
commenced　with　vigour；　as　the　officers　and　men　did　not　object　to　have　a
deep　ditch　between　them　and　the　enemy。

I　also　planned　a　triangular　fort　as　a　protection　to　my　small　herd　of
about　a　hundred　milch　cows　at　my　own　station。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　did
not　require　a　fort；　but　the　cattle　might　be　carried　off　by　a　sudden　rush
that　would　induce　a　stampede　unless　they　were　well　secured。

〃The　Forty〃　set　to　work；　assisted　daily　by　thirty　men　from
head…quarters；　and　we　soon　had　a　strong　fort；　with　ditch　and　rampart；
that　defied　attack。

A　short　time　after　the　grand　surprise　of　the　camp　at　head…quarters；　the
last　attempt　was　made　upon　my　little　station；　which　ended　as　usual　in　my
men　being　well　on　the　alert；　and　in　the　death　of　one　of　the　scouts；　shot
by　the　outlying　guard　through　the　thigh。　Before　he　died；　he　confessed
that　the　Belinian　and　the　Loquia；　together　with　the　Baris　of　Gondokoro；
had　united　in　the　general　attack　on　the　camp　on　the　21st；　but　that　they
had　lost　many　men；　who；　being　badly　wounded；　had　died　on　the　road　during
the　retreat。

My　little　station　from　this　date　went　out　of　fashion；　and　the　Baris
declined　to　attack；　as　they　subsequently　declared　that　my　sentries　were
never　asleep　like　those　at　head…quarters。

〃The　Forty〃　had　earned　a　reputation　that　increased　their　self…respect。
Not　only　were　they　nearly　sure　to　kill　the　wily　scouts；　but　patrols　at
night　searched　out　the　natives；　and　generally　came　upon　them　with　fatal
effect。


CHAPTER　X

DESTRUCTION　OF　THE　SHIR　DETACHMENT。

On　July　30；　1871；　I　was　astonished　by　the　arrival　of　the　tall　sheik；
Niambore；　with　whom　I　had　left　an　officer　and　six　men　in　the　Shir　tribe；
to　superintend　the　cultivation　of　corn。　This　fine…looking　fellow　was
introduced；　accompanied　by　five　of　his　principal　advisers。　He　shortly
told　me　his　story。　He　had　been　four　nights　on　the　road；　as　he　had　not
dared　to　travel　by　day；　fearing　the　Baris：　thus；　in　the　dark；　he　had
frequently　wandered　from　the　track。　In　the　daytime　he　had　slept　in　the
concealment　of　forests。

He　had　run　this　risk　in　order　to　be　the　first　to　give　me　the　bad　news；
lest　I　should　suspect　him　of　foul　play。　All　my　soldiers　were　killed；
except　the　major；　Achmet　Rafik；　and　a　corporal！

When　Abou　Saood　had　passed　his　country　some　weeks　since；　his　people　had
attacked　a　neighbouring　sheik；　and　had　carried　off　a　large　number　of
cattle；　although　he　was　aware　of　the　presence　of　a　government　officer
with　a　very　small　detachment。　Abou　Saood　had　sent　three　of　the　captured
cows　as　a　present　to　the　officer　in　command；　Achmet　Rafik；　who；　instead
of　protesting　against　the　razzia；　had；　Turk…like；　actually　accepted　the
present；　and　thus　had　fallen　into　the　snare。

The　natives；　smarting　under　the　unprovoked　attack；　visited　Niambore；　and
desired　him　to　send　my　men　out　of　the　country；　as　they　were　evidently
leagued　with　those　of　Abou　Saood。　The　sheik　Niambore　refused；　and
declared　that　he　should　protect　them　until　he　received　further　orders
from　me。　This　implicated　Niambore；　and　the　neighbours　then　insisted　upon
the　sacrifice　of　Achmet　Rafik　and　his　few　soldiers　in　revenge　for　their
lost　cattle。　Niambore；　with　a　chivalry　that　is　rare　among　negroes；
declared　his　determination　of　sheltering　my　people　until　he　should
communicate　with　me。　He　was　attacked　at　night　by　the　neighbouring
sheiks；　and　my　soldiers　assisted　him　in　the　defence。　The　attack　was
repulsed；　and　he　determined　to　return　the　compliment　on　the　following
day；　with　the　assistance　of　the　soldiers。　After　a　long　march　across　many
deep　channels；　the　battle　went　against　him；　and　in　a　precipitate
retreat；　the　soldiers　could　not　swim　the　deep　channels　like　Niambore's
people；　they　were　accordingly　overtaken　and　killed；　with　the　loss　of
their　arms　and　accoutrements；　now　in　possession　of　the　natives。

Major　Achmet　Rafik　and　a　corporal　were　safe；　as　they　were　both　ill；　and
had　therefore　not　accompanied　the　five　soldiers　in　the　attack。　Niambore
had　faithfully　exposed　himself　to　great　danger　in　order　to　secure　their
protection；　and　they　were　now　in　his　keeping；　concealed　in　a　forest
about　a　day's　march　from　the　village　which　had　been　their　station。

On　the　following　day　I　sent　the　steamer　off　at　9　p。m。　with　Niambore　and
twenty　men；　the　moon　being　full。　The　river　had　risen　about　four　feet　six
inches；　therefore　there　was　no　fear　of　her　touching　a　sand…bank。　At　the
same　time　I　wrote　to　Abou　Saood；　giving　him　notice　of　his　responsibility
for　the　loss　of　the　government　troops；　caused　by　his　unprovoked　and
unjustifiable　aggression。　（From　that　time；　I　of　course　gave　up　all
ideas　of　returning　the　cattle　that　had　been　captured　by　Abou　Saood；　as　I
had　originally　intended。　Such　an　act；　after　the　destruction　of　my　men；
would　have　been　received　by　the　Shir　as　a　proof　of　fear。）

All　my　anticipations　of　successful　cultivation　had　been　fruitless。　The
drought　of　this　year　had　caused　a　general　scarcity。　The　months　of　July
and　August　should　have　the　heaviest　rainfall；　July　had　just　expired　with
a　rainfall　of　only　1。13　inch。　The　mean　temperature　had　been　71　degrees　F
at　6　a。m。；　at　noon；　84　degrees　F。

I　was　very　anxious　about　our　supply　of　dhurra；　which　would　not　last　much
longer。　On　1st　August　I　ordered　the　troops　to　receive　fifteen　days'
rations　of　rice；　so　as　to　save　the　small　stock　of　dhurra　until　the　crops
should　be　ripe　upon　the　island。　These　were　guarded　by　a　company　of
troops。　I　extract　the　following　entry　from　my　journal：…

〃August　2；　1871。　The　Soudani　soldiers　are　discontented　with　their
rations　of　dhurra；　and　to…day　I　was　addressed　by　an　unreasonable　mob；
demanding　an　increase　of　corn　which　does　not　exist。　These　people　never
think　of　to…morrow；　and　during　the　long　voyage　from　Tewfikeeyah　they
have　been　stealing　the　corn；　and　drinking　merissa　heedless　of　the
future。

〃The　black　colonel；　Tayib　Agha；　is　much　to　blame　for　the　discontent；　as
he　has；　upon　several　occasions；　in　THE　PRESENCE　OF　THE　TROOPS；　told　Mr。
Higginbotham　and　myself　that　'the　men　could　not　work　well　because　they
were　hungry。'　This　foolish　remark；　made　before　the　soldiers　by　their　own
lieutenant…colonel；　is　certain　to　create　bad　feeling。

〃I　went　across　to　the　island　to　examine　the　corn：　the　greater　portion　of
the　crop　will　be　ready　in　about　eight　days；　but　the　Baris；　in　spite　of
the　guards；　are　stealing　large　quantities　during　the　night。

〃The　terrible　difficulty　in　this　country　is　the　want　of　corn；　and　now
that　all　direct　communication　with　Khartoum　is　cut　off　by　the
obstructions　in　the　Nile；　the　affair　is　most　serious。　The　natives　are
all　hostile；　thus　a　powerful　force　is　absolutely　necessary；　but　the
difficulty　is　to　feed　this　force。

〃I　wrote　an　official　letter　to　Raouf　Bey　to　caution　Lieutenant…Colonel
Tayib　Agha　against　making　remarks　in　the　presence　of　his　troops。〃

On　August　3　the　steamer　returned；　bringing　Achmet　Rafik　and　the　sole
surviving　soldier　from　the　Shir。　This　officer　declared　his　men　to　have
been　insubordinate；　and　that　they　joined　the　natives　against　his　orders
to　make　an　attack　upon　their　enemies　in　return　for　attacks　on　their
part。

Two　witnesses；　the　surviving　soldier　and　the　wife　of　one　that　was
killed；　declared　that　Achmet　Rafik　himself　gave　the　men　orders　to　fight
the　tribe；　in　company　with　the　people　of　Niambore；　but　fearing
responsibility　for　the　result；　he　now　laid　the　onus　of　failure　upon　the
insubordination　of　the　men。　（The　fact　remained　that　in　consequence　of
the　razzia　made　by　Abou　Saood's　orders　the　natives　attacked　Niambore　and
my　people。　In　self…defence；　Niambore　and　my　few　men　returned　the
attack；　and　my　soldiers　were　killed。　The　Shir　were　thus　rendered　hostile
with　the　exception　of　Niambore。）

My　people　were　so　obtuse　that　they　could　not　understand　the　true
position　of　affairs。　The　harvest　was　commencing。　I　had　jealously　guarded
the　corn　upon　the　island；　which　should　have　produced　at　least　500
urdeps；　but　the　officers　and　men　did　not　wish　to　see　the　granaries
filled；　as　that　fact　would　destroy　the　excuse　for　a　return　to　Khartoum；
thus；　instead　of　labouring　with　heart　and　soul　to　gather　the　harvest；
they　worked　so　lazily；　that　in　nine　days　they　only　reaped　237　urdeps；　or
not　one　half　that　was　actually　upon　the　fields。　They　permitted　the
natives　to　steal　by　night；　and　the　swarms　of　small　birds　destroyed　an
incredible　quantity　by　day。　These　innumerable　and　ruinous　pests　do　not
consume　the　entire　grain；　but　they　nibble　the　soft　sweet　portion　from
the　joint　of　each　seed；　neatly　picking　out　the　heart；　th