ismailia-第37章

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consume　the　entire　grain；　but　they　nibble　the　soft　sweet　portion　from
the　joint　of　each　seed；　neatly　picking　out　the　heart；　thus　the　ground
beneath　is　strewed　with　their　remnants　of　destruction。

I　had　not　visited　Belinian　since　their　unprovoked　attack；　for　two
reasons。　First；　we　were　engaged　in　fortifying　the　station；　and；
secondly；　I　did　not　wish　to　raise　the　suspicion　among　the　Baris　that　I
might　come　down　suddenly　upon　their　crops。　Up　to　the　present　time　we　had
acted　mainly　on　the　defensive；　and　the　natives　had　no　fear　for　their
harvest。　I　knew　that　about　2；000　acres　of　dhurra　would　be　at　our　service
by　a　sudden　attack　on　Belinian；　if　the　troops　would　work　earnestly　to
secure　it。　At　the　same　time　I　was　afraid　to　mention　the　subject；　lest
some　intrigue　might　destroy　the　possibility　of　success。

If　Abou　Saood　or　his　people　had　possessed　a　knowledge　of　my　intentions；
they　would　at　once　have　given　warning　to　our　enemies；　and　would　have
destroyed　my　plans。　Both　Abou　Saood　and　the　greater　number　of　the
officers　were　anxiously　watching　the　close　of　the　drama；　as　they
imagined　that　with　the　disappearance　of　supplies；　the　curtain　would　fall
upon　the　last　act。

I　possessed　information　that　would　render　me　independent　of　corn　from
Khartoum；　if　the　troops　would　only　work　honestly。　We　were　at　open　war
with　the　Baris；　and　we　had　been　constantly　subjected　to　their　attacks。　I
had　arranged　my　plans　to　complete　my　forts　so　as　to　be　ready　for　a
campaign　at　the　commencement　of　the　harvest；　when　the　country　would　be
full　of　corn。　My　two　rich　harvests　would　be　Beliniantwelve　miles
distant　and　the　fruitful　islands　beyond　the　mountain　Regiaf；　about
fourteen　miles　south　of　Gondokoro。　The　latter　would　be　easily　collected；
as　the　vessels　could　load　at　the　islands；　and　convey　the　cargoes　down
stream　direct　to　head…quarters。

Everything　depended　upon　the　officers　and　men。　Raouf　Bey；　who　commanded
the　troops；　was　in　daily　communication　with　Abou　Saood；　who　was　exerting
himself　to　the　utmost　to　ruin　the　expedition　by　promoting　discontent；
and　persuading　the　officers　that　they　would　die　of　starvation；　and　that
the　Baris　were　most　dangerous　enemies；　who　would　exterminate　the　troops
should　I　weaken　the　force　by　taking　a　detachment　to　form　stations　in　the
interior。

It　was　thus　pre…arranged　by　my　own　people　that；　even　if　in　the　midst　of
plenty；　the　corn　should　not　be　collected　in　any　larger　quantity　than
would　suffice　to　feed　the　expedition　during　the　return　voyage　from
Gondokoro　to　Khartoum。

In　that　case；　the　expedition　would　be　broken　up　and　abandoned。　The
authorities　would　piously　ejaculate；　〃El　hambd　el　Allah！〃　（Thanks　be　to
God！）　The　country　would　once　more　fall　into　the　hands　of　Abou　Saood　by
contract　with　the　government　of　the　Soudan。　The　good　old　times　of
slave…hunting　would　return　and　remain　undisturbed。　The　Christian　would
have　been　got　rid　of　by　an　ignominious　failure。　Abou　Saood　would　have
boasted　of　the　success　of　his　diplomacy；　and　Allorron　and　his　Baris；
once　freed　from　the　restraint　of　a　government；　would　have　fraternized
again　with　their　allies　the　slave…hunters；　to　pillage；　kidnap；　and
desolate　the　productive　countries　of　Central　Africa。

I　determined　that　the　expedition　should　succeed；　and；　with　God's　help；　I
would　overcome　every　opposition。

The　forts　were　completed。　Gondokoro；　or；　as　I　had　named　it；　Ismailia；
was　protected　by　a　ditch　and　earthwork；　with　bastions　mounting　ten　guns。
My　little　station　was　also　fortified；　thus　I　could　commence　a　campaign
against　the　whole　Bari　tribe；　without　fearing　for　the　safety　of　my　base。

On　August　30；　1871；　I　started　with　a　force　of　450　men；　with　one　gun；　and
one　rocket…trough　for　Hale's　three…pounder　rockets。

I　left　twenty　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　at　my　little　station；　together　with
a　reinforcement　of　thirty　men。　I　had　ordered　the　captain　of　the
diahbeeah；　upon　which　my　wife　resided；　to　push　the　vessel　off　the　bank
and　to　anchor　in　the　stream　every　night。

The　Baris　of　the　Belinian　Mountain　were　well　provided　with　guns　and
ammunition；　which　they　had　taken　in　various　massacres　of　the
slave…traders'　parties　some　years　before。　On　one　occasion　they　had
killed　126　of　the　traders　in　one　day；　and　had　possessed　themselves　of
their　arms；　with　many　cases　of　cartridges。

On　several　occasions　they　had　destroyed　smaller　parties　with　the　same
result；　and　they　had　never　been　at　peace　with　Abou　Saood　since　he　had
treacherously　murdered　their　Sheik　and　his　family。　Recently　having
allied　with　Abou　Saood's　friends　（the　Baris　of　Gondokoro）；　against　the
government；　some　of　the　Belinian　people　had　ventured　to　trade；　and　had
established　a　communication　with　Abou　Saood's　people；　from　whom　they
purchased　ammunition　in　exchange　for　tobacco。

Having　given　orders　on　the　previous　evening　that　the　men　were　to　be
under　arms　ready　for　the　march　at　1　a。m。；　I　was　annoyed　to　find　that
neither　officers　nor　men　were　prepared　when　I　arrived　punctually　at　the
hour　appointed　at　head…quarters。　The　colonel；　Raouf　Bey；　was　fast
asleep；　and　had　to　be　roused　by　the　sentry。　This　was　a　breach　of
discipline　that　cost　Major　Achmet　Rafik　his　life。　After　some　annoying
delay　I　started　for　Belinian。　At　that　time；　in　the　dark　night；　I　was　not
aware　that　Achmet　Rafik　was　absent。　This　officer　was　a　thorough…bred
Turk；　and　he　had　seen　much　service；　having　been　through　the　Crimean　war；
and　also　in　that　of　Arabia；　under　Abbas　Pacha。　He　ought　to　have　known
better；　but　he　shared　the　prevalent　feeling　of　discontent；　thus；　instead
of　being　on　the　alert　and　at　his　post；　he　was　asleep　when　the　troops
started　on　their　night　march。

When　awakened；　he　hastily　dressed；　buckled　on　his　sword　and　revolver；
and　taking　a　double…barrelled　gun　in　his　hand　he　endeavoured　to　follow
the　troops；　but　mistook　the　direction；　and　lost　his　way　in　the　dark。

We　arrived　at　the　open　valley　of　Belinian　at　day…break；　but　native
scouts　had　already　given　the　alarm　of　our　approach。　There　were　some
hundred　villages　situated　in　the　vale　and　on　the　heights　along　the　base
of　the　mountain；　but　at　this　season　only　the　tops　of　the　huts　were
visible　above　the　high　dhurra；　which　was　just　ripened；　although　the
general　harvest　had　not　yet　commenced。

There　is　no　covert　so　much　in　favour　of　native　warfare　as　the　high
dhurra；　which　perfectly　conceals　their　movements；　at　the　same　time　that
it　is　easily　passed　through　at　speed。

The　Bari　drums　were　beating　throughout　the　country；　and　their　horns　were
sounding　in　all　directions。　Clearing　the　way　with　skirmishers；　we
marched　along　a　good　path　for　about　four　miles　parallel　with　the　base　of
the　mountain；　until　we　arrived　at　a　plain　or　bottom；　which　bore　the
marks　of　cattle…hoofs　in　great　numbers。　This　spot　was　about　thirteen
miles　from　head…quarters　at　Gondokoro。

There　was　no　dhurra　cultivation　on　the　right；　near　the　base　of　the
mountain；　as　the　soil　was　poor　and　sandy：　we　thus　had　a　clear　view　of
the　country。　The　cattle　had　been　driven　off；　and　we　were　only　in　time　to
see　them　disappearing　over　the　distant　high　ground。　The　natives　had
collected　in　large　numbers；　and　seemed　disposed　to　dispute　the　advance
of　the　troops。

The　ground　was　perfectly　clean；　as　the　cattle　had　fed　off　the　grass
until　it　was　as　smooth　as　a　garden　lawn。　From　the　position　we　occupied；
the　country　inclined　upwards　towards　the　base　of　the　mountain；　about　a
mile　and　a　half　distant；　this　interval　abounded　in　villages；　all　of
which　were　defended　by　stockades。　At　the　base　of　the　mountain　were
broken　hills；　composed　of　huge　granite　rocks；　the　foundations　of
mountains　that　had　long　since　decayed。　Upon　all　these　strong　positions
were　the　usual　stockaded　villages。

I　ordered　the　troops　to　extend　in　two　lines；　supported　by　a　reserve　with
the　field…piece　and　rocket…trough。　With　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　in　the
front；　we　advanced　along　the　plain　towards　the　mountain。

The　Baris　now　opened　fire　upon　us　from　their　villages；　from　which　they
were　driven　in　succession；　until　no　enemy　remained　to　oppose　us　except
those　upon　the　high　ground。

Our　right　was　now　protected　by　an　exceedingly　deep　ravine；　which　was　a
watercourse　cut　by　the　torrents　from　the　mountain。　I　accordingly　took　a
party　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　and　following　along　the　edge　of　the
ravine；　ascended　the　slope　that　led　to　the　stockades　upon　the　heights。
Great　numbers　of　natives　had　assembled；　and　were　shouting　the　most
abusive　epithets　in　Arabic　until　we　arrived　at　about　a　hundred　yards
from　the　foremost　stockade。　This　now　opened　fire　upon　us；　the　natives
being　concealed　within；　and　aiming　with　their　muskets　between　the
interstices　of　the　upright　piles。

My　riflemen　now　knelt　down　and　fired　at　the　puffs　of　smoke　as　they
issued　from　the　impenetrable　ironwood　zareebas。　This　was　just　the　work
that　the　Baris　understood；　as　their　position　enabled　them　to　fight
unseen　among　the　numerous　stockades　and　high　rocks　clothed　with　bush。

The　bullets　were　whistling　merrily；　and　presently　a　soldier　by　my　side
was　shot　through　the　fleshy　part　of　the　hip。　I　examined　him；　and　saw
that　the　bullet　bad　passed　through；therefore　he　continued　firing。　A
wife　of　one　of　the　soldiers　was　shot　through　the　calf　of　the　leg。　She
had　accompanied　him　with　a　small　parcel　of　cooking…pots　and　food　from
Gondokoro　that　morning　and　thus　came　under　fire。

The　main　body　was　delayed　in　the　rear；　replying　to　the　fire　of　the　Baris
on　the　other　side　of　the　impassable　ravine。　I　had　only　twenty　men　with
me　in　addition　to　Lieutenant　Baker。　I　therefore　ordered　the　bugler　to
sound　the　〃assembly；〃　as　I　determined　to　attack　the　stockades　with　the
whole　force。

In　a　few　minutes　the　main　body　arrived；　and　formed　for　the　attack。　The
bugles　and　drums　sounded　the　advance；　and　the　troops；　having　fired
several　volleys；　rushed　on　at　the　double　and　stormed　the　position。　This
was　well　executed；　and　the　rush　was　so　unexpected　by　the　Baris；　that　the
stockades　were　taken　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　Captain　Morgian
Sherreef　＇*＇　distinguishing　himself　by　the　gallant　manner　in　which　he　
led　his　company；　he　was　the　first　man　to　break　through　the　gateway。

＇*Footnote：　This　officer　was　a　Soudani　who　had　served　under　Marshal
Bazaine　for　four　years　in　Mexico。＇

This　attack　was　something　that　the　Baris　did　not　comprehend。　They　had
only　been　accustomed　to　face　the　slave…hunters'　irregular　companies；　and
they　had　never　seen　a　charge　borne　with　the　bayonet。　They　now　began　to
clamber　up　the　rocks　and　ascend　the　mountain　with　the　activity　of
baboons；　while　a　sharp　fire　from　the　snider　rifles　acted　like　a　spur
upon　their　movements。　A　shell　from　the　gun　now　burst　over　a　number　of
the　enemy　who　had　collected　about　800　yards　in　our　rear。　This　was　an
unmistakable　notice　to　quit。　We　set　fire　to　the　stockades；　and　the　Baris
having　disappeared；　I　selected　a　position　for　a　night's　bivouac。

There　was　a　bad　supply　of　water；　and　we　could　procure；　nothing　but　a
muddy　mixture　which　smelt　strongly　of　goats。　We　had　found　a　number　of
fat　calves　and　sheep；　thus；　having　fixed　upon　a　site　in　the　flat　open
plain；　the　men　collected　firewood；　and　when　the　evening　set　in；　the　camp
fires　were　blazing　and　every　man　was　well　supplied　with　food。

I　doubled　the　sentries　for