ismailia-第47章

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ascend　the　steep　incline。

My　ammunition　was　exhausted！　My　servant；　Suleiman；　had　sent　the　little
bag　that　contained　only　one　reload　for　the　breech…loaders；　and　no
powder　flask　or　shells　for　the　half…pounders。　I　had　now　the　annoyance　of
witnessing　the　difficult　ascent　of　the　elephants　in　single　file；
exposing　their　flanks　in　succession　to　the　shoulder…shot；　while　I
remained　a　helpless　looker…on。

I　had　thus　bagged　only　two　out　of　eleven；　but　these　were　killed　at　very
long　shots　（about　110　yards）。

The　half…pounder　rifles　were　the　same　calibre　and　pattern　as　that
described　in　〃The　Nile　Tributaries　of　Abyssinia〃　as　〃the　Baby。〃　These
were　made　by　Mr。　Holland　of　Bond　Street；　and　are　the　most　overpowering
rifles　I　ever　used。　They　were　certain　to　kill　the　elephant；　and　to　half
kill　the　man　who　fired　them　with　twelve　drachms　of　fine…grain　powder。　I
was　tolerably　strong；　therefore　I　was　never　killed　outright；　but　an　Arab
hunter　had　his　collar…bone　smashed　by　the　recoil；　when　the　rifle　was
loaded　with　simple　coarse…grain　powder。　If　he　had　used　fine　grain；　I
should　hardly　have　insured　his　life。

The　elephants　having　gained　the　island；　remained　some　time　exposed；
before　they　made　up　their　minds　to　cross　to　the　other　side。
Unfortunately；　the　boats　had　followed　the　carcases　of　the　elephants　down
the　river；　which　were　two　miles　distant　before　they　could　be　secured；
therefore　we　had　no　means　of　reaching　the　island。　Our　vessels　could　not
have　crossed；　as　there　were　many　rocks　below　stream。

I　therefore　took　a　few　shots　with　Hale's　rockets；　one　of　which　just
grazed　the　rump　of　an　elephant；　and　sent　them　off　in　great　astonishment。
We　then　tried　a　few　shots　with　the　fieldpiece；　but　the　gun　made　bad
practice；　and　the　shells　exploded　very　wildly　and　not　according　to　the
distances　regulated　by　the　fuses。

The　specific　gravity　of　the　elephant　differs　considerably　from　that　of
the　hippopotamus。　The　latter　animal　invariably　sinks　when　killed；　and
the　body　rises　to　the　surface　in　about　two　hours；　when　the　gas　has
distended　the　stomach。　The　body　of　an　elephant　floats　on　the　surface
immediately　that　it　is　killed；　and　is　capable　of　supporting　one　or　more
persons。　The　cavity　of　the　carcase　is　much　larger　in　the　elephant　than
in　the　hippopotamus；　the　latter　is　a　dense　mass　of　flesh；　covered　by　an
exceedingly　thick　and　heavy　skin；　the　specific　gravity　of　which　is
considerably　greater　than　water。



CHAPTER　XIII。

MORAL　RESULTS　OF　THE　HUNT。

The　moral　result　of　the　elephant　hunt　was　very　satisfactory；　at　the　same
time　most　unexpected。

The　sound　of　cannon　had　been　heard　by　the　natives　for　many　miles；　this
had　awakened　their　curiosity；　and　numbers　had　sped　from　the　surrounding
heights　and　satisfied　themselves　that　several　elephants　had　been　killed。
The　natives　of　Bedden　flocked　to　our　little　camp　in　hundreds；　and　were
delighted　at　receiving　permission　to　take　as　much　elephant's　flesh　as
they　required。　They　raced　along　the　bank　for　a　couple　of　miles　to　the
spot　where　the　two　elephants　had　been　secured　by　my　people；　and　towed
upon　a　sand…bank。

I　had　sent　down　a　noggur　to　make　sure　of　the　heads；　as　the　opportunity
of　obtaining　entire　skulls　seldom　offered。　These　two　heads　had　now　been
brought　safely　to　camp；　and　the　natives　were　employed　in　cleaning　every
atom　of　flesh　from　the　bone。

In　the　mean　time；　great　numbers　of　our　enemies　were　to　be　seen　squatting
upon　the　heights；　watching　the　happier　Baris　of　Bedden；　who　had
congregated　like　vultures　in　the　river；　and　were　quarrelling　and
scrambling　over　the　immense　carcases　of　the　elephants。　The　temptation
was　too　great　to　withstand。　Who　could　resist　flesh？　The　mouths　of　our
enemies　were　watering；　as　they　watched　the　heavy　loads　of　red　meat
carried　upon　the　heads　of　the　rival　Baris。　In　the　afternoon；　a　messenger
hailed　the　sentry　to　say　that　one　of　the　sheiks　wished　to　present
himself　to　me　to　crave　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　Shortly　after　the
disappearance　of　this　man　with　a　courteous　answer；　a　batch　of　messengers
arrived　to　beg　that　their　chief　might　be　received；　as　they　all　desired
peace。

On　the　following　morning　I　held　a　general　levee。　About　twenty　headmen；
or　sheiks　of　principal　villages；　attended　by　many　of　their　people；　came
to　present　themselves　and　to　sue　for　peace。　I　received　the　chiefs　on　my
diahbeeah；　and　each　received　a　present　of　a　long　blue　shirt　as　he
stepped　on　board。　They　now　seated　themselves　by　Bedden；　and　a　general
explanation　took　place。

I　assured　them　of　my　regret　that　they　had　forced　me　into　war；　as　my
mission　to　the　country　had　been　one　of　peace；　at　the　same　time　they　must
have　seen　how　impossible　it　was　to　resist　the　troops　who　were　armed　with
weapons　of　precision；　and　drilled　in　a　manner　very　different　from　the
companies　of　slave…hunters。

I　told　them　that　I　had　many　thousand　cattle；　and　that　had　they　agreed　to
sell　me　the　corn　that　was　absolutely　needed　for　the　troops；　I　should
have　paid　for　it　punctually　with　cows；　as　I　had　promised　them　when　I
first　entered　their　district。　I　also　explained　that；　as　they　must　have
observed；　I　had　never　taken　a　single　head　of　cattle　from　them；　although
I　had　frequently　heard　the　lowing　of　their　oxen。　I　had　adopted　this
conduct；　although　in　actual　war；　merely　to　impress　upon　them　the　fact
that　they　might　depend　upon　my　word。　I　had　offered　to　exchange　my　cattle
for　their　corn；　thus　had　I　taken　their　cattle；　they　might　have
disbelieved　my　sincerity。

They　replied；　that　〃it　must　be　expected　that　little　differences　would
occur　at　the　beginning。〃　They　had　been　incited　against　us　by　the　Baris
of　Belinian；　and　the　war　was　entirely　their　own　fault。　At　the　same　time
they　laughed；　and　said　that　〃hunger　was　a　very　bad　thing；　and　that
hungry　men　would　always　fill　their　stomachs；　if　they　could；　therefore　we
had　been　quite　right　to　take　their　corn。〃　They　declared　that　it　did　not
in　the　least　matter；　as　the　islands　were　very　fertile；　and　would　produce
another　crop　very　quickly；　in　the　mean　time　they　had　a　good　supply
concealed；　and　their　loss　only　necessitated　a　little　extra　labour。

They　continued　this　peaceable　conversation　by　saying；　that　〃the
elephants　were　seldom　seen　in　this　district；　and　that　the　Baris　did　not
understand　such　hunting；　but　they　had　heard　the　cannons；　and　they　knew
that　we　should　be　able　to　kill　them。〃　The　meeting　concluded　by　a　request
for　meat；　and　the　sheiks　having　given　instructions　to　certain
messengers；　despatched　them　to　summon　their　people　to　the　sand…bank；
where　the　remains　of　the　elephants　were　lying。

In　a　short　time；　swarms　of　natives；　lately　our　enemies；　were　collecting
from　all　quarters；　and　hurrying　towards　the　attractive　spot；　as　though
they　were　going　to　a　fair。

I　gave　the　headmen　＇*＇　a　present　of　beads；　and　took　them　to　admire
themselves　in　the　large　glass　within　the　cabin　of　the　diahbeeah。　I
scrambled　some　pounds　of　beads　among　their　people；　and　got　up　foot…races
for　prizes。

＇*Footnote：　The　superior　chief　was　presented　with　a　costume　which
delighted　him。　This　was　a　long　blue　shirt　with　red　waist…band；　a　bright
tin　funnel　inverted　to　form　a　helmet　with　a　feather　in　the　tube；　and　a
pair　of　spectacles。　He　declared　that　he　would　be　〃the　admiration　of　the
women。〃＇

The　natives　selected　some　of　their　best　runners；　but　although　they　ran
well；　they　were　all　beaten　by　Ali　Nedjar　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　who　was
the　champion　runner　of　the　expedition。

The　sheiks　requested　that　the　cannon　might　be　fired　for　their　amusement。
A　shot　with　blank　cartridge　made　them　look　very　serious。　They　then　went
to　look　at　the　two　elephants'　heads；　which　they　believed　had　been　blown
off　by　the　cannon　on　the　day　of　the　hunt。

They　returned　to　the　diahbeeah；　and　ordered　their　people　to　bring　the
present　they　had　prepared　for　me。　This　consisted　of　thirty…one　jars　of
merissa；　each　of　which　was　duly　tasted　by　themselves　as　a　proof　of　the
absence　of　poison。

Before　they　departed；　I　was　assured；　not　only　of　their　regret　that　any
misunderstanding　should　have　taken　place；　but　that　after　their　bean
crop；　which　would　be　in　about　two　months；　they　would　unite　with　Bedden
and　carry　all　my　baggage　into　the　interior。　They　took　leave　and　went　off
in　the　direction　of　the　dead　elephants。

Here　was　a　sudden　change　in　the　politics　of　the　country！　Peace　had　been
effected　by　the　sacrifice　of　two　elephants！

This　peace　was　the　result　of　greediness　and　envy。　The　natives　had　pined
for　the　flesh；　and　envied　the　Baris　of　Bedden　who　were　carrying　it　away；
therefore　they　sued　for　peace。

At　the　same　time；　they　had　originally　declined　my　offer　of　a　large　herd
of　cattle　that　would　have　been　worth　a　hundred　elephants。　Thus　they　had
courted　war；　in　which　they　had　lost　some　of　their　people；　together　with
much　corn；　all　of　which　they　might　have　sold　for　cows；　and　they　now
desired　peace；　only　to　join　in　the　scramble；　like　vultures；　over　the
flesh　of　two　elephants。

African　negroes　are　incomprehensible　people；　and　they　cannot　be　judged
by　the　ordinary　rules　of　human　nature。　It　was　easy　to　understand；　that
if　they　desired　peace　upon　so　frivolous　a　pretext；　they　would　plunge
into　war　with　the　same　frivolitywith　a　〃coeur　leger。〃

As　each　division　of　the　district　quickly　followed　the　example　of　another
in　desiring　peace；　in　like　manner　would　they　follow　an　evil　example　in
provoking　hostilities。

They　had　now　professed　friendship　for　the　sake　of　a　few　steaks。　They　had
promised　to　carry　our　baggage　into　the　interior。　If　they　would　only　be
true　to　this　offer；　I　should　be　able　to　transport　the　steamer；　as　the
natives　could　easily　drag　the　two…wheeled　carts。　Although　I　doubted
their　professions；　I　had　some　secret　hopes　of　success；　and　I　resolved　to
do　all　in　my　power　to　establish　confidence。　I　therefore　invited　two　very
intelligent　natives　to　pay　me　a　visit；　and　to　reside　some　time　at
Gondokoro；　where　they　would　witness　the　general　management　of　the
station；　and　see　the　workshops；　&c。　They　would　also　see　the　vast　herds
of　cattle　belonging　to　the　government；　the　spoil　of　the　Bari　war。　This
would　be　a　sight　most　interesting　to　the　eyes　of　Baris；　as　it　would　be　a
lesson　of　the　great　power　of　the　government　to　either　punish　or　reward。

In　the　afternoon　I　was　visited　by　other　native　headmen　from　the　east
side　of　the　Nile。　These　people　had　swum　the　river；　and　had　followed　the
example　of　the　other　natives　to　sue　for　peace；　and　to　beg　for　elephant's
flesh。

This　extraordinary　craving　for　flesh　would　suggest　that　the　Baris　were
devoid　of　cattle。　On　the　contrary；　there　are　countless　herds　throughout
the　country；　but　the　natives　have　a　great　objection　to　kill　them；　and
merely　keep　the　cows　for　their　milk；　and　the　bullocks　to　bleed。

The　cows　are　also　bled　periodically；　and　the　blood　is　boiled　and　eaten；
much　in　the　same　manner　that　black　pudding　is　used　throughout　Europe。　A
herd　of　cattle　will　thus　provide　animal　food　without　the　necessity　of
slaughtering。

The　great　traveller；　Bruce；　was　discredited　for　having　described　a　fact
of　which　he　was　an　eye…witness。　This　was　the　vivisection　of　a　cow；
driven　by　natives；　who　cut　a　steak　out　of　her　hind…quarters。

I　had　a　bull　with　a　very　large　hump。　（This　bull　was　left　at　Fort
Fati