ismailia-第49章

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large　tusks；　this　was　within　four　miles　of　head…quarters。　At　this
season　they　were　very　numerous　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro。　During
my　absence　to　the　south　of　Regiaf；　there　had　been　a　curious　nocturnal
alarm　in　the　station。

Upon　a　fine　moonlight　night　the　sentries　were　astonished　by　the
appearance　of　two　immense　bull　elephants；　that；　having　marched　along　the
cliff；　took　the　fort　in　the　rear　on　the　river　side。

The　fort　was　a　redan；　open　at　the　river　base；　thus；　unheeding　the
sentry；　the　elephants　coolly　walked　into　the　centre。　The　sentry's　musket
was　immediately　responded　to　by　the　guard；　the　buglers；　startled　by　a
sharp　fire　of　musketry；　blew　the　alarm。

The　elephants；　now　alarmed　in　their　turn；　rushed　onwards；　but　upon
ascending　the　earthwork；　they　were　met　by　a　deep　yawning　ditch；　which
they　could　not　cross。　The　whole　force　turned　out；　and　the　attack　on　the
thick…skinned　intruders　became　general。　The　bullets　flew　so　wildly　that
it　was　more　dangerous　for　bystanders　than　for　the　elephants。

In　the　mean　while；　the　panic…stricken　animals　charged　wildly　in　all
directions；　but　were　invariably　stopped　by　the　ditch　and　rampart；　until
at　last　they　happened　to　find　the　right　direction；　and　retreated　by
their　original　entrance；　most　probably　not　much　the　worse　for　the
adventure。

Mr。　Higginbotham；　who　gave　me　this　account；　described　the　excitement　of
the　troops　as　so　intense；　that　they　let　their　muskets　off　completely　at
random：　and　so　thick　were　the　bullets　in　his　direction；　that　he　was
obliged　to　take　shelter　behind　a　white…ant　hill。

I　had　no　time　to　devote　to　elephant…shooting；　otherwise　I　might　have
killed　a　considerable　number　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Gondokoro。　The
Baris　are　not　good　hunters；　and　they　merely　catch　the　elephants　in
pitfalls；　therefore；　being　free　from　attack；　these　animals　are
exceedingly　daring；　and　easy　to　approach。

They　are　generally　attracted　by　the　ripe　lalobes；　the　fruit　already
described　of　the　heglik　（Balanites　Egyptiaca）。　The　trees；　if　of　medium
size；　are　frequently　torn　down　for　the　sake　of　this　small　production；
that　would　appear　too　insignificant　for　the　notice　of　so　huge　an　animal。

I　once　had　an　opportunity　of　witnessing　an　elephant's　strength　exerted
in　his　search　for　this　small　fruit。　I　was　in　the　Shir　country；　and　one
evening；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker；　I　strolled　into　the　forest；
about　half　a　mile　from　our　vessels；　to　watch　for　waterbuck　（Redunca
Ellipsiprymna）　in　a　small　glade　where　I　had　shot　one　on　the　previous
evening。

We　had　not　long　been　concealed；　when　I　heard　a　peculiar　noise　in　the
thick　forest　that　denoted　the　approach　of　elephants。

We　at　once　retreated　to　some　rising　ground　about　150　paces　distant；　as
our　small　rifles　would　have　been　useless　against　such　heavy　game。　In　a
short　time　several　elephants　appeared　from　various　portions　of　the
covert；　and　one　of　extraordinary　size　moved　slowly　towards　us；　until　he
halted　beneath　a　tall；　spreading　heglik。　This　tree　must　have　been　nearly
three　feet　in　diameter；　and　was　about　thirty　feet　high　from　the　ground
to　the　first　branch；　it　was　therefore　impossible　for　the　elephant　to
gather　the　coveted　fruit。　To　root　up　such　a　tree　would　have　been　out　of
the　question。　The　elephant　paused　for　a　short　time；　as　though
considering；　he　then　butted　his　forehead　suddenly　against　the　trunk。　I
could　not　have　believed　the　effect：　this　large　tree；　which　was　equal　in
appearance　to　the　average　size　of　park…timber；　quivered　in　every　branch
to　such　a　degree；　that　had　a　person　taken　refuge　from　an　elephant；　and
thought　himself　secure　in　the　top；　he　would　have　found　it　difficult　to
hold　on。

When　the　lalobes　fall；　they　must　be　picked　up　individually　and　although
the　trouble　appears　disproportioned　to　the　value　of　the　fruit；　there　is
no　food　so　much　coveted　by　elephants。

Near　this　spot；　on　the　following　day；　I　had　a　close　adventure　with　a
hippopotamus。　I　had　gone　to　the　same　place　where　I　had　seen　the
elephants；　and　I　was　returning　through　the　forest　within　a　few　yards　of
the　river　margin；　when；　upon　suddenly　turning　round　a　dense　thorn…bush；
I　came　within　four　or　five　paces　of　a　large　bull　hippopotamus。　This
animal　had　left　the　river　for　an　evening　ramble　on　the　shore；　and　was
munching　some　succulent　grass　with　such　gusto　that　he　had　not　heard　my
approach。　Unfortunately；　I　had　come　upon　him　exactly　at　right　angles；
which　restricted　my　shot　to　the　temple。　This　is　the　most　difficult　of
penetration　in　the　hippopotamus。

I　only　had　the　〃Dutchman；〃　and　my　attendant　Monsoor　carried　a　snider
rifle；　thus　we　were　badly　armed　for　so　impenetrable　a　beast。　I　fired
just　in　front　of　the　ear；　certainly　within　fifteen　feet。　The　only　effect
produced　was　a　shake　of　his　head；　and　he　appeared　rather　stupid；　as
though　stunned。　The　left…hand　barrel　followed　quickly　upon　the　right。
Monsoor　fired　with　his　snider。　The　〃Dutchman；〃　being　a　breechloader；　was
ready　again；　and　we　fired　into　this　stupid…looking　brute　as　though　he
had　been　a　target；　and　with　about　the　same　effect。

Suddenly；　as　though　we　had　just　awakened　him；　he　turned　round　and　bolted
into　a　dense　mass　of　thorns；　about　thirty　paces　before　us。

In　the　mean　time；　the　troops　at　the　vessels；　that　were　within　about　300
paces；　having　heard　the　rapid　and　continued　firing；　supposed　that　I　had
been　attacked　by　the　natives。　The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　rushed　to　the　rescue。
I　heard　the　bugle；　and　presently　the　voices　of　the　men　as　they
approached；　running　through　the　bush　at　full　speed。　The　hippopotamus　had
moved　from　his　thorny　retreat；　and　was　walking　slowly　forward；　when　he
was　stumbled　against　by　〃The　Forty；〃　some　of　whom　literally　ran　against
him。

The　animal　appeared　quite　stunned　and　stupid；　and　he　merely　stood　and
stared　at　his　new　assailants。　The　sight　was　perfectly　ridiculous。　Every
rifle　was　fired　into　him；　but　the　hollow　bullets　of　the　sniders　had　no
penetration；　and　we　might　as　well　have　peppered　the　stone　bulls　of
Nineveh；　in　the　British　Museum。　At　length；　after　having　been　the　centre
of　a　blaze　of　fireworks；　as　every　man　did　his　best　to　kill　him　during
the　space　of　about　a　minute；　he　coolly　approached　the　edge　of　the　cliff；
which　was　quite　perpendicular　and　about　eighteen　feet　high。

A　tremendous　splash　was　the　end　of　the　encounter；　as　the　hippo　committed
himself　to　the　deep；　with　a　clumsy　jump　from　the　midst　of　the
disappointed　soldiers。

I　was　constantly　annoyed　by　the　want　of　penetration　of　the　Boxer　hollow
bullets。　The　〃Dutchman〃　carried　three　drachms　of　No。　6…grain　powder；
which　should　have　driven　a　solid　bullet　through　a　large　antelope；　but
the　hollow　Boxer　projectile　invariably　disappeared　in　small　fragments
upon　striking　a　bone；　or　it　expanded；　and　had　no　further　penetrating
power　after　striking　a　thick　hide。

The　sniders；　although　admirable　military　weapons；　possessed　a　very　small
power　of　penetration。　I　have　frequently　seen　the　bodies　of　natives　with
only　one　bullet…mark；　and　I　have　extracted　bullets　that　ought　to　have
passed　completely　through。

My　〃Forty　Thieves〃　were　now　proud　of　themselves　as　experienced　in
various　sports；　and　they　were　terribly　disgusted　at　the　escape　of　the
hippopotamus。　They　were　never　idle　for　a　single　day。　If　no　other　work
was　on　hand；　I　practised　them　at　the　target；　or　they　were　treated　to　a
few　hours'　drill。

Sometimes　I　took　them　fishing：　this　was　always　a　great　amusement；　as　the
expedition　was　well　furnished　with　nets。

There　was　a　small　lake　near　my　station　that　abounded　in　fish。　One　of　my
sailors　belonging　to　the　diahbeeah　was　a　professional　fisherman；
descended　from　a　race　of　this　calling。　I　had　therefore　intrusted　him
with　the　charge　of　the　nets。　All　the　sailors　of　the　diahbeeah　were　good
men；　but　the　fisherman；　Howarti；　was　the　best　of　the　picked　crew。　He　was
a　Nubian；　born　in　Khartoum；　and　of　an　exceedingly　light　colour。　His
style　of　beauty　was　rather　spoiled　by　the　loss　of　one　eye；　and
altogether　his　personal　appearance　was　not　attractive；　but　he　was　very
strong；　although　a　small　man；　and　in　any　case　of　emergency　he　was　the
most　active　and　intelligent　sailor。　Howarti　was　always　the　first　man　to
leap　overboard　with　the　tow　rope；　when　it　became　necessary　to　drag　the
vessel　against　wind　and　stream：　he　was；　like　all　Nubians；　an　admirable
swimmer。

Our　comfort　had　depended　much　upon　this　man　throughout　the　expedition；
as　he　was　the　only　person　who　could　properly　throw　a　casting…net。　Thus
he　had　always　supplied　us　with　excellent　fish。　I　often　admired　his
perseverance；　when；　after　twenty　or　thirty　barren　casts；　he　rested　for　a
while；　cleaned　his　net；　and　waded；　in　spite　of　crocodiles；　to　seek　a
more　likely　spot　to　catch　fish　for　breakfast；　at　a　time　when　this　meal
would　depend　entirely　upon　his　success。　At　such　times　I　frequently
advised　him　as　a　good　Mohammedan　to　say　〃Bismillah〃　（in　the　name　of　God）
before　he　threw　the　net。　On　the　first　occasion；　before　I　gave　him　this
advice；　he　had　had　extremely　bad　luck；　and　he　told　me　that　〃something
was　wrong　with　the　fish；〃　as　he　had　thrown　his　net　for　an　hour　without
catching　anything；　except　a　few　uneatable　spike…fish。

I　advised　him　to　come　with　me　in　the　dingy；　and　having　rowed　a　short
distance；　we　arrived　at　a　sand…bank　in　the　bend　of　the　river。　Here　we
landed；　and　I　found　fault　with　Howarti　for　omitting　to　say　〃Bismillah！〃

〃Will　it　do　any　good？〃　asked　the　profane　Howarti。　〃Try；〃　I　replied；　〃you
know　the　opinion　of　Mohammedans；　now　then；　Howarti；　say　'Bismillah；'　and
throw　just　in　that　hole　close　to　the　weeds。　Spin　your　net　so　that　it
shall　fall　perfectly　round；　and　advance　very　quietly　to　the　edge；　so
that　your　shadow　shall　not　disturb　the　fish。〃

〃Bismillah！〃　ejaculated　Howarti；　and　he　crept　cautiously　forward　to　a
very　likely…looking　hole。　〃Bismillah！〃　and　with　a　dexterous　throw；　the
net　described　an　exact　circle　as　it　fell　evenly　upon　the　water。

No　sooner　had　the　fisherman　commenced　to　tighten　the　crown　line；　when
the　rapid　and　powerful　jerks　showed　that　he　had　something　good　within
his　net。　〃Now；　Howarti；　look　sharp！　the　bottom　is　clean　sand：　haul　away；
and　don't　give　them　time　to　burrow　beneath　the　leads。〃

Howarti　hauled　away；　and　as　the　net　came　near　the　shore；　there　was　such
a　splashing　and　jumping　as　he　had　rarely　seen。　The　net　came　in　upon　the
clean　sand…bank；　and　we　counted　upwards　of　forty　fine　boulti；　several　of
about　four　pounds；　and　the　smallest　about　half　a　pound　weight。

Howarti；　having　counted　his　fish；　exclaimed；　piously；
〃Elliambd…el…Illah！〃　and　added：　〃In　future　I　shall　always　say
'Bismillah！'〃

Howarti　cleaned　his　net：　the　fish　were　placed　in　a　basket；　and　were
covered　with　some　river…weed　to　keep　them　fresh。

Once　more　the　fisherman　arranged　his　net　upon　his　arm；　and　cautiously
approached　a　most　inviting　little　nook；　where　some　large　lotus　leaves
floating　on　the　surface　denoted　a　medium　depth。

〃Now　then；　Howarti；　throw　very　carefully；　so　as　to　spread　your　net　in
that　open　space　among　the　lilies；　and　take　care　to　avoid　the　leaf　stems
that　would　lift　the　leads。〃

〃Bismillah！〃　away　flew　the　net；　which　fell　in　a　circle；　exactly　in　the
spot　desired。

It　was　amusing　to　watch　the　usually　stolid　countenance　of　Howarti；　that
was　n