ismailia-第50章

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spot　desired。

It　was　amusing　to　watch　the　usually　stolid　countenance　of　Howarti；　that
was　now　expressive　of　intense　curiosity。

The　crown…line　jerked　and　tugged　even　more　than　at　the　first　lucky
throw。　Howarti　cleverly　and　cautiously　landed　his　net。　It　contained　a
regular　〃miraculous　draught；〃　including　a　Nile　carp　of　about　nine
pounds。

〃That　will　do；　Howarti；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃we　have　fish　enough　for　all　the
people　on　the　diahbeeah；　as　well　as　for　the　officers　of　'The　Forty。'〃
The　basket　would　not　contain　them；　therefore　the　larger　fish　were　laid
upon　grass　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and　we　returned　home。

Howarti　now　divided　the　fish　according　to　orders；　and　explained　to　the
delighted　crowd　the　extraordinary　effect　of　the　word　〃Bismillah；〃　which
insured　a　netful　at　every　cast。

On　the　following　morning；　at　sunrise；　the　now　pious　Howarti　went　out　as
usual　with　his　casting…net　accompanied　by　a　sailor；　who　carried　the
largest　basket　he　could　procure。

We　had　moved　our　position；　and　there　was　no　sand…bank　in　the
neighbourhood。

After　an　absence　of　about　two　hours；　Howarti　returned；　together　with　his
companion　and　the　large　basket。　This　contained　a　few　small　fish　hardly
sufficient　for　our　breakfast。

〃Ah；　Howarti！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃you　are　a　bad　Mussulmanyou　have
forgotten　to　say　'Bismillah。'〃

〃Indeed；〃　replied　the　dejected　fisherman；　〃I　repeated　'Bismillah'　at
every　cast；　but　it's　of　no　use　saying　'Bismillah'　in　deep　water；　nothing
will　catch　them　in　the　deep；　and　I　can　catch　them　without　'Bismillah'　in
the　shallows。〃

Howarti　was　not　a　fanatical　Mohammedan。　Poor　fellow　he　never　lived　to
return　with　us　to　Khartoum：　his　melancholy　death　will　be　described
hereafter。

In　fishing　in　the　lake　at　Gondokoro　Howarti　had　the　usual　charge　of　the
proceedings。　We　dragged　a　boat　across　the　neck　of　land　from　the　river；
and　having　launched　it；　we　first　laid　a　stop　net　140　yards　in　length
along　the　bank　of　bulrushes　that　grew　in　water　about　five　feet　deep；
this　was　to　stop　the　fish　from　running　into　the　rushes　on　the　advance　of
the　drag…net。

We　now　dragged　a　portion　of　the　lake　towards　the　stop…net；　intending　to
land　it　upon　an　incline　where　the　water　was　extremely　shallow。

The　〃Forty　Thieves〃　hauled　away　steadily　enough　until　the　net　came　close
in。　At　that　moment　several　immense　fish　dashed　about　within　the　narrowed
inclosure；　these　created　such　excitement；　that　the　men　rushed　into　the
water　to　secure　them；　which　ended　in　the　escape　of　the　greater　portion
of　the　fish。

The　next　haul　was　very　successful；　and　after　fishing　for　　about　two
hours；　we　caught　434　fine　fish；　one　of　which　weighed　40　lbs。　and　another
26　lbs。　I　sent　200　to　head…quarters　for　the　troops。

The　greater　number　of　these　fish　were　boulti　and　baggera；　both　of　which
are　species　of　perch；　and　are　delicious　eating。　I　have　never　caught　a
boulti　larger　than　five　pounds；　but　the　baggera　grows　to　an　immense
size；　and　I　have　seen　them　about　150　lbs。　or　more。　I　once　weighed　a
baggera　upwards　of　130　lbs。；　but　they　are　said　to　attain　a　weight　of
several　hundreds。

I　have　formerly　described　the　beauty　of　this　salmon…coloured　fish　in
〃The　Nile　Tributaries　of　Abyssinia。〃

It　is　well　known　that　in　all　countries　the　same　species　of　fish　differs
in　flavour　and　quality　according　to　the　water　in　which　it　is　caught；
thus　the　boulti　and　baggera　are　almost　worthless　in　the　lower　Nile；
compared　with　the　same　fish　of　the　upper　river。

Travellers　may　often　unjustly　condemn　a　fish　as　worthless；　because　it
may　have　been　out　of　season　when　they　had　the　opportunity　of　eating　it。

I　never　tasted　any　fresh…water　fish　superior　to　a　boulti；　slightly
salted；　and　smoked　for　twelve　or　eighteen　hours。

In　hot　climates　all　fish　should　be　split　down　the　back；　and　laid　open；
they　should　then　be　salted　and　should　lie　for　a　few　hours　to　drain；
after　which　they　should　be　hung　over　the　smoke　of　a　dry…wood　fire。　This
treatment　renders　them　delicious　for　immediate　use；　but　if　required　to
keep；　they　must　be　smoked　for　a　couple　of　days；　and　then　be　highly　dried
in　the　sun。

The　14th　December　was　the　Mohammedan　holiday　called　the　〃Ume　el　Ete；〃　on
which　day　every　person；　however　poor　he　or　she　may　be；　is　supposed　to
dress　in　new　clothes。

We　had　now　been　upwards　of　twelve　months　without　communication　with
Khartoum。　The　soldiers'　clothes　were　reduced　to　rags；　as　they　had
suffered　much　from　hard　work　and　fighting　in　thorny　bush。　The　whole
force　was　in　despair：　they　were　in　arrears　of　pay；　they　were　without
clothes；　the　festival　was　close　at　hand；　and　instead　of　turning　out　in
finery；　they　would　be　dirty；　dingy；　and　ragged。

Every　one　was　downcast。　The　troops　could　not　possibly　start　with　me　to
the　interior；　to　represent　the　government　in　a　state　of　rags　or　nudity。

On　13th　December；　the　day　preceding　the　festival；　I　summoned　the
officers　to　the　magazine；　in　which　I　fortunately　had　all　that　could　be
required。　The　merchandise　and　general　stores　that　I　had　purchased　in
England　had　no　connection　with　the　army　clothing　and　stores　which　should
have　been　supplied　for　the　troops　from　Khartoum。　This　supply　had　been
impossible　owing　to　the　state　of　the　river。

I　served　out　new　clothing　for　the　entire　expedition。　I　arranged　that　212
officers　and　men　should　accompany　me　to　the　interior。　To　these　I　gave
scarlet　flannel　shirts　and　white　trousers。　The　officers　received　all
that　they　required；　and　the　men　were　allowed　to　purchase　from　the
government　stores　any　articles　that　they　considered　necessary　for
themselves　or　their　wives。　　（There　was　no　cash　at　Gondokoro；　thus；　in
the　absence　of　pay；　the　soldiers　were　contented　with　the　supplies　from
the　magazine　which　furnished　all　their　wants。）

On　14th　December　the　cannons　fired　at　sunrise　to　proclaim　the　holiday。　I
rode　up　to　head…quarters　and　inspected　the　troops　on　parade；　all　in
their　new　uniforms。　Every　man　was　in　a　good　humour；　and　they　burst　out
into　three　cheers　as　I　completed　the　inspection　and　addressed　a　few
words　to　them。

The　men's　wives　were　decked　out　with　gaudy　colours；　and　were　happy　in
proportion　to　the　amount　of　red　and　yellow。

The　troops　and　sailors　were　astonished　at　the　unfailing　contents　of　the
magazines；　which　established　confidence　that　should　we　be　positively　cut
off　from　all　communication　with　Khartoum；　we　were　nevertheless
independent　of　supplies。

Everything　was　in　order　at　Gondokoro。　The　natives　were　at　peace；　food
was　abundant；　the　station　securely　fortified。

I　now　determined　to　penetrate　into　the　south；　and　to　carry　a　steamer　in
sections　to　N。　lat。　3　degrees　32　minutes；　where　she　would　be　constructed
by　the　Englishmen；　and　launched　on　the　navigable　river　above　the　last
cataracts；　to　open　the　communication　with　the　Albert　N'yanza。

All　intrigues　and　opposition　to　the　expedition　had　been　overcome。
Although　my　force　was　small；　the　men　were　full　of　confidence；　and
promised　to　follow　wheresoever　I　might　lead。




CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　ADVANCE　SOUTH。

Military　critics　will　condemn　my　arrangements　for　an　advance　south。

My　original　plans　had　been　well　laid。　A　line　of　fortified　posts　was　to
have　been　established　throughout　the　country　at　intervals　of　three　days'
march。　This　would　have　assured　an　open　communication　with　Gondokoro。

Unfortunately；　my　force　had　been　350　men　short　of　the　number　stipulated；
and　the　1；200　men　that　had　once　been　reviewed　at　Gondokoro　had　been
reduced　to　500。

I　could　not　leave　a　smaller　force　at　head…quarters　than　340　men；
including　the　52　sailors；　thus　I　was　left　with　only　212　officers　and　men
to　commence　a　long　and　uncertain　journey　directly　away　from　my　base；
without　the　power　of　communication　in　the　event　of　unforeseen
difficulty。

I　had　already　experienced　the　treachery　of　natives；　upon　whom　no
reliance　could　be　placed。

My　intention　was　to　leave　the　Englishmen；　with　the　steamer　sections；　at
a　station　to　be　formed　at　Ibrahimeyeh　（Afuddo　on　the　map）　on　the
navigable　Nile；　N。　lat。　3　degrees　32　minutes；　together　with　a　small
garrison。

I　should　then　endeavour　to　form　an　irregular　corps　of　some　of　Abou
Saood's　men；　who　would　be　thrown　out　of　employment　at　the　expiration　of
the　contract。　This　was　near　at　hand。

An　irregular　corps　of　600　men　would；　in　addition　to　my　200；　enable　me　to
complete　the　annexation　of　the　country；　and　to　finish　my　work　before　the
reinforcements　should　arrive　from　Khartoum。

On　the　other　hand；　the　men　of　Abou　Saood　might　refuse　to　enlist　in
government　service。　Already　they　had　been　rendered　passively　hostile　by
the　influence　of　Abou　Saood。　They　had　secretly　encouraged　the　Baris　in
their　war　against　the　government；　they　might　repeat　this　conduct；　and
incite　the　tribes　against　us　in　the　interior。

Should　this　occur；　I　should　be　placed　in　a　dangerous　position　with　so
small　a　force；　as　it　would　be　necessary　to　detach　half　the　little　body
to　march　to　Gondokoro　for　supports。

I　could　not　defer　my　departure　in　the　hope　of　receiving　reinforcements
from　Khartoum；　as　their　arrival　would　be　quite　uncertain；　owing　to　the
state　of　the　river。

Should　I　delay　at　Gondokoro；　the　dry　season　would　pass　by；　the　ground；
now　baked　hard　by　the　sun；　would　become　soft；　and　would　render　transport
by　carts　impossible。

The　torrents　would　become　impassable　during　the　rains；　especially　the
river　Asua；　which　in　the　wet　season　cuts　off　all　communication　with　the
south。　This　dangerous　river　was　very　important；　as　it　would　prevent　a
retreat　should　such　a　movement　be　necessary　during　the　rainy　season。

I　was　well　aware　of　the　difficulties　of　the　position；　but　I　had　only　the
choice　of　two　evils。　If　I　remained　at　Gondokoro；　my　term　of　service
would　expire　fruitlessly。　I　should　simply　have　reduced　the　Baris；　and
have　established　the　station。　Abou　Saood　would　remain　in　the　interior
among　his　numerous　slave　establishments；　to　ridicule　my　impotence；　and
to　defy　my　orders　that　he　should　quit　the　country。　He　would　thus
continue　in　the　heart　of　Africa　until　I　should　have　returned　helplessly
to　England。　He　would　then　have　resumed　his　original　work　of　spoliation。
The　expedition　would　have　been　a　failure。

On　the　other　hand；　should　my　small　force　meet　with　defeat　or
destruction；　both　the　military　and　the　civil　world　would　exclaim；　〃Serve
him　right！　the　expedition　to　the　interior　made　under　such　circumstances
showed　a　great　want　of　judgment；　a　total　ignorance　of　the　first　rules　in
military　tactics。　What　could　he　expect；　without　an　established
communication；　at　a　distance　of　three　or　four　hundred　miles　from　his
base？　Simple　madness　！not　fit　to　command！〃　&c。　&c。　&c。

I　knew　the　risks　and　the　responsibility；　but　if　I　remained　passive；　I
should　be　beaten。　I　had　often　got　through　difficulties；　and　if　risks　are
to　be　measured　in　Africa　by　ordinary　calculations；　there　would　be　little
hope　of　progress。

I　determined　to　carry　as　large　a　supply　of　ammunition　as　could　be
transported；　together　with　sufficient　merchandise；　carefully　assorted；
to　establish　a　legitimate　ivory　trade　in　my　old　friend　Kamrasi's
country；　Unyoro　（The　Unyoro　country　is　called　by　the　traders
〃Magungo。〃）

The　Englishmen　would　be　occupied　in　the　construction　of　the　steamer　at
Ibrahimeyeh；　while　I　should