ismailia-第55章

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fellow　as　the　rain…maker。　His　name　was　Lokko。

At　3　p。m。；　on　8th　February；　we　started；　old　Lokko　leading　the　way；　and
waving　a　couple　of　thin；　peeled　sticks　at　a　refractory　black　cloud　that
appeared　determined　to　defy　his　rain…ruling　powers。　A　few　loud　blasts
upon　the　new　horn；　and　a　good　deal　of　pantomime　and　gesticulation　on　the
part　of　old　Lokko；　at　length　had　the　desired　effect；　the　cloud　went　off
about　its　business；　and　Lokko；　having　given　his　face　an　extra　rub　of
fresh　wood…ashes　before　starting；　looked　ugly　enough　to　frighten　any
rain…devil　out　of　his　wits。

My　people　were　heavily　laden。　At　the　commencement　of　the　journey；　an　ox
that　Monsoor　had　been　training；　kicked　off　its　load；　and　went　off　at
full　gallop　like　a　wild　animal；　and　we　never　saw　it　again。　Poor　Monsoor
now　shouldered　the　load　that　the　ox　had　left　helpless；　and　marched　thus
heavily　laden　up　the　hill。

My　wife　rode　〃Greedy　Grey；〃　which　carried　as　much　as　could　be　hung　upon
the　saddle。　I　rode　the　powerful　chestnut　〃Jamoos。〃　Lieutenant　Baker
mounted　a　very　handsome　light　chestnut　〃Gazelle；〃　and　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader　rode　the　Zafteer。　The　latter　was　a　fine　old　Arab　that　I　had
purchased　of　a　zafteer　（mounted　police）　in　Cairo。　I　had　ten　donkeys
which　carried　officers'　effects；　spare　ammunition；　flour；　&c。　The
twenty…two　boatmen　carried　boxes。

My　wife　and　I；　with　Lieutenant　Baker　and　an　advanced　guard　of　five　of
〃The　Forty；〃　followed　old　Lokko；　who　led　the　way；　and　Colonel
Abd…el…Kader　and　Captain　Mohammed　Deii　were　with　the　rear…guard；　which
drove　1；000　cows　and　500　sheep。　The　cattle　were　in　the　charge　of　the
Bari　interpreter；　Morgian。

Our　boys　and　girls　all　carried　loads。　Amarn　looked　like　a　small　Robinson
Crusoe；　with　a　tanned　sheepskin　bag　of　clothes　upon　his　back；　upon　which
was　slung　the　coffee…pot；　an　umbrella；　and　various　smaller　articles；
while　he　assisted　himself　with　a　long　staff　in　his　hand。　Little　Cuckoo；
who；　although　hardly　seven　years　old；　was　as　strong　as　a　little　pony；
strode　along　behind　my　horse；　carrying　upon　his　head　my　small　travelling
bag。

Everybody　was　in　the　best　spirits；　as　the　reaction　from　despair
to　success　was　delightful。　We　were　really　off　at　last；　and　were　actually
on　the　march　to　the　interior。

That　evening　we　halted　at　a　village　on　the　heights；　only　three　miles
from　the　vessels。　The　natives　had　deserted　their　habitations　on　our
approach；　and　would　not　come　near　us。　I　ordered　the　troops　to　save　their
flour；　and　to　eat　from　that　discovered　in　the　village；　for　which　on　the
following　morning　I　left　two　cows　as　a　present。　They　were　tied　up　in　the
native　zareeba。　The　cows　were　worth　at　least　fifty　times　the　flour　we
had　consumed；　but　I　wished　to　adopt　this　plan　throughout　the　journey　to
Lobore；　in　order　to　establish　confidence；　and　to　open　up　the　road　for
the　future。

On　9th　February　we　started　at　5。35　a。m。；　and　marched　two　hours　and　a
half　through　a　very　beautiful　undulating　country；　diversified　with
rocks；　streams；　and　handsome　park…like　timber。

We　halted　at　a　village　called　Koojok；　beneath　a　large　fig…tree　（Ficus
Indica）。　Our　old　friend　Lokko　appeared　to　be　perfectly　well　known；　and
he　at　once　introduced　us　to　the　natives；　who　received　us　without　fear　or
suspicion。　At　this　village　I　was　able　to　hire　five　natives　for　as　many
cows；　to　ease　my　people　（especially　Monsoor）　of　their　loads。

Thus　relieved；　we　started　at　2　p。m。；　and　halted　for　the　night　at　a
village　named　Gobbohr。　The　day's　march　was　twelve　miles。　North　latitude；
by　observation；　4　degrees　28　minutes。

At　this　spot　the　natives　brought　us　a　great　curiosity；　which　they　had
purchased　from　the　Baris　of　Belinian。　This　was　no　less　than　a　shell　of　8
1/4　lbs。　that　had　been　fired　at　the　Baris　by　our　cannon；　but　the　fuze
had　not　ignited。　It　had　been　sold　to　the　natives　of　Gobbohr　as　a　piece
of　iron。

I　inquired　the　use　of　such　a　lump　of　metal　to　them。　〃Oh！〃　they　replied；
〃we　are　going　to　hammer　it　into　molotes　（hoes）。〃

I　explained　to　them　that　it　was　a　loaded　shell；　that　would　explode　and
blow　the　blacksmith　and　his　people　to　pieces；　if　he　were　to　place　it　on
the　fire。　They　went　away　with　their　shell；　evidently　doubting　my
explanation。

On　the　10th　February；　having　as　usual　presented　the　natives　with　two
cows；　we　started　at　6　a。m。；　and　marched　ten　miles。　The　country　was　even
more　lovely　than　before；　comprising　fine　rocky　scenery　and　beautiful
park…like　views。　The　undulations　terminated　in　stony　bottoms　or
water…courses；　the　rocks　were　all　syenite；　gneiss；　and　large　masses　of
snow…white　quartz。

Although　at　this　season　the　ground　was　parched；　the　trees　were　all
vividly　green：　the　contrast　of　this　bright　green　with　the　yellow　turf
was　very　remarkable。

At　2。50　p。m。　we　again　started；　and　marched　three　miles；　arriving　at　a
village　on　high　ground　called　Marengo；　in　N。　lat。　4　degrees　18　minutes。
Here　I　met　an　old　acquaintance；　who；　of　course；　asked　me　for　a　cow。　This
was　a　very　respectable　man；　named　Nersho；　who　had；　when　a　boy；　been
brought　up　by　the　Austrian　missionaries　at　Gondokoro。　I　had　met　him
during　my　former　journey　when　in　company　with　Koorshood's　vakeel；
Ibrahim。　We　slept　at　Marengo。　The　soldiers　borrowed　the　natives'　mats；
cooking　pots；　&c。；　but　scrupulously　returned　everything　according　to
orders。

February　11。　Nersho　received　his　cow；　and　I　left　two　in　addition　for
the　headman　of　the　village。

We　started　at　5。35　a。m。；　and　marched　ten　miles；　and　halted　at　a　small
ravine　of　running　water　among　wooded　hills。

Our　old　guide；　Lokko；　was　at　fault。　After　much　trouble　we　succeeded　in
obtaining　two　natives；　who　told　us；　that　in　this　spot　they　had　killed　a
large　number　of　the　slave…hunters'　people。

Other　natives　soon　joined　us；　and　we　were　led　by　a　difficult　rocky　path
through　thick　forest　among　the　hills　for　five　miles；　to　the　pretty　open
country　of　Mooge。

Throughout　the　journey　from　the　Nile；　the　country　had　been　thickly
populated。　At　Mooge　we　camped　in　a　large　village　on　the　hill。

February　12。　We　started　at　5。25；　and　marched　straight　to　Lobore；　a
distance　of　fourteen　miles。　The　road　was　through　forest；　intersected　at
right…angles　with　deep　watercourses　from　the　mountain；　called　Forke；
about　a　mile　distant　upon　our　left。　This　fine；　rocky；　and　almost
perpendicular　hill　is　2；000　feet　high。

On　arrival　at　Lobore　we　halted　beneath　a　large　tree；　and　waited　for　the
cattle；　which　were　some　distance　in　the　rear；　owing　to　the　difficulty　in
crossing　the　numerous　steep　ravines。　Some　work　would　be　necessary　on
this　road　to　render　it　possible　for　carts。

We　had　thus　marched　fifty…seven　miles　from　our　vessels　without　the
necessity　of　firing　a　shot；　although　we　were　accompanied　by　so　tempting
a　prize　as　a　large　herd　of　cattle　and　sheep。

The　natives　of　Lobore　soon　began　to　collect；　and　the　dragoman；　Wani；
shortly　appeared；　who　proved　to　be　an　old　acquaintance　in　my　former
journey。　This　man；　who　had　been　an　interpreter　when　a　boy　among　the
traders；　spoke　good　Arabic；　and　we　soon　felt　quite　at　home。　Abbio；　the
old　sheik　of　Lobore　appeared。　This　old　fellow　was　half…blind；　but　he
seemed　very　willing　to　assist；　and；　after　I　had　explained　the　object　of
my　visit；　he　assured　me　that　his　people　would　go　to　the　vessels　if
accompanied　by　my　soldiers；　and　that　I　need　not　be　uneasy　about　my
baggage。

The　Lobore　are　not　Bari。　I　was　delighted　to　have　passed　the　southern
frontier　at　Mooge；　and　to　have　quitted　that　incomprehensible　tribe。　The
language　of　the　Lobore　is　a　dialect　of　the　Madi。

In　the　evening；　the　cattle　arrived　with　the　rear…guard。　I　had　requested
the　old　sheik　to　have　a　zareeba　prepare；　for　them；　this　was　quickly
accomplished；　therefore　an　ox　was　slaughtered　as　a　reward　for　all　those
who　had　worked　at　the　inclosure。

On　13th　February　〃we　held　a　regular　market　for　the　purchase　of　flour　in
exchange　for　sheep　and　goats。　Many　of　these　useful　little　animals　were
sickly；　owing　to　the　marches　in　the　hot　sun；　which　had　created　intense
thirst。　Upon　arrival　at　streams　upon　the　route；　they　had　drunk　too
greedily；　and　some　had　died　of　inflammation。

〃The　natives　purchased　live　goats　at　the　rate　of　about　30　lbs。　of　flour。
This　was　an　equal　exchange　in　live　weight　of　the　animal；　a　pound　of
flour　for　a　pound　of　goat。

〃February　14。The　whole　country　turned　out　to　hunt；　and　the　natives
returned　in　the　evening；　having　only　killed　two　buffaloes　and　a　few
small　antelopes。　Even　the　small　boys　are　armed　in　this　country　with　bows
and　barbed　arrows；　with　which　they　shoot　remarkably　well。

〃February　15。The　old　sheik；　Abbio；　accompanied　by　Wani；　appeared
early；　together　with　a　considerable　number　of　natives。　They　selected　396
cows　from　my　zareeba；　and　a　similar　number　of　men　promised　to　start
to…morrow　with　fifty　soldiers　to　convoy　the　material　from　the　vessels。

〃February　16。After　some　delay　the　natives　assembled；　and　with　horns
blowing　and　much　shouting　and　whistling；　they　at　length　started；
together　with　our　return　sailors；　and　an　escort　of　fifty　soldiers。

〃I　shall　thus；　after　much　care　and　anxiety；　be　able　to　push　on　with　a
quantity　of　goods　sufficient　to　open　the　path　and　to　establish　relations
with　the　equatorial　countries。　I　shall　have　212　troops　and　a　good　supply
of　ammunition；　goods；　and　cattle：　thus　there　should　be　no　insurmountable
difficulty。

〃I　wrote　to　Mr。　Higginbotham；　also　to　Mr。　Marcopolo；　and　sent　the
letters　inclosed　in　a　bottle。

〃February　17。　A　slight　shower　fell　this　morning。　The　sheik　of　Mooge
arrived　to　see　me　last　evening；　and　presented　a　fat　goat。

〃I　am　trying　to　persuade　him　and　old　Abbio　to　join　in　cutting　the
cart…road　through　the　forest　from　Mooge。　I　gave　Abbio　a　mixture　of
sulphate　of　zinc　for　his　eyes；　and　put　a　mustard　plaster　on　Wani　the
interpreter's　stomach。　At　first　he　said　it　was　of　no　use；　as　it　only
felt　like　cold　water；　but　when　it　began　to　burn；　he　was　greatly　amazed；
and　said　the　cold　water　had　turned　to　fire。

〃I　then　physicked　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　Monsoor；　both　of　whom　were
overheated。

〃A　judicious　present　of　a　few　blue　shirts　to　certain　headmen　put　every
one　in　good　humour。

〃February　18。I　took　a　stroll　for　some　miles　in　the　forest　accompanied
by　Lieutenant　Baker。　Game　was　very　scarce；　but　we　at　length　came　upon　a
fine　herd　of　tetel　（Antelope　Babalis）。　These　having　been　disturbed　by
the　noise　we　had　made　in　walking　over　loose　stony　ground；　dashed　through
the　open　forest；　about　120　paces　in　my　front。　I　shot　one　through　the
shoulder；　and　upon　running　up　I　found　it　in　the　act　of　falling。

〃I　then　heard　a　shot　from　Lieutenant　Baker　on　my　left；　to　whom　my　shot
had　turned　the　antelopes。　He　had　killed　a　very　large　bull　by　a　good　shot
in　the　neck。

〃This　luck　was　a　windfall　for　the　Lobore　natives　who　had　accompanied　us；
and　a　man　immediately　started　off　for　assistance；　as　many　men　were
required　to　transport　the　flesh　and　hides　of　such　large　animals。

〃February　19。…The　natives　begged　that　we　would　accompany　them　to　hunt；
and　they　started　with　a　considerable　party。

〃Having　formed　a　long　line　like　skirmishers；　with　intervals　of　about　ten
yards　between　each；　they　advanced　with　their　bows　prepared；　and　the
arrows　on　the　string；　ready　for　a　shot　on　the　instant　should　game　start