ismailia-第57章

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and　they　had　followed　my　instructions　by　leaving　cows　for　payment　at
every　night's　halting…place。

I　now　divided　the　flour　into　loads　of　sixty　pounds　each；　packed　in
baskets　covered　with　raw　hide。

I　thus　carried　3；600　lbs。　by　sixty　porters。　My　troops　were　now　relieved
from　much　weight；　as　I　engaged　500　natives　for　the　journey　to　the
interior；　at　the　same　time　I　ordered　every　soldier　to　carry　six　pounds
of　flour　in　addition　to　his　knapsack　and　accoutrements。　Every　one　of　my
men　was　provided　with　a　small　tanned　goatskin　stripped　from　the　animal
（like　a　stocking　from　the　leg）　and　secured　at　one　end　like　a　bag。　These
little　chorabs；　or　travelling　sacks；　were　most　convenient；　and　were　well
adapted　for　carrying　flour；　as　they　were　easily　strapped　to　the　top　of
the　knapsack。

I　lost　no　time　in　preparing　for　a　move　forward。　Wani　the　interpreter　was
invaluable；　as　he　superintended　all　the　arrangements　necessary　for
collecting　the　carriers。

The　cattle　were　confined　within　the　kraal　waiting　for　selection。　About
1；000　natives　assembled；　and　they　were　allowed　to　enter　the　zareeba　and
choose　their　cows；　in　parties　of　four　at　one　time；　to　prevent　confusion。

This　was　a　tedious　operation；　as　the　Lobore　carriers　were　almost　as
particular　in　their　selection　of　cattle　as　ladies　are　supposed　to　be　in
the　choice　of　their　dresses。

February　27。The　Lobore　were　exceedingly　quiet　and　orderly　in　their
conduct；　and　500　cows　having　been　received　by　as　many　natives；　they
returned　to　their　homes　to　make　arrangements　for　the　journey　to　Fatiko。
I　find　the　following　extract　in　my　journal　of　this　date　：

〃The　Lobore　will　be　useful　allies　as　they　are　enemies　of　the　Bari；　and
their　country　is　well　situated；　lying　between　Bari　and　Madi；　on　the
route　to　Fatiko；　thus　they　will　be　ready　as　carriers　for　both　ends　of
the　line。

〃If　I　can　obtain　eighty　camels　from　Khartoum；　I　can　get　the　steamer
along　without　any　serious　difficulty；　as　the　Lobore　natives　can　be
engaged　to　make　the　road；　but　nothing　can　prosper　until　a　regular　camel
transport　service　shall　be　established。

〃I　am　sadly　in　want　of　troops　and　European　officers。　There　should　be　200
men　in　four　parties　stationed　at　intervals　along　the　line　to　direct　the
natives　in　opening　the　road。

〃A　soldier　deserted　and　ran　away　with　his　arms　and　ammunition　to　some
distant　village。　I　immediately　called　Wani　and　the　old　sheik　Abbio；　to
whom　I　explained　that　I　should　hold　them　responsible　if　the　deserter
were　not　captured。　They　sent　out　natives　in　all　directions　in　search。

〃February　28。The　natives　returned；　saying　they　had　found　the　deserter
about　half　a　march　distant；　but　they　could　not　seize　him　alive；　as　he
threatened　to　shoot　them；　at　the　same　time　they　were　afraid　to　kill　him；
as　he　was　my　soldier。

〃I　immediately　sent　a　sergeant　and　three　men　of　'The　Forty'　to　take　him
prisoner。

〃In　the　evening　the　soldiers　returned；　having　captured　the　deserter。　I
left　him　in　irons　to　be　kept　at　hard　labour　by　the　sheik　Abbio　at
Lobore；　until　I　should　return　to　the　country。　This　is　a　good　lesson　to
the　troops。

〃The　natives　had　a　grand　dance　to…day；　the　men　and　women　as　usual　naked；
leaping；　and　yelling　wild　songs　to　an　extraordinary　accompaniment　of
music；　produced　by　beating　a　long　stick　of　extremely　hard　wood　with　a
short　stick　of　the　same　substance。　Some　of　the　girls　were　pretty；　but
being　smeared　with　red　ochre　and　fat；　they　were　not　attractive。　The
natives　were　very　civil；　and　although　at　least　a　thousand　were　present；
they　immediately　made　room　for　me　upon　my　arrival；　that　I　might　have　a
good　place　to　witness　their　performance。〃

I　was　much　struck　with　a　simple　arrangement　made　use　of　by　the　old
people　to　support　the　back　in　lieu　of　an　arm…chair。　Each　person　had　a
cord　knotted　by　the　ends　so　as　to　form　an　endless　loop　or　hoop。　The　size
depended　upon　the　measurement　required；　so　that　if　the　hoop　were　thrown
over　the　body　when　in　a　sitting　posture　upon　the　ground；　with　the　knees
raised；　the　rope　would　form　a　band　around　the　forepart　of　the　knees　and
the　small　of　the　back；　which　would　thus　be　supported。

The　Lobore　are　great　workers　in　iron；　which　is　used　generally　in　the
manufacture　of　ornaments。　Large　rings　of　this　metal　are　worn　round　the
neck；　and　upon　the　arms　and　ankles。　Many　of　these　ankle…rings　are　of
extreme　thickness；　and　would　suffice　for　the　punishment　of　prisoners。　I
was　interested　with　the　mechanical　contrivance　of　the　Lobore　for
detaching　the　heavy　metal　anklets；　which；　when　hammered　firmly　together；
appeared　to　be　hopeless　fixtures　in　the　absence　of　a　file。

I　required　several　irons　to　construct　the　manacles　for　the　deserter；
thus　I　had　purchased　the　massive　ornaments　which　had　to　be　detached　from
the　ankles　of　the　owner。

The　man　sat　upon　the　ground。　A　stick　of　hard；　unyielding　wood　was　thrust
through　the　ring　beneath　the　ankle；　so　that　each　end　of　the　stick　rested
on　the　earth。　A　man　secured　one　end　by　standing　upon　it；　while　another
placed　a　stone　upon　the　stick　thus　secured；　which　he　used　as　a　fulcrum。
The　lever　employed　was　a　piece　of　abdnoos；　which　worked　upon　the　stone；
and　pressed　down　the　base　of　the　ring　at　the　same　time　that　it　opened
the　joint　sufficiently　to　allow　it　to　be　passed　over　the　thin　portion　of
the　leg。

I　never　saw　this　ingenious　application　of　the　lever　among　other　tribes
than　the　Lobore。　The　usual　method　among　the　Madi　is　far　more　simple；　but
requires　a　certain　number　of　men；　and　places　the　patient　in　an
uncomfortable　position。　A　rope　is　fastened　to　each　side　of　the　ring；
upon　which　a　number　of　men　haul　in　opposite　directions　until　they　have
opened　the　joint　sufficiently　to　detach　it　from　the　leg。

On　29th　February　we　were　ready　for　the　start。　The　loads　were　all
prepared　and　arranged　in　separate　divisions　of　twenty　each；　under　the
charge　of　selected　officers　and　men。

The　big　nogara　had　sounded；　the　natives　collected；　and　each　man　stood　by
his　load；　thus　twenty…five　gangs　of　twenty　each　should　have　stood　in
line。

I　now　discovered　that　the　vaunted　honesty　of　the　Lobore　was　of　the　same
order　as　that　of　other　negroes。　Five　hundred　cows　had　been　given　to　as
many　natives；　for　all　of　which　the　sheik　Abbio　had　declared　himself
responsible。　The　big　nogara　sounded　in　vain。　After　waiting　for　some
hours；　and　sending　numerous　messengers　to　as　many　villages；　only　433
carriers　could　be　mustered；　thus　sixty…seven　had　eloped　with　as　many
cows！

No　one　can　imagine　the　trouble　of　such　a　journey　with　so　long　a　retinue
of　carriers；　most　of　whom　are　dishonest；　and　only　seek　an　opportunity　to
abscond　upon　the　road。

The　Lobore　are　immensely　powerful　men；　and　they　carried　the　boxes　of
Hale's　rockets　as　single　loads；　although　weighing　upwards　of　seventy…two
pounds。　At　the　same　time　they　quarrelled　among　themselves　as　to　the
choice　of　parcels；　and　I　could　with　difficulty　prevail　upon　them　to
carry　the　zinc　boat；　although　it　did　not　exceed　130　lbs。　Four　men
actually　refused　to　touch　it；　as　it　sat　uneasily　upon　their　heads。

This　handy　little　vessel　was　made　of　zinc　upon　an　iron　framework；　and
would　contain　four　people　upon　a　pinch；　but　would　easily　convey　three
across　a　river。　I　had　arranged　it　upon　two　stout　bamboos　so　adjusted
that　four　men　should　have　carried　it　with　ease。　The　natives　demanded
eight；　but　I　at　length　compromised　for　six。

The　delay　caused　by　the　non…appearance　of　the　sixty…seven　carriers　was
extremely　dangerous；　as　it　increased　the　chance　of　desertions。　Already
many　had　volunteered　to　search　for　their　missing　friends；　which　would
have　resulted　in　a　search　for　them　also；　until　my　body　of　carriers　would
have　melted　away。

Fortunately　I　had　made　a　considerable　allowance　for　desertions　on　the
road；　and　I　could　manage　to　start　with　the　assistance　of　the　soldiers
and　their　wives；　among　whom　I　divided　many　baskets　of　flour。

At　3。25　P。M。　we　started。

There　was　no　danger　now　that　we　had　passed　the　Bari　tribe；　therefore　we
could　push　on　with　an　advance　guard　of　five　picked　men　of　〃The　Forty；〃
who　always　accompanied　us；　and　leave　the　charge　of　the　march　and　baggage
to　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　the　various　officers。

We　accordingly　marched；　at　four　miles　an　hour；　through　a　rocky　and　hilly
country；　generally　wooded；　which　would　have　been　an　awkward　position　if
held　by　an　enemy。

At　6　P。M。　we　halted　at　a　rocky　ravine　where　water　had　been　expected　by
our　guide。　To　our　dismay　we　found　it　nearly　dry；　and　it　was　necessary　to
dig　temporary　wells　in　the　sand　to　procure　a　supply　for　ourselves；　while
the　horses　were　forced　to　content　themselves　with　the　impure　pool。

It　quickly　became　dark；　and　the　troops　and　baggage　were　far　behind。　We
therefore　gathered　wood　and　made　a　blazing　fire　to　show　our　position；　at
the　same　time　a　bugler　and　drummer　who　had　accompanied　us；　made　as　much
noise　as　possible　from　the　summit　of　a　small　hill。

At　7。30　P。M。　the　cattle　arrived　by　torchlight；　together　with　the　troops
and　baggage。　Some　of　the　Lobore　carriers　had　already　deserted　on　the
road；　which　had　caused　much　delay。

We　had　marched　nine　miles；　but　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　send　four
men　back　to　Lobore；　to　insist　upon　fresh　carriers　being　immediately　sent
to　replace　the　runaways。

On　March　1　we　started　at　half…past　six　A。M。；　after　a　terrific　scramble
for　loads　by　400　Lobore　carriers；　who　rushed　in　and　tugged　and　wrestled
for　their　packages　like　wolves　over　a　carcase。　Boxes　were　turned　upside
down；　and　carried　in　that　manner　with　an　utter　disregard　for　the
contents。

The　inverted　canteen　was　discovered　upon　the　head　of　a　brutal　Lobore；
whose　body　was　being　basted　with　Cognac　and　gin　that　showered　from　the
loosened　stoppers　of　the　decanters。

I　never　saw　such　a　wild　pack　of　savages；　they　were　only　fit　to　carry　the
elephants'　tusks　of　the　traders；　but　any　civilized　baggage　ran　a　risk　of
instant　destruction。

The　old　sheik；　Abbio；　had　given　me　his　son　to　keep　order　among　the
people。　This　young　man　was　about　twenty…seven　years　of　age；　but；
although　respectable　in　appearance；　he　did　not　appear　to　have　the
slightest　control　over　his　people；　and　he　regarded　their　desertions　with
seeming　indifference。

I　had　a　strong　suspicion　that　he　might　quietly　abscond　at　night；　in
which　case　every　man　might　instantly　follow　his　example。　I　therefore
ordered　a　light　thong　of　leather　to　be　attached　to　the　iron　collar　worn
as　an　ornament　upon　his　neck；　and　I　trusted　him　to　the　surveillance　of　a
couple　of　soldiers　told　off　as　his　guard　of　honour。

We　marched　south　for　sixteen　miles　through　a　fine　country　of　hills　and
low　forest；　where　the　villages　of　the　Madi　had　been　mostly　destroyed　by
the　slave…hunting　parties　of　Abou　Saood。

We　passed　large　tracts　of　land　that　had　formerly　been　in　a　high　state　of
cultivation；　and　the　charred　remains　of　numerous　villages　bespoke　the
desolation　caused　by　these　brigands　of　the　White　Nile。　The　road　was　well
watered　by　many　small　streams　in　deep　gorges；　until　we　descended　to　the
Asua　river。　This　was　just　twenty…five　miles　from　our　camp　at　Lobore；　in
latitude　N。；　by　observation；　3　degrees　43　minutes。

We　happened　to　arrive　at　the　spot　where　the　river　Atabbi　joined　the
Asua。　At　this　junction　the　Atabbi　was　perfectly　clea