ismailia-第7章

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vegetation。　All　hands　worked　hard　to　clear　a　passage　through　this
obstruction　until　2。30；　when　we　passed　ahead。　At　4　P。M。　we　arrived　at　a
similar　obstacle；　the　water　very　shallow；　and　to…morrow　we　shall　have　to
cut　a　passage　through　the　high　grass；　beneath　which　there　is　deeper
water。　I　ordered　fifty　swords　to　be　sharpened　for　the　work。　We　counted
seventy　elephants　in　the　distance；　but　there　is　no　possibility　of
reaching　them　through　the　immense　area；　of　floating　vegetation。

〃February　26。Hard　at　work　with　forty　men　cutting　a　canal　about　150
yards　long　through　the　dense　mass　of　compressed　vegetation。

〃February　27。Working　hard　at　canal。　The　fleet　has　not　arrived；　thus　we
are　short…handed。

〃February　28。The　canal　progresses；　the　men　having　worked　well。　It　is　a
curious　collection　of　trash　that　seriously　impedes　navigation。　The　grass
resembles　sugar…canes；　this　grows　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet　in　length；
and　throws　out　roots　at　every　joint；　thus；　when　matted　together；　its
roots　still　increase；　and　render　the　mass　a　complete　tangle。　During　the
wet　season　the　rush　of　water　tears　off　large　rafts　of　this　floating
water…grass；　which　accumulate　in　any　favourable　locality。　The　difficulty
of　clearing　a　passage　is　extreme。　After　cutting　out　a　large　mass　with
swords；　a　rope　is　made　fast；　and　the　raft　is　towed　out　by　hauling　with
thirty　or　forty　men　until　it　is　detached　and　floated　down　the　stream。
Yesterday　I　cut　a　narrow　channel　from　above　stream　in　the　hope　that　the
rush　of　water　would　loosen　the　mass　of　vegetation。　After　much　labour；　at
12。30　p。m。　the　whole　obstruction　appeared　to　heave。　There　was　soon　no
doubt　that　it　was　moving；　and　suddenly　the　entire　dam　broke　up。　Immense
masses　were　carried　away　by　the　rush　of　water　and　floated　down　the
river；　these　will；　I　fear；　cause　an　obstruction　lower　down　the　stream。

〃We　got　up　steam；　served　out　grog　to　all　the　men；　and　started　at　2　P。M。
In　half…an…hour's　steaming　we　arrived　at　another　block　vegetation。　In
one　hour　and　three…quarters　we　cleared　a　passage；　and　almost　immediately
afterwards　we　arrived　at　the　first　piece　of　dry　ground　that　we　have　seen
for　days。　This　piece　of　firm　land　was　a　few　feet　higher　than　the　maximum
rise　of　the　river；　and　afforded　about　half　an　acre。　We　stopped　for　the
night。

〃March　1。Started　at　6。30　A。M。；　the　river　narrowing　immediately；　and
after　a　run　of　half　a　mile　we　found　ourselves　caught　in　a　trap。　The
river；　although　fourteen　feet　deep；　had　entirely　disappeared　in　a
boundless　sea　of　high　grass；　which　resembled　sugar…canes。　There　was　no
possibility　of　progress。　I　returned　to　our　halting…place　of　last　night
in　a　small　rowing…boat；　and　examined　it　thoroughly。　I　found　marks　of
occupation　by　the　slave…traders；　about　three　months　old。　Among　the
vestiges　were　the　remains　of　fires；　a　piece　of　a　lucifer…match　box；　a
number　of　cartridge　casesthey　had　been　firedand　a　piece　of　raw　hide
pierced　with　bullets；　that　had　evidently　been　used　as　a　target。

〃I　shot　two　geese　and　five　plover；　and　returned　to　our　vessel。　My
opinion　is　that　the　slave…hunters　have　made　a　razzia　inland　from　this
spot；　but　that　our　guide；　Bedawi；　has　led　us　into　a　wrong　channel。

〃I　attempted　to　seek　a　passage　ahead；　but　it　was　quite　impossible　for
the　smallest　rowing　boat　to　penetrate　the　dense　vegetation。

〃An　advance　being　impossible；　I　ordered　the　steamer　and　two　diahbeeahs
to　return　down　the　river　about　eighty　miles　to　our　old　wooding…place　at
the　last　forest；　as　we　are　nearly　out　of　fuel。　We　thus　lose　time　and
trouble；　but　there　is　no　help　for　it。　For　some　days　there　has　been　no
wind；　except　uncertain　breaths　from　the　south。　Unless　a　change　shall
take　place；　I　have　no　idea　how　the　fleet　will　be　able　to　come　up　against
the　stream。

〃March　2。At　6。30　a。m。　we　got　under　way　and　ran　down　stream　at　eight
miles　an　hour　towards　our　old　wooding…place。　Saw　a　few　buffaloes。　At　1
p。m。　we　passed　on　left　bank　a　branch　of　the　river。　At　3。30　sighted　the
tall　yards　of　the　fleet　in　the　distance。　At　4。30　we　arrived　at　the
extreme　southern　limit　of　the　forest；　and　met　Raouf　Bey　with　the　steamer
and　twenty…five　vessels；　with　a　good　supply　of　wood。　The　troops　were　in
good　health；　but　one　unfortunate　man　had　been　carried　off　by　a　crocodile
while　sitting　on　the　vessel　with　his　legs　hanging　over　the　side。

〃March　3。Filling　up　with　wood　from　the　forest。

〃March　4。Sent　the　steamer　back　to　the　station　of　Kutchuk　Ali；　the
trader；　to　procure　some　cattle　for　the　troops。　In　this　neighbourhood
there　is　dry　land　with　many　villages；　but　the　entire　country　has　been
pillaged　by　Kutchuk　Ali's　peoplethe　natives　murdered；　the　women
carried　off；　&c。

〃Raouf　Bey　counted　the　bodies　of　eighteen　natives　who　had　been　shot　near
the　trader's　camp。　Yesterday　I　went　to　a　native　village；　and　made
friends　with　the　people；　some　of　whom　came　down　to　our　boats；　they
complained　bitterly　that　they　were　subject　to　pillage　and　massacre　by
the　traders。　These　so…called　traders　are　the　people　of　Kutchuk　Ali；　THE
OFFICER　EMPLOYED　BY　THE　GOVENOR…GENERAL　OF　THE　SOUDAN　to　command　his
expedition　to　the　Bahr　Gazal！

〃Filled　up　with　a　large　supply　of　wood　ready　to　start　tomorrow。

〃March　5。Great　good　fortune！　A　fine　north　wind　for　the　first　time
during　many　days。　All　the　vessels　sailing　well。　We　started　at　7　a。m。　Saw
a　Baleniceps　Rex＇*＇；　this　is　the　second　of　these　rare　birds　that　I　have
seen。　

＇*Footnote：　The　whale…headed　stork；　or　Baleniceps　Rex；　is　only　met　with
in　the　immense　swamps　of　the　White　Nile。　This　bird　feeds　generally　upon
water　shellfish；　for　which　nature　has　provided　a　most　powerful　beak
armed　with　a　hook　at　the　extremity。）

〃At　1　p。m。；　as　we　were　steaming　easily；　I　happened　to　be　asleep　on　the
poop…deck；　when　I　was　suddenly　awakened　by　a　shock；　succeeded　almost
immediately　by　the　cry；　‘The　ship's　sinking！'　A　hippopotamus　had　charged
the　steamer　from　the　bottom；　and　had　smashed　several　floats　off　her
starboard　paddle。　A　few　seconds　later　he　charged　our　diahbeeah；　and
striking　her　bottom　about　ten　feet　from　the　bow；　he　cut　two　holes
through　the　iron　plates　with　his　tusks。　There　was　no　time　to　lose；　as
the　water　was　rushing　in　with　great　force。　Fortunately；　in　this　land　of
marsh　and　floating　grass；　there　were　a　few　feet　of　tolerably　firm　ground
rising　from　the　deep　water。　Running　alongside；　all　hands　were　hard　at
work　discharging　cargo　with　great　rapidity；　and　baling　out　with　every
conceivable　utensil；　until　we　obtained　assistance　from　the　steamer；
whose　large　hand　pump　and　numerous　buckets　at　length　so　far　overcame　the
rush　of　water；　that　we　could　discover　the　leaks。

〃We　now　found　two　clean　holes　punched　through　the　iron　as　though　driven
by　a　sharp　pickaxe。　Some　hours　were　occupied　in　repairing　the　damage　by
plastering　white　lead　upon　some　thick　felt；　this　was　placed　over　the
holes；　and　small　pieces　of　plank　being　laid　over　the　felt；　they　were
secured　by　an　upright　piece　of　timber　tightened　with　wedges　from　a
cross…beam。　The　leaks　were　thus　effectually　and　permanently　stopped。

〃By　sunset　all　was　completed　and　the　vessel　reloaded；　but　I　sent
twenty…eight　boxes　of　snider　ammunition　on　board　the　tender。　This
miserable　wood　tender　has　sprung　her　yard　so　that　she　cannot　carry　sail。
The　day　was　entirely　lost　together　with　a　fine　north　wind。

〃March；　6。Brisk　wind　from　the　north。　Started　at　5。45　a。m。；　but　at　7
a。m。　something　happened　to　the　engine；　and　the　steamer　stopped　until
eight。　After　frequent　stoppages；　owing　to　the　sharp　bends　in　the　narrow
river；　we　arrived　at　the　spot　where　we　had　formerly　opened　the　dam；
there　the　current　ran　like　a　rapid。

〃March　7。Much　difficulty　in　ascending　the　river；　but　upon　arrival　at
the　dry　ground　（called　the　'dubba'）；　we　found　the　No。　8　steamer　and　the
whole　fleet　assembled；　with　the　exception　of　six　that　are　in　sight。

〃March　8。The　other　vessels　arrived；　I　have　thus　thirty…four　sail；
including　the　two　steamers。　The　entire　country　is　swamp；　covered　with
immensely　high　water…grass；　beneath　which　the　depth　is　considerable。　The
reputed　main　channel　of　the　river　is　supposed　to　come　from　S。W。；　this　is
only　denoted　by　a　stream　three　or　four　feet　broad；　concealed　by　high
grass；　and　in　places　choked　by　the　Pistia　Stratiotes。　These　surface
plants；　which　resemble　floating　cabbages　with　fine　thready　roots；　like　a
human　beard　of　sixteen　inches　in　length；　form　dense　masses　which　are
very　difficult　to　clear

〃Our　guides　are　useless；　as　we　cannot　depend　upon　their　contradictory
statements。　We　are　in　a　deplorable　positionthe　whole　fleet　in　a
cul…de…sac；　the　river　has　disappeared；　an　unknown　distance　of　apparently
boundless　marsh　lies　before　us；　there　is　no　wood；　and　there　is　no
possibility　of　moving　without　cutting　a　channel。

〃I　have　ordered　thirty　vessels　to　form　in　line；　single　file；　and　to　cut
a　canal。

〃March。　9。The　men　worked　famously；　but　I　much　fear　they　will　be　laid
up　with　fever　if　kept　at　such　an　unhealthy　task。　To…day　a　force　of　700
men　cut　about　a　mile　and　a　half。　They　are　obliged　to　slash　through　with
swords　and　knives；　and　then　to　pull　out　the　greater　portion　of　the　grass
and　vegetable　trash；　this　is　piled　like　artificial　banks　on　either　side
upon　the　thick　floating　surface　of　vegetation。　I　took　a　small　boat　and
pushed　on　for　a　mile　and　a　half。　I　found　a　very　narrow　stream；　like　a
small　brook；　which　gave　hopes　of　lighter　labour　for　to…morrow。　I　shall
therefore　try　to　force　the　steamer　through。　Thirty…two　men　reported　on
the　sick　list　this　evening。

〃March　10。A　fine　north　wind　for　about　half　an　hour；　when　it　suddenly
chopped　round　to　the　S。E。　We　cut　on　far　ahead；　so　that　I　was　able　to
push　on　the　steamers　and　the　whole　fleet　for　a　distance　of　about　five
miles。　I　had　a　touch　of　fever。

〃March　11。Frightful　stinking　morass。　All　stopped　at　a　black　muddy　pond
in　the　swamp。　The　river　is　altogether　lost。　We　have　to　cut　a　passage
through　the　morass。　Hard　work　throughout　the　day。　One　soldier　died　of
sunstroke。　No　ground　in　which　to　bury　him。

〃It　is　a　curious　but　most　painful　fact　that　the　entire　White　Nile　has
ceased　to　be　a　navigable　river。　The　boundless　plains　of　marsh　are　formed
of　floating　rafts　of　vegetation　compressed　into　firm　masses　by　the
pressure　of　water　during　floods。　So　serious　is　this　obstacle　to
navigation；　that　unless　a　new　channel　can　be　discovered；　or　the　original
Nile　be　reopened；　the　centre　of　Africa　will　be　entirely　shut　out　from
communication；　and　all　my　projects　for　the　improvement　of　the　country
will　be　ruined　by　this　extraordinary　impediment。

〃March　12。I　think　I　can　trace　by　telescope　the　fringe　of　tall　papyrus
rush　that　should　be　the　border　of　the　White　Nile；　but　this　may　be　a
delusion。　The　wind　is　S。W。；　dead　against　us。　Many　men　are　sick　owing　to
the　daily　work　of　clearing　a　channel　through　the　poisonous　marsh。　This
is　the　Mahommedan　festival　of　the　Hadj；　therefore　there　is　little　work
to…day。

〃March　13。Measured　460　yards　of　apparently　firm　marsh；　through　which
we　plumbed　the　depth　by　long　poles　thrust　to　the　bottom。

〃Flowing　water　being　found　beneath；　I　ordered　the　entire　force　to　turn
out　and　cut　a　channel；　which　I　myself　superintended　in　the　advance　boat。

〃By　6　p。m。　the　canal　was　completed；　and　the　wind　having　come　rou