ismailia-第122章

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should　become　short　of　ammunition；　as　my　stores　and　arms　would　have
fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　This　doubt　caused　me　much　grave
anxiety。

It　was　strange　that　we　had　not　received　some　communication　from　Rionga；
whose　island　was　only　fifteen　or　sixteen　miles　above　stream　from
Foweera。　Our　side　of　the　river　appeared　to　be　quite　uninhabited；　and
simply　consisted　of　the　interminable　groves　of　bananas；　that　had
belonged　to　the　inhabitants　at　a　time　when　the　district　had　been　thickly
populated。

The　Victoria　Nile；　opposite　the　Foweera　station；　was　about　500　yards
wide。　At　this　season　the　river　was　full。　The　huts　that　we　had　erected　on
the　north　side；　upon　our　arrival　from　Fatiko；　had　been　destroyed　by　the
natives。　This　did　not　look　as　though　much　friendship　existed。

Upon　hearing　our　drums　and　bugles　on　the　day　of　our　arrival　at　Foweera；
a　few　natives　had　come　to　the　high　rock　opposite；　and　had　commenced；
bawling　conversation；　and　that　was　only　slightly　understood　by　one　of
our　women　and　Molodi　the　Madi。

Molodi　knew　Rionga；　as　he　had　visited　him　at　a　former　time；　together
with　a　party　of　Abou　Saood's　people。　His　very　slight　knowledge　of　the
language　was　sufficient　to　explain　to　the　natives　across　the　river　that
I　wished　to　communicate　with　Rionga。

The　people　on　the　north　happened　to　belong　to　Kabba　Rega；　and　they　were
enemies　of　Rionga；　thus　we　were　addressing　the　wrong　parties。

It　was　highly　necessary　to　make　some　arrangements　for　crossing　the
river。　There　are　no　canoes　on　this　side；　and　it　would　be　dangerous　to
trust　to　rafts；　as　there　were　waterfalls　about　three　or　four　hundred
yards　below　upon　our　left。　I　determined　to　construct　boats。

We　felled　three　large　dolape　palms　（Borassus　ethriopicus）；　which　were
the　only　trees　of　that　species　in　this　neighbourhood。　These　palms　are
well　adapted　for　canoes；　as　the　bark；　or　rather　the　outside　wood；　is
intensely　hard　for　about　an　inch　and　a　half；　beneath　which　the　tree　is
simply　a　pithy；　stringy　substance；　that　can　be　rapidly　scooped　out。

Two　of　the　logs；　when　shaped；　were　each　twenty…six　feet　in　length；　the
third　was　smaller。

Throughout　the　march　from　Masindi　we　had　managed　to　carry　an　adze；　a
hammer；　and　a　cold　chisel。　The　adze　now　came　into　play；　together　with
the　Bandy　little　axes　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃。

Among　my　troops　was　a　Baggara　Arab；　who　was　a　〃canoe…builder〃。　This　was
one　of　the　best　men　of　〃The　Forty〃；　and　it　was　now　for　the　first　time
that　I　heard　of　his　abilities　as　a　boat…builder。　This　man；　Said　Bagara；
has　since　accompanied　Colonel　Long　with　great　fidelity　to　the　court　of
King　M'Tese。

The　men　took　an　immense　interest　in　the　work；　but　as　too　many　volunteers
might　interfere　with　the　principal　shipwright；　I　sent　them　all　into　the
forest　to　collect　plantains。　I　gave　orders　that　every　man　should　prepare
14　lbs　of　plantain　flour　for　the　journey；　in　case　it　should　be　necessary
to　march　to　Fatiko。

The　canoes　progressed；　and　a　slice　of　about　a　foot　wide　having　been
taken　off　horizontally　from　stem　to　stern；　the　soft　inside　was　scooped
out　with　an　adze；　and　with　lance…heads　bent　to　form　a　half　circle。

In　a　few　days　the　logs　were　neatly　hollowed；　and　were　then　carried　down
and　launched　upon　the　river。　The　long；　narrow　canoes　would　have　been
very　dangerous　without　outriggers；　therefore　I　determined　to　adopt　the
plan　that　I　had　seen　in　Ceylon；　and　as　Lieutenant　Baker　well　represented
the　omniscience　of　naval　men　in　everything　that　concerns　boats；　nautical
stratagems；　incomprehensible　forms　of　knots；　rigging；　&e。；　&e。；　I　left
all　the　details　of　the　canoes　to　his　charge。　In　a　short　time　we
possessed　three　admirable　vessels　that　it　was　quite　impossible　to　upset。
I　now　required　a　few　rafts　for　the　transport　of　baggage；　as　it　would　be
awkward　to　cross　the　river　by　small　sections　should　an　enemy　oppose　our
landing　on　the　precipitous　bank　on　the　opposite　shore。　I　therefore
arranged　that　we　should　cross　in　two　journeys。　The　party　now　consisted
of　97　soldiers　including　officers；　5　natives；　3　sailors；　51　women；　boys；
and　servants；　and　3　Europeans；　total；　158　persons。

There　was　no　ambatch　wood；　but　I　thought　we　might　form　rafts　by　cutting
and　then　drying　in　the　sun　the　long　tough　stems　of　the　papyrus　rush。
These；　if　lashed　together　in　small　bundles；　could　be　shaped　into　rafts
similar　to　those　used　by　the　Shillook　tribe。

Lieutenant　Baker　took　the　three　sailors　and　a　few　intelligent　soldiers；
and　set　to　work。

The　29th　June　had　arrived　without　any　news　of　Rionga。　　The　country
appeared　to　be　quite　devoid　of　inhabitants　on　the　south　banks；　neither
did　the　natives　show　themselves　on　the　north。　We　were　masters　of　the
situation；　but　there　was　an　uncomfortable　feeling　of　loneliness　in　our
position　of　outcasts。　We　were　very　hungry；　as　we　had　not　tasted　animal
food　since　the　14th　inst。；　there　was　no　game；　neither　were　there　any
doves　or　birds　of　any　kind；　except　occasional　vultures；　which；　after
sitting　upon　a　dead　tree　and　regarding　us　for　some　time；　went　off　with　a
low　opinion　of　our　respectability。

We　lived　upon　boiled　plantains　and　red　peppers；　together　with　various
wild　plants　that　are　wholesome；　but　not　nice；　when　boiled　as　spinach。
Unfortunately；　our　small　supply　of　salt　was　exhausted；　therefore　we　were
obliged　to　burn　grass　and　make　potash　from　the　ashes　as　a　substitute。

We　had　a　small　quantity　of　brandy；　but　we　reserved　this　in　case　of
illness　or　other　necessity。

My　men　generally　made　two　journeys　daily；　together　with　the　women；　to
collect　green　plantains；　and　they　immediately　commenced　peeling　and
drying　them　in　the　sun　upon　their　return　to　camp。

On　the　evening　of　the　29th　they　came　home　in　great　spirits；　having
captured　a　prisoner。　They　had　tied　his　arms　cruelly　behind　his　lack；　and
had　led　him　to　camp　by　a　cord　secured　to　his　neck。

This　man　had　been　discovered　in　company　with　two　others　who　had　escaped
to　the　other　side　of　the　river　in　a　canoe。

I　ordered　his　arms　to　be　released；　and　cross…examined　him；　Molodi　acting
as　interpreter。

The　prisoner　seemed　quite　confident　upon　seeing　my　wife　and　myself。
〃Don't　you　remember　me〃　he　exclaimed；　〃was　it　not　I　who　many　years　ago
carried　the　travelling…bag　for　the　lady　on　your　journey　to　Fatiko？　Was
it　not　you　that　shot　the　antelopes　on　the　march；　and　gave　me　meat　to　eat
when　I　was　hungry？〃

Here　was　an　extraordinary　piece　of　good　luck！　My　men　had　actually
captured　an　old　friend　in　the　thickets；　who　had　formerly　marched　with　us
in　the　reign　of　Kamrasi！

This　fellow　now　gave　us　the　news。　Rionga　wished　to　see　me；　but　he　had
been　so　cheated　and　deceived　by　the　slave…hunting　companies　of　Abou
Saood；　that　he　was　afraid　to　trust　himself　among　us；　he　was　friendly
disposed；　but　he　did　not　know　my　intentions　concerning　himself。

The　prisoner　declared　that　the　treachery　of　Kabba　Rega　had　been　planned
from　the　beginning。　The　300　natives　who　had　accompanied　my　party　from
Masindi；　with　the　post　to　Fatiko；　had　attacked　and　killed　some　of　my
men；　but　he　knew　no　particulars；　only　that　they　had　not　gone　on　to
Fatiko　with　my　people。　This　was　a　great　relief　to　my　anxiety；　as　in　that
case　Abdullah　must　be　safe　with　his　detachment。　I　ordered　the　prisoner
to　be　retained；　but　to　be　well　treated。

We　had　rain　nearly　every　day。

At　daybreak　on　1st　July；　after　a　heavy　night's　rain；　a　voice　from　the
high　wet　grass；　about　a　hundred　yards　distant；　cried　out　to　the　sentries
in　Arabic；　〃Don't　fire！　I　am　a　messenger　from　Rionga　to　Malegge！〃　（my
former　nick…name）。

The　man；　cold　and　shivering；　was　brought　before　me。　　He　had　travelled　by
canoe　during　the　night；　but　had　been　afraid　to　approach　the　sentries
until　daylight。

Being　assured　of　my　good…will；　he　informed　me　that　a　nephew　of　Rionga's
was　in　the　grass　waiting　for　my　reply。　He　immediately　ran　out；　and　soon
returned　to　the　camp　with　his　companion。

As　these　people　spoke　Arabic；　I　now　explained　the　whole　affair；　and
assured　them　of　my　repeated　refusal　to　attack　Rionga；　when　I　had　been
pressed　to　do　so　both　by　Kamrasi；　and　by　his　son；　Kabba　Rega。　There
could　be　little　doubt　that；　had　I　allied　with　him　against　Rionga；　the
battle　of　Masindi　would　never　have　taken　p