ismailia-第32章

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river　will　be　impassable。

〃Tayib　Agha's　boats　are　in　sight；　about　four　miles　distance；　bearing
north。　We　cut　through　the　small　sudd；　and　in　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　we
arrived　at　an　open　water；　very　shallow：　in　many　places　only　three　feet
deep。　Stopped　for　the　fleet；　and　upon　arrival　of　the　steamer　and　others；
I　had　marked　out　the　channel　to　be　cleared。　The　men　set　to　work
immediately。　I　then　passed　ahead　with　the　diahbeeah　for　about　a　mile　and
a　half；　the　depth　of　water；　as　usual；　varying；　but　often　as　low　as　four
feet。　We　were　at　length　stopped　at　the　confluence　of　two　channels；　each
shallow。　The　sun　was　setting；　therefore　we　halted　for　the　night。　A
buffalo　crossed　the　river　about　200　yards　ahead。

〃February　4。…I　took　the　dingy　early　in　the　morning　and　explored　both
channels；　that　on　the　right　has　no　water　beyond　a　depth　of　about　two
feet。　The　left　is　the　true　stream；　but　the　depth　in　some　places　is　only
three　feet；　thus　there　is　more　work　for　the　men　upon　their　arrival。　Had
we　arrived　here　a　month　earlier；　we　could　have　just　passed　the　shallows；
as　our　vessels　draw　an　average　of　a　little　over　four　feet。　No　vessels
should　arrive　here　later　than　1st　of　January；　the　entire　river　is　a
ridiculous　imposition；　a　month　later；　the　bed　will　be　nearly　dry。　A　mile
ahead；　both　channels　are　closed　by　a　sudd　of　vegetation；　we　must　thus
await　until　the　boats　arrive。　Altogether　the　entire　journey　by　the　Bahr
Giraffe　is　a　painful　absurdity；　and　my　expedition　will　be　fruitless　in
all　but　geographical　results　unless　the　authorities　of　the　Soudan　will
clear　the　main　channel　of　the　White　Nile。

〃February　5。…None　of　the　vessels　arrived　yesterday。　I　went　back　and
found　them　in　a　terrible　fix；　as　the　water　is　leaving　us　rapidly；　and　we
must　cut　a　fresh　channel　through　the　sand；　about　one　hundred　yards　long。

〃February　6。…I　took　the　diahbeeah　a　mile　and　a　quarter　ahead　to　a　sudd；
passing　over　several　shallows　of　only　two　feet　eight　inches；　and　three
feet；　which　will　again　cause　great　delay　and　labour。　I　returned　to　the
fleet　and　assisted　in　the　tedious　work　of　dragging　the　vessels　over　the
shallows。　In　the　evening　I　returned　to　the　diahbeeah；　and　having　dragged
the　dingy　across　the　sudd；　I　explored　the　channel　ahead　for　an　hour；　for
about　three　miles；　passed　over　distressing　shallows　for　a　space　of　a
quarter　of　a　mile　ahead　of　the　diahbeeah；　after　which　I　entered　a　deep；
narrow　channel　with　very　rapid　current。

〃It　is　quite　impossible　to　say　where　we　are　as　the　professed　guides　seem
to　know　nothing　of　this　horrible　chaos；　which　changes　its　appearance
constantly。　It　is　most　harassing。

〃February　7。…Last　evening　I　brought　the　diahbeeah　back　to　the　fleet；　so
as　to　push　the　work　forward　personally。　The　soldiers　and　officers　hope
we　shall　return　as　failures；　in　the　same　manner　as　last　year。　I　have；
therefore；　informed　them　and　Raouf　Bey　officially；　that　no　boats　shall
retreat；　but　that　should　the　river　run　dry；　they　shall　remain　here　until
the　rise　of　the　water　during　the　next　wet　season；　when　they　shall　go　on
to　Wat…el…Shambi。　This　decision　has　frightened　them；　and　they　are
working　to…day　with　better　spirit。

〃I　unpacked　and　served　out　a　hundred　spades　for　digging　channels；　and　I
have　ordered　them　to　commence　to…morrow　morning　and　dig　out　a　straight
passage　for　the　thirty　one　vessels　that　still　remain　in　the　shallows。

〃February　8。…This　is　the　date　of　departure　last　year　from　Khartoum；　an
inconceivable　madness　had　any　one　known　the　character　of　the　river。　All
hands　as　usual　tugging；　hauling；　and　deepening　the　river　with　spades　and
hoes；　but　the　more　we　dig；　the　faster　the　water　runs　out　of　the　bed；
which　threatens　to　leave　us　high　and　dry。

〃February　9…The　work　as　usual。　All　hands　thoroughly　disgusted。　I　am
obliged　to　lighten　the　vessels　by　discharging　cargo　in　the　mud。　Our
waggons　make　excellent　platforms　for　the　luggage。　Even　with　this
assistance　we　only　drew　seven　vessels　through　the　shallows　into　the　true
river　channel。

〃To…morrow　we　must　discharge　more　cargo。

〃The　anxiety　of　leading　1；600　men；　and　fifty…eight　vessels　with　heavy
cargoes；　through　this　horrible　country　is　very　distressing。

〃When　I　shall　have　succeeded　in　dragging　the　vessels　into　the　true
channel；　I　shall　construct　a　dam　in　the　rear；　so　as　to　retain　the　water
at　a　higher　level。　I　have　no　doubt　that　a　series　of　such　dams　will　be
required　to　enable　us　to　reach　the　Nile。　Should　it　be　impossible　to
proceed　with　the　heavy　vessels；　I　shall　leave　them　thatched　over　as
floating　stores；　with　a　small　guard；　until　the　next　wet　season　shall
raise　the　river　level。

〃February　10。…I　gave　orders　to　discharge　all　cargoes；　so　that　no　vessel
should　draw　more　than　three　feet。　All　hands　are　now　employed　at　this
work；　as　it　is　impossible　to　cut　a　channel　through　the　sand；　which　fills
in　as　fast　as　it　is　deepened。

〃February　11。…Twenty…seven　vessels　passed　the　diahbeeah；　having
lightened　their　cargoes；　these　vessels　must　discharge　everything　at
Khor；　one　and　a　half　mile　ahead；　and　return　to　fetch　the　remaining
baggage。　The　work　is　tremendous；　and　the　risk　great。　The　damage　of
stores　is　certain；　and　should　a　heavy　shower　fall；　which　the　cloudy
state　of　the　weather　renders　probable；　the　whole　of　our　stores；　now
lying　on　the　soft　mud；　will　be　destroyed。

〃To…day　I　cut　a　deeper　channel　near　the　diahbeeah；　and　divided　the　men
into　gangs　on　the　various　shallow　spots；　to　tow　each　boat　past　as　she
may　arrive。　The　steamer　is　hard　and　fast；　although　she　has　discharged
everything；　and　she　must　be　literally　dug　out　of　the　passage。〃

March　9。…From　Feb。　11　to　this　date　we　had　toiled　through　every　species
of　difficulty。　The　men　had　cut　one　straight　line　of　canal　through　a
stiff　clay　for　a　distance　of　600　yards。　Many　were　sick；　some　had　died；
there　appeared　to　be　no　hope。　It　was　in　vain　that　I　endeavoured　to　cheer
both　officers　and　men　with　tales　and　assurances　of　the　promised　land
before　them；　should　they　only　reach　the　Nile。　They　had　worked　like
slaves　in　these　fetid　marshes　until　their　spirits　were　entirely
broken；the　Egyptians　had　ceased　to　care　whether　they　lived　or　died。

The　enormous　quantity　of　machinery；　iron　sections　of　steamers；　supplies；
&c。；　had　actually　been　discharged　from　fifty…eight　vessels。　The　river
had　fallen　still　lower；　and　upon　the　quickly　sun…baked　surface　I　made　a
road；　and　having　set　up　my　waggons；　I　conveyed　the　great　mass　of　cargo
across　the　land　by　a　short　cut；　and　thus　reached　my　long　line　of
vessels；　and　reloaded　them　after　great　labour。　The　waggons　were　then
taken　to　pieces　and　re…shipped。　It　would　be　wearying　to　give　the　journal
of　every　incident　during　this　trying　period；　but　from　the　description
already　given；　the　fatigue　and　anxiety　may　be　imagined。　Thank　God；　I
seemed　to　bear　a　charmed　life。　From　morning　till　night　I　was　exploring
in　a　small　boat　through　mud　and　marsh；　but　I　was　completely　fever…proof。
My　wife　was　also　well。　Lieutenant　Baker　and　Mr。　Higginbotham　had
suffered　frequently　from　fever；　but　these　energetic　officers　rendered　me
most　important　service。　While　I　was　ahead　exploring；　sounding；　and
planning　out　the　route；　Lieutenant　Baker　was　commanding　and　directing
the　steamer；　which　appeared　more　like　a　huge　stranded　whale　among　the
rushes　than　an　object　adapted　for　the　navigation　of　this　horrible
country。　I　had　a　first…rate　crew　on　my　diahbeeah；　and　some　picked　men　of
the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　who　always　accompanied　me。　The　best　and　most　devoted
man　that　I　have　ever　seen　was　a　corporal　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　named
Monsoor。　This　man　was　a　Copt　（Christian　descendant　of　the　true
Egyptians）；　he　was　rather　short；　but　exceedingly　powerful；　he　swam　and
dived　like　an　otter；　and　never　seemed　to　feel　fatigue。　He　was　always　in
good　health；　very　courageous；　and　he　accompanied　me　like　my　own　shadow；
he　seemed　to　watch　over　me　as　a　mother　would　regard　an　only　child。　In
fact；　this　excellent　man　appeared　to　have　only　one　thought　and　object。

I　had　been　as　usual　exploring　far　ahead　of　the　toiling　and　labouring
fleet；　when；　after　pulling　our　little　boat　with　the　aid　of　fourteen　men
for　several　hours　over　a　great　mass　of　high　floating　grass；　we　suddenly
emerged　upon　open　w