ismailia-第52章

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ambush　among　the　high　dhurra。　I　therefore　directed　a　couple　of　rockets
through　the　corn。　The　rush　of　these　unknown　projectiles　produced　a　great
effect；　as　they　burst　through　the　stockade；　and　buzzed　and　whizzed　about
the　huts　within　the　defence。　An　eight…pound　shell　from　the　gun　now
crashed　through　the　stockade　and　went　howling　along　through　the　dense
fields　of　dhurra；　until　it　exploded　about　500　yards　in　the　rear。

The　bugle　immediately　sounded　the　advance　with　the　bayonet；　and　the
troops　made　a　rush　forward　through　the　corn　and　captured　the　stockade。

We　now　found　no　less　than　six　of　these　powerful　inclosures　within　an
area　of　about　four　acres。　These　would　form　an　admirable　position。　I
therefore　gave　orders　that　the　corn　should　be　immediately　cleared　away
so　as　to　leave　an　open　space。　Guards　were　posted　in　various　places；
sentries　were　placed　on　the　summits　of　the　tallest　huts　to　keep　a　good
look…out；　while　the　remainder　of　the　force　set　to　work　and　commenced
clearing。　By　sunset　we　had　cut　down　about　six　acres。

I　gave　orders　to　Raouf　Bey　to　divide　the　troops　in　four　stockades；　which
formed　a　sort　of　quadrilateral。　This　officer　suggested　that　the　men
might　all　be　massacred　by　a　Bari　night…attack　if　thus　divided；　and　he
proposed　to　inclose　the　whole　force　of　450　men　within　one　zareeba；　like
sheep　or　cattle！　In　spite　of　our　successes；　the　officers　had　a　wholesome
dread　of　the　Baris；　that　relieved　me　from　all　apprehensions　of　their
erring　by　an　excess　of　rashness。

I　divided　the　soldiers　of　the　line　in　three　zareebas；　while　I　occupied
the　fourth　with　Lieutenant　Baker　and　twenty　men　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃

Every　day　was　now　passed　in　collecting　corn；　but　the　soldiers　as　usual
worked　badly。　In　the　mean　time　the　natives　worked　most　energetically
during　the　night；　and　carried　off　ten　times　the　amount　gathered　by　the
troops。　There　was　so　bad　a　feeling　among　the　officers；　that　it　was　easy
to　perceive　they　were　predetermined　to　neglect　this　opportunity　of
filling　our　granaries。

The　Baris　were　excellent　diplomatists；　and；　seeing　that　we　were　too
powerful　to　resist　by　open　force；　they　sent　women　to　treat　for　peace。
This　was　simply　a　manoeuvre　to　gain　time；　as　during　the　truce　they　could
carry　off　the　corn　by　day　as　well　as　night。　I　always　leant　towards
peace；　although　the　war　had　been　wantonly　forced　upon　me；　thus　we　soon
established　friendly　relations　with　an　old　sheik　named　Jarda；　about　two
miles　from　the　Belinian　mountain。　This　old　fellow　had　an　exceedingly
clever　sister　who　would　have　made　a　good　foreign　minister。　She　explained
just　as　much　of　the　Belinian　politics　as　would　suit　her　purpose；　and
very　properly　declared　that　the　women　were　all　in　favour　of　the
government；　and　they　would　use　their　influence　with　the　men；　some　of
whom　she　asserted　had　very　〃hard　heads。〃

Old　Jarda；　who　was　about　eighty　and　had　sufficient　worldly　experience　to
appreciate　the　value　of　a　good　counsellor；　left　the　diplomatic
arrangements　to　his　sister；　who　became　extremely　active；　and　ran　about
the　country　to　collect　the　principal　headmen。

We　had　many　palavers；　which　as　usual　ended　in　nothing　but　assurances　of
goodwill；　and　an　explanation　that　the　attacks　on　Gondokoro　were　made　by
certain　districts；　but　that　Jarda's　people　were　not　responsible。　In　the
mean　time　thousands　of　women　and　children　were　engaged　in　carrying　off
the　corn。　The　country　seemed　alive　with　baskets；　as　these　useful
articles　were　seen　gliding　about　in　all　directions　on　the　heads　of
natives　that　were　invisible　in　the　high　grass。

I　returned　to　Gondokoro　for　reinforcements；　and　I　collected　200　armed
sailors。　With　this　additional　force　my　wife　also　accompanied　me　to　our
camp　at　Belinian。　We　had　now　650　men　to　collect　the　corn。　I　noticed　an
extraordinary　diminution　in　the　crop　during　my　absence　of　only　two　days；
but　not　a　corresponding　increase　in　the　store　collected　by　the　troops
left　under　the　command　of　Raouf　Bey。

I　had　occupied　the　valley　by　a　line　of　three　stockaded　positions；　at
intervals　of　about　a　mile　and　a　half；　thus　a　very　large　area　of　corn　was
commanded；　and　if　the　patrols　had　done　their　duty；　it　would　have　been
impossible　for　the　natives　to　have　carried　it　off。

Nothing　had　been　heard　of　the　missing　major；　Achmet　Rafik；　he　had　not
returned　to　Gondokoro　as　I　had　hoped。　I　now　discovered；　through　the
native　women；　that　he　had　been　killed　by　the　Baris　on　the　same　day　that
we　had　arrived　at　Belinian。　It　appeared　that　the　unfortunate　officer　had
steered　his　course　for　the　Belinian　mountain　peak；　in　the　hope　of
overtaking　the　troops。　This　route　through　the　forest　led　him　to　the
extreme　end　of　the　valley　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　quite　in　the
wrong　direction。　Having　arrived　at　the　nearly　dry　bed　of　the　Belinian
river；　he　sat　beneath　a　tree　to　rest。　The　natives　quickly　observed　him；
and　stalked　him　as　though　he　had　been　a　wild　animal。

It　appeared　that；　when　attacked；　he　had　wounded　one　native　in　the　head
with　his　〃little　gun；〃　as　the　Baris　termed　his　revolver；　and　this　man
was　still　alive　with　the　bullet　in　his　skull；　which　the　women　declared
was　swollen　as　large　as　a　pumpkin。

Achmet　Rafik　was　thus　overpowered　and　killed；　with　the　gain　to　the　Baris
of　his　arms　and　ammunition。

I　immediately　started　off　with　a　company　of　troops；　led　by　a　Bari　guide；
to　the　west　end　of　the　plain；　where　my　officer　had　been　killed。　I　had
not　yet　visited　this　spot；　but　the　guilty　natives　were　wide　awake；　and
they　had　concealed　the　arms；　which　I　had　hoped　to　recover。　The　forest
was　tolerably　open；　and　was　full　of　small　villages　concealed　by　the
trees。　I　spread　out　my　men　and　regularly　drove　the　covert。　Suddenly　we
came　upon　a　herd　of　cattle　and　a　number　of　natives　who　had　imagined
themselves　secure　in　the　depths　of　the　forest。

I　immediately　dashed　into　them　on　horseback；　accompanied　by　Lieutenant
Baker；　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　and　Monsoor；　followed　by　the　troops。　The
cattle；　seeing　the　red　shirts　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　had　gone　off　in　a
regular　stampede　through　the　forest；　this　precipitate　flight　had　been
quickened　by　the　report　of　the　rifles。　It　was　difficult　work　to　manage
the　herd　with　only　four　horses。　No　one　who　has　not　hunted　African；　and
especially　Bari　cattle；　can　have　an　idea　of　the　activity　of　these
animals。　They　go　along　at　a　tremendous　pace；　and　never　appear　to　get
blown：　thus　we　were　spurring　hard　through　the　forest　in　order　to
overtake　the　herd；　when　to　my　great　satisfaction　we　arrived　at　the　broad
bed　（nearly　dry）　of　the　Belinian　river。　This　checked　the　pace；　and　we
reined　up　our　horses；　and　quietly　waited　for　the　troops；　who　were
excellent　runners。

A　few　men　of　〃The　Forty〃　were　the　first　up；　and　we　managed　to　drive　the
cattle　across　the　river　on　to　the　open　plain。　Hardly　had　we　arrived　on
the　level　ground；　when　they　started　off　in　another　stampede；　and　kept　us
going　for　about　three　miles；　as　though　we　were　following　hounds。

With　a　horse　on　each　flank　and　in　the　rear　of　the　herd　we　at　length
managed　to　control　their　movements。　Fortunately　we　had　been　running
towards　our　camp。

A　herd　of　cattle　generally　depends　upon　a　few　of　its　members；　which　are
usually　followed　by　the　others。　Upon　this　occasion　there　were　two　cows
that　appeared　to　direct　their　movements。　These　wild　creatures　refused　to
enter　our　cattle　kraal　upon　arrival　at　the　camp；　when　the　troops；　having
seen　our　approach；　came　out　to　render　assistance。　With　skilful
management　the　herd　was　secured　within　the　kraal；　with　the　exception　of
the　two　undisciplined　cows；　which　started　off　at　full　speed　along　the
plain；　followed　by　Abd…el…Kader　and　myself。　A　black　and　white　cow　was
exceedingly　vicious；　and　being　hard　pressed　for　about　a　quarter　of　a
mile；　she　turned　to　bay　on　the　open　plain。　I　was　riding　my　best　horse；
named　〃The　Pig；〃　who　was　very　powerful　and　fast；　and　understood
cattle…driving　thoroughly。　〃The　Pig；〃　accordingly　avoided　the　charge　of
the　infuriated　cow；　which　dashed　at　him　like　a　wild　buffalo。　I
immediately　shot　her　in　the　shoulder　with　a　revolver；　which　had　no　other
effect　than　to　turn　her　towards　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　who　was　riding　a
large；　clumsy　chestnut　called　〃Jamoos〃　（the　buffalo）