ismailia-第79章

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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　clear；　while　the　Asua
was　muddy；　which　proved　that　heavy　rain　had　fallen　in　the　Madi　and
Shooli　countries；　while　the　weather　was　dry　in　the　mountains　of　Obbo。

The　Asua　flowed　through　a　fine　forest；　but　although　the　water　was　muddy
from　recent　rains；　the　volume　at　this　season　was　confined　to　a　portion
of　the　bed；　in　the　deepest　parts　of　which　it　did　not　exceed　two　feet　six
inches。　The　bed　from　bank　to　bank　was　about　120　yards　in　width；　and　the
maximum　rise　of　the　river　was　about　twelve　feet。　During　the　wet　season
this　is　a　frightful　torrent　that　acts　as　a　barrier　to　any　advance　or
retreat　of　troops　encumbered　with　baggage。

Having　waded　through　the　river；　we　halted　under　the　shady　trees　on　the
south　side；　here　there　was　excellent　herbage　for　the　cattle；　as　the
young　grass　after　the　annual　fires　was　now　about　eight　inches　high；　upon
the　rich　soil　near　the　river's　bank。

Whenever　we　halted　during　daylight；　I　took　a　stroll　with　the　rifle；
accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Baker。

We　walked　for　some　time　along　the　banks　of　the　river　up　stream　without
seeing　any　game；　and　I　was　struck　with　the　absence　of　tracks　of　the
larger　animals；　which　coincided　with　my　remarks　on　the　Asua　river　many
years　previous；　when　I　crossed　it　about　thirty　miles　higher　up；　on　my
route　from　Latooka　to　Shooa。

I　expected　to　return　without　seeing　game；　when　we　suddenly　spied　a　few
waterbuck　in　the　sandy　bed　of　the　river；　about　300　paces　distant。

We　made　a　good　stalk；　but　I　only　wounded　the　animal　at　which　I　fired　at
about　150　yards；　and　they　galloped　off　through　the　open　forest。　I　heard
the　bullet　from　the　left　hand　barrel　strike　a　tree　stem；　which　saved　the
antelope；　but　having　quickly　reloaded；　I　had　a　clear　and　steady　shot　at
a　long　range　as　the　large　buck　suddenly　stopped　and　looked　back。　I　put
up　the　last　sight　for　250　yards　and　took　a　full　bead。　To　my　great
satisfaction　the　waterbuck　with　a　fine　set　of　horns　dropped　dead。　I
could　not　measure　the　distance　accurately　as　we　had　to　descend　a　rocky
bank；　and　then；　crossing　the　bed　of　the　Asua；　to　ascend　the　steep　north
bank　before　we　arrived　at　tolerably　level　ground。

Upon　reaching　the　animal；　I　found　the　bullet　in　the　neck；　where　it　had
divided　the　spine。　I　guessed　the　distance　at　about　240　yards。　Some　of
our　Lobore　natives；　who　had　kept　at　a　distance　behind　us；　now　came　up；
and　in　a　short　time　the　noble　waterbuck　was　cut　up　and　the　flesh　carried
into　camp。　This　species　of　antelope；　when　in　good　condition；　weighs
about　thirty　stone　（cleaned）。

On　March　2　we　started　at　6　A。M。；　and　marched　at　a　rapid　rate　along　a
hard　and　excellent　path；　which　inclined　upwards　from　the　river　for　about
eight　miles。

The　bush　was　very　open；　and　in　many　portions　the　country　was　a
succession　of　deep　dells；　which　in　the　wet　season　were　covered　with　high
grass；　but　at　this　time　the　young　grass　was　hardly　three　inches　high；
having　sprouted　after　the　recent　fires。

From　an　altitude　of　about　1；000　feet　above　the　Asua　river；　we　had　a
splendid　view　of　the　entire　landscape。

On　the　east；　at　about　fifty　miles　distant；　was　the　fine　range　of　lofty
mountains　that　stretched　in　a　long　line　towards　Latooka。　On　the　west；　on
the　left　bank　of　the　White　Nile；　which　now　flowed　almost　beneath　our
feet；　was　the　precipitous　mountain　Neri；　known　by　the　Arab　traders　as
Gebel　huku。　This　fine　mass　of　rock　descends　in　a　series　of　rugged
terraces　from　a　height　of　between　three　and　four　thousand　feet　to　the
Nile；　at　a　point　where　the　river　boils　through　a　narrow　gorge　between
the　mountains。　It　is　in　this　passage　that　the　principal　falls　take　place
which　I　witnessed　in　my　former　journey。　At　that　time　our　path　led　along
the　rocky　bank　of　the　river；　and　was　both　difficult　and　dangerous。

Eight　miles　from　the　Asua　river　now　brought　us　to　the　top　of　the　pass；
and　having　stopped　for　a　few　moments　to　take　compass　bearings；　we　began
the　somewhat　steep　descent。

Walking　was　preferable　to　riding；　and　after　a　distance　of　a　couple　of
miles　had　been　accomplished；　we　rounded　the　rocky　hill　by　crossing　a
ravine　upon　our　right；　and　the　view　of　the　promised　land　burst　upon　us。

The　grand　White　Nile　lay　like　a　broad　streak　of　silver　on　our　right　as
it　flowed　in　a　calm；　deep　stream　direct　from　the　Albert　N'yanza；　at　this
spot　above　all　cataracts。　No　water　had　as　yet　been　broken　by　a　fall；　the
troubles　of　river…life　lay　in　the　future；　the　journey　to　the　sea　might
be　said　to　have　only　just　commenced。　Here　the　entire　volume　flowed　from
the　Albert　N'yanza；　distant　hardly　one　degree；　and　here　had　I　always
hoped　to　bring　my　steamers；　as　the　starting…point　for　the　opening　of　the
heart　of　Africa　to　navigation。　（This　has　since　been　proved　correct　by
the　efforts　of　my　successor；　Colonel　Gordon；　who　carried　the　38…ton
steamer　which　I　had　left　at　Gondokoro　to　this　point　above　the　cataracts；
and　constructed　her　at　Duffle　on　the　opposite　bank。　This　vessel　steamed
into　the　Albert　N'yanza　without　any　difficulty；　and　corroborated　my
assertion　that　th