第50章

”February23——IwentoutwithLieutenantBaker，accompaniedbysomenatives，andtravelledoververylikelyground，composedofforest，glades，ravinesfullofbamboos，&c。，untilwereachedthebaseofGebelForke。”Wehadpassedoverseveralmilesandhadonlyseenafewsmallantelopes，whenuponascendingsomerisinggroundintheveryopenforest，wecaughtsightofaherdoftetelboundingalongthroughsomehighgrasstowardssomelow，rockyhills，afewhundredyardsdistant。Thereweremanylargetreesgrowingoutofthecleftsoftherocks，andIproposedthatLieutenantBakershouldgoroundthehillonmyright，whileIshouldcreepquietlyoverthesummitoftherocks，asIexpectedweshouldfindtheantelopesstandinginsomeshelteredglade。”WhenIarrivedatthebaseofthesmallhill，whichwasnothigherthanseventyoreightyfeet，andwascomposedoflargemassesofgranite，I

carefullyascended，withoutmakingtheslightestnoise。”Onarrivalatthedenudedsummit，Iwaswellconcealedbyadetachedblockofgranitethatlayuponaflatweather-wornsurfaceofthesamerock。”Iraisedmyhead，andlookedinvainfortheantelopes。Thegroundwasabeautifulpark，characterizedbynumerousmassesofgranite，likeruinedcastles，amongtreesofallshadesofgreen。Thegroundwascoveredwithyounggrassaboutsixincheshigh，whichhadsprungupaftertheannualfirethathaddestroyedthelastyear’sdryherbage。”Icouldseenogame。PresentlyIobservedthenative，whowasafewyardsonmyleft，makingeagergestures，andpointingwithhisfinderinordertodirectmyattention。Iatonceperceivedafamilyofwildpigswhichhademergedfromsomebush，andwerequietlyfeedingalongtheglade，sothattheywouldshortlypassinfrontofmewithinsixtyyards。”Thenativesloveporkbeyondallotherflesh，thusIhadagoodopportunityforshowingthemalittletreat。WithaquickrightandleftshotIknockedovertwopigs，andreloadingthe”Dutchman”inafewinstants，Irolledoveraboarthathadgallopedofftoabout120yards’

distance。Thisanimalrecovereditselfandgotawaytosomeplaceofcover。”UponthearrivalofLieutenantBakerandthenatives，wetrackedthebloodforabout300yardstoasmallplotofhighgrassthathadescapedthefire。Iknewthatwemustfindthewoundedboarinthisretreat。I

thereforeorderedthenativestobeatitout。Theboarsoonbrokecoverandgallopedoffalongtheopen，butquicklyrolledoverasashotfromthe”Dutchman”struckitbehindtheshoulder。Thenativesweredelightedwiththesuccessoftherifle，asithadproducedthreefinepigsfortheirservicewithinafewminutes。””February24——Thewholeofthetroopsandbaggagefromthevesselsarrivedsafelyto-day，togetherwiththecattleandsheep，thusallmyarrangementshave，thankGod，speeded，andIamnowinpossessionofmyforceandmaterial。”

MajorAbdullahdeliveredhisreport。AsIhadexpected，hehadbeenattackedingreatforcebythenativesaftermydeparture。TheBaris，asusual，hademployedtreachery，whichhadverynearlysucceeded。

AdayortwoafterIhadleftthevessels，severalnativeshaddesiredtocommunicatewithMajorAbdullah。ThesemendeclaredthattheyhadnothingtodowithBedden，andthatalltheBarisoftheeastsideoftheNiledesiredpeace。

ItwouldhavebeennaturaltosupposethataftersorecentanexampleoftreacheryonthepartofBedden，MajorAbdullahwouldhavebeenkeenlysuspicious；hewasneverthelessdeceivedbythespeciouspromisesofthewilyBaris。Thisofficerknewmywishforpeaceandgood-will，andhetrustedtobeabletoassureme，thataftermydeparturehehadbeenabletoestablishamicablerelationswithourlateenemies。

Themessengersreturnedtotheirvillages，andnativesvisitedthecampwithfowls，tobacco，andvariousarticlesforsale。Thesoldierswerereadypurchasers，astheywerewellsuppliedwithbeads，zincmirrors，andvarioustrifleswhichtheyhadrecentlyobtainedfromthegovernmentmagazines。Thefaultofmymenlayintheirextravagance，andtheyusuallyspoiledamarketbyofferingtoomuch。Thetradecommencedvigorously，andthenowpeaceableBaristhrongedtothevessels，andmixedfreelywiththeofficersandtroops。

OnthenightofFebruary17，1872，thetroopswerefastasleep。

Confidencehadbeenthoroughlyestablished，andtherewasnoapprehensionofcomingdanger。Myofficersandmenwerecarelessofprecautions；thesentrieswerenearlyallasleep。Thecannonhadbeenloadedwithshellinsteadofcanister。TheWoolwichtubeshadbeenputawaysosafelythattheycouldnotbefoundwhenwanted。Thegunhadnotbeensightedforclosedistance，neitherhadanyofmymostpositiveinstructionsbeencarriedout。Theartillerymenweresoundasleepupontheirmatsaroundtheirneglectedgun。

IhavealreadydescribedthetacticsofBarinightattacks。Therecanbenodoubtthattheirscoutsmusthavecreptclosetothecamp，andmusthavereturnedtothemainbodywithouthavingbeenobservedbythesentries。Thereportthatallwereasleep，orofftheirguard，hadbeendelivered。

Itissupposedthatsomethousandsoftheenemymovedcautiouslyf

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