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.
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