On the Road to Bagdad: A Story of Townshend's Gallant Advance on the Tigris

by F. S. Brereton

  CHAPTER III

  The Persian Gulf

  What a scene of movement it was as the transport bearing theExpeditionary Force from India, destined to operate in Mesopotamia,steamed slowly up the Shatt-el-Arab, its naval escort proceeding aheadand gingerly feeling its way forward. Now and again excited Arabs wereto be seen near the bank of the river, some of whom brandished theirrifles, and then, as if fearing retaliation, disappeared amongst thepalms. Women and children gazed in amazement at the armada which hadcome so unexpectedly to visit them, while the few Turks present lookedon placidly--for your Turk is the most placid of all individuals.

  It was some way up the river that a site had been chosen fordisembarkation, and, almost before Geoff and his chum Philip could havethought it possible, the troops were disembarking.

  "Of course they'll get off some of the cavalry at once," said Geoff, ashe watched the horses being slung over the side. "They'll go off on areconnaissance, and we ought soon to hear whether the enemy are in theneighbourhood."

  "That's just what beats me," Philip rejoined, as he sucked at theinevitable cigarette. "Now you'd have thought that a chap like youwould be sent with them, Geoff; for what do the officers with our Indiancavalry know of Mesopotamia, of the Turks, of the Arabs, and of all thedifferent sorts of people you've told me of? They ought to be able tospeak the native lingo, so as to cross-examine people. No one doubtsthat they are splendid horse-soldiers, but then, don't you know, there'sa limit to a fellow's usefulness. 'Pon my word," he went on, gettingquite indignant, "I really can't imagine what the G.O.C. can be doing!I've a jolly good mind to somehow drop him a hint that there's a chapcalled Geoff Keith along with the expedition. Eh! Oh!"

  He gave a start as he turned round, for there was a movement on the deckimmediately behind him. Geoff, too, who had been lounging on the rail ofthe ship, swung his form round to see what was happening. There was adusky soldier behind them--one of their own Mahrattas--standing, talland thin and erect and motionless, as is the case with native soldiers.

  "The Officer Sahib," he said, as he held out a tiny "chit" (note). "Fromthe Colonel Sahib."

  It was perhaps characteristic of Philip that he seized the missive andglanced at the name written upon it.

  "What! Not me! It's you, Geoff!" he exclaimed almost indignantly, andcertainly with disappointment. "My word! Wonder what it's about.Supposing the Colonel has done just as I suggested a moment ago, and hasdropped a hint to the G.O.C. Open it, there's a good fellow, for I'mfull of curiosity."

  Geoff obliged his friend in such leisurely style that Philip was almoststamping with impatience before the missive was opened, and thenstretched out his long neck so as to be able to read the contents of theletter.

  "You will please report at my orderly room at once," was written inpencil, while below there was his Commanding Officer's signature.

  Philip whistled.

  "Oh!" he exclaimed, and then looked sideways somewhat quizzically at hisfriend. "Ructions, eh? Adjutant reported badly on you! Something wrongwith your parade this morning, I shouldn't wonder. Anyway, 'bang goes'all hope of your getting special employment."

  To speak the truth, a feeling of dismay oppressed our hero as he glancedat those few words, while his brain got busily to work to discover thereason for the message. So far as he was aware, there had been nodereliction of duty for which he could be reprimanded. Indeed, Geoff'skeenness was well known to the Adjutant and to his Commanding Officer.That the special knowledge he had of Mesopotamia should have anything todo with this sudden and unexpected summons never crossed his mind for amoment, in spite of Philip; for, after all, as we have said, Geoff wasan extremely modest fellow, and made light of those unusual attainmentswhich he had developed by a visit to this ancient Garden of Eden.Colouring to the roots of his hair, he coughed loudly to clear hisvoice, and, pulling down his khaki twill jumper, set off for the orderlyroom at once. A knock on the open door was followed by a peremptorycommand to enter, when he found himself face to face with hisCommanding Officer.

  "Ha! That you, young Keith? Sit down. Now look at that; it's a messagefrom the Head-quarters of this expedition."

  Geoff took the paper with fingers which almost trembled, for surely,surely a message from the Commander-in-Chief concerning himself musthave reference to something far transcending in importance the questionof a trifling dereliction of duty on his part.

  "My dear ----," he read, "I am told by one of my Staff Officers thatDouglas's young ward is with the force, and that the young officer knowsMesopotamia and the native tongues. Please send him along to me atonce."

  "At once, you see," said the Colonel, smiling kindly at our hero; "thatmeans a feather in your cap, my lad. But perhaps you'd rather stay withthe Mahrattas, eh?" he asked quizzically, now laughing loudly as he sawthe puzzled expression which spread across Geoff's features. "There!There! Don't try to be polite," he told him. "I know exactly what youwant to say; you're keen on your own regiment, and you'd like to workalongside the brother officers with whom you've been trained. You knowwell enough that, if there's any fighting to be done, the Mahrattas willbe right in the midst of it; and, if they're not, it will be a piece ofatrociously bad luck. But there's this other billet. Though you likeyour own regiment well enough, this order means special service. Now,Geoff, off you go without delay. You'll find the General ashore, andplease give my compliments to him, and hand him this 'chit'."

  A little more than ten minutes later, with his sword buckled on, hisrevolver in place, and with his full kit in evidence, Geoff clattereddown the gangway and swung along the strand, and halted in front of thenative house where the General had taken up his quarters. He was usheredin at once by one of the Staff Officers, and found himself face to facewith the brilliant soldier who had sent for him. We admit only the baretruth when we state that it was a trying moment for our hero, for, afterall, subalterns--junior subalterns in particular--are very small fry ascompared with General Officers, and, unless cram-full of assurance, areapt to feel extremely insignificant, almost humble, in fact, whenbrought face to face with an officer of lifelong experience. Yet Geoffhad been born and brought up with the Indian army. Standing stiffly atattention, he returned the General's gaze with a gaze which was asfrank, as unflinching, and almost as politely inquisitive as that whichhad been turned on him.

  "Mr. Keith, sir," one of the Staff Officers told the General. "You senta note to the Officer Commanding the Mahrattas, asking him to send thisyoung officer to you. You will remember, sir, that he is the son ofMajor Robert Keith, killed in that Frontier Expedition in which youserved, and that Major Douglas has acted as his guardian."

  That brought another penetrating glance in Geoff's direction--a glancewhich seemed to take in every characteristic of the young fellowstanding so stiffly at attention: his tall, stout, active figure, hisclean-cut person, his undoubtedly refined and gentleman-like face, andthe intelligence which gleamed from behind the dark eyes which wereturned still politely, yet unflinchingly, upon the General.

  The latter cleared his throat, and brushed away the flies which werehovering in myriads about him.

  "Of course," he said brusquely, "I remember perfectly. Mr. Keith, Iunderstand that you have been in Mesopotamia with Major Douglas; pleaselet me have some further information. I imagine that you must have goneup country. What more?"

  Thus encouraged, Geoff promptly stated how he and his old friend hadventured to Bagdad and beyond, and had spent months in the country,sometimes in a native city or village, sometimes amongst the Armeniansor Arabs, and often enough in the heart of some purely Turkish city.

  "And you speak Turkish?" came the sharp question.

  "Yes, sir."

  "Well? Quite fluently, I mean."

  "Like a native, I believe, sir," said Geoff modestly.

  "Um! And Arabic? and other tongues?"

  "Almost as well, sir."

  "You can ride, of course?"

  "Certainly," said Geoff.

  There was a long pause, whilst
the General once more inflicted uponGeoff that cold, stern, penetrating, yet kindly glance of his. Evidentlyhe was thinking deeply, and just as evidently he was summing up thecharacter of the young fellow standing at attention before him.

  "Remember his father well," he was saying to himself; "he was a nice,clean-cut fellow, like the boy here; and, of course, everyone knows JoeDouglas, one of the best officers, one of the best 'politicals', Indiahas ever possessed. This youngster looks as though he would go throughfire and water to carry out his duties. I like his modesty, both ofspeech and of appearance, and, by Jove! he ought to be a very valuableaddition to us.

  "Attached to the Head-quarters Staff," he suddenly blurted out, turningto his Staff Officer. "Mr. Keith, I should be glad to avail myself ofyour services, but please understand that they may very well bring youinto circumstances of very considerable danger. Recollect that we arenow at war with Turkey, while your previous visit was made at a timewhen there was peace between us. That may very well have brought about adrastic change in the usually gentle Turk; and to be captured by themmight result in serious consequences. I mention this question of unusualdanger, seeing that you are such a young officer, and, of course, shouldyou prefer to go back to your regiment, there is nothing to preventyou."

  Would he prefer to go back to the Mahrattas? Why, Geoff's two legs weresimply twitching and shaking so violently with excitement that he couldhardly keep his knees from hammering together. It wasn't fright. Theofficer facing him knew that well enough. It was merelykeenness--keenness for the work to be entrusted to him. It wasn'tnecessary even for Geoff to give a verbal answer; his decision waswritten all over his face. Why, he was simply dying for some form ofactive employment. It was a relief, then, to receive a kindly nod ofdismissal from the General, and to retire precipitately from hispresence. Outside the native hut a hand was laid firmly on his shoulder,and once more he found himself addressed by the Staff Officer.

  "We want you at once," he said. "You'd better go on board and get rid ofall this kit as soon as possible."

  "Yes, sir."

  "And----of course you've got your own saddlery and gear of that sort."

  Geoff promptly assured the officer that he was fully equipped, and as amatter of fact had brought his own stout little Arab with him.

  "Then bustle, my lad. We've a couple of troops of cavalry readydisembarked, and are anxious to find out what the Turks are doing.You'll go with them, and I needn't tell you that you'll do your utmostto help the officer who goes in command. You'll be under his orders, ofcourse, and I feel sure that you'll be able to render very greatassistance. Don't forget to take your water-bottle with you, and somefood too; but there, I was forgetting that I'm talking to a youngofficer who knows the ground and has been in Mesopotamia before. Still,there are no hotels in these days, I imagine, though it is to be hopedthat we shall come across friendly inhabitants, ready to feed us if needbe, and prepared to give us a welcome."

  Geoff went along that strand as if he were possessed of wings, and racedup the gangway.

  "Half a mo'! Why in such a hurry? Look here, Geoff, what's all theruction about? You've been to Head-quarters, haven't you? My word! Thatmeans something--either a frightful ruction and summary dismissal, ifnot a general court-martial, and shooting in the cold, early morning,or--or--what does it mean?" demanded Philip, gripping the unwillingGeoff by the arm and firmly retaining him.

  It was no use attempting to shake off his friend, or to plead that hewas in a hurry and that there was no time for delay. The utmost thatGeoff could do was to bid Philip follow him down to his cabin, where heat once began to throw off certain of his kit and rummage for otheritems amongst his half-packed baggage. A shout brought his nativeservant, and another shout was echoed along the ship and soon sent hissyce racing towards him.

  "You'll get Sultan disembarked at once, with all his blankets andclothing," commanded Geoff. "Just run him up and down a little once youget him ashore, for he'll be stiff after the voyage. Now, my beauty," hewent on, addressing his native servant, "just look lively with it, forI'm due back at Head-quarters in a few minutes."

  "And what's the game?" demanded Philip insistently, impatiently in fact,already envying his chum immensely. Not that he was jealous of Geoff atall, for, if Philip were himself eager for some form of special service,he knew at least that Geoff had special attainments, special knowledgewhich fitted him for a post of that description. How Philip bewailed thefact that in his younger days--though to be sure he was still only ayoungster--he had made such ill use of his opportunities. For, like hisfriend, Philip had been born in a cantonment, had lived the better partof his young life in one or other of the hill stations in India, and hadgrown up in the atmosphere which surrounds the army in British India.Hindustani and native dialects had come naturally to him, had beenacquired without effort when he was a mere slip of a lad, but Turkish,that was an altogether different question.

  "Well," he demanded eagerly, "you've got a job, have you? A special job,Geoff? Congratulations!"

  He smacked his friend heartily on the back when he had heard the wholestory, and emitted a shrill whistle of amazement, perhaps even of envy,when Geoff told him that he was to be attached to Head-quarters.

  "Well, that's going it!" he exclaimed. "Attached to Head-quarters, eh!And just off on a reconnaissance. Mind you ain't captured, Geoff, forI've a very particular reason, and I'll tell you what it is. What's thegood of my being chums with a fellow whose attached to Head-quarters forspecial service if that chap can't somehow or other squeeze me in one ofthese days and take me along with him? That would be fine, wouldn't it,Geoff? One of these days you'll probably want to sneak off, dressed asan Arab or something of that sort. How'd I do to come with you, even ifonly as a humble servant? But then----Oh, hang it! There's the language!But never mind, somehow or other you'll manage to take me with you."

  Not for one moment did the eager Philip cease to chatter andcross-examine Geoff, as the latter and his servant plunged into themidst of the half-packed baggage and extracted sundry articles likely tobe of use to him. As to agreeing to take Philip with him on someexpedition, of course Geoff could not even give so much as a thought tothe matter at that moment, though, to be sure, as he told himself,having Philip with him would be tremendous fun, and would add to hisenjoyment. However, there was little time for thought, and none fordiscussion. In the course of half an hour he had selected all the kit herequired, and had dispatched his servant ashore with the remainder. Thenhe dived down to the orderly room to formally report his impendingdeparture, while he received the congratulations of his CommandingOfficer and the Adjutant.

  "Don't forget, Keith, you're one of the Mahrattas," he was told, "andthe regiment looks to you to maintain its high reputation wherever youmay go. But you'll do that, Geoff. I knew your father, and if I know youat all--and I ought to seeing that you've been trained under myeye--you'll follow in his footsteps, and will do well in the post forwhich you've been selected."

  A firm grip of Philip's hand as he stepped upon the gangway, a cheerygood-bye, and a nod to others of his brother-officers, and Geoff wasashore, where the first object that his eyes lit upon was Sultan beingwalked up and down the strand, tossing his handsome head and shaking hismane, caracolling, and looking as if such a thing as a voyage from Indiawere of no consequence. Patting his animal and talking to him for a fewmoments, Geoff then went on briskly to the native hut selected asHead-quarters, near which the two troops of Indian Horse he had beentold were about to move away on a reconnaissance were already drawn up,the men at their horses' heads, standing expectant and immovable, andthe officers strolling to and fro, smoking cigarettes and showing asmuch impatience as any of the soldiers. Striding up to the senior ofthe officers, Geoff at once reported himself.

  "I've been ordered to accompany you, sir," he said.

  "Lieutenant Keith, Mahrattas."

  "And glad to meet you, Keith," came the hearty answer, whilst his handwas gripped. "I understand you've been in Mesopotamia, an
d knowsomething of the country and the languages. Ward of my old friend, JoeDouglas, aren't you?"

  It made Geoff glow with pride to hear so many eulogistic remarks madeconcerning the old friend who had cared for him now for so many years,and who indeed had filled the place of his father. That Major JoeDouglas was appreciated wherever he was known in the Indian army--and tobe sure this "political" was known in very many stations, and to a hostof officers--was a fact that Geoff could not fail to know, for in Indiaall that concerns the army is known by its officers. Yet to hear himspoken of so very highly now by senior officers, to hear him eulogized,and to realize that the welcome extended to himself, Geoff Keith, wasdue, in part at least, to the old friendships made by his guardian,could not fail to make every impression on our hero. It made him thenand there register a silent vow that, come what might, he would donothing that would not reflect favourably upon the Major.

  "He stood by me all these years," he thought, "he taught me all I know,though I fear I am still very young and an ignoramus. But he's triedhard I know to impart all his own special knowledge to me, and he'sgiven me chances that many a young officer would give his ears for.Right! I've got to remember that always; and if I don't carry out thisjob to the satisfaction of my seniors, well I'll just deserve kicking."

  The voice of the officer commanding the Indian Horse awakened him fromthe short reverie into which he had fallen.

  "We'll be off in five minutes," he told Geoff; "we're just waiting formaps of the country to be issued, and for special instructions fromHead-quarters. Now, Keith, since you've reported, I presume that you'requite ready to move off with us."

  "Quite, sir!" Geoff told him with energy.

  "Then what about a mount? Of course you will have brought one, seeingthat all Indian officers are mounted, but if by chance your horse hasnot yet been disembarked, we'll leave one of our men behind and you canmake use of his mount for the time being."

  Geoff turned at once, and, looking towards the strand where Sultan wasbeing exercised, signalled to his syce to bring him along immediately. Aminute later Sultan was prancing and circling close at hand--the admiredof all admirers.

  "'Pon my word, Keith, I admire your choice of horse-flesh," the officertold Geoff with enthusiasm as he walked slowly round the fretful Sultan,noting every handsome point. "No need to ask you whether you can ride orwhether you've only recently gone through a school of instruction, forno fellow would dare to put his leg over that beast who hadn't had anyamount of experience. Easy to handle, eh?" he asked, bending down, thebetter to take a look at Sultan's feet and legs. "My word! but there'space there, and there's strength in those shoulders, while, if I know ahorse at all, this fellow will be a stayer."

  If you had wanted to give Geoff Keith some particularly great pleasure,or desired to pay him some extraordinary compliment, you could not havedone it better or more easily than by admiring Sultan. Let us explain atonce that Sultan had once upon a time belonged to Major Douglas--indeed,he had been bred by the Major, and came of a famous stable. He had, onemight almost say, grown up with our hero; though to be sure he was yetonly a six-year-old, full of life and youth and strength. Nor hadGeoff's temporary absence from India in Mesopotamia, and during thosemonths he had spent in England, been sufficient to allow Sultan toforget his young master. It was with a whinny of pleasure that he hadgreeted his return to the "Shiney", and though there were many who wouldnot have dared to mount the animal, and, indeed, few whom Sultan wouldallow to ride him, yet in the hands of Geoff Keith this fiery beastbecame as gentle as a lamb, as docile and as easily handled as anyhorse. To be short and explicit, Sultan was a most splendid Arab, one ina thousand, and a steed of which even a General would have been proud,and the possession of which might easily have turned the head of anyjunior subaltern.

  "A nice little horse. Yes, as nice a little horse as ever I set eyeson," declared the officer in command of the two troops of Indiancavalry, as he paced round Sultan, patting him now and again, talking tohim, and admiring his handsome points and his general appearance. "Agrey was always my fancy, Keith, but they want a heap of handling.Let's see what he looks like with a man on his back. I'll wager that hispaces are as good as his looks; trot him along, lad, and open him out alittle. Our horses have already had a gallop, and they needed it aftertheir confinement on board ship."

  It was with a keen discerning eye that the officer watched Geoff pick uphis reins and swing himself into the saddle. It was all done in aninstant, though, indeed, the fretful Sultan made it difficult for anyoneto mount him. But a word from Geoff quieted him for just a few seconds,and in that brief space of time the lad had gripped his mane, had thrustone foot into the stirrup, and was well home in his saddle.

  "Let go!" Geoff told the syce, and there for a moment he sat motionless,Sultan standing as still as any statue--his head thrown back, his muzzleraised, and his eyes gleaming wickedly. Then with a bound he leapt toone side--a leap which would have thrown the average rider--and a secondlater, shaking his head free, he went off towards the desert like thewind, as if determined to have his freedom.

  "Steady! Steady, boy, steady!" said Geoff, holding him firmly with thereins. "You're here to do what I want and not what you want; and,besides, a burst of speed so soon after coming ashore might be bad foryou; you're coming back to let those officers take a good look at you."

  The mad impulse of the Arab to be off, to be galloping wildly across theloose sand and gravel thereabouts, to be hurtling amongst the palmswhich covered the country-side, was controlled in an instant, and withsuch little effort that those officers who watched could not discernit. Geoff brought his mount back towards the troops of horse at a steadytrot, a trot in which Sultan showed magnificent action, so much so thatriding him gracefully was a matter of difficulty. Then a gentle pressureof the reins again brought him to a standstill, his feet well spread,his head held high, those eyes of his gleaming and shining. Indeed, allcould see the spirit of the horse, and none were surprised when, amoment later, as the Officer in Command approached, Sultan rose on hishind legs and thrashed the air, Geoff sitting him and talking to himgently.

  "A very handsome piece of goods, Keith," he heard, "'pon my word! I'm asenvious as I can be; but in fairness to all of us you ought to take himout a little bit and give him a breather. Gently at first, and then somequick pace, so as to let him get rid of a little of that spirit.Otherwise he'll be kicking other horses in the ranks or disabling one ofthe officers."

  A gentle word from Geoff, the merest relaxation of the reins, and Sultanwas off again, but curbed this time ever so gently; off at a trot again,showing that magnificent action with his fore legs, his quartersgleaming in the sunshine. And, slowly as they went, the pace increasedtill it became a canter, which Geoff allowed his mount to keep up untilthey had covered a good mile of desert--until, in fact, he was well outin the open and away from the palms which spread themselves somedistance from the bank of the river. Then he pulled up his mount andpatted him on the shoulder.

  "That's your first breather, old chap!" he said; "now I'll allow you tohave a burst of speed till we are near the trees again, just to get ridof the devil in you. After that you'll behave yourself, and go alongquietly like the rest of them. Now off!"

  "Handles the beast as if born to it," declared the Commanding Officer,as he watched the figures of man and horse racing towards him, while hisbrother officers crowded about him. "That lad has hands and a seat to beproud of, and the beast he rides is the best bit of horse-flesh I'veseen--and that's saying something."

  There was no doubt, in fact, that Geoff's arrival on the scene, hisunexpected attachment to these horse-soldiers, his unconsciousexhibition of horsemanship, and his possession of that fine Arab, hadcreated quite an enviable impression upon the officers who were to behis companions.

  "A young chap, such as he was, who could ride so well, who had the pluckto manage such a horse, must be a good fellow," they told themselves;and, thinking that, the information which was now given them--that Geoffwa
s no new-comer to Mesopotamia, but had spent some months there with afamous Indian "political", and even knew the languages--prepossessedthem still more in his favour.

  "You'll do, my lad," the Commanding Officer whispered in his ear somefew minutes later, when Geoff had dismounted, and had handed over Sultanto the syce. "It wants judgment to ride a beast like that, andjudgment's the virtue required for the job to which you have beenappointed. Now, Keith, our orders have come, and here are the maps; popthis one into your map-case. I shall take the troops up beside theriver towards Basra, and if it seems necessary I shall send one troopoff to my right to see what's happening farther out in the desert."

  There were sharp words of command, and then a whistle blew, at whichthose stalwart Indian soldiers mounted their horses as one man, and satthere like so many dusky statues; then the whistle sounded again, andthe cavalcade moved off, Geoff, at the invitation of the CommandingOfficer, riding beside him.

  It was as well, perhaps, for our hero that he was all unconscious of thefact that those Indian cavalry officers were not the only witnesses ofthat exhibition he had given with Sultan, and that other eyes than thecurious ones of the natives of those parts followed the troops of horse,and his own upright figure, as they swung away from the site ofdisembarkation. It might have turned his head, and robbed him of hisnatural modesty, had he known that numbers of the Head-quarters Staffwere outside their hut, looking on at this first movement of theexpedition in Mesopotamia; and it would most certainly have caused aflush to rise to his cheeks, and possibly, had he not been a steady,sensible fellow, might have induced a degree of swollen-headedness, hadhe been able to hear the remarks of some of those senior officers. For,like those with the Indian horse, they, too, had fixed their eyes onSultan, had seen the masterly way in which he was managed, and hadadmired the horsemanship of this new-comer amongst junior officers.

  "He's a find," declared one of the Staff Officers, "and I'll eat my hatif young Keith doesn't prove a most promising officer!"

  But that was a question for the future. To make good resolutions, toregister silent vows, is, after all, a very easy matter, and one towhich we all of us are prone. Promises are, we know, very much likepie-crust, so easily are they broken, and good intentions and vows, madeever so solemnly and so secretly, are difficult to keep. Would Geoff,with all his youthful enthusiasm, with all his keenness, with hisundoubted steadiness of character, do well? Or would he prove only anegregious failure?

  "Trot!" The command rang out loudly, and in a moment the troops of horsewere swinging away across the now fast-opening desert, their horses'feet kicking up clouds of sandy dust and gravel debris. Those palms wereleft behind in a trice it seemed, and within half an hour thelanding-place was little more than a memory. It was perhaps two hourslater when an officers' patrol, which had been riding well in advance,signalled the troops to halt, and one of their number came back at agallop.

  "A strong force of horsemen away on our left front, sir," he reported."Turks, I think, but I am by no means certain."

  "Halt! Mr. Keith, you will ride forward to the patrol, and if necessarybeyond them. Let me have your report at the first possible moment," camethe sharp order.

  A second later Sultan was bounding forward, and in a little while Geoffhad joined the officers' patrol at the point where they had now halted.Yes, there was a force of horsemen away in front, and to all appearancesthe campaign in Mesopotamia was about to open.