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of　the　Hudson's　Bay　Company；　as　it　would　be　impossible　to　permit　the
acts　of　the　Khartoum　traders；　who；　I　was　convinced；　would　never　deal
honestly　with　the　natives。

The　working　representative　of　Achmet　Sheik　Agad　was　his　son…in…lawa
man　named　Abou　Saood：　I　had　seen　this　person　when　at　Tewfikeeyah；　he　had
arrived　in　charge　of　several　vessels　from　Gondokoro　during　the　rainy
season；　when　the　flooded　river　and　strong　south　wind　had　allowed　the
passage　of　his　boats。　At　that　time　he　had　no　slaves　on　board；　but　I
subsequently　discovered　that　upon　hearing　that　I　had　formed　a　station
near　the　Soba；　he　had　discharged　a　large　cargo　of　slaves　at　the　station
of　Kutchuk　Ali　on　the　Bahr　Giraffe；　so　as　to　pass　Tewfikeeyah　in　a　state
of　innocence　and　purity；　and　thus　save　the　confiscation　of　his　ivory。
This　man　was　present　at　the　divan　when　the　final　agreement　was　signed　by
myself　and　his　principal。　He　vowed　fidelity　in　so　forcible　a　manner　that
I　entertained　serious　doubts　of　his　sincerity。　An　arrangement　was
entered　into；　that　he　was　to　supply　the　government　troops　with　beef；
mutton；　butter；　&c。；　together　with　the　native　carriers　for　the　transport
of　baggage；　stores；　&c。；　at　an　established　rate　then　agreed　upon；　the
provisions　were　to　be　delivered　from　the　resources　at　his　command　at　his
various　stations。　In　the　event　of　any　native　war；　he　was　to　furnish
assistance　when　called　upon　by　the　government　for　irregular　troops；　of
which　he　had　about　1；800　in　the　districts　included　in　my　territory。

I　did　not　admire　the　personal　appearance　of　Abou　Saood。　A　judge　of
physiognomy　would　have　objected　to　the　downcast　look　of　humility；　the
un…certain　squint　of　one　eye；　the　furtive　expression　of　countenance；
added　to　the　ultra…holiness　of　his　ejaculations　when　called　upon　for　an
answer；　and　the　pious　cant　of　his　protestation　against　all　wrong…doings。
At　the　same　time　that　he　was　acting　the　part　of　saint；　I　knew　him　to　be
a　bird　of　the　same　feather　as　the　rest　of　the　White　Nile　slave…hunters。

Some　little　diplomacy　was　necessary　to　smooth　the　troubled　waters　of
Khartoum。　I　made　every　allowance　for　the　passive　obstructiveness　of　the
authorities；　it　was　perfectly　natural　under　the　circumstances　of　a
sudden　reform　that　affected　materially　the　interests　of　the　entire
population；　both　high　and　low。　At　the　same　time；　it　was　necessary　to　win
the　game。　I　was　much　attached　to　Djiaffer　Pacha　in　his　unofficial
capacity；　as　I　could　never　forget　the　kindness　that　I　had　received　from
him　at　Souakim　when　he　welcomed　my　wife　and　myself　on　our　return　from　a
long　and　arduous　expedition。　He　was　a　perfectly　honest　man　in　his
dealings；　and　most　generous　to　all　around　him。　His　great　desire　was　to
earn　a　good　reputation；　thus　he　was　not　sufficiently　vigilant　or　severe
with　the　sub…officials　throughout　the　vast　territory　which　he　governed。

He　had　formerly　been　an　admiral　in　the　Egyptian　navy；　and　he　had　visited
England；　where　he　had　learnt　to　respect　the　English　name　of　〃gentleman。〃　
To　be　considered　a　〃gentleman〃　（which　he　pronounced　in　English）；　was　
in　his　estimation　a　great　honour。

I　was　delighted　with　the　lasting　impression　that　had　been　made　by　the
manners　of　our　country；　and　certainly；　in　courtesy　and　hospitality；
Djiaffer　Pacha　thoroughly　represented　the　qualities　of　the　name　he
coveted。　Whenever　we　differed　in　opinion　upon　official　matters；　we　were
always　cordial　in　our　private　capacity。

On　6th　October　the　post　arrived　from　Cairo　with　the　astounding　news　of
the　battle　of　Sedan；　the　capture　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　the　revolution
in　Paris；　and　the　fall　of　the　Napoleon　dynasty！　Never　were　so　many
grave　events　condensed　in　one　despatch。　I　felt　much　for　de　Bizemont：　he
had　become　a　general　favourite；　and　I　had　received　him　con　amore　as　one
of　our　party。　This　was　a　blow　too　terrible　even　for　his　high　spirit。　He
had　received　the　greatest　kindness　from　the　emperor　and　empress；　and　his
loyalty　was　shown　by　the　deepest　grief；　and　an　immediate　resolve　to　give
up　the　expedition；　and　to　return　to　share　the　trembling　fortunes　of　his
country。　We　had　ourselves　received　much　kindness　from　the　empress。　Only
a　few　days　before　this　grave　news　arrived；　my　wife　had　received　a　token
from　her　Majesty；　graciously　bestowed　when　she　was　in　power　and
prosperity；　this　was　now　more　deeply　prized　since　adversity　had　fallen
so　heavily　upon　her。

De　Bizemont　had　vigorously　commenced　his　work　as　a　member　of　the
expedition　by　accompanying　the　sections　of　the　third　steamer　from　Cairo
to　Berber。　The　desert　journey　was　intrusted　to　the　great　sheik　of　the
Arabs；　Hussein　Halifa；　who　had　already　so　notably　distinguished　himself
in　the　transport　of　the　two　steamers　that　had　arrived　with　Mr。
Higginbotham。　I　was　very　sorry　to　say　good…bye；　and　I　parted　with　de
Bizemont　and　his　companion；　Le　Blanc；　with　sincere　regret。

I　had　now　set　everything　in　order；　the　vessels　were　loaded。
On　10th　October；　1870；　I　find　this　entry　in　my　journal：…

〃Started　for　Tewfikeeyah。　Thankful　to　be　free　from　that　hateful　spot；
Khartoum。　Nothing　can　exceed　the　misery　of　the　place　at　this　season。　No
drainagemuddense　population；　with　exaggerated　stench。　These　enemies
to　civilization　have　at　length　vanquished　the　European　settlers。

〃Djiaffer　Pacha；　accompanied　by　all　the　big　people；　came　on　board　to
take　an　official　farewell：　embracingbands　of　musicsalutes　of
cannonsteam　up；　and　off；　thank　God！I　with　a　horrid　cold　and　Julian
with　nasty　fever。〃

We　were　short　of　hands　for　wood…cutting；　thus　we　only　arrived　at
Tewfikeeyah　on　22d　October。　The　river　was　now　at　its　maximum；　and　had
risen　at　this　spot　from　the　lowest　level　of　the　dry　season；　fourteen
feet　and　one　inch。

We　were　now　busily　employed；　as　I　had　arranged　to　start　the　first
division　of　the　fleet　for　Gondokoro　on　the　1st　December。

On　25th　October　several　vessels　attempted　to　pass　the　station　with
slaves。　All　were　captured　and　the　slaves　liberated。

〃Many　of　the　women　slaves　who　were　released　from　the　slave　vessels　at
the　first　capture　seemed　thoroughly　to　realize　the　principle　of
'liberte；　fraternite；　egalite；'　as　they　ran　away　during　the　night；　not
only　with　their　new　clothes　recently　given　them　by　the　government；　but
they　also　stole　some　of　the　soldiers'　kit。　It　is　very　difficult　to
manage　these　people。　The　fact　of　their　having　been　kidnapped　by　the
slave…hunters　destroys　all　confidence；　and　they　cannot　understand　their
true　position。　It　is　difficult　to　persuade　them　that　the　government　has
interfered　in　their　behalf　simply　with　a　view　to　their　welfare；　they
imagine　that　we　have　some　ulterior　object　in　their　release；　and　many
have　a　strong　suspicion　that　they　may　at　some　future　time　be　transported
to　some　distant　country　and　sold。　They　have　been　so　often　deceived　that
they　cannot　understand　the　truth；　and　having　been　accustomed　to　brutal
treatment；　they　cannot　comprehend　the　intention　of　kindness；　which　they
attribute　to　a　wish　to　deceive　them。　This　is　a　dreadful　state　of　moral
degradation；　which　nothing　but　time　and　patience　will　overcome。〃

On　the　23rd　November　the　wind　began　steadily　from　the　north。　I　was
nearly　ready。　Every　vessel　had　been　thoroughly　repaired；　but　many　were
so　rotten　that　the　caulking　was　considered　by　the　English　shipwrights　as
quite　unreliable　for　a　long　voyage。　I　had　dragged　the　iron　diahbeeah　out
of　the　water；　and　had　substituted　new　plates　in　many　places　where　the
metal　was　honeycombed　with　rust。　The　plate　that　had　been　pierced　by　the
tusks　of　the　hippopotamus　was　removed；　as　it　proved　to　be　very
defective；　and　could　be　broken　through　with　the　blow　of　a　heavy　hammer；
therefore　it　was　not　astonishing　that　it　had　been　easily　penetrated　by
the　sharp　ivory　of　so　powerful　an　animal。

When　the　diahbeeah　was　re…launched；　I　had　her　thoroughly　painted　inside
and　out。　In　the　mean　time；　I　had　formed　a　Robinson…Crusoe…like　house；
comprising　two　small　rooms；　open　on　the　river…side；　but　secured　at　night
and　morning　by　simple　Venetian　blinds。　The　three　sides　were　closed　with
planks。　I　had　paved　the　floor　with　the　cast…iron　plates　of　the　steamer's
engine　room；　thus　it　was　both　level　and　proof　against　the　white　ants。
The　two　rooms　were　separated　by　a　partition　with　a　doorway；　but　no　door。

I　had　not　resided　in　a　house　since　I　first　occupied　the　diahbeeah；　ten
months　ago；　as　the　vessel　was　more　convenient。

On　the　29th　November；　at　about　four　A。M。；　I　was　awakened　by　a　noise　in
the　adjoining　room。　My　bedstead　was　exactly　opposite　the　partition
doorway；　that　of　my　wife　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　room。　At　first　I
thought　the　sound　proceeded　from　rats　scampering　over　the　tin　boxes；　but
upon　listening　attentively；　I　distinctly　heard　the　lid　of　a　metal　box
opened　by　some　person；　and　again　carefully　closed。

After　a　few　moments；　I　heard　another　box　open；　and　a　sound　as　though
some　one　was　searching　among　the　contents。

Unfortunately　my　bedstead　was　the　most　horrible　creaker；　in　which　it　was
impossible　to　turn　without　producing　a　noise　that　would　create　an　alarm；
should　a　thief　be　on　the　alert。

I　always　slept　with　a　pistol　under　my　pillow；　therefore；　I　gently
grasped　the　revolver　in　my　hand；　and　endeavoured　quietly　to　get　out　of
my　n