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which　was　our　home；　lay　snugly　alongside　the　bank；　close　to　which　was　a
little　summer…house；　surrounded　by　a　prolific　garden。　This　was　a　little
gem　of　civilization　set　in　the　middle　of　savage　Africa。　My　〃Forty
Thieves〃　were　perfect　gentlemen　in　comparison　with　the　line　regiments。
The　sanitary　arrangements　of　the　station　were　good；　there　was　very
little　sickness；　at　the　same　time　that　upwards　of　400　men　suffered　from
ulcerated　legs　at　head…quarters。

Our　domestics　were　much　improved。　Those　who　had　been　slaves　liberated　by
me　from　the　traders'　vessels　at　Tewfikeeyah；　had　learnt　their　duties；
and　had　become　very　useful。　My　wife　had　trained　some　nice　girls　of
seventeen　or　eighteen　to　household　duties；　in　addition　to　half　a　dozen
excellent　boys；　who　were　all　neatly　clothed；　and　kept　in　admirable
discipline。　Among　these　was　the　Abyssinian　boy；　〃Amam；〃　who　had　lately
received　his　freedom。　He　was　a　pretty　little　lad；　and　his　brown
complexion　looked　quite　light　in　comparison　with　his　coal…black
comrades。　The　Abyssinian　blood　showed　in　strong　contrast　to　the　negro
type　around　him；　and　he　was　far　superior　in　intelligence　to　any　of　the
Central　Africans。

The　girls　were　under　old　Karka；　who　had　been　with　us　throughout　our
former　journey。　This　old　woman　was　very　proud　because　I　had　given　12　to
purchase　her　freedom　in　Khartoum。　She　was　a　good　old　soul；　but
wonderfully　fond　of　fine　clothes；　and　on　great　occasions　she　always
turned　out　in　clouds　of　snowy　muslin　with　red　edges　and　fringe；　like　a
young　Abyssinian　beauty。　It　was　amusing　to　see　her　emerge　from　her　hut
in　full　costume；　her　broad；　flat　face　beaming　with　smiles　in　happy
consciousness　of　universal　admiration。

Old　Karka　was　a　sort　of　duenua　to　watch　over　the　morals　of　the　younger
girls；　and　to　see　that　they　did　not　become　too　〃fast〃；　but　I　believe
that　even　the　heart　of　Karka　beat　high　when　a　certain　corporal　of　the
gallant　〃Forty　Thieves〃　passed　by。　Old　Karka　was　actually　accused　of
sending　presents　of　food；　carefully　cooked　by　her　own　hands；　to　the
house　of　this　same　corporal；　Abdullah；　thus　appealing　to　his　stomach；
which　is　the　direct　road　to　the　heart；　in　African　courtship。　The　younger
girls　and　the　boys　of　the　establishment　exclaimed；　〃Mashallah！　Old
Karka！　who　would　have　believed　it？〃

It　was　curious　to　observe　the　difference　between　my　station　and　that　of
head…quarters　at　Gondokoro：　at　one；　all　was　contentment　and　good　order；
in　the　other；　discontent　and　disorder。

I　had　constant　complaints　from　Mr。　Higginbotham　that　my　orders；　that　he
should　be　supplied　with　men　for　public　works；　were　disobeyed；　and　that
every　obstacle　was　thrown　in　his　way。

My　Englishmen　had　been；　as　usual；　very　industrious　and　having　erected
the　iron　magazines；　they　were　now　engaged　in　building　a　flat…bottomed
barge　to　assist　in　transporting　corn　from　the　islands　south　of　Regiaf。
They　had　not　been　in　the　best　health；　but　they　nevertheless　continued　to
work　with　an　energy　and　spirit　that　were　a　delightful　contrast　to　the
sluggishness　and　apathy　of　the　Egyptians。

Immediately　on　my　return　from　Belinian；　I　had　given　orders　that　thirty
vessels　should　be　prepared　to　return　to　Khartoum。

I　had　not　returned　these　vessels　earlier；　as　I　required　all　the　sailors
to　assist　in　building　the　station；　and　in　collecting　corn　for　the
troops。　At　this　season　（October）　the　Nile　was　at　its　maximum；　therefore
I　hoped　there　would　be　no　difficulty　in　the　return　voyage　to　Khartoum
with　empty　vessels；　and　the　stream　in　their　favour。　Had　I　returned　them
earlier；　I　should　have　been　obliged　to　victual　them　for　a　four　months'
voyage；　at　a　time　when　corn　was　extremely　scarce。　The　sailors　had　now
assisted　us　in　our　work；　and　they　would　not　require　provisions　for　more
than　two　months；　as　the　Nile　was　full。

Every　arrangement　that　I　had　made　had　been　most　carefully　considered。
There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　greatest　enemy　to　the　expedition　was　the
White　Nile。　This　adverse　river　had　given　a　serious　check。　The　work　and
fatigue　in　cutting　through　the　obstructions　had　killed　many　men；　and　had
laid　the　seeds　of　fatal　complaints　among　many　others。　The　men's　hearts
had　been　broken　at　the　onset。　There　was　even　now　a　feeling　of　despair　of
the　possibility　of　receiving　supplies　and　reinforcements　by　river　from
Khartoum。　We　appeared　to　have　forsaken　the　known　world；　and；　having
passed　the　river　Styx；　to　have　become　secluded　for　ever　in　a　wild　land
of　our　own；　where　all　were　enemies；　like　evil　spirits；　and　where　it　was
necessary　either　to　procure　food　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　or　to　lie
down　and　die。

If　the　White　Nile　had　been　the　fine；　navigable　river　that　I　had　known　in
former　years；　I　believe　I　should　have　had　no　difficulty；　as　I　could　have
quickly　overcome　the　scruples　of　my　officers　by　direct　reports　of　their
conduct　to　the　Khedive；　but　we　were　lost　to　the　world　almost　as
absolutely　as　though　quartered　in　the　moon。

I　had　proposed；　when　in　Cairo；　that　steamers　should　run　monthly　between
Khartoum　and　Gondokoro；　with　the　post　and　all　necessary　supplies。　In
former　days　this　would　have　been　a　matter　of　course；　and　the　fact　of　a
connection　with　the　Soudan　government　would　have　supported　discipline；
but　the　frightful　obstructions　of　the　river　rendered　communication
impossible；　except　by　a　regular　expedition　in　large　force。

My　own　heart　felt　heavy　sometimes；　but　I　said　nothing。　I　could　easily
appreciate　the　feelings　of　others；　whose　hearts　were　not　actually　in
favour　of　the　enterprise。

Nevertheless　I　commanded；　and　no　matter　what　the　obstacles　might　be；　I
had　only　one　duty。

A　new　and　sad　calamity　had　attacked　us。　The　well…known　African
horse…sickness　broke　out。　In　spite　of　every　precaution；　my　horses　died。
The　disease　commenced　by　an　appearance　of　languor；　rapid　action　of　the
heart；　scantiness　of　urine；　costiveness；　swelling　of　the　forehead　above
the　eyes；　which　extended　rapidly　to　the　whole　head；　stiffness　and
swelling　of　the　neck；　eyes　prominent　and　bloodshot；　running　at　the　nose
of　foul　greenish　matter　in　extraordinary　quantities；convulsions；
death。

My　favourite　Horse；　〃The　Pig；〃　was　attacked。　I　had　anxiously　watched　him
daily；　and　one　morning　I　fancied　that　the　usual　hollow　above　the　eyes
was　rather　full。　This　fatal　symptom　was　too　true　a　warning。　He　passed
through　the　usual　stages　of　the　complaint；　and　died　on　the　same　day　that
he　was　first　attacked。

I　had　only　seven　horses　remaining　out　of　twenty…one　that　had　started
with　me　from　Cairo。　In　addition　to　these；　were　two　horses　belonging　to
the　officers。

The　fact　of　the　horses　dying　added　to　the　unfavourable　impression
already　in　the　minds　of　the　officers　and　troops。　In　addition　to　this
calamity；　the　drought　at　Gondokoro　had　been　unprecedented。　The　native
cultivation；　and　that　of　the　troops；　had　all　perished　on　the　light　sandy
soil　of　Gondokoro。　Rain　had　fallen　in　the　vicinity；　but　this　unfortunate
locality　is　very　subject　to　droughts；　as　the　rain…clouds　are　attracted
by　neighbouring　mountains；　where　they　expend　themselves。　The　rich　soil
of　the　river　islands　will　always　insure　a　crop；　as　the　roots　penetrate
to　a　depth　where　they　obtain　moisture　from　the　river。　As　already
described；　the　troops　had　worked　so　badly；　that　one　half　of　the　island
crop　had　been　carried　away　by　birds。　Thus；　when　the　harvest　was　in　their
hands；　they　neglected　to　gather　it；　they　now　complained　that　nothing
would　succeed　in　Gondokoro。

Abou　Saood　had　not　gone　to　Khartoum；　therefore　his　journey　to　Belinian
to　request　my　permission　to　depart；　was　only　a　ruse　for　some　purpose　at
present　unknown。

I　shall　now　extract　verbatim　from　my　journal　the　entry　upon　October　13；
1871：

〃October　13；　Friday。The　truth　has　burst　out　at　last。　As　I　have　long
expected；　the　evil　spirit　has　brooded　mischief。〃

Late　last　night　I　received　a　letter　from　Raouf　Bey　inclosing　two　others：
one　from　the　regimental　officers；　addressed　to　their　respective
lieutenant…colonels；　the　other　from　the　lieutenant…colonels；　inclosing
the　letters；　and　seconding　the　declaration　with　a　petition　embodying　the
same　request　to　the　full　colonel。　The　letter　from　Raouf　Bey　supported
the　petitions　and　seconded　the　general　complaint。　The　burden　of　this
lengthy　and　carefully…arranged　correspondence；　was　the　determination　of
the　officers　and　troops　to　abandon　the　expedition　and　return　to
Khartoum。　The　seals　of　every　officer　were　attached；　with　the　exception
of　those　belonging　to　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃

I　noticed　that　although　there　were　three　separate　letters　upon　several
immense　sheets　of　paper；　they　were　all　written　in　the　same　handwriting。
This　proved　that　they　were　the　result　of　dictation　from　a　superior；　and
I　at　once　traced　the　conspiracy　to　the　colonel；　Raouf　Bey；　the　friend　of
Abou　Saood。

It　had　been　pre…arranged　in　this　fashion；　without　a　hint　of　such　an
intention　having　been　given　to　me；　that　the　officers　should　sign　a
round…robin　to　their　lieutenant…colonels；　the　latter　should　support　and
forward　the　petition；　together　with　a　letter　from　themselves；　the
colonel　should　then　forward　this　general　and　irresistible　expression　of
public　opinion　to　me；　together　with　a　long　epistle　from　himself；
explaining　the　absolute　nec