- Waiting for the arrival of Quat Kare and his Shillooks.
Shot two geese and knocked over a large antelope, but lost him in the
high grass. The country is all flooded, except for a space of about a
mile from our little camp on the Sobat dubba, which is the highest
ground for a great distance, being about fourteen feet above the maximum
level of the river. A few Shillooks started off after my wounded
antelope, and quickly brought me the head: it was a fine specimen of the
new species of Hippotragus.
"December 23. - I sent the steamer up the White Nile to bring down the
wind-bound kyassas (vessels). When she returned with them, all hands
were immediately employed in discharging cargo and taking down masts and
yards in readiness for operations on the sunken vessel.
"December 21. - Thermometer, 6 A.M., 67 degrees; noon, 82 degrees.
Abdullah, the Shillook, arrived. The natives have not forwarded my
letter to the governor of Fashoda, as they fear to pass certain villages
with which they have been lately quarrelling. To-day is the close of the
Ramadan fast, and the first of the Bairam, therefore it is kept as a
holiday. All my people have turned out in new clothes.
"December 25. - Christmas Day. Thermometer, 6 A.M., 65 degrees. We began
work at the sunken vessel. By filling the barges with water and sinking
them within a foot of the surface, and then securing them by chains to
the wreck, we obtained a firm hold.
