I started in the dingy with two boatmen to row, accompanied by Monsoor
and two soldiers of "The Forty."
The stream ran at three miles and a half per hour: thus, with good
pulling, we reached head-quarters in one hour and thirty-two minutes, a
distance of about ten miles and a half.
I believe it is common to human nature to love to carry good news. The
sight of the little dingy approaching Gondokoro alone, had given rise to
all kinds of surmises, and when I reached the shore, a crowd of
officers, soldiers, sailors, and women were standing in expectation upon
the cliff. My men immediately recounted all particulars.
Great was the joy of the English party at the news of our success. This
flew through the station, and the Egyptian officers and soldiers slunk
away; whereas, the black wives of the Soudani regiment were delighted,
as they did not wish to go to Khartoum. These women were slaves that I
had liberated, and they always imagined that if they should arrive at
Khartoum, they would be sold. This home influence was of service to me.
In conversation with my "Forty Thieves" I had suggested, that perhaps on
their arrival at Khartoum, the government might not permit them to
retain so many wives in the regiment. The Soudanis are always happy if
they have a wife and plenty to eat and drink; therefore Central Africa
was preferable to their taste, where they could enjoy domestic bliss
with a young wife, instead of sitting in the sultry barracks of Khartoum
as melancholy bachelors.
I now determined to devote myself specially to the work of collecting
corn. I therefore placed all my luggage in the magazine, cleared out the
diahbeeah, and towed her up stream from my little station to
head-quarters, ready to start on the following day.
On 17th October I started at 6 a.m., and reached the island at 4 p.m.
There I found Raouf Bey, and the vessels that I had left in his charge.
He had only occupied one island, and the natives were hard at work
carrying off their corn from the islands to the south. I immediately
sent troops to take possession.
On 18th October I sent Raouf Bey to Gondokoro, with orders to despatch
to Khartoum all the really sick and incapable, but upon no account to
permit any man to return unless he was hopelessly invalided.
On 19th October, having noticed that the stream brought down numerous
stems of dhurra, I concluded that cultivated islands existed further up
the river. I therefore instructed Lieutenant Baker to sail up and
explore; at the same time he was to take possession should such islands
be discovered.
