"March 20. - All the vessels got away by 9 A.M. with a rattling breeze.
The steamer started at 10.8 A.M., but was delayed one hour and twenty
minutes by her stupidly dragging the nogger ashore in rounding a sharp
corner.
"At 5.15 P.M. we arrived at a forest on the west bank. At 6.45 P.M. we
stopped, as I was afraid we might pass the station of Wat-el-Shambi in
the dark.
"March 21. - At 8.25 A.M. we started. Three natives came to the vessel
and reported the zareeba to be close ahead.
"I served out fifteen rounds of snider ammunition per man to the 'Forty
Thieves,' thus filling up their pouches to thirty rounds. The banks are
now dry, and about two feet six inches above the river's level. The
country is as usual flat, but covered with forest on the west. Cattle
numerous, and bellowing in all directions.
"At 9.15 A.M. we arrived at Wat-el-Shambi. The forest is distant from
the river, therefore at 10 we started with light south-east wind, and at
10.30 we returned to a good station for cutting fuel in the forest about
four miles below Wat-el-Shambi.
"The few representatives of Ali Amouri, the trader at the latter
station, declared that they could not supply us with cattle, they being
hard up for provisions themselves. Their looks belied the excuse. Wind
south all day, but changed to north at 6.30 P.M. The boat of the French
trader, Jules Poncet, that had accompanied the fleet, arrived in the
evening.
"A number of natives, stark naked, and smeared with wood ashes, came as
usual to beg for corn. I have given strict orders that on no account
shall corn be exchanged in purchases from the natives - otherwise our
supply will be stolen wholesale. This order was broken through by
Mustapha Ali, who therefore received a hundred lashes, as I was
determined to enforce obedience.
"March 22. - Much lightning and wind from the south during the night. I
fear rain. At daybreak we found Raouf Bey's vessel close up, and many
others near. The north wind of last night must have aided them. The
natives came in some numbers.
"March 23. - All hands yesterday and to-day busied in cutting wood for
steamer.
"March 24. - Poor Jusef, one of the horsekeepers, died.
"March 25. - Started, with the steamer towing a noggur and my diahbeeah
with about fifty hours' fuel on board, at 12.50 P.M.
"There has been wholesale theft of stores on No. 50 noggur. I caught and
punished the captain in the act of selling our ammunition to the slave
traders' people in their zareeba.
"March 26. - We travelled throughout last night; the stream is nearly
three miles per hour. We lost an hour last evening in taking wood from
the noggur in tow, as she leaks dangerously. I took six men and their
effects from her, and placed them on the steamer, as she is quite
unsafe.
"Arrived at the station of Abou Kookah at 10.25 A.M., having travelled
badly against the strong south wind, and our bottom dirty. At 3.10 P.M.
we left Abou Kookah, and at 9.50 P.M. we arrived at the forest, close to
the deserted mission station of St. Croix, where we halted for the
night. There were vast herds of cattle and many natives on the east
bank."
CHAPTER VII.
ARRIVAL AT GONDOKORO.
After the usual voyage upon the White Nile, during which we passed the
Bohr and the Shir tribes, and had excellent sport in antelope shooting
when the steamer stopped at forests to cut fuel, we arrived opposite the
old mission station at Gondokoro on April 15, 1871.
I found a great change in the river since my last visit. The old
channel, which had been of great depth where it swept beneath the
cliffs, was choked with sand-banks. New islands had formed in many
places, and it was impossible for the vessels to approach the old
landing-place. We therefore dropped down the stream to a spot where high
ground and a few trees invited us to the east bank. At this place the
traders had founded a new settlement that was now without in habitants,
and was represented by half-a-dozen broken-down old huts.
"The country is sadly changed; formerly, pretty native villages in great
numbers were dotted over the landscape, beneath shady clumps of trees,
and the land was thickly populated. Now, all is desolate: not a village
exists on the mainland; they have all been destroyed, and the
inhabitants have been driven for refuge on the numerous low islands of
the river; these are thronged with villages, and the people are busily
cultivating the soil.
"I sent for the chief, Allorron, who, upon arrival with some other
natives, explained that his country had been destroyed by the attacks of
the people of Loquia at the instigation of the traders. I promised him
protection if he and his people would return to the mainland and become
true subjects to the Khedive. At the same time I informed him that, in
return for protection, his people must cultivate corn, and build the
huts required for the troops upon arrival. This he promised to do, and I
arranged that he should summon a general meeting of the headmen and
their people to-morrow, or as soon as possible.
"I at once cleared a small plot of ground and sowed some garden seeds on
the new soil now annexed to Egypt. My soldiers took a great interest in
the operation, and as we covered the seeds with light earth, we
concluded the sowing with the usual ejaculation-'Biamillah!' (in the
name of God).
"I walked up to the old mission station.
