He Was Prepared For Fight Or Flight, As Were
Also His Ruffianly-Looking Followers, Who Were Composed Of
Abyssinians And Jaleens.
I commenced the conversation by referring to the hospitality
shown by his father to my countryman, Mr. Mansfield Parkyns,
And
I assured him that such kind attentions were never forgotten by
an Englishman, therefore I had determined to visit him, although
the Egyptian authorities had cautioned me not to trust myself
within his territory. I explained that I was bound towards an
unknown point, in search of the sources of the White Nile, which
might occupy some years, but that I wished to perfect the
exploration by the examination of all the Abyssinian Nile
affluents: and I concluded by asking for his assistance in my
journey to the Bahr Angrab and the Salaam. He replied very
politely, and gave me much local information; he said that the
Egyptians gave him no peace, that he was obliged to fight in
self-defence; but that, if I could make overtures on his part to
the Egyptian authorities, he would engage never to cross the
Atbara, provided they observed a similar condition. I promised to
represent his offer to the Governor-General on my arrival at
Khartoum. He agreed to give me a guide to the rivers Angrab and
Salaam, that were not far distant, and he at once pointed out to
me the two dark gorges, about twelve and sixteen miles distant,
in the chain of precipitous mountains from which they flowed.
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