In Short, He Lost The North Winds At 7§ North, And
Went Overland To His Trading Depot At N'yambara.
Previously,
however, he had sent some boats up to this, under a Vakil, who
had his orders to cross
To his trading depot at N'yambara, and to
work from his trading station due south, ostensibly with a view
to look after me, though contrary to my advice before leaving him
in England, in opposition to his own proposed views of assisting
me when he applied for help to succour me, and against the
strongly-expressed opinions of every European in the same trade
as himself; for all alike said they knew he would have gone to
Faloro, and pushed south from that place, had his trade on the
west of the Nile not attracted him there.
Baker now offered me his boats to go down to Khartum, and asked
me if there was anything left undone which it might be of
importance for him to go on and complete, by survey or otherwise;
for, although he should like to go down the river with us, he did
not wish to return home without having done something to
recompense him for the trouble and expense he had incurred in
getting up his large expedition. Of course I told him how
disappointed I had been in not getting a sight of the Little Luta
Nzige. I described how we had seen the Nile bending west where
we crossed in Chopi, and then, after walking down the chord of an
arc described by the river, had found it again in Madi coming
from the west, whence to the south, and as far at least as Koshi,
it was said to be navigable, probably continuing to be so right
into the Little Luta Nzige. Should this be the case, then, by
building boats in Madi above the cataracts, a vast region might
be thrown open to the improving influences of navigation.
Further, I told Baker of my contract with Kamrasi, and of the
property I had left behind, with a view to stimulate any
enterprising man who might be found at this place to go there,
make good my promise, and, if found needful, claim my share of
the things, for the better prosecution of his own travels there.
This Baker at once undertook, though he said he did not want my
property; and I drew out suggestions for him how to proceed. He
then made friends with Mahamed, who promised to help him on to
Faloro, and I gave Mahamed and his men three carbines as an
honorarium.
I should now have gone down the Nile at once if the moon had been
in "distance" for fixing the longitude; but as it was not, I had
to remain until the 26th, living with Baker. Kurshid Agha became
very great friends with us, and, at once making a present of a
turkey, a case of wine, and cigars, said he was only sorry for
his own sake that we had found a fellow-countryman, else he would
have had the envied honour of claiming us as his guests, and had
the pleasure of transporting us in his vessels down to Khartum.
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