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of country or "preserve," like all other traders. "Latiffe's beat," "Petherick's beat," "Koorshid Aga's," "De Malzac's," - all were known by these names, just as we know the "Black" or "Braemar" forests. A trader who attempted to go upon another's beat was considered a poacher, and a fight would certainly ensue if this etiquette were violated. Events taking place in these wide ranges of country are little known, as every party is a world to itself, and all are jealous of one another. But if the stories of "White Nile trade" be true, it is considered disreputable for any European to engage in it. The "Blue Nile trade," on the other hand, is esteemed respectable; but here also there is some jealousy when a new competitor enters the field. The reports we heard at Faloro of Mahomed's men attacking villages by surrounding them at the hours of deepest slumber, and capturing their people and cattle, &c., were here confirmed to us, and these raids had taught the men of Gondokoro the most lawless habits and practices. Life was unsafe, guns loaded with bullets were constantly fired out of bravado close to our boats, the consequence of which was that fatal accidents occurred, and there was no government or police, and no river steamers to stop the slave-trade. Consul Petherick was looked on as an interloper; he tried to put down this illicit traffic, but he was opposed by a clique, and his men saw no advantage in his service or that of any European. They could not keep slaves, so there was great discontent.

We saw with Koorshid a splendid and well-shaped old tusk, which weighed one hundred and thirty-five pounds, and which at Khartoom would fetch 114

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THE MISSION-HOUSE AT GONDOKORO.

dollars. Every country has its own particular quality; and I should imagine the ivory produced from the tall reed grasses of a forest country like Uganda would not be so favourable for forming huge tusks as the vegetation in a lower and more swampy country, although the ivory would be of firmer texture. We were told that the ivory of Kitch on the Nile, at 6° 49' N., was of a superior description; the country there is swamp and covered with reeds to the horizon.

The mission-house at Gondokoro had been built

some thirty years ago. Dr Knoblecker, a very eminent man, had long laboured in it, but now it is a mere shell, and its garden of lime, pomegranate, and orange-trees is a waste for cattle to graze in. We met a kind hospitable gentleman, Mr Moorlang of the Austrian mission, on his way to Khartoom: his station had been at Kitch. He gave a mournful account of his labours, and was now recalled because the influence of the traders had checked his endeavours to propagate the Gospel. He had found the natives always civil, but if they or their children were not presented with clothes and beads, they kept aloof from him, and ultimately looked upon the missionary as having paved a way for the Nile trader to traffic in slaves.

In walking about Gondokoro, the natives always addressed us with "Adhōto," which may mean Goodmorning; some got as far as to say, "Salam alek.” They were all nude like the Bari, and carried a small basket, in which were a few pieces of charcoal with which they lit their pipes. A baron, very highly spoken of, was killed by them a few years ago; his men had accidentally, when firing their guns at ran

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dom, shot a native, and as no redress was given, the men were attacked, and sixteen of their number slain. The poor baron was away shooting ducks at the time, and, returning in the middle of the tumult, was killed. A missionary, whose boat was close by, was not touched.

At Khartoom it was not expected that we would ever succeed in crossing Africa, but Madame Tinne, her sister the baroness, and Miss Tinne, had more hope of us, and in the most philanthropic manner, braving the malaria of the White Nile, they reached Gondokoro in a steamer expecting to aid us. The natives will long remember their humanity and generosity; but the deadly swamps have since proved fatal to poor Madame Tinne, and also to a medical man of her party, and several European servants. Mr Baker, too, was full of hope, and had told the people of Khartoom that, as Bruce had discovered the source of the Blue Nile, our party would decide that of the White. At length it was time we should leave Gondokoro. By the 25th of February 1863, Speke had found the moon in proper position for taking lunars. We had heard all the English news from Baker, we had shared his hospitable table during our stay, seen his spirited sketches, and listened to his animated conversation. Our boats were filled with the necessaries and comforts of life, and everything was prepared for our starting with the stream in the morning.

CHAPTER XVI.

GONDOKORO TO KHARTOOM, FROM 26TH FEBRUARY TILL 30TH MARCH 1863-LEAVE GONDOKORO BY BOAT-THE SHIR COUNTRY-AUSTRIAN MISSION - STATION AT KITCH-THE RIVERS BAHR-EL-GHAZAL, BAHR-GIRAFFE, AND SOBAT— THE SHILLOOK COUNTRY-BANKS OF THE NILE-ARAB SETTLEMENT OF EL EIS-ENTRY INTO CIVILISED COUNTRY—ARRIVAL AT KHARTOOM.

OUR Seedees were divided among the three return boats furnished by Baker to convey us to Khartoom. Two were nægurs or baggage-boats, made roughly of the Acacia Arabica or soonud, and having each an unwieldy sail, without awning or cabins. The third was a diabeah, which we and our private servants occupied. Her build was lower in the water than the others, the hold was neatly boarded over, and upon it was built a poop-cabin. She drew three feet of water when unladen, and had the peculiar Nile rig, with twelve rowers, a helmsman, and a captain or "nakhoda named Diab. Two of the other hands were not forthcoming, preferring to lead a roving life with their former master, Baker; but at two in the afternoon of the 26th, having bade adieu to all, we shoved off, and floated down with the current. The oars were rudely

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tied with rope to the gunwales, and the men only required to keep the boat in the stream and prevent her getting ashore on banks of sand. When any exertion was required, they rose from their seats, laying the weight of their bodies on their oars, and joined in a pleasing monotonous song, led by the "stroke" of the party. Proceeding in this way against a slight headwind seemed no labour to them; they rowed, joked, sang, or munched dry "dooro," bread and garlic, from sunrise to sunset. By noon of the third day we had made great progress-namely, one degree of north latitude-notwithstanding that we lay-to during the night on account of the shallows. We had reached a station of Koorshid Aga's in the Shir country, and passed through a corner of the Berri country. The banks were grassy and flat, and the trees were covered with creepers, giving them the appearance of old towers or abbeys. The river was divided by islands into four branches, and it required all the knowledge of our captain to decide which of them to choose. Some of the islands were covered with cattle, which ran off as they saw our boat approach. In the dry season, the natives bring down their cattle to graze and water them near the river. Their rustic settlements, of a conical form, with numerous people about, were built upon the very banks of the river, and were so small that a single man could hardly lie at length in them. The people sometimes spoke to us, wishing to get beads; but possessing so many cattle, they certainly were not objects of compassion. Nearly all of them were covered with ashes, as if they had lain in them during the night.

Sitting on the poop-deck, we watched the scenes on