Junction of the Two Hemispheres--The First Contact with Persons
Acquainted with European Habits--Interruptions and Plots--The Mysterious
Mahamed--Native Revelries--The Plundering and Tyranny of the Turks--The
Rascalities of the Ivory Trade--Feeling for the Nile--Taken to see a
Mark left by a European--Buffalo, Eland, and Rhinoceros Stalking--Meet
Baker--Petherick's Arrival at Gondokoro.
After receiving more pombe from the chief, and, strange to say, hot
water to wash with--for he did not know how else to show hospitality
better--we started again in the same straggling manner as yesterday. In
two hours we reached the palace of Piejoko, a chief of some pretensions,
and were summoned to stop and drink pombe. In my haste to meet
Petherick's expedition, I would listen to nothing, but pushed rapidly
on, despite all entreaties to stop, both from the chief and from my
porters, who, I saw clearly, wished to do me out of another day.
Half of my men, however, did stop there, but with the other half Grant
and I went on; and, as the sun was setting, we came in sight of what we
thought was Petherick's outpost, N. lat. 3 deg. 10' 33", and E. long. 21 deg.
50' 45". My men, as happy as we were ourselves, now begged I would allow
them to fire their guns, and prepare the Turks for our reception. Crack,
bang, went their carbines, and in another instant crack, bang, was heard
from the northerners' camp, when, like a swarms of bees, every height
and other conspicuous place was covered with men. Our hearts leapt
with an excitement of joy only known to those who have escaped from
long-continued banishment among barbarians, once more to meet with
civilised people, and join old friends. Every minute increased this
excitement. We saw three large red flags heading a military procession,
which marched out of the camp with drums and fifes playing. I halted
and allowed them to draw near. When they did so, a very black man, named
Mahamed, in full Egyptian regimentals, with a curved sword, ordered his
regiment to halt, and threw himself into my arms, endeavouring to
hug and kiss me. Rather staggered at this unexpected manifestation of
affection, which was like a conjunction of the two hemispheres, I gave
him a squeeze in return for his hug, but raised my head above the reach
of his lips, and asked who was his master? "Petrik," was the reply. "And
where is Petherick now?" "Oh, he is coming." "How is it you have not
got English colours, then?" "The colours are Debono's." "Who is Debono?"
"The same as Petrik; but come along into my camp, and let us talk it out
there;" saying which, Mahamed ordered his regiment (a ragamuffin mixture
of Nubians, Egyptians, and slaves of all sorts, about two hundred in
number) to rightabout, and we were guided by him, whilst his men kept up
an incessant drumming and fifing, presenting arms and firing, until we
reached his huts, situated in a village kept exactly in the same order
as that of the natives. Mahamed then gave us two beds to sit upon, and
ordered his wives to advance on their knees and give us coffee, whilst
other men brought pombe, and prepared us a dinner of bread and honey and
mutton.
A large shed was cleared for Grant and myself, and all my men were
ordered to disperse, and chum in ones and twos with Mahamed's men; for
Mahamed said, now we had come there, his work was finished. "If that is
the case," I said, "tell us your orders; there must be some letters." He
said, "No, I have no letters or written orders; though I have directions
to take you to Gondokoro as soon as you come. I am Debono's Vakil,
and am glad you are come, for we are all tired of waiting for you. Our
business has been to collect ivory whilst waiting for you." I said, "How
is it Petherick has not come here to meet me? is he married?" "Yes, he
is married; and both he and his wife ride fore-and-aft on one animal at
Khartum." "Well, then, where is the tree you told Bombay you would
point out to us with Petherick's name on it?" "Oh, that is on the way to
Gondokoro. It was not Petherick who wrote, but some one else, who told
me to look out for your coming this way. We don't know his name, but he
said if we pointed it out to you, you would know at once."
4th.--After spending the night as Mahamed's guest, I strolled round the
place to see what it was like, and found the Turks were all married to
the women of the country, whom they had dressed in clothes and beads.
Their children were many, with a prospect of more. Temporary marriages,
however, were more common than others--as, in addition to their slaves,
they hired the daughters of the villagers, who remained with them whilst
they were trading here, but went back to their parents when they marched
to Gondokoro. They had also many hundreds of cattle, which it was
said they had plundered from the natives, and now used for food, or to
exchange for ivory, or other purposes. The scenery and situation were
perfect for health and beauty. The settlement lay at the foot of
small, well-wooded granitic hills, even prettier than the outcrops of
Unyamuezi, and was intersected by clear streams.
At noon, all the rear troops arrived with Bombay and Piejoko in person.
This good creature had treated Bombay very handsomely on his former
journey. He said he felt greatly disappointed at my pushing past him
yesterday, as he wished to give me a cow, but still hoped I would go
over and make friends with him. I gave him some beads and off he walked.
Old Chongi's "children," who had escorted us all the way from Kamrasi's,
then took some beads and cast-off clothes for themselves and their
father, and left us in good-humour.
This reduced the expedition establishment to my men and Kidgwiga's. With
these, now, as there was no letter from Petherick, I ordered a march for
the next morning, but at once met with opposition. Mahamed told me that
there were no vessels at Gondokoro; we must wait two months, by which
time he expected they would arrive there, and some one would come to
meet him with beads. I said in answer, that Petherick had promised to
have boats there all the year round, so I would not wait. "Then," said
Mahamed, "we cannot go with you, for there is a famine at this season
at Gondokoro." I said, "Never mind; do you give me an interpreter, and
I will go as I am." "No," said Mahamed, "that will not do, as the Bari
people are so savage, you could not get through them with so small a
force; besides which, just now there is a stream which cannot be crossed
for a month or more."
Unable to stand Mahamed's shifting devices with equanimity any longer,
I accused him of trying to trick me in the same way as all the common
savage chiefs had done wherever I went, because they wished me to stop
for their own satisfaction, quite disregarding my wishes and interest;
so I said I would not stop there any longer I would raft over the river,
and find my way through the Bari, as I had through the rest of the
African savages. We talked and talked, but could make nothing of it. I
maintained that if he was commissioned to help me, he at least could
not refuse to give me a guide and interpreter; when, if I failed in the
direct route, I would try another, but go I must, as I could not hold
out any longer, being short of beads and cows. I had just enough, but
none to spare. He told me not to think of such a thing, as he would give
me all that was needful, both for myself and my men; but if I would have
patience, he would collect all his officers, and the next morning would
see what their opinions were on the subject.
5th.--I found that every one of Mahamed's men was against our going
to Gondokoro. They told me, in fact, with one voice, that it was quite
impossible; but they said, if I liked they would furnish me guides
to escort me on ten marches to a depot at the further end of the Madi
country, and if I chose to wait there until they could collect all
their ivory tusks together and join us, we would be a united party too
formidable to be resisted by the Bari people. This offer of immediate
guides I of course accepted at once, as to keep on the move was my only
desire at that time; for my men were all drunk, and Kidgwiga's were
deserting. Once more on the way, I did not despair of reaching
Gondokoro by myself. In the best good-humour now, I showed Mahamed our
picture-books: and as he said he always drilled his two hundred men
every Friday, I said I would, if he liked, command them myself. This
being agreed to, all the men turned out in their best, and, to
my surprise, they not only knew the Turkish words of command, but
manoeuvred with some show of good training; though, as might have been
expected with men of this ragamuffin stamp, all the privates gave orders
as well as their captains.
When the review was over, I complimented Mahamed on the efficiency of
his corps, and, retiring to my hut, as I thought I had him now in a
good-humour, again discussed our plans for going ahead the next day.
Scarcely able to look me in the face, the humbugging scoundrel said he
could not think of allowing me to go on without him, for if any accident
happened he would be blamed for it. At the same time, he could not move
for a few days, as he expected a party of men to arrive about the next
new moon with ivory. My hurry he thought was uncalled for; for, as I
had spent so many days with Kamrasi, why could I not be content to do so
with him?
I was provoked beyond measure with this, as it upset all my plans.
Kidgwiga's men were deserting, and I feared I should not be able to keep
my promise to Kamrasi of sending him another white visitor, who
would perhaps do what I had left undone, when I did not follow up the
connection of the Little Luta Nzige with the Nile. We battled away
again, and then Mahamed said there was not one man in his camp who would
go with me until their crops were cut and taken in; for whilst residing
here they grew grain for their support. We battled again, and Mahamed
at last, out of patience himself, said, "Just look here, what a fix I
am in," showing me a hut full of ivory. "Who," he said, "is to carry all
this until the natives have got in their crops?" This, I said, so far
as I was concerned, was all nonsense. I merely had asked him for a guide
and interpreter, for go I must. In a huff he then absconded; and my
men--those of them who were not too drunk--came and said to me, "For
Godsake let us stop here. Mahamed says the road is too dangerous for us
to go alone; he has promised to carry all our loads for us if we stop;
and all Kamrasi's men are running away, because they are afraid to go
on."
6th.--Next morning I called Kidgwiga, and begged him to procure two men
as guides and interpreters. He said he could not find any. I then went
at Mahamed again, who first said he would give me the two men I wanted,
then went off, and sent word to say he would not be visible for three
days. This was too much for my patience, so I ordered all my things to
be tied up in marching order, and gave out that I should leave and find
out the way myself the following morning. Like an evil spirit stirred
up, my preparations for going no sooner were heard of than Mahamed
appeared again, and after a long and sharp contest in words, he promised
us guides if I would consent to write him a note, testifying that my
going was against his expressed desire.
This was done; but the next morning (7th), after our things were put
out for the march, all Kidgwiga's men bolted, and no guides would take
service with us. It was now obvious that, even supposing I succeeded in
taking Kidgwiga to Gondokoro, he would not have a sufficient escort to
come back with, unless, indeed, it happened that Englishmen might be
there who might wish to carry out my investigations by penetrating to
the Little Luta Nzige, and to pay a visit to Kamrasi. I therefore called
Kidgwiga, and after explaining these circumstances, advised him to go
back to Kamrasi. He was loth to leave, he said, until his commission was
fully performed; but as I thought it advisable, he would consent. I then
gave him a double gun and ammunition, as well as some very rich beads
which I obtained from Mahamed's stores, to take back to Kamrasi, with
orders to say that, as soon as I reached Gondokoro or Khartum, I would
send another white man to him--not by the way I had come through Kidi,
but by the left bank of the Nile: to which Kidgwiga replied, "That will
do famously, for Kamrasi will change his residence soon, and come on the
Nile this side of Rionga's palace, in order that he may cut in between
his brother and the Turks' guns."
After this, I gave a lot of rich beads to Kidgwiga for himself, and a
lot also for the senior officers at the Chopi and Kamrasi's palaces, and
sent the whole set off as happy as birds. When these men were gone, I
tried to get up an elephant-shooting excursion due west of this, with a
view to see where the Nile was, for I would not believe it was very far
off, although no one as yet, since I left Chopi, either would or could
tell me where the stream had gone to.
8th. Mahamed professed to be delighted I had made up my mind to such
a scheme. He called the heads of the villages to give me all the
information I sought for, and went with me to the top of a high rock,
from which we could see the hills I first viewed at Chopi, sweeping
round from south by east to north, which demarked the line of the Asua
river. The Nile at that moment was, I believed, not very far off; yet,
do or say what I would, everybody said it was fifteen marches off, and
could not be visited under a month. [25] It would be necessary for me
to take thirty-six of Mahamed's men, besides all my own, to go there,
which, he said, I was welcome to, but I should have to pay them for
their services. This was a damper at once.
I knew in my mind all these reports were false, but, rather than be out
of the way when the time came for marching, I agreed to wait patiently,
write the history of the Wahuma, and make collections, till Mahamed was
ready, trusting that I might find some one at Gondokoro who would finish
what I had left undone; or else, after arriving there, I might go up the
Nile in boats and see for myself. The same evening I was attracted by
the sound of drums to a neighbouring village, where, by the moonlight,
I found the natives were dancing. A more indecent or savage spectacle
I never witnessed. The whole place was alive with naked humanity in a
state of constant motion. Drawing near, I found that a number of drums
were beaten by men in the centre. Next to them was a deep ring of women,
half of whom carried their babies; and outside these again was a still
deeper circle of men, some blowing horns, but most holding their spears
erect. To the sound of the music both these rings of the opposite sexes
kept jumping and sidling round and round the drummers, making the most
grotesque and obscene motions to one another.
9th to 14th.--Nothing of material consequence happened until the 14th,
when eighty of Rionga's men brought in two slaves and thirty tusks of
ivory, as a present to Mahamed. Of course, I knew this was a bribe to
induce Mahamed to fight with Rionga against Kamrasi; but, counting
that no affair of mine, I tried to induce these men to give me some
geographical information of the countries they had just left. Not one of
them would come near me, for they knew I was friends with Kamrasi; and
Mahamed's men, when they saw mine attempting to converse with them,
abused them for "prying into other men's concerns." "These men,"
they said, "are our friends, and not yours; if we choose to give them
presents of cloth and beads, and they give us a return in ivory, what
is that to you?" Mysterious Mahamed next came to me, and begged for a
blanket, as he said he was going off for a few days to a depot where he
had some ivory; and he also wanted to borrow a musket, as one of his had
been burnt.
My suspicions and even apprehensions, were now greatly excited. I began
to think he had prevailed on me to stop here, that I might hold the
place whilst he went to fight Kamrasi with Rionga's men; so I begged
him to listen to my advice, and not attempt to cross the Nile, "else,"
I said, "all his guns would be taken from him, and his passage back cut
off." At once he saw the drift of my thought, and said he was not going
towards the Nile, but on the contrary, he was going with Rionga's men in
the opposite direction, to a place called Paira. "If that is the case,"
I said, "why do you want a gun?" "Because there are some other matters
to settle. I shall not be long away, and my men will take care of
you whilst I am gone." I gave him the blanket after this, but was too
suspicious of his object to lend him a gun.
15th to 20th.--I saw Mahamed march his regiment out of the place, drums
and fifes playing, colours flying, a hundred guns firing, officers
riding,--some of them on donkeys and others--yes, actually on cows!
whilst a host of the natives, Rionga's men included, carrying spears and
bows and arrows, looked little like a peaceful caravan of merchants, but
very much resembled a band of marauders. After this I heard they were
not going to Rionga himself, but were going to show Rionga's men the way
that they made friends with old Chongi of Koki. In reality, Chongi had
invited Mahamed to fight against an enemy of his, in whose territories
immense stores of ivory were said to be buried, and the people had an
endless number of cattle--for they lived by plunder, and had lifted most
of old Chongi's; and this was the service on which the expedition had
set off.
21st to 31st.--I had constantly wondered, ever since I first came here,
and saw the brutal manner in which the Turks treated the natives, that
these Madi people could submit to their "Egyptian taskmasters," and
therefore was not surprised now to find them pull down their huts and
march off with the materials to a distant site. Every day this sort of
migration continued, just as you see in the picture; and nothing more
important occurred until Christmas-day, when an armadillo was caught,
and I heard from Mahamed's head wife that the Turks had plundered and
burnt down three villages, and in all probability they would return
shortly laden with ivory. This was a true anticipation; for, on the
31st, Mahamed came in with his triumphant army laden with ivory, and
driving in five slave-girls and thirty head of cattle.
1st to 3d.--I now wished to go on with the journey, as I could get no
true information out of the suspicious blackguards who called themselves
Turks; but Mahamed postponed it until the 5th, by which time he said
he would be able to collect all the men he wanted to carry his ivory.
Rionga's men then departed, and Mahamed showed some signs of getting
ready by ordering one dozen cows to be killed, the flesh of which was
to be divided amongst those villagers who would carry his ivory, and
the skins to be cut into thongs for binding the smaller tusks of ivory
together in suitable loads.
4th and 5th.--Another specimen of Turkish barbarity came under my
notice, in the head man of a village bringing a large tusk of ivory to
Mahamed, to ransom his daughter with; for she had been seized as a slave
on his last expedition, in common with others who could not run away
fast enough to save themselves from the Turks. Fortunately for both,
it was thought necessary for the Turks to keep on good terms with the
father as an influential man; and therefore, on receiving the tusk,
Mahamed gave back the girl, and added a cow to seal their friendship.
6th to 10th.--I saw this land-pirate Mahamed take a blackmail like a
negro chief. Some men who had fled from their village when Mahamed's
plundering party passed by them the other day, surprised that he did not
stop to sack their homes, now brought ten large tusks of ivory to him
to express the gratitude they said they felt for his not having molested
them. Mahamed, on finding how easy it was to get taxes in this fashion,
instead of thanking them, assumed the air of the great potentate, whose
clemency was abused, and told the poor creatures that, though they
had done well in seeking his friendship, they had not sufficiently
considered his dignity, else they would have brought double that number
of tusks, for it was impossible he could be satisfied at so low a price.
"What," said these poor creatures, "can we do then? for this is all we
have got." "Oh," says Mahamed, "if it is all you have got now in store,
I will take these few for the present; but when I return from Gondokoro,
I expect you will bring me just as many more. Good-bye, and look out for
yourselves."
Tired beyond all measure with Mahamed's procrastination, as I could not
get him to start, I now started myself, much to his disgust, and went
ahead again, leaving word that I would wait for him at the next place,
provided he did not delay more than one day. The march led us over long
rolling downs of grass, where we saw a good many antelopes feeding;
and after going ten miles, we came, among other villages, to one named
Panyoro, in which we found it convenient to put up. At first all the
villagers, thinking us Turks, bolted away with their cattle and what
stores they could carry; but, after finding out who we were, they
returned again, and gave us a good reception, helping us to rig up a
shed with grass, and bringing a cow and some milk for our dinner.
12th.--To-day I went out shooting, but though I saw and fired at a
rhinoceros, as well as many varieties of antelopes, I did not succeed in
killing one head. All my men were surprised as well as myself; and the
villagers who were escorting me in the hope of getting flesh, were so
annoyed at their disappointment, they offered to cut my fore-finger with
a spear and spit on it for good-luck. Joining in their talk, I told them
the powder must be crooked; but, on inspecting my rifle closer, I found
that the sights had been knocked on one side a little, and this created
a general laugh at all in turn. Going home from the shooting, I found
all the villagers bolting again with their cattle and stores, and, on
looking towards Faloro, saw a party of Turks coming.
As well as I could I reassured the villagers, and brought them back
again, when they said to me, "Oh, what have you done? We were so happy
yesterday when we found out who you were, but now we see you have
brought those men, all our hearts have sunk again; for they beat us,
they make us carry their loads, and they rob us in such a manner, we
know not what to do." I told them I would protect them if they would
keep quiet; and, when the Turks came, I told them what I had said to the
head man. They were the vanguard of Mahamed's party, and said they had
orders to march on as far as Apuddo with me, where we must all stop
for Mahamed, who, as well as he could, was collecting men. There was
a certain tree near Apuddo which was marked by an Englishman two years
ago, and this, Mahamed thought, would keep us amused.
The next march brought us to Paira, a collection of villages within
sight of the Nile. It was truly ridiculous; here had we been at Faloro
so long, and yet could not make out what had become of the Nile. In
appearance it was a noble stream, flowing on a flat bed from west to
east, and immediately beyond it were the Jbl (hills) Kuku, rising up to
a height of 2000 feet above the river. Still we could not make out all,
until the following day, when we made a march parallel to the Nile, and
arrived at Jaifi.
This was a collection of huts close to a deep nullah which drains The
central portions of Eastern Madi. At this place the Turks killed a
crocodile and ate him on the spot, much to the amusement of my men, who
immediately shook their heads, laughingly, and said, "Ewa, Allah! are
these men, then, Mussulmans? Savages in our country don't much like a
crocodile."
After crossing two nullahs, we reached Apuddo, and at once, I went to
see the tree said to have been cut by an Englishman some time before.
There, sure enough, was a mark, something like the letters M. I., on its
bark, but not distinct enough to be ascertained, because the bark had
healed up. In describing the individual who had done this, the Turks
said he was exactly like myself, for he had a long beard, and a voice
even much resembling mine. He came thus far with Mahamed from Gondokoro
two years ago, and then returned, because he was alarmed at the accounts
the people gave of the countries to the southward, and he did not like
the prospect of having to remain a whole rainy season with Mahamed at
Faloro. He knew we were endeavouring to come this way, and directed
Mahamed to point out his name if we did so.
We took up our quarters in the village as usual, but the Turks remained
outside, and carried off all the tops of the villagers' huts to make a
camp for themselves. I rebuked them for doing so, but was mildly told
they had no huts of their own. They carried no pots either for cooking
their dinners, and therefore took from the villagers all that they
wanted. It was a fixed custom now, they told us, and there was no use in
our trying to struggle against it. If the natives were wise, they would
make enough to sell; but as they would not, they must put up with their
lot; for the "government" cannot be baulked of its ivory. Truly there
seemed to be nothing but misery here; food was so scarce the villagers
sought for wild berries and fruits; whilst the Turks helped themselves
out of their half-filled bins--a small reserve store to last up to the
far-distant harvest. Then, to make matters worse, all the village chiefs
were at war with one another.
At night a party of warriors walked round our village, but feared to
attack it because we were inside. Next morning the villagers turned out
and killed two of the enemy; but the rest, whilst retreating, sang out
that they would not attempt to fight until "the guns" were gone--after
that, the villagers had better look out for themselves. I now proposed
going on if the Apina, or chief of the village, would give me a guide;
but he feared to do so lest I should come to grief, and Mahamed would
then be down upon him. Struggling was useless, for I had no beads to
pay my way with, and my cows were now all finished; so I took the matter
quietly, and went out foraging with the rifle.
18th and 19th.--Antelopes were numerous, but so wild I could not get
near them. On bending round homewards, however, three buffaloes, feeding
in the distance, on the top of a roll of high ground beyond where we
stood, were observed by the natives, who had flocked out in the hopes of
getting flesh. To stalk them, I went up wind to near where I expected to
find them; then bidding the natives lie down, I stole along through the
grass until at last I saw three pairs of horns glistening quite close
in front of me. Anxious lest they should take sudden fright, I gently
raised myself, wishing to fire, but I was quite puzzled; there was no
mistake about what they were; still, look from as high as I would, I
could not see their bodies. The thought never struck me they were lying
down in such open ground in the day-time; so, as I could not go closer
without driving them off, I took a shot with my single rifle at where I
judged the chest of the nearest one ought to be, and then discovered my
error. In an instant all three sprang on their legs and scampered off. I
began loading, but before I had half accomplished my object, those three
had mingled with the three previously seen grazing, and all six together
came charging straight at me. I really thought I should now catch a
toss, if I were not trampled to death; but suddenly, as they saw me
standing, whether from fear or what else I cannot say, they changed
their ferocious-looking design, swerved round, and galloped off as fast
as their legs could carry them. This was bad luck; but Grant made up for
it the next day by killing a very fine buck nsamma.
20th.--I went again after the herd of six buffaloes, as I thought one
was wounded, and after walking up a long sloping hill for three miles
towards the east, I found myself at once in view of the Nile on one
hand, and the long-heard-of Asua river on the other, backed by hills
even higher than the Jbl Kuku. The bed of the Asua seemed very large,
but, being far off, was not very distinct, nor did I care to go and see
it them; for at that moment, straight in front of me, five buffaloes,
five giraffes, two eland and sundry other antelopes, were too strong a
temptation.
The place looked like a park, and I began stalking in it, first at the
eland, as I wanted to see if they corresponded with those I shot in
Usagara; but the gawky giraffes, always in the way, gave the alarm, and
drove all but two of the buffaloes away. At these two I now went with
my only rifle, leaving the servants and savages behind. They were out
in the open grass feeding composedly, so that I stole up to within forty
yards of them, and then, in a small naked patch of ground, I waited my
opportunity, and put a ball behind the shoulder of the larger one. At
the sound of the gun, in an instant both bulls charged, but they pulled
up in the same naked ground as myself, sniffing and tossing their horns,
while looking out for their antagonist, who, as quick as themselves, had
thrown himself flat on the ground.
There we were, like three fools, for twenty minutes or so; one of the
buffaloes bleeding at the mouth and with a broken hind-leg, for the
bullet had traversed his body, and the other turning round and round
looking out for me, while I was anxiously watching him, and by degrees
loading my gun. When ready, I tried a shot at the sound one, but the cap
snapped and nearly betrayed me, for they both stared at the spot where I
lay--the sound one sniffing the air and tossing his horns, but the other
bleeding considerably. Some minutes more passed in this manner, when
they allowed me to breathe freer by walking away. I followed, of course,
but could not get a good chance; so, as the night set in, I let them
alone for the time being, to get out the following morning.
21st and 22d.--At the place where I left off, I now sprang a large
herd of fifty or more buffaloes, and followed them for a mile, when the
wounded one, quite exhausted from the fatigue, pulled up for a charge,
and allowed me to knock him over. This was glorious fun for the
villagers, who cut him up on the spot and brought him home. Of course,
one half the flesh was given to them, in return for which they brought
us some small delicacies to show their gratitude; for, as they truly
remarked, until we came to their village they never knew what it was to
get a present, or any other gift by a good thrashing.
23d.--To-day I tried the ground again, and, whilst walking up the hill,
two black rhinoceros came trotting towards us in a very excited manner.
I did not wish to fire at them, as what few bullets remained in my store
I wished to reserve in better sport, and therefore for the time being,
let them alone. Presently, however, they separated; one passed in front
of us, stopped to drink in a pool, and then lay down in it. Not heeding
him, I walked up the hill, whilst the other rhinoceros, still trotting,
suddenly turned round and came to drink within fifty yards of us,
obstructing my path; this was too much of a joke; so, to save time, I
gave him a bullet, and knocked him over. To my surprise, the natives who
were with me would not touch his flesh, though pressed by me to "n'yam
n'yam," or to eat. I found that they considered him an unclean beast;
so, regretting I had wasted my bullet, I went farther on and startled
some buffaloes.
Though I got very near them, however, a small antelope springing up in
front of me scared them away, and I could not get a front shot at any
of them. Thus the whole day was thrown away, for I had to return
empty-handed.
24th to 30th.--Grant and I after this kept our pot boiling by shooting
three more antelopes; but nothing of consequence transpired until the
30th, when Bukhet, Mahamed's factotum, arrived with the greater part
of the Turk's property. He then confirmed a report we had heard before,
that, some days previously, Mahamed had ordered Bukhet to go ahead and
join us, which he attempted to do; but, on arrival at Panyoro, his
party had a row with the villagers, and lost their property. Bukhet then
returned to Mahamed and reported his defeat and losses; upon hearing
which, Mahamed at once said to him, "What do you mean by returning to
me empty-handed? Go back at once and recover your things else how can I
make my report at Gondokoro?" With these peremptory orders Bukhet went
back to Panyoro, and commenced to attack it. The contest did not last
long; for, after three of Bukhet's men had been wounded, he set fire to
the villages, killed fifteen of the natives, and, besides recovering his
own lost property, took one hundred cows.
31st.--To-day Mahamed came in, and commenced to arrange for the march
onwards. This, however, was no easy matter, for the Turks alone required
six hundred porters--half that number to carry their ivory, and the
other half to carry their beds and bedding; whilst from fifty to sixty
men was the most a village had to spare, and all the village chiefs were
at enmity with one another. The plan adopted by Mahamed was, to summon
the heads of all the villages to come to him, failing which, he would
seize all their belongings. Then, having once got them together, he
ordered them all to furnish him with so many porters a-head, saying he
demanded it of them, for the "great government's property" could not be
left on the ground. Their separate interests must now be sacrificed, and
their feuds suspended: and if he heard, on his return again, that one
village had taken advantage of the other's weakness caused by their
employment in his service, he would then not spare his bullets,--so they
might look out for themselves.
Some of the Turks, having found ninty-nine eggs in a crocodile's nest,
had a grand feast. They gave us two of the eggs, which we ate, but did
not like, for they had a highly musky flavour.
1st.--On the 1st of February we went ahead again, with Bukhet and the
first half of Mahamed's establishment, as a sufficient number of men
could not be collected at once to move all together. In a little while
we struck on the Nile, where it was running like a fine Highland stream
between the gneiss and mica-schist hills of Kuku, and followed it down
to near where the Asua river joined it. For a while we sat here watching
the water, which was greatly discoloured, and floating down rushes. The
river was not as full as it was when we crossed it at the Karuma Falls,
yet, according to Dr Khoblecher's [26] account, it ought to have been
flooding just at this time: if so, we had beaten the stream. Here we
left it again as it arched round by the west, and forded the Asua river,
a stiff rocky stream, deep enough to reach the breast when waded, but
not very broad. It did not appear to me as if connected with Victoria
N'yanza, as the waters were falling, and not much discoloured; whereas
judging from the Nile's condition, it ought to have been rising. No
vessel ever could have gone up it, and it bore no comparison with the
Nile itself. The exaggerated account of its volume, however, given by
the expeditionists who were sent up the Nile by Mehemet Ali, did not
surprise us, since they had mistaken its position; for we were now 3 deg.
42' north, and therefore had passed their "farthest point" by twenty
miles.
In two hours more we reached a settlement called Madi, and found it
deserted. Every man and woman had run off into the jungles from fright,
and would not come back again. We wished ourselves at the end of the
journey; thought anything better than this kind of existence--living
entirely at the expense of others; even the fleecings in Usui felt less
dispiriting; but it could not be helped, for it must always exist as
long as these Turks are allowed to ride rough-shod over the people. The
Turks, however, had their losses also; for on the way four Bari men
and one Bari slave-girl slipped off with a hundred of their plundered
cattle, and neither they nor the cattle could be found again. Mijalwa
was here convicted of having stolen the cloth of a Turk whilst living in
his hut when he was away at the Paira plundering and got fifty lashes to
teach him better behaviour for the future.
A party of fifty men came from Labure, a station on ahead of this, to
take service as porters, knowing that at this season the Turks always
come with a large herd of plundered cattle, which they call government
property, and give in payment to the men who carry their tusks of ivory
across the Bari country.
We now marched over a rolling ground, covered in some places with
bush-jungle, in others with villages, where there were fine trees,
resembling oaks in their outward appearance; and stopping one night at
the settlement of Barwudi, arrived at Labure, where we had to halt a day
for Mahamed to collect some ivory from a depot he had formed near by.
We heard there was another ivory party collecting tusks at Obbo, a
settlement in the country of Panuquara, twenty miles east of this.
Next we crossed a nullah draining into the Nile, and, travelling over
more rolling ground, flanked on the right by a range of small hills, put
up at the Madi frontier station, Mugi, where we had to halt two days to
collect a full complement of porters to traverse the Bari country, the
people of which are denounced as barbarians by the Turks, because they
will not submit to be bullied into carrying their tusks for them. Here
we felt an earthquake. The people would not take beads, preferring, they
said, to make necklaces and belts out of ostrich-eggs, which they cut
into the size of small shirt-buttons, and then drill a hole through
their centre to string them together. A passenger told us that three
white men had just arrived in vessels at Gondokoro; and the Bari people,
hearing of our advance, instead of trying to kill us with spears,
had determined to poison all the water in their country. Mahamed now
disposed of half of his herd of cows, giving them to the chiefs of the
villages in return for porters. These, he said, were all that belonged
to the government; for the half of all captures of cows, as well as all
slaves, all goats, and sheep, were allowed to the men as part of their
pay.
When all was settled we marched, one thousand strong, to Wurungi; and
next day, by a double march, arrived at Marson, in the Bari country. I
wished still to put up in the native villages, but Mahamed so terrified
all my men, by saying these Bari would kill us in the night if we
did not all sleep together in one large camp, that we were obliged to
submit. The country, still flanked on the right by hills, was undulating
and very prettily wooded. Villages were numerous, but as we passed them
the inhabitants all fled from us, save a few men, who, bolder than the
rest, would stand and look on at us as we marched along. Both night and
morning the Turks beat their drums; and whenever they stopped to eat
they sacked the villages.
Pushing on by degrees, stopping at noon to eat, we came again in
sight of the Nile, and put up at a station called Doro, within a short
distance of the well-known hill Rijeb, where Nile voyagers delight in
cutting their names. The country continued the same, but the grass was
conspicuously becoming shorter and finer every day--so much so, that my
men all declared it was a sign of our near approach to England. After
we had settled down for the night, and the Turks had finished plundering
the nearest villages, we heard two guns fired, and immediately
afterwards the whole place was alive with Bari people. Their drums were
beaten as a sign that they would attack us, and the war-drums of the
villages around responded by beating also. The Turks grew somewhat
alarmed at this, and as darkness began to set in, sent out patrols in
addition to their nightly watches. The savages next tried to steal in
on us, but were soon frightened off by the patrols cocking their guns.
Then, seeing themselves defeated in that tactic, they collected in
hundreds in front of us, set fire to the grass, and marched up and
down, brandishing ignited grass in their hands, howling like demons, and
swearing they would annihilate us in the morning.
We slept the night out, nevertheless, and next morning walked in to
Gondokoro, N. Lat. 4 deg. 54' 5", and E. long. 31 deg. 46' 9", where Mahamed,
after firing a salute, took us in to see a Circassian merchant, named
Kurshid Agha. Our first inquiry was, of course, for Petherick. A
mysterious silence ensued; we were informed that Mr Debono was THE man
we had to thank for the assistance we had received in coming from Madi;
and then in hot haste, after warm exchanges of greeting with Mahamed's
friend, who was Debono's agent here, we took leave, to hunt up
Petherick. Walking down the bank of the river--where a line of vessels
was moored, and on the right hand a few sheds, one-half broken down,
with a brick-built house representing the late Austrian Church Mission
establishment--we saw hurrying on towards us the form of an Englishman,
who, for one moment, we believed was the Simon Pure; but the next moment
my old friend Baker, famed for his sports in Ceylon, seized me by the
hand. A little boy of his establishment had reported our arrival, and
he in an instant came out to welcome us. What joy this was I can hardly
tell. We could not talk fast enough, so overwhelmed were we both to meet
again. Of course we were his guests in a moment, and learned everything
that could be told. I now first heard of the death of H.R.H. the
Prince-Consort, which made me reflect on the inspiring words he made
use of, in compliment to myself, when I was introduced to him by Sir
Roderick Murchison, a short while before leaving England. Then there was
the terrible war in America, and other events of less startling nature,
which came on us all by surprise, as years had now passed since we had
received news from the civilised world.
Baker then said he had come up with three vessels--one dyabir and two
nuggers--fully equipped with armed men, camels, horses, donkeys, beads,
brass wire, and everything necessary for a long journey, expressly to
look after us, hoping, as he jokingly said, to find us on the equator in
some terrible fix, that he might have the pleasure of helping us out of
it. He had heard of Mahamed's party, and was actually waiting for him to
come in, that he might have had the use of his return-men to start with
comfortably. Three Dutch ladies [27], also, with a view to assist us in
the same way as Baker (God bless them), had come here in a steamer, but
were driven back to Khartum by sickness. Nobody had even dreamt for a
moment it was possible we could come through. An Italian, named
Miani, had gone farther up the Nile than any one else; and he, it now
transpired, was the man who had cut his name on the tree by Apuddo.
But what had become of Petherick? He was actually trading at N'yambara,
seventy miles due west of this, though he had, since I left him in
England, raised a subscription of L1000, from those of my friends to
whom this Journal is most respectfully dedicated as the smallest return
a grateful heart can give for their attempt to succour me, when knowing
the fate of the expedition was in great jeopardy.
Instead of coming up the Nile at once, as Petherick might have done--so
I was assured--he waited, whilst a vessel was building, until the season
had too far advanced to enable him to sail up the river. In short, he
lost the north winds at 7 deg. 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.
The Rev. Mr Moorlan, and two other priests of the Austrian Mission, were
here on a visit from their station at Kich, to see the old place again
before they left for Khartum; for the Austrian Government, discouraged
by the failure of so many years, had ordered the recall of the whole
of the establishment for these regions. It was no wonder these men were
recalled; for, out of twenty missionaries who, during the last thirteen
years, had ascended the White river for the purpose of propagating
the Gospel, thirteen had died of fever, two of dysentary, and two had
retired broken in health, yet not one convert had been made by them.
The fact is, there was no government to control the population or to
protect property; boys came to them, looked at their pictures, and even
showed a disposition to be instructed, but there it ended; they had no
heart to study when no visible returns were to be gained. One day the
people would examine the books, at another throw them aside, say their
stomachs were empty, and run away to look for food. The Bari people at
Gondokoro were described as being more tractable than those of
Kich, being of a braver and more noble nature; but they were all
half-starved--not because the country was too poor to produce, but
because they were too lazy to cultivate. What little corn they grew they
consumed before it was fully ripe, and then either sought for fish in
the river or fed on tortoises in the interior, as they feared they might
never reap what they sowed.
The missionaries never had occasion to complain of these blacks, and to
this day they would doubtless have been kindly inclined to Europeans,
had the White Nile traders not brought the devil amongst them. Mr
Moorlan remembers the time when they brought food for sale; but now,
instead, they turn their backs upon all foreigners, and even abuse the
missionaries for having been the precursors of such dire calamities. The
shell of the brick church at Gondokoro, and the cross on the top of a
native-built hut in Kich, are all that will remain to bear testimony of
these Christian exertions to improve the condition of these heathens.
Want of employment, I heard was the chief operative cause in killing the
poor missionaries; for, with no other resource left them to kill time,
they spent their days eating, drinking, smoking, and sleeping, till they
broke down their constitutions by living too fast.
Mr Moorlan became very friendly, and said he was sorry he could not do
more for us. His headquarters were at Kich, some way down the river,
where, as we passed, he hoped at least he might be able to show us as
much attention and hospitality as lay in his power. Mosquitoes were said
to be extremely troublesome on the river, and my men begged for some
clothes, as Petherick, they said, had a store for me under the charge of
his Vakil. The storekeeper was then called, and confirming the story of
my men, I begged him to give me what was my own. It then turned out that
it was all Petherick's, but he had orders to give me on account anything
that I wanted. This being settled, I took ninety-five yards of the
commonest stuff as a makeshift for mosquito-curtains for my men, besides
four sailor's shirts for my head men.
On the 18th, Kurshid Agha was summoned by the constant fire of musketry,
a mile or two down the river, and went off in his vessels to the relief.
A party of his had come across from the N'yambara country with ivory,
and on the banks of the Nile, a few miles north of this, were engaged
fighting with the natives. He arrived just in time to settle the
difficulty, and next day came back again, having shot some of the enemy
and captured their cows. Petherick, we heard, was in a difficulty of
the same kind, upon which I proposed to go down with Baker and Grant
to succour him; but he arrived in time, in company with his wife and Dr
James Murie, to save us the trouble, and told me he had brought a number
of men with him, carrying ivory, for the purpose now of looking after me
on the east bank of the Nile, by following its course up to the south,
though he had given up all hope of seeing me, as a report had reached
him of the desertion of my porters at Ugogo. He then offered me his
dyabir, as well as anything else that I wanted that lay within his power
to give. Suffice it to say, I had, through Baker's generosity, at that
very moment enough and to spare; but at his urgent request I took a
few more yards of cloth for my men, and some cooking fat; and, though I
offered to pay for it, he declined to accept any return at my hands.
Though I naturally felt much annoyed at Petherick--for I had hurried
away from Uganda, and separated from Grant at Kari, solely to keep faith
with him--I did not wish to break friendship, but dined and conversed
with him, when it transpired that his Vakil, or agent, who went south
from the N'yambara station, came amongst the N'yam N'yam, and heard from
them that a large river, four days' journey more to the southward, was
flowing from east to west, beyond which lived a tribe of "women," who,
when they wanted to marry, mingled with them in the stream and returned;
and then, again, beyond this tribe of women there lived another tribe of
women and dogs. Now, this may all seem a very strange story to those who
do not know the negro's and Arab's modes of expression; but to me it at
once came very natural, and, according to my view, could be interpreted
thus:--The river, running from east to west, according to the native
mode of expressing direction, could be nothing but the Little Luta Nzige
running the opposite way, according to fact and our mode of expression.
The first tribe of women were doubtless the Wanyoro--called women by
the naked tribes on this side because they wear bark coverings--an
effeminate appendage, in the naked man's estimation; and the second
tribe must have been in allusion to the dog-keeping Waganda, who also
would be considered women, as they wear bark clothes. In my turn, I told
Petherick he had missed a good thing by not going up the river to
look for me; for, had he done so, he would not only have had the best
ivory-grounds to work upon, but, by building a vessel in Madi above
the cataracts, he would have had, in my belief, some hundred miles of
navigable water to transport his merchandise. In short, his succouring
petition was most admirably framed, had he stuck to it, for the welfare
of both of us. [28]
We now received our first letters from home, and in one from Sir
Roderick Murchison I found the Royal Geographical Society had awarded
me their "founder's medal" for the discovery of the Victoria N'yanza in
1858.
Conclusion
My journey down to Alexandria was not without adventure, and carried me
through scenes which, in other circumstances, it might have been worth
while to describe. Thinking, however, that I have already sufficiently
trespassed on the patience of the reader, I am unwilling to overload my
volume with any matter that does not directly relate to the solution
of the great problem which I went to solve. Having now, then, after
a period of twenty-eight months, come upon the tracks of European
travellers, and met them face to face, I close my Journal, to conclude
with a few explanations, for the purpose of comparing the various
branches of the Nile with its affluences, so as to show their respective
values.
The first affluent, the Bahr el Ghazal, took us by surprise; for instead
of finding a huge lake, as described in our maps, at an elbow of the
Nile, we found only a small piece of water resembling a duck-pond buried
in a sea of rushes. The old Nile swept through it with majestic grace,
and carried us next to the Geraffe branch of the Sobat river, the
second affluent, which we found flowing into the Nile with a graceful
semicircular sweep and good stiff current, apparently deep, but not more
than fifty yards broad.
Next in order came the main stream of the Sobat, flowing into the Nile
in the same graceful way as the Geraffe, which in breadth it surpassed,
but in velocity of current was inferior. The Nile by these additions was
greatly increased; still it did not assume that noble appearance which
astonished us so much, immediately after the rainy season, when we were
navigating it in canoes in Unyoro.
I here took my last lunar observations, and made its mouth N. lat. 9 deg.
20' 48", E. long. 31 deg. 24' 0". The Sobat has a third mouth farther down
the Nile, which unfortunately was passed without my knowing it; but as
it is so well known to be unimportant, the loss was not great.
Next to be treated of is the famous Blue Nile, which we found a
miserable river, even when compared with the Geraffe branch of the
Sobat. It is very broad at the mouth, it is true, but so shallow that
our vessel with difficulty was able to come up it. It has all
the appearance of a mountain stream, subject to great periodical
fluctuations. I was never more disappointed that with this river; if the
White river was cut off from it, its waters would all be absorbed before
they could reach Lower Egypt.
The Atbara river, which is the last affluent, was more like the Blue
river than any of the other affluences, being decidedly a mountain
stream, which floods in the rains, but runs nearly dry in the dry
season.
I had now seen quite enough to satisfy myself that the White river which
issues from the N'yanza at the Ripon Falls, is the true or parent Nile;
for in every instance of its branching, it carried the palm with it in
the distinctest manner, viewed, as all the streams were by me, in
the dry season, which is the best time for estimating their relative
perennial values.
Since returning to England, Dr Murie, who was with me at Gondokoro, has
also come home; and he, judging from my account of the way in which
we got ahead of the flooding of the Nile between the Karuma Falls and
Gondokoro, is of opinion that the Little Luta Nzige must be a great
backwater to the Nile, which the waters of the Nile must have been
occupied in filling during my residence in Madi; and then about the
same time that I set out from Madi, the Little Luta Nzige having been
surcharged with water, the surplus began its march northwards just about
the time when we started in the same direction. For myself, I believe
in this opinion, as he no sooner asked me how I could account for the
phenomenon I have already mentioned of the river appearing to decrease
in bulk as we descended it, than I instinctively advanced his own
theory. Moreover, the same hypothesis will answer for the sluggish
flooding of the Nile down to Egypt.
I hope the reader who has followed my narrative thus far will be
interested in knowing how "my faithful children," for whose services
I had no further occasion, and whom I had taken so far from their own
country, were disposed of. At Cairo, where we put up in Shepherd's
Hotel, I had the whole of them photographed, and indulged them at the
public concerts, tableaux vivants, etc. By invitation, we called on the
Viceroy at his Rhoda Island palace, and were much gratified with the
reception; for, after hearing all our stories with marked intelligence,
he most graciously offered to assist me in any other undertaking which
would assist to open up and develop the interior of Africa.
I next appointed Bombay captain of the "faithfuls," and gave him three
photographs of all the eighteen men and three more of the four women,
to give one of each to our Consuls at Suez, Aden, and Zanzibar, by which
they might be recognised. I also gave them increased wages, equal to
three years' pay each, by orders on Zanzibar, which was one in addition
to their time of service; an order for a grand "freeman's garden," to
be purchased for them at Zanzibar; and an order that each one should
receive ten dollars dowry-money as soon as he could find a wife.
With these letters in their hands, I made arrangements with our Consul,
Mr Drummond Hay, to frank them through Suez, Aden, and the Seychelles to
Zanzibar.
Since then, I have heard that Captain Bombay and his party missed
the Seychelles, and went on to the Mauritius, where Captain Anson,
Inspector-General of Police, kindly took charge of them and made great
lions of them. A subscription was raised to give them a purse of money;
they were treated with tickets to the "circus," and sent back to the
Seychelles, whence they were transported by steamer to Zanzibar, and
taken in charge by our lately-appointed Consul, Colonel Playfair, who
appears to have taken much interest in them. Further, they volunteered
to go with me again, should I attempt to cross Africa from east to west,
through the fertile zone.
Footnotes:
[Footnote 1: The equator was crossed on the 8th February 1862.]
[Footnote 2: The Wahuma are treated of in Chapter IX.]
[Footnote 3: The list of my fauna collection will be found in an early
Number of the "Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London."]
[Footnote 4: Captain Burton, on receiving his gold medal at the hands of
Sir Roderick I. Murchison, said, "You have alluded, sir, to the success
of the last expedition. Justice compels me to state the circumstances
under which it attained that success. To Captain Speke are due those
geographical results to which you have alluded in such flattering terms.
Whilst I undertook the history and ethnography, the languages, and the
peculiarity of the people, to Captain Speke fell the arduous task of
delineating an exact topography, and of laying down our positions by
astronomical observations--a labour to which, at times, even the
undaunted Livingstone found himself unequal."]
[Footnote 5: Vol. iii. of A. D. 1801.]
[Footnote 6: It was such an attack as I had on my former journey; but
while mine ceased to trouble me after the first year, his kept recurring
every fortnight until the journey ended.]
[Footnote 7: It may be as well to remark here, that the figures both in
latitude and longitude, representing the position of Kaze, computed by
Mr Dunkin, accord with what appeared in Blackwood's Magazine, computed
by myself, and in the R. G. S. Journal Map, computed by Captain George.
This applies also to the position of Ujiji; at any rate, the practical
differences are so trifling that it would require a microscope to detect
them on the map.]
[Footnote 8: The Jub is the largest river known to the Zanzibar Arabs.
It debouches on the east coast north of Zanzibar, close under the
equator.]
[Footnote 9: The two first gold watches were given away at Zanzibar.]
[Footnote 10: If one asked the name of a tree, and it happened to be the
kind from which this cloth was made, the answer would be "mbugu." If,
again, the question was as to the bark, the same answer; and the same if
one saw the shirt, and asked what it was. Hence I could not determine
whether the word had been originally the name of the tree, of its bark,
or of the article made from the bark, though I am inclined to think it
is the bark, as there are many varieties of these trees, which, being
besides being called mbugu, had their own particular names.]
[Footnote 11: Rumanika's present.--One block-tin box, one Raglan coat,
five yards scarlet broadcloth, two coils copper wire, a hundred large
blue egg-beads, five bundles best variegated beads, three bundles minute
beads--pink, blue, and white.]
[Footnote 12: Nnanaji's present.--One deole or gold-embroidered silk,
two coils copper wire, fifty large blue egg-beads, five bundles best
variegated beads, three bundles minute beads--pink, blue and white.]
[Footnote 13: Since named by Dr P. L. Sclater "Tragelaphus Spekii."
These nzoe have been drawn by Mr Wolf, from specimens brought home by
myself.]
[Footnote 14: Round arm, 1 ft. 11 in.; chest, 4 ft. 4 in.; thigh, 2 ft.
7 in.; calf, 1 ft. 8 in.; height, 5 ft. 8 in.]
[Footnote 15: I.e. Dead Locust Lake,--Luta, dead--Nzige, locust.]
[Footnote 16: In 'Blackwood's Magazine' for August 1859.]
[Footnote 17: See p. 211.]
[Footnote 18: 1 block-tin box, 4 rich silk cloths, 1 rifle
(Whitworth's), 1 gold chronometer, 1 revolver pistol, 3 rifled carbines,
3 sword-bayonets, 1 box ammunition, 1 box bullets, 1 box gun-caps, 1
telescope, 1 iron chair, 10 bundles best beads, 1 set of table-knives,
spoons, and forks.]
[Footnote 19: The straight road down the Nile through Unyoro no one
dares allude to at this time, as the two kings were always fighting.]
[Footnote 20: Some say a group of forty islands compose Sese.]
[Footnote 21: Named by Dr P. L. Sclater, Cosmetornis Spekii. The seventh
pen feathers are double the length of the ordinaries, the eighth double
that of the seventh, and the ninth 20 inches long. Bombay says the same
bird is found in Uhiyow.]
[Footnote 22: It is questionable whether or not this word is a
corruption of Bahr (sea of) Ingo.]
[Footnote 23: This obviously was an allusion to the way in which the
first king of Uganda was countenanced by the great king of Kittara,
according to the tradition given in Chapter IX.]
[Footnote 24: 1 double rifle, 1 block-tin box, 1 red blanket, 1 brown
do., 10 copper wire, 4 socks full of different-coloured minute beads, 2
socks full of blue and white pigeon eggs, 1 Rodgers's pen-knife, 2
books, 1 elastic circle, 1 red handkerchief, 1 bag gun-caps, 1 pair
scissors, 1 pomatum-pot, 1 quart bottle, 1 powder flask, 7 lb. powder, 1
dressing-case, 1 blacking-box, 1 brass lock and key, 4 brass handles, 8
brass sockets, 7 chintz, 7 binders, 1 red bag, 1 pair glass spectacles,
1 lucifer-box.]
[Footnote 25: It will appear shortly that is was actually not more than
two marches to the northward of Faloro.]
[Footnote 26: Dr Khoblecher, the founder of the Austrian Church Mission
Establishment of Gondokoro, ascertained that the Nile reached its lowest
level there in the middle of January.]
[Footnote 27: The Baroness Miss A. van Capellan, and Mrs and Miss
Tinne.]
[Footnote 28: See Petherick's succouring petition, addressed to the
Right Hon. Lord Ashburton, President of the Royal Geographical Society,
in the Proceedings of that Society, date 10th June 1860.]