morning, for wood, as it will be impossible to get it at Fashoda
on account of the hostile Shillooks. Started at noon with a small
supply. Arrived at Fashoda, within the territory designated by Mr.
Arthington, at 2:30 P.M. Saw naked natives fishing along the bank.
There are three villages with conical straw roofs to the north of
Fashoda, but near it, which first came in sight. The “Dragomen”
reside in these. We have a plan of Fashoda, which will give a
better idea of it than any verbal picture. We shall also take some
photographs of it to illustrate a more detailed account in the
report. For this country the place is well fortified. We could not
anchor off the main land, as the water was too low, but tied up
to an island opposite the town. The other steamer and a few boats
were lying here. Several Dinka villages were just visible with the
glass on the east shore. On our arrival an officer came on board to
search for slaves! He proposed to examine our boxes. But we told
him there was no custom house here. He might look for slaves, but
he could not examine any of our baggage. He found it was no use,
and went off. What a farce this suppression of the slave trade is!
Men will live in Fashoda, and draw good salaries to suppress the
slave trade. When a steamer comes in, like ours, from Khartoum,
they will come on board and look for slaves! While right back of
them is a regular caravan route, over which thousands are carried
every year, and they go on their way, and no questions are asked!
It _looks well_ to have an officer in uniform examine government
steamers, and make a show of great things! We sent our letters
and orders up to the Governor pro tem., but he and his aid were
already on their way to call on us. We found them very pleasant and
friendly.
_Saturday, Feb. 4th._—There was much noise and loud talking and
confusion in unloading the steamer. This would have been a good
steamer for Mohammed Achmet to have captured, as we brought down
20,000 Turkish dollars, besides powder, cloth and soap. Took
several views of Fashoda as seen from the deck of the steamer. The
Governor sent us a present of two sheep, a quantity of chickens,
and a couple of baskets of vegetables. We noticed here for the
first time a species of crow with a white breast. The Dinkas on the
east shore are said to be quiet and friendly. Fashoda is considered
by everybody to be one of the most unhealthy spots on the White
Nile. * * The town is surrounded with a thorn _zeriba_, and is
built up, outside of the fort and the officers’ quarters, of round
cane huts smeared with mud and thatched. The Shillooks, who come
from the neighboring villages to trade and visit, are tall and well
built. The faces of the men and women are much alike, as the men
carefully pull out all the beard they have. The women generally
wear the skin of some animal loosely suspended from the left
shoulder. The men, when they come to town, wear a piece of cotton
cloth thrown over one shoulder and wound around them. I called a
few moments on the friendly and generous Governor. He walked with
me to the boat, while the soldiers presented arms and the band
played “All confusion worse confounded,” which is their national
air. It sounds best at a distance, say of five miles or more. The
Governor does everything he can for us. He has even sent us some
wood from the scant government stores. Witnessed a most brutal
flogging from the deck of the steamer. Such an outrage would not
be possible anywhere but here. I stood it as long as I could and
then was about to interfere, when some of the men standing around
drew off the man. There are great numbers of hippopotami around
here; we hear them all about us toward night; I counted fourteen
that I could see at one time. The Governor proposed to send a guard
of soldiers with us to the Sobat, but we finally concluded that we
would rather rely upon our own arms than have any such guard as he
could furnish.
_Monday, Feb. 6th._—Started about 4 A.M. Stopped for wood on the
west side; went ashore and looked about. The Captain will not
go on shore, nor allow us to do so, without being well armed.
Some Shillooks came down to the shore apparently to barter. We
were warned to be on our guard. They were absolutely naked, and
a wild looking set. We were off as soon as we got wood enough.
Passed a small island, one end of which was literally covered
with crocodiles. There is almost a continuous stretch of Shillook
villages on both banks along here. The men are all naked. The
language strikes one as very peculiar. There are a number of palm
trees in this vicinity with a bulge or swelling in the middle of
the stem. Passed several villages of considerable size. Saw the
village called O-Gawdie, where the late King of the Shillooks, who
was killed by Mohammed Achmet, resided. The natives in many places
are burning the grass and getting ready to plant their farms. We
notice also various methods of fishing, which for a wonder seem to
be quite successful. Some large flies came on board along here,
and we found that they could bite. At 7:30 we cast anchor in the
Sobat, at a point some distance above its mouth, and opposite
the deserted military station. We chose the middle of the stream
as a matter of safety, for although there are but a handful of
people living near here, yet they will swarm from the White Nile,
and other parts, at very short notice. Relays of three men each
were placed on watch all night. Now that the military station is
abandoned the country about here is not considered at all safe. But
here we are in the Sobat at last! After all our hopes and fears,
after all our journeyings over sea and land, up the old Nile and
across the burning sands of the Desert, here we are at last! We
are twenty-five hundred miles up the Nile. We are more than eight
thousand miles from home. We are in Central Africa.
Dr. Ladd and his party went up the Sobat as far as was
practicable, and took a number of photographs of the country
and the people. They also went beyond the Sobat junction of the
White Nile. Having successfully accomplished their mission,
they were obliged to return as speedily as possible on account
of the increasing dangers that surrounded them. They stopped at
“Tawfikeeyeh,” where Sir Samuel Baker had his camp, and at the
towns of Melacan and Waw, and took many interesting photographs
of all these places. They also visited with a guard among the
Shillook villages in the vicinity of Fashoda.
We rode around Fashoda outside of the zeriba of thorn bushes, which
had been put up as a protection to the place, and then we struck
across the plain to the village of Hegag. Here we had a pleasant
interview with the natives, and saw a man who had received a bad
bullet wound in the last fight with Mohammed Achmet. I took a
photograph of this village and of the chief’s family. After we had
had quite a chat with these people we again mounted, and, taking a
good road back, we let our horses out on a full run, to see what
an Arab horse could do. All the horses seemed to enjoy it, and
certainly we did, after the cramped life we had been leading on
board of the steamer. As we approached Fashoda the mounted guard,
now always on the alert and fearing an attack from Mohammed Achmet
at any time, spied us coming at full speed, and thinking something
might be wrong, rode out to meet us. There is a constant fear that
at any moment the place may be attacked, and a most vigilant
watch is kept. We rode around the town, took a photograph of the
market place and then returned to our lodgings on the steamer.
Here we were waited upon by a number of men who had all sorts of
favors to ask. One was a convict and wanted help; another wished
us to present some petitions for him at Khartoum. Toward evening
we called upon the Governor at his private house; had a pleasant
visit, and obtained much valuable information about the natives
and the country. On our return I took a photograph of some native
women cooking durra. By a careful calculation from latitude and
declination, I find that the time of sunrise this morning was 6:10
and the time of sunset was 5:50. In this way only are we able to
regulate our watches. * * *
Speaking of Kaka, Dr. Ladd says:
The small garrison of 50 men is practically in a state of siege.
They can get no supplies, and are actually afraid to go more than
a few steps beyond their zeriba. Kaka is thus threatened both by
the Shillooks and the followers of Mohammed Achmet, and there is
much fear expressed on all sides. This whole section of country is
considered very dangerous and unsafe. We are repeatedly told: “It
is well that you are armed; don’t go on shore without your arms.”
There certainly seem to be perilous times ahead, for things are
constantly getting worse, and the government has delayed to act
until action means war. There is a young Greek merchant on board
with whom I have been brushing up my Greek. He is from Fashoda and
expected to stop here, but is frightened out of it, and says he
shall go on to Khershawal, which is on the other side of the river,
and a place of less danger. He says, and others agree with him,
that there are spies everywhere who keep the rebels posted as to
every movement. One man is now in irons at Fashoda who was found
with a letter on his person directed to Mohammed Achmet, telling
him the condition of the forces at Fashoda and urging him to come
on at once and take the place. Threats have been made that if the
government does not send on an army at once the rebels will take
Fashoda within 20 days.
* * * * *
The town of Kaka is built of mud-smeared straw huts, surrounded
with a zeriba. The fort is built of mud, boasts one cannon, and
is surrounded by a dry moat. One of the officers presented Doctor
with a young red-crested crane. After we had sufficiently examined
the fort and town we took the photograph of a Dinka woman whose
person was a marvel of bas-relief work, and also a general view of
the town. We were presented through the “Yousbashi” with a couple
of baskets of a seed called “sutcheb,” and were assured that it is
a sure cure for dysentery. Saw one soldier who ought to have been
shot on the spot for insubordination. The Governor ordered him
to accompany the durra to the town as a guard, and he flatly and
most emphatically refused to budge. The Governor tried to reason
with him and urge him, but he grew more and more obstreperous,
till finally, the governor slapped him in the face, and, after a
tussle, took his gun away from him. The Governor tried to have
some one arrest him, but no one would do it, and finally the man
got his gun back, and did as he pleased. What discipline can there
be in an army where such things are possible? Very soon there was
another fight, and this time on the steamer. We were about to put
off. Doctor and I were standing on the bridge. A soldier rushed on
board claiming an “angarib,” or native bed, which did not belong
to him; but he was bound to come on board and take it by force.
The Captain ordered him on shore. He refused to go. The Captain
undertook, with the help of his sailors, to put him off the boat,
and there was a fight at once. Other soldiers rushed in to help
their comrade, and it looked for a few minutes as though the crew
might be overpowered. Instinctively our hands found their way to
our revolvers, and we stood ready to defend the Captain if it
should become necessary. After a pretty general fight, the soldiers
were obliged to retreat. The plank was drawn in, and to settle all
questions of ownership, the “angarib” was broken up and thrown
overboard.
_Tuesday, Feb. 14th._—We were up early this morning, and started
out to see the country and hunt a little before breakfast while
the men were cutting wood for the steamer. We borrowed a rifle
from one of the soldiers, so that we had two rifles and a shot
gun in the party. We were warned, as we went on shore, of a lion
that was lurking about in the bushes, but we wanted nothing better
than to see a lion. We struck straight back into the country for
some distance without seeing anything. After a time I got after
some guinea hens with the shot gun, leaving the rest of the party
with the rifles in the rear. I was creeping carefully along to
get within range when I suddenly came upon two large deer, with
horns over a yard long. They were close to me, and I ran a bullet
into the shot gun, but decided that it would be better to drive
them toward the rifles than to try them with only a shot gun.
They stopped once and looked at me, and then bounded away in the
direction of the rest of the party. Doctor fired as they passed,
but the grass just there was tall, and he missed. We were about
to follow them up, and get them, if possible, without giving them
our wind, when our suspicious were aroused by something moving in
the high grass and bushes. We watched closely, and soon made out a
crowd of men with spears crouching down when we observed them, and
darting from bush to bush, and circling around in such a way as to
surround us. They had horses, and were easily identified as Baggara
Arabs, probably belonging to Mohammed Achmet’s party. We thought it
best to retreat while we could do so in good order. We reached the
river, and reported the state of affairs to the Captain. Ibrahim
and the Mate also soon came in, reporting that they were Mohammed
Achmet’s people, that they were in great numbers, and that they
were still advancing, and spreading out so as to surround us. The
Captain gave the order to fire up at once, and ordered the men on
board as soon as possible. The Doctor and I started to reconnoiter,
but the Captain would not allow it, saying that we would find
ourselves in an ambush, and that it would do no good. We did not
want to be obliged to kill anybody to get away, or to fight unless
it became necessary, so we obeyed him, and went on board. The ropes
were cast off, and we turned on “full speed” down stream. We were
glad enough to get safely away. We passed a large island, which is
not properly named on the maps. In fact, there is not a single map
or book upon the Nile, or any extended portion of the Nile, that
is at all satisfactory. One would suppose that Gordon’s map of the
White Nile would at least approximate to accuracy. On the contrary,
it is full of the grossest and most amusing blunders. * * * Our
steersman is very ill with the fever to-day, and just about used
up. We have been obliged to take to eating _durra_, for our bread,
as well as most of our other provision, has given out. Saw two
large herds of buffaloes on the west bank. One herd numbered over a
hundred head, young and old. We had a good long look at them before
they sniffed the air and tossed their heads and plunged off into
the jungle. In the evening, Turk and Greek gathered around us, and
told us some marvelous stories of witches. Ibraham swallowed it all
as the sober truth, while we laughed at his credulity. We stopped
to spend the night and get wood on the east side, just beyond or
north of Waldochone Island. There is said to be good hunting here,
and we are preparing to enjoy the sport while the men are getting
the wood in the morning. This is the only variety our life affords,
and helps to keep us in good spirits. Temperature: 6, 61°; 11, 77°;
5:50, 83°.
_Wednesday, Feb. 15th._—We were up bright and early, and started
back into the country over a magnificent hunting ground. We started
up a hare, and were after him, when two large lions sprang out from
behind a bush, and ran across our path, tails up, making for the
jungle. They were immense fellows, and the men who were with us
were frightened and lagged behind, while Doctor and I chased them
up and tried to head them off. It was an exciting chase, and made
the blood tingle in our veins, but the brush became so dense that
they finally got away from us. It was an experience in African life
that we shall not soon forget. * * *
About four o’clock we saw some 300 Arabs with their horses, cattle
and spears. They were on their way, so the Captain and all on
board said, to join Mohammed Achmet. Certainly serious times are
brewing. What will the end be? Saw a number of Dinkas on the east
bank; saw a dozen huge hippopotami sunning themselves. Ran aground,
but were soon off again. It is a wonder we don’t run down some
hippopotami, for they are very thick in the water about here.
Arrived at Khershawal at 6:30 P.M. The pilot was so intent on
looking for sand-banks that he did not see the town and the people
waiting on the shore, till after we had passed it and them. I was
looking at the place through my glass, and the engineer asked me
if I did not see Khershawal. Of course I did, and we turned back,
while the whole crowd had a good laugh at the pilot. Here there is
a garrison, at present consisting of only 30 men. The Governor,
a fine looking man, came on board. He said the Arabs we saw had
passed here, giving as an excuse that they were going hunting,
but that it was very well understood where they were going. It is
said that great numbers of the Baggara Arabs are constantly going
over to Mohammed Achmet, and that at present his forces number
10,000 men. The Greek merchant is afraid to go back to Fashoda as
he intended, after selling his goods. Doctor has been threatened
with another chill, but happily it has been averted. The nearest
village of the Dinkas, who inhabit this side of the river, is six
hours distant. The chief of the tribe lives there. His assistant
lives here in Khershawal. Temperature, 6:10, 64°; 4, 87°; 9:40, 74°.
_Thursday, Feb. 16th._—Went on shore, and visited the town. The
soil is gravel, sand and loam, and the town stands up high and dry
from the river. The shore is covered with a beautiful white sand,
underneath which is a layer of excellent clay for bricks. The town
is built of straw huts, and is surrounded with a zeriba. We called
at the Governor’s, and were treated to sherbet and coffee. We then
walked about the town, and I took a photograph of the Assistant
Chief of the Dinkas, and one of a Dinka woman, and then took an
inside view of the town and another general view from the outside
of the zeriba. This place must be comparatively healthy. We were
presented with a sheep by the Governor as we were about to start.
We left at 9:45 A.M. Doctor and I were sitting on the bridge seeing
what we could see, when I discovered a huge snake in the water
swimming slowly and trying to cross the river. I rushed for the
shot-gun, and although we had almost got beyond range, gave him
both barrels with good effect. I jumped into the small boat with
a number of men; the steamer put about and we went after that
snake. As we neared him, however, he began to show signs of life,
and Doctor, fearing he might get away, fired two shots at him with
the rifle from the bridge. The second ball struck, but glanced,
leaving not the slightest trace of a mark, but stunned him so that
he turned over on his back. We picked him up and found that we had
got hold of a boa-constrictor. As soon as he was landed in the
boat he came to again, and made it lively for us. His strength was
something remarkable. He ran his head a little way under a board,
and six men pulling with all their might and main could not get
him out. He came out when he got ready, but then we had a rope
around him, and hauled him on deck. There was a scattering of the
crowd then. We choked him to death, cut his teeth out, and put him
away. He came to life again, and broke one of the supports of the
water-jar. Then Ibrahim stood on that snake’s head till he was
dead. We hung him up. He came to life again, and nearly got away.
Then we beat him on the head with a club till he was “as dead as a
door nail.” He came to life again! No use! We determined to conquer
him this time, and proceeded to skin him. This was too much for
him, and he concluded to remain dead. He measured 9 ft. 6 in. in
length, and 11¾ in. around. I have preserved the skin, and hope
to have it stuffed. The sailors will eat the flesh. We anchored for
the night, and to get wood, about 4 miles north of Gebel Ain, on
the east side. Temperature, 7, 62°; 12, 84°; 7:30, 80°.
_Friday, Feb. 17th._—The thumping of the rudder kept us awake
nearly all night. We went on shore not expecting to be gone long,
but the men said they had seen a lion, and that started us off,
and we soon got on the trail. Doctor and I were separated in the
thick brush. He followed one trail and I another. Ibrahim was with
me; a good sailor with him. I soon came upon three large deer. I
had only a shot gun, but dropped a bullet in, and was just raising
the gun when Ibrahim, in what I call his woman’s clothes, came
marching up, and asked what I saw. Of course I saw no deer then.
It was a splendid hunting ground. There were fresh tracks of lions
and buffaloes and deer, etc., all around us. But it was time to
return to the steamer. We had turned and gone only a little way,
when, all of a sudden, two mounted Baggara Arabs, with their long
spears leveled, sprang from the bushes and stood in the pathway
between us and the steamer. The truth flashed upon us. We were
waylaid by followers of El Mehdi, who would not hesitate to kill
us if they could. Ibrahim began to mutter his prayers and repeat
passages from the Koran. The two men stood their horses before us,
directly in our pathway, and eyed us from head to foot. My gun was
ready, my finger on the trigger, and they saw that the first step
forward meant death to one if not both of them. We walked steadily
forward and towards them. Ibrahim was so frightened that I could
hardly make him understand anything I said. Finally, I spoke so
sternly that he recovered his senses, and kept close to my side,
as I ordered him to do. As we approached the Arabs they turned
their horses and walked them ahead of us, consulting what they had
better do. Then they moved around us in a circle, and followed us
up in the rear. Finally, they called to us, and we turned and faced
them. They had evidently concluded that our guns were too many
for them; but they tried to get us to go back into the country,
telling us that our friends wanted to see us. But we were not to be
fooled so easily, and kept steadily on till we reached the steamer.
We thought, at first, that possibly the Doctor was in trouble,
and did want to see us, but we found, on his return, that he had
not seen them, and knew nothing about them. It was a ruse to get
us into a trap. All agreed that, if we had not been armed as we
were, they would have killed us in a minute. The Doctor had had
his adventures, too. He had seen three lions, and wounded one and
chased him nearly to Gebel Ain. He had met a party of Shillooks,
and found them friendly, after marching up to them and shaking them
by the hand. This region is full of game of all sorts. I killed
some pigeons for dinner, and then we all went on board. We started
at 11:20, and reached the broad part of the river, known as Aboo
Zeid, which Gordon has put down on his map as _a town_, at 3:30. We
anchored near the island of Abbas, about two hours from the former
village of Mohammed Achmet. Along here we saw hundreds of cords of
ambatch in rafts. But this spot did not please the Captain; so we
turned and tied up finally at the upper end of the island of Abbas,
near the town of Gos Aboo Goumaah. * * *
_Wednesday, Feb. 22d._—We tried to start this morning at 4 A.M.,
but found that one of the boats in tow was aground. This delayed us
until 6 o’clock, when we were off. The men were at work during the
night cutting wood, and we have a fair supply. Saw the encampment
of a slave caravan on the west bank, a little north of Gebel Owlee.
The suppression of the slave trade is a farce from beginning to
end. The first sight of Khartoum was a welcome one. It seemed
almost like getting home. How grand its mud houses looked too,
after the straw huts to which our eyes had become accustomed. There
is quite a fall in the White Nile just above its confluence with
the Blue. Looking across the low island which divides the main
stream of the White Nile, a narrow rushing river, from the Blue
Nile, the latter appears about six feet lower. We soon rounded the
point of the island, and were once again in the clear blue water
of the branch river. At 5:30 we tied up at Khartoum. The White
Nile voyage was safely ended. As soon as we were fairly at land,
Marcopoli Bey came on board and greeted us. And soon our Syrian
friends, who were the last to see us off, came to welcome us back.
We were among our friends again. We now heard the news for the
first time that Raouf Pasha had been deposed, that there was a new
order of government for the Soudan, and a new ministry, and mixed
up state of affairs in Cairo, with Arabi “Pasha” at the top of the
heap. The only thing that can be predicted with any certainty is
that there will be a general muss, and probably an Anglo-French
intervention. In the Soudan there can be no peace till Mohammed
Achmet is taken. Giegler Pasha is preparing an army, such as it is,
of about 3,500 men, to march against him, but the result is very
doubtful. It is reported that there is considerable fever in town.
One of our visitors had it upon him while he was calling on us,
and there is a lady at his house, who it is feared is dying with
it. We sent Ibrahim to see if our rooms were ready for us at the
consul’s. He came back to say that they were, and brought Mougades,
the “bookman,” with him. He seemed rejoiced to see us again. He was
expecting to start by a _merkeb_ for Berber tomorrow, but will wait
now, and go with us. We marched up to the consul’s in the evening,
and felt quite at home when we got back into our rooms. A pile of
letters was awaiting us, and what a feast we had after hungering
and thirsting so long for news from home. Our hearts are indeed
full of thanksgiving to the kind Providence who has watched over
our dear ones, and has brought us thus far on our way in safety.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
GOD ANSWERS PERSEVERING PRAYER
REV. W. C. POND.
CHINA FOR CHRIST!