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desert　in　plates　and　sections。

In　addition　to　the　steamers　were　steam　saw　mills；　with　a　boiler　that
weighed　8　cwt。　in　one　pieceall　of　which　would　have　to　be　transported
by　camels　for　several　hundred　miles　across　the　Nubian　desert；　and　by
boats　and　camels　alternately　from　Alexandria　to　Gondokoro；　a　distance　of
about　THREE　THOUSAND　MILES。

In　the　description　of　this　enterprise；　which　terminated　in　the
suppression　of　the　slave　trade　of　the　White　Nile　and　the　annexation　of　a
large　equatorial　territory　to　Egypt；　I　shall　be　compelled　to　expose　many
abuses　which　were　the　result　of　misgovernment　in　the　distant　provinces
of　Upper　Egypt。　It　must　be　distinctly　understood　that　his　Highness　the
Khedive　was　ignorant　of　such　abuses；　and　that　he　took　prompt　and
vigorous　measures　to　reform　the　administration　of　the　Soudan　immediately
upon　receiving　information　of　the　misgovernment　of　that　extensive
territory。　Throughout　the　expedition　his　Highness　has　exhibited　a
determination　to　succeed　in　the　suppression　of　the　slave　trade　in　spite
of　the　adverse　opinion　of　the　public；　therefore；　when　I　expose　the
abuses　that　existed；　it　must　be　accepted　without　hesitation　that　the
Khedive　would　have　been　the　foremost　in　punishing　the　authors　and　in
rectifying　such　abuses　had　he　been　aware　of　their　existence。

As　a　duty　to　the　Khedive；　and　in　justice　to　myself；　I　shall　describe　the
principal　incidents　as　they　occurred　throughout　the　expedition。　The
civilized　world　will　form　both　judge　and　jury；　if　their　verdict　be
favourable；　I　shall　have　my　reward。　I　can　only　assure　my　fellow…men　that
I　have　sought　earnestly　the　guidance　of　the　Almighty　in　the　use　of　the
great　power　committed　to　me；　and　I　trust　that　I　have　been　permitted　to
lay　a　firm　foundation　for　a　good　work　hereafter。



CHAPTER　II。

ENGLISH　PARTY。

The　success　of　an　expedition　depends　mainly　upon　organization。　From　my
former　experience　in　Central　Africa；　I　knew　exactly　the　requirements　of
the　natives；　and　all　the　material　that　would　be　necessary　for　the
enterprise。　I　also　knew　that　the　old　adage　of　〃out　of　sight　out　of　mind〃
might　be　adopted　as　the　Egyptian　motto；　therefore　it　would　be
indispensable　to　supply　myself　with　everything　at　the　outset；　so　as　to
be　independent　of　support　hereafter。

The　English　party　consisted　of　myself　and　Lady　Baker；　Lieutenant　Julian
Alleyne　Baker；　R。N。；　Mr。　Edwin　Higginbotham；　civil　engineer；　Mr。　Wood；
secretary；　Dr。　Joseph　Gedge；　physician；　Mr。　Marcopolo；　chief　storekeeper
and　interpreter；　Mr。　McWilliam；　chief　engineer　of　steamers；　Mr。　Jarvis；
chief　shipwright；　together　with　Messrs。　Whitfield；　Samson；　Hitchman；　and
Ramsall；　shipwrights；　boiler…makers；　&c。　In　addition　to　the　above　were
two　servants。

I　laid　in　stores　sufficient　to　last　the　European　party　four　years。

I　provided　four　galvanized　iron　magazines；　each　eighty　feet　long　by
twenty　in　width；　to　protect　all　material。

Before　I　left　England　I　personally　selected　every　article　that　was
necessary　for　the　expedition；　thus　an　expenditure　of　about　9；000　pounds
was　sufficient　for　the　purchase　of　the　almost　innumerable　items　that
formed　the　outfit　for　the　enterprise。　This　included　an　admirable
selection　of　Manchester　goods；　such　as　cotton　sheeting；　grey　calico；
cotton　and　also　woollen　blankets；　white；　scarlet；　and　blue；　Indian
scarfs；　red　and　yellow；　handkerchiefs　of　gaudy　colours；　chintz　printed；
scarlet　flannel　shirts；　serge　of　colours　（blue；　red）；　linen　trowsers；
&c。；　&c。

Tools　of　all　sortsaxes；　small　hatchets；　harness　bells；　brass　and
copper　rods；　combs；　zinc　mirrors；　knives；　crockery；　tin　plates；
fish…hooks；　musical　boxes；　coloured　prints；　finger…rings；　razors；　tinned
spoons；　cheap　watches；　&c。；　&c。

All　these　things　were　purchased　through　Messrs。　Silber　&　Fleming；　of
Wood　Street；　Cheapside。

I　thus　had　sufficient　clothing　for　a　considerable　body　of　troops　if
necessary；　while　the　magazines　could　produce　anything　from　a　needle　to　a
crowbar；　or　from　a　handkerchief　to　a　boat's　sail。　It　will　be　seen
hereafter　that　these　careful　arrangements　assured　the　success　of　the
expedition；　as　the　troops；　when　left　without　pay；　could　procure　all　they
required　from　the　apparently　inexhaustible　stores　of　the　magazines。

In　addition　to　the　merchandise　and　general　supplies；　I　had　several　large
musical　boxes　with　bells　and　drums；　an　excellent　magic　lantern；　a
magnetic　battery；　wheels　of　life；　and　an　assortment　of　toys。　The
greatest　wonder　to　the　natives　were　two　large　girandoles；　also　the
silvered　balls；　about　six　inches　in　diameter；　that；　suspended　from　the
branch　of　a　tree；　reflected　the　scene　beneath。

In　every　expedition　the　principal　difficulty　is　the　transport。

〃Travel　light；　if　possible；〃　is　the　best　advice　for　all　countries；　but
in　this　instance　it　was　simply　impossible；　as　the　object　of　the
expedition　was　not　only　to　convey　steamers　to　Central　Africa；　but　to
establish　legitimate　trade　in　the　place　of　the　nefarious　system　of
pillage　hitherto　adopted　by　the　so…called　White　Nile　traders。　It　was
therefore　absolutely　necessary　to　possess　a　large　stock　of　goods　of　all
kinds；　in　addition　to　the　machinery　and　steel　sections　of　steamers。

I　arranged　that　the　expedition　should　start　in　three　divisions。

Six　steamers；　varying　from　40　to　80…horse　power；　were　ordered　to　leave
Cairo　in　June；　together　with　fifteen　sloops　and　fifteen　diahbeeahs
total；　thirty…six　vesselsto　ascend　the　cataracts　of　the　Nile　to
Khartoum；　a　distance　by　river　of　about　1；450　miles。　These　vessels　were
to　convey　the　whole　of　the　merchandise。

Twenty…five　vessels　were　ordered　to　be　in　readiness　at　Khartoum；
together　with　three　steamers。　The　governor…general　（Djiaffer　Pacha）　was
to　provide　these　vessels　by　a　certain　date；　together　with　the　camels　and
horses　necessary　for　the　land　transport。

Thus　when　the　fleet　should　arrive　at　Khartoum　from　Cairo；　the　total
force　of　vessels　would　be　nine　steamers　and　fifty…five　sailing　vessels；
the　latter　averaging　about　fifty　tons　each。

Mr。　Higginbotham　had　the　command　of　the　desert　transport　from　Korosko　to
Khartoum；　and　to　that　admirable　officer　I　intrusted　the　charge　of　the
steamer　sections　and　machinery；　together　with　the　command　of　the　English
engineers　and　mechanics。

I　arranged　to　bring　up　the　rear　by　another　route；　via　Souakim　on　the　Red
Sea；　from　which　the　desert　journey　to　Berber；　on　the　Nile；　N。　lat。　17
degrees　37　minutes；　is　275　statute　miles。

My　reason　for　this　division　of　routes　was　to　insure　a　quick　supply　of
camels；　as　much　delay　would　have　been　occasioned　had　the　great　mass　of
transport　been　conveyed　by　one　road。

The　military　arrangements　comprised　a　force　of　1；645　troops；　including　a
corps　of　200　irregular　cavalry；　and　two　batteries　of　artillery。　The
infantry　were　two　regiments；　supposed　to　be　well　selected。　The　black　or
Soudani　regiment　included　many　officers　and　men　who　had　served　for　some
years　in　Mexico　with　the　French　army　under　Marshal　Bazaine。　The　Egyptian
regiment　turned　out　to　be　for　the　most　part　convicted　felons　who　had
been　transported　for　various　crimes　from　Egypt　to　the　Soudan。

The　artillery　were　rifled　mountain　guns　of　bronze；　the　barrel　weighing
230　lbs。；　and　throwing　shells　of　8…1/4　lbs。　The　authorities　at　Woolwich
had　kindly　supplied　the　expedition　with　200　Hale's
rocketsthree…poundersand　fifty　snider　rifles；　together　with　50；000
rounds　of　snider　ammunition。　The　military　force　and　supplies　were　to　be
massed　in　Khartoum　ready　to　meet　me　upon　my　arrival。

I　had　taken　extra　precautions　in　the　packing　of　ammunition　and　all
perishable　goods。　The　teak　boxes　for　snider　ammunition；　also　the　boxes
of　Hale's　rockets；　were　lined　and　hermetically　sealed　with　soldered　tin。
The　light　Manchester　goods　and　smaller　articles　were　packed　in　strong；
useful；　painted　tin　boxes；　with　locks　and　hinges；　&c。　Each　box　was
numbered；　and　when　the　lid　was　opened；　a　tin　plate　was　soldered　over　the
open　face；　so　that　the　lid；　when　closed；　locked　above　an　hermetically
sealed　case。　Each　tin　box　was　packed　in　a　deal　case；　with　a　number　to
correspond　with　the　box　within。

By　this　arrangement　the　tin　boxes　arrived　at　their　destination　as　good
as　new；　and　were　quite　invaluable　for　travelling；　as　they　each　formed　a
handy　load；　and　were　alike　proof　against　the　attacks　of　insects　and　bad
weather。

I　had　long　waterproof　cloaks　for　the　night　sentries　in　rainy　climates；
and　sou'…wester　caps；　these　proved　of　great　service　during　active
operations　in　the　wet　season；　as　the　rifles　were　kept　dry　beneath　the
cloaks；　and　the　men　were　protected　from　wet　and　cold　when　on　guard。

All　medicines　and　drugs　were　procured　from　Apothecaries'　Hall；　and　were
accordingly　of　the　best　quality。

The　provisions　for　the　troops　were　dhurra　（sorghum　vulgare）；　wheat；
rice；　and　lentils。　The　supplies　from　England；　and　in　fact　the　general
arrangements；　had　been　so　carefully　attended　to；　that　throughout　the
expedition　I　could　not　feel　a　want；　neither　could　I　either　regret　or
wish　to　have　changed　any　plan　that　I　had　originally　determined。

For　the　transport　of　the　heavy　machinery　across　the　desert　I　employed
gun　carriages　drawn　by　two　camels　each。　The　two　sections　of　steamers　and
of　lifeboats　were　slung　upon　long　poles　of　fir　from　Trieste；　arranged
between　two　camels　in　the　manner　of　shafts。　Many　hundred　poles　served
this　purpose；　and　subsequently；　were　used　at　head…quarters　as　rafters
for　magazines　and　various　buildings。

The　No。　1　steamer　of　250　tons　had　not　arrived　from　England。　I　therefore
left　instructions　that　she　was　to　be　forwarded　across　the　desert　upon
the　same　principles　as　adopted　for　the　transport　of　the　other　vessels。

I　had　thrown　my　whole　heart　into　the　expedition；　but　I　quickly　perceived
the　difficulties　that　I　should　encounter　in　the　passive　resistance　of
those　whose　interests　would　be　affected　by　the　suppression　of　the　slave
trade。　The　arrangements　that　I　had　made　would　have　insured　success；　if
carried　out　according　to　the　dates　specified。　The　six　steamers　and　the
sailing　flotilla　from　Cairo　should　have　started　on　10th　June；　in　order
to　have　ascended　the　cataracts　of　Wady　Halfah　at　the　period　of　high
water。　Instead　of　this；　the　vessels　were　delayed；　in　the　absence　of　the
Khed