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cattle；　although　he　was　aware　of　the　presence　of　a　government　officer
with　a　very　small　detachment。　Abou　Saood　had　sent　three　of　the　captured
cows　as　a　present　to　the　officer　in　command；　Achmet　Rafik；　who；　instead
of　protesting　against　the　razzia；　had；　Turk…like；　actually　accepted　the
present；　and　thus　had　fallen　into　the　snare。

The　natives；　smarting　under　the　unprovoked　attack；　visited　Niambore；　and
desired　him　to　send　my　men　out　of　the　country；　as　they　were　evidently
leagued　with　those　of　Abou　Saood。　The　sheik　Niambore　refused；　and
declared　that　he　should　protect　them　until　he　received　further　orders
from　me。　This　implicated　Niambore；　and　the　neighbours　then　insisted　upon
the　sacrifice　of　Achmet　Rafik　and　his　few　soldiers　in　revenge　for　their
lost　cattle。　Niambore；　with　a　chivalry　that　is　rare　among　negroes；
declared　his　determination　of　sheltering　my　people　until　he　should
communicate　with　me。　He　was　attacked　at　night　by　the　neighbouring
sheiks；　and　my　soldiers　assisted　him　in　the　defence。　The　attack　was
repulsed；　and　he　determined　to　return　the　compliment　on　the　following
day；　with　the　assistance　of　the　soldiers。　After　a　long　march　across　many
deep　channels；　the　battle　went　against　him；　and　in　a　precipitate
retreat；　the　soldiers　could　not　swim　the　deep　channels　like　Niambore's
people；　they　were　accordingly　overtaken　and　killed；　with　the　loss　of
their　arms　and　accoutrements；　now　in　possession　of　the　natives。

Major　Achmet　Rafik　and　a　corporal　were　safe；　as　they　were　both　ill；　and
had　therefore　not　accompanied　the　five　soldiers　in　the　attack。　Niambore
had　faithfully　exposed　himself　to　great　danger　in　order　to　secure　their
protection；　and　they　were　now　in　his　keeping；　concealed　in　a　forest
about　a　day's　march　from　the　village　which　had　been　their　station。

On　the　following　day　I　sent　the　steamer　off　at　9　p。m。　with　Niambore　and
twenty　men；　the　moon　being　full。　The　river　had　risen　about　four　feet　six
inches；　therefore　there　was　no　fear　of　her　touching　a　sand…bank。　At　the
same　time　I　wrote　to　Abou　Saood；　giving　him　notice　of　his　responsibility
for　the　loss　of　the　government　troops；　caused　by　his　unprovoked　and
unjustifiable　aggression。　（From　that　time；　I　of　course　gave　up　all
ideas　of　returning　the　cattle　that　had　been　captured　by　Abou　Saood；　as　I
had　originally　intended。　Such　an　act；　after　the　destruction　of　my　men；
would　have　been　received　by　the　Shir　as　a　proof　of　fear。）

All　my　anticipations　of　successful　cultivation　had　been　fruitless。　The
drought　of　this　year　had　caused　a　general　scarcity。　The　months　of　July
and　August　should　have　the　heaviest　rainfall；　July　had　just　expired　with
a　rainfall　of　only　1。13　inch。　The　mean　temperature　had　been　71　degrees　F
at　6　a。m。；　at　noon；　84　degrees　F。

I　was　very　anxious　about　our　supply　of　dhurra；　which　would　not　last　much
longer。　On　1st　August　I　ordered　the　troops　to　receive　fifteen　days'
rations　of　rice；　so　as　to　save　the　small　stock　of　dhurra　until　the　crops
should　be　ripe　upon　the　island。　These　were　guarded　by　a　company　of
troops。　I　extract　the　following　entry　from　my　journal：…

〃August　2；　1871。　The　Soudani　soldiers　are　discontented　with　their
rations　of　dhurra；　and　to…day　I　was　addressed　by　an　unreasonable　mob；
demanding　an　increase　of　corn　which　does　not　exist。　These　people　never
think　of　to…morrow；　and　during　the　long　voyage　from　Tewfikeeyah　they
have　been　stealing　the　corn；　and　drinking　merissa　heedless　of　the
future。

〃The　black　colonel；　Tayib　Agha；　is　much　to　blame　for　the　discontent；　as
he　has；　upon　several　occasions；　in　THE　PRESENCE　OF　THE　TROOPS；　told　Mr。
Higginbotham　and　myself　that　'the　men　could　not　work　well　because　they
were　hungry。'　This　foolish　remark；　made　before　the　soldiers　by　their　own
lieutenant…colonel；　is　certain　to　create　bad　feeling。

〃I　went　across　to　the　island　to　examine　the　corn：　the　greater　portion　of
the　crop　will　be　ready　in　about　eight　days；　but　the　Baris；　in　spite　of
the　guards；　are　stealing　large　quantities　during　the　night。

〃The　terrible　difficulty　in　this　country　is　the　want　of　corn；　and　now
that　all　direct　communication　with　Khartoum　is　cut　off　by　the
obstructions　in　the　Nile；　the　affair　is　most　serious。　The　natives　are
all　hostile；　thus　a　powerful　force　is　absolutely　necessary；　but　the
difficulty　is　to　feed　this　force。

〃I　wrote　an　official　letter　to　Raouf　Bey　to　caution　Lieutenant…Colonel
Tayib　Agha　against　making　remarks　in　the　presence　of　his　troops。〃

On　August　3　the　steamer　returned；　bringing　Achmet　Rafik　and　the　sole
surviving　soldier　from　the　Shir。　This　officer　declared　his　men　to　have
been　insubordinate；　and　that　they　joined　the　natives　against　his　orders
to　make　an　attack　upon　their　enemies　in　return　for　attacks　on　their
part。

Two　witnesses；　the　surviving　soldier　and　the　wife　of　one　that　was
killed；　declared　that　Achmet　Rafik　himself　gave　the　men　orders　to　fight
the　tribe；　in　company　with　the　people　of　Niambore；　but　fearing
responsibility　for　the　result；　he　now　laid　the　onus　of　failure　upon　the
insubordination　of　the　men。　（The　fact　remained　that　in　consequence　of
the　razzia　made　by　Abou　Saood's　orders　the　natives　attacked　Niambore　and
my　people。　In　self…defence；　Niambore　and　my　few　men　returned　the
attack；　and　my　soldiers　were　killed。　The　Shir　were　thus　rendered　hostile
with　the　exception　of　Niambore。）

My　people　were　so　obtuse　that　they　could　not　understand　the　true
position　of　affairs。　The　harvest　was　commencing。　I　had　jealously　guarded
the　corn　upon　the　island；　which　should　have　produced　at　least　500
urdeps；　but　the　officers　and　men　did　not　wish　to　see　the　granaries
filled；　as　that　fact　would　destroy　the　excuse　for　a　return　to　Khartoum；
thus；　instead　of　labouring　with　heart　and　soul　to　gather　the　harvest；
they　worked　so　lazily；　that　in　nine　days　they　only　reaped　237　urdeps；　or
not　one　half　that　was　actually　upon　the　fields。　They　permitted　the
natives　to　steal　by　night；　and　the　swarms　of　small　birds　destroyed　an
incredible　quantity　by　day。　These　innumerable　and　ruinous　pests　do　not
consume　the　entire　grain；　but　they　nibble　the　soft　sweet　portion　from
the　joint　of　each　seed；　neatly　picking　out　the　heart；　thus　the　ground
beneath　is　strewed　with　their　remnants　of　destruction。

I　had　not　visited　Belinian　since　their　unprovoked　attack；　for　two
reasons。　First；　we　were　engaged　in　fortifying　the　station；　and；
secondly；　I　did　not　wish　to　raise　the　suspicion　among　the　Baris　that　I
might　come　down　suddenly　upon　their　crops。　Up　to　the　present　time　we　had
acted　mainly　on　the　defensive；　and　the　natives　had　no　fear　for　their
harvest。　I　knew　that　about　2；000　acres　of　dhurra　would　be　at　our　service
by　a　sudden　attack　on　Belinian；　if　the　troops　would　work　earnestly　to
secure　it。　At　the　same　time　I　was　afraid　to　mention　the　subject；　lest
some　intrigue　might　destroy　the　possibility　of　success。

If　Abou　Saood　or　his　people　had　possessed　a　knowledge　of　my　intentions；
they　would　at　once　have　given　warning　to　our　enemies；　and　would　have
destroyed　my　plans。　Both　Abou　Saood　and　the　greater　number　of　the
officers　were　anxiously　watching　the　close　of　the　drama；　as　they
imagined　that　with　the　disappearance　of　supplies；　the　curtain　would　fall
upon　the　last　act。

I　possessed　information　that　would　render　me　independent　of　corn　from
Khartoum；　if　the　troops　would　only　work　honestly。　We　were　at　open　war
with　the　Baris；　and　we　had　been　constantly　subjected　to　their　attacks。　I
had　arranged　my　plans　to　complete　my　forts　so　as　to　be　ready　for　a
campaign　at　the　commencement　of　the　harvest；　when　the　country　would　be
full　of　corn。　My　two　rich　harvests　would　be　Beliniantwelve　miles
distant　and　the　fruitful　islands　beyond　the　mountain　Regiaf；　about
fourteen　miles　south　of　Gondokoro。　The　latter　would　be　easily　collected；
as　the　vessels　could　load　at　the　islands；　and　convey　the　cargoes　down
stream　direct　to　head…quarters。

Everything　depended　upon　the　officers　and　men。　Raouf　Bey；　who　commanded
the　troops；　was　in　daily　communication　with　Abou　Saood；　who　was　exerting
himself　to　the　utmost　to　ruin　the　expedition　by　promoting　discontent；
and　persuading　the　officers　that　they　would　die　of　starvation；　and　that
the　Baris　were　most　dangerous　enemies；　who　would　exterminate　the　troops
should　I　weaken　the　force　by　taking　a　detachment　to　form　stations　in　the
interior。

It　was　thus　pre…arranged　by　my　own　people　that；　even　if　in　the　midst　of
plenty；　the　corn　should　not　be　collected　in　any　larger　quantity　than
would　suffice　to　feed　the　expedition　during　the　return　voyage　from
Gondokoro　to　Khartoum。

In　that　case；　the　expedition　would　be　broken　up　and　abandoned。　The
authorities　would　piously　ejaculate；　〃El　hambd　el　Allah！〃　（Thanks　be　to
God！）　The　country　would　once　more　fall　into　the　hands　of　Abou　Saood　by
contract　with　the　government　of　the　Soudan。　The　good　old　times　of
slave…hunting　would　return　and　remain　undisturbed。　The　Christian　would
have　been　got　rid　of　by　an　ignominious　failure。　Abou　Saood　would　have
boasted　of　the　success　of　his　diplomacy；　and　Allorron　and　his　Baris；
once　freed　from　the　restraint　of　a　government；　would　have　fraternized
again　with　their　allies　the　slave…hunters；　to　pillage；　kidnap；　and
desolate　the　productive　countries　of　Central　Africa。

I　determined　that　the　expedition　should　succeed；　and；　with　God's　help；　I
would　overcome　every　opposition。

The　forts　were　completed。　Gondokoro；　or；　as　I　had　named　it；　Ismailia；
was　protected　by　a　ditch　and　earthwork；　with　bastions　mounting　ten　guns。
My　little　station　was　also　fortified；　thus　I　could　commence　a　campaign
against　the　whole　Bari　tribe；　without　fearing　for　the　safety　of　my　base。

On　August　30；　1871；　I　started　with　a　force　of　450　men；　with　one　gun；　and
one　rocket…trough　for　Hale's　three…pounder　rockets。

I　left　twenty　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　at　my　little　station；　together　with
a　reinforcement　of　thirty　men。　I　had　ordered　the　captain　of　the
diahbeeah；　upon　which　my　wife　resided；　to　push　the　vessel　off　the　bank
and　to　anchor　in　the　stream　every　night。

The　Baris　of　the　Belinian　Mountain　were　well　provided　with　guns　and
ammunition；　which　they　had　taken　in　various　massacres　of　the
slave…traders'　parties　some　years　before。　On　one　occasion　they　had
killed　126　of　the　tra