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arrived　to　beg　that　their　chief　might　be　received；　as　they　all　desired
peace。

On　the　following　morning　I　held　a　general　levee。　About　twenty　headmen；
or　sheiks　of　principal　villages；　attended　by　many　of　their　people；　came
to　present　themselves　and　to　sue　for　peace。　I　received　the　chiefs　on　my
diahbeeah；　and　each　received　a　present　of　a　long　blue　shirt　as　he
stepped　on　board。　They　now　seated　themselves　by　Bedden；　and　a　general
explanation　took　place。

I　assured　them　of　my　regret　that　they　had　forced　me　into　war；　as　my
mission　to　the　country　had　been　one　of　peace；　at　the　same　time　they　must
have　seen　how　impossible　it　was　to　resist　the　troops　who　were　armed　with
weapons　of　precision；　and　drilled　in　a　manner　very　different　from　the
companies　of　slave…hunters。

I　told　them　that　I　had　many　thousand　cattle；　and　that　had　they　agreed　to
sell　me　the　corn　that　was　absolutely　needed　for　the　troops；　I　should
have　paid　for　it　punctually　with　cows；　as　I　had　promised　them　when　I
first　entered　their　district。　I　also　explained　that；　as　they　must　have
observed；　I　had　never　taken　a　single　head　of　cattle　from　them；　although
I　had　frequently　heard　the　lowing　of　their　oxen。　I　had　adopted　this
conduct；　although　in　actual　war；　merely　to　impress　upon　them　the　fact
that　they　might　depend　upon　my　word。　I　had　offered　to　exchange　my　cattle
for　their　corn；　thus　had　I　taken　their　cattle；　they　might　have
disbelieved　my　sincerity。

They　replied；　that　〃it　must　be　expected　that　little　differences　would
occur　at　the　beginning。〃　They　had　been　incited　against　us　by　the　Baris
of　Belinian；　and　the　war　was　entirely　their　own　fault。　At　the　same　time
they　laughed；　and　said　that　〃hunger　was　a　very　bad　thing；　and　that
hungry　men　would　always　fill　their　stomachs；　if　they　could；　therefore　we
had　been　quite　right　to　take　their　corn。〃　They　declared　that　it　did　not
in　the　least　matter；　as　the　islands　were　very　fertile；　and　would　produce
another　crop　very　quickly；　in　the　mean　time　they　had　a　good　supply
concealed；　and　their　loss　only　necessitated　a　little　extra　labour。

They　continued　this　peaceable　conversation　by　saying；　that　〃the
elephants　were　seldom　seen　in　this　district；　and　that　the　Baris　did　not
understand　such　hunting；　but　they　had　heard　the　cannons；　and　they　knew
that　we　should　be　able　to　kill　them。〃　The　meeting　concluded　by　a　request
for　meat；　and　the　sheiks　having　given　instructions　to　certain
messengers；　despatched　them　to　summon　their　people　to　the　sand…bank；
where　the　remains　of　the　elephants　were　lying。

In　a　short　time；　swarms　of　natives；　lately　our　enemies；　were　collecting
from　all　quarters；　and　hurrying　towards　the　attractive　spot；　as　though
they　were　going　to　a　fair。

I　gave　the　headmen　＇*＇　a　present　of　beads；　and　took　them　to　admire
themselves　in　the　large　glass　within　the　cabin　of　the　diahbeeah。　I
scrambled　some　pounds　of　beads　among　their　people；　and　got　up　foot…races
for　prizes。

＇*Footnote：　The　superior　chief　was　presented　with　a　costume　which
delighted　him。　This　was　a　long　blue　shirt　with　red　waist…band；　a　bright
tin　funnel　inverted　to　form　a　helmet　with　a　feather　in　the　tube；　and　a
pair　of　spectacles。　He　declared　that　he　would　be　〃the　admiration　of　the
women。〃＇

The　natives　selected　some　of　their　best　runners；　but　although　they　ran
well；　they　were　all　beaten　by　Ali　Nedjar　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves；〃　who　was
the　champion　runner　of　the　expedition。

The　sheiks　requested　that　the　cannon　might　be　fired　for　their　amusement。
A　shot　with　blank　cartridge　made　them　look　very　serious。　They　then　went
to　look　at　the　two　elephants'　heads；　which　they　believed　had　been　blown
off　by　the　cannon　on　the　day　of　the　hunt。

They　returned　to　the　diahbeeah；　and　ordered　their　people　to　bring　the
present　they　had　prepared　for　me。　This　consisted　of　thirty…one　jars　of
merissa；　each　of　which　was　duly　tasted　by　themselves　as　a　proof　of　the
absence　of　poison。

Before　they　departed；　I　was　assured；　not　only　of　their　regret　that　any
misunderstanding　should　have　taken　place；　but　that　after　their　bean
crop；　which　would　be　in　about　two　months；　they　would　unite　with　Bedden
and　carry　all　my　baggage　into　the　interior。　They　took　leave　and　went　off
in　the　direction　of　the　dead　elephants。

Here　was　a　sudden　change　in　the　politics　of　the　country！　Peace　had　been
effected　by　the　sacrifice　of　two　elephants！

This　peace　was　the　result　of　greediness　and　envy。　The　natives　had　pined
for　the　flesh；　and　envied　the　Baris　of　Bedden　who　were　carrying　it　away；
therefore　they　sued　for　peace。

At　the　same　time；　they　had　originally　declined　my　offer　of　a　large　herd
of　cattle　that　would　have　been　worth　a　hundred　elephants。　Thus　they　had
courted　war；　in　which　they　had　lost　some　of　their　people；　together　with
much　corn；　all　of　which　they　might　have　sold　for　cows；　and　they　now
desired　peace；　only　to　join　in　the　scramble；　like　vultures；　over　the
flesh　of　two　elephants。

African　negroes　are　incomprehensible　people；　and　they　cannot　be　judged
by　the　ordinary　rules　of　human　nature。　It　was　easy　to　understand；　that
if　they　desired　peace　upon　so　frivolous　a　pretext；　they　would　plunge
into　war　with　the　same　frivolitywith　a　〃coeur　leger。〃

As　each　division　of　the　district　quickly　followed　the　example　of　another
in　desiring　peace；　in　like　manner　would　they　follow　an　evil　example　in
provoking　hostilities。

They　had　now　professed　friendship　for　the　sake　of　a　few　steaks。　They　had
promised　to　carry　our　baggage　into　the　interior。　If　they　would　only　be
true　to　this　offer；　I　should　be　able　to　transport　the　steamer；　as　the
natives　could　easily　drag　the　two…wheeled　carts。　Although　I　doubted
their　professions；　I　had　some　secret　hopes　of　success；　and　I　resolved　to
do　all　in　my　power　to　establish　confidence。　I　therefore　invited　two　very
intelligent　natives　to　pay　me　a　visit；　and　to　reside　some　time　at
Gondokoro；　where　they　would　witness　the　general　management　of　the
station；　and　see　the　workshops；　&c。　They　would　also　see　the　vast　herds
of　cattle　belonging　to　the　government；　the　spoil　of　the　Bari　war。　This
would　be　a　sight　most　interesting　to　the　eyes　of　Baris；　as　it　would　be　a
lesson　of　the　great　power　of　the　government　to　either　punish　or　reward。

In　the　afternoon　I　was　visited　by　other　native　headmen　from　the　east
side　of　the　Nile。　These　people　had　swum　the　river；　and　had　followed　the
example　of　the　other　natives　to　sue　for　peace；　and　to　beg　for　elephant's
flesh。

This　extraordinary　craving　for　flesh　would　suggest　that　the　Baris　were
devoid　of　cattle。　On　the　contrary；　there　are　countless　herds　throughout
the　country；　but　the　natives　have　a　great　objection　to　kill　them；　and
merely　keep　the　cows　for　their　milk；　and　the　bullocks　to　bleed。

The　cows　are　also　bled　periodically；　and　the　blood　is　boiled　and　eaten；
much　in　the　same　manner　that　black　pudding　is　used　throughout　Europe。　A
herd　of　cattle　will　thus　provide　animal　food　without　the　necessity　of
slaughtering。

The　great　traveller；　Bruce；　was　discredited　for　having　described　a　fact
of　which　he　was　an　eye…witness。　This　was　the　vivisection　of　a　cow；
driven　by　natives；　who　cut　a　steak　out　of　her　hind…quarters。

I　had　a　bull　with　a　very　large　hump。　（This　bull　was　left　at　Fort
Fatiko。）　This　animal　was　very　handsome；　and　was　kept　for　stock。　I
observed　that　the　skin　of　the　hump　showed　a　long　jagged　scar　from　end　to
end；　and　my　people　assured　me　that　this　bull　had　frequently　been
operated　upon。　It　had　been　the　property　of　one　of　the　slave…hunters'
parties；　and　they　had　been　in　the　habit　of　removing　the　hump　（as　a
surgeon　would　a　tumour）。　This　is　the　most　delicate　portion　of　the　meat；
and　I　was　assured　that　the　hump　would　always　be　replaced　by　a　similar
growth　after　each　operation。

On　18th　November；　I　commenced　the　march　homewards。　The　natives　were　now
friendly　throughout　the　route；　and　my　men　were　strictly　forbidden　to
enter　a　village。　There　was　a　great　change　in　my　officers　and　troops；
they　had　fallen　into　my　ways　and　obeyed　every　order　with　alacrity。　They
had　learned　to　place　thorough　reliance　upon　any　plans　that　were
arranged；　and；　now　that　they　knew　the　necessity　of　obedience　and
discipline；　they　had；　imperceptibly　to　themselves；　changed　from　ruffians
into　very　orderly　soldiers。

On　the　march　homewards；　upon　arrival　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　I　made
an　excursion　inland；　as　this　was　a　portion　of　the　country　that　I　had　not
yet　visited；　though　only　six　miles　from　Gondokoro。　The　natives　were　very
shy；　but　I　at　length　succeeded　in　obtaining　an　interview　with　their
sheik；　a　tall　powerful　fellow；　named　Meri。　I　explained　that　I　required
no　corn；　nor　any　supplies；　except　stone。　（This　sheik　Meri　and　his
people　always　remained　faithful　to　the　government　from　that　day。）

The　country　abounded　with　pieces　of　gneiss　with　a　very　straight
cleavage；　that　suited　them　admirably　for　building　purposes。　All　the
granaries　of　this　country　were　supported　upon　pillars　formed　of　single
stones；　about　three　feet　long。　The　houses　were　also　protected　by　large
flat　stones　arranged　like　tiles　around　the　base；　and　thus　securing　the
sides　from　the　driven　storms　of　rain。

On　19th　November；　I　returned　to　Gondokoro　highly　satisfied　with　the
result　of　the　campaign。　Not　only　were　my　magazines　all　filled　with　more
than　twelve　months'　supply　of　corn；　but　I　had　established　peace
throughout　a　large　and　powerful　district；　and　I　had　received　promises　of
assistance；　and　an　assurance　of　allegiance　to　the　government。

Abou　Saood；　who　had　received　permission　to　go　to　Khartoum；　had　only　gone
down　the　river　as　far　as　his　station　at　the　Bohr。　There　he　had　made
arrangements　with　his　people　that　the　ivory　from　Latooka　station；　100
miles　east　of　Gondokoro；　should　avoid　my　head…quarters；　and　be　conveyed
by　an　oblique　course　to　the　Bohr。　By　this　swindle；　the　government　would
be　cheated　out　of　the　share　of　two…fifths　of　the　ivory　which　belonged　to
them　by　contract　with　Agad　&　Co。

Abou　Saood　having　personally　witnessed　the　departure　of　the　troops　to
Khartoum；　considered　his　game　as　won；　and　that　the　expedition；　now
reduced　to　only　502　officers　and　men；　would　be　compelled　to　centralize
at　Gondokoro；　without　the　possibility　of　penetrating　the　interior。　He
had　thus　started　for　his　stat