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children　would　be　immediately　captured。

This　onslaught　on　the　village　under　the　protection　of　a　certain　station
would　be　quickly　returned　by　a　counter…attack　upon　a　village　belonging
to　the　encroaching　vakeel。　This　system　was　purposely　adopted；　as　it
served　to　divide　the　country　into　opposing　sections；　which　prevented　the
natives　from　forming　a　general　coalition。

It　may　readily　be　imagined　that　my　arrival　was　hailed　with　satisfaction
by　the　natives　throughout　the　country。　Should　a　stranger　have　filled　my
position；　there　might　have　been　some　suspicion　in　the　minds　of　the
natives；　but　I　had　been　so　well　known　during　my　former　journey；　that　the
people　accepted　the　new　government　with　thorough　confidence。

Wat…el…Mek；　who　was　always　the　discoverer　of　unknown　lands；　had　lately
visited　a　new　country　in　the　east。

It　may　be　remembered　by　the　readers　of　〃The　Albert　N'yanza；〃　that
shortly　before　my　return　from　Shooa　（only　six　miles　from　Fatiko）　a　new
country　named　Lira　had　been　discovered　by　the　vakeel　of　Koorshad
Agha〃Ibrahim。〃　Poor　Ibrahim　was　dead；　otherwise　I　should　have　had　a
good　and　dependable　man。

The　Lira　country　was　rich　in　ivory；　but　the　greatest　prize　discovered
was　the　presence　of　donkeys；　which　are　quite　unknown　in　the　White　Nile
districts。

Wat…el…Mek　had　now　penetrated　beyond　Lira；　and　had　reached　the　country
of　Langgo；　which　was　exceedingly　interesting。

From　the　description　of　the　people；　it　appeared　that　the　portion　of　the
Langgo　visited　by　them　was　entirely　different　from　the　country　between
Gondokoro　and　Unyoro。

The　expedition　HAD　CROSSED　THE　SOBAT　RIVER；　and　had　arrived　in　the
Langgo　about　130　miles　due　east　of　Fatiko。　They　described　the　country　as
similar　to　portions　of　the　Soudan。　Generally；　flat　plains　of　the　rich
grass　known　as　negheel；　which　never　grows　high；　and　is　the　finest
pasturage。　The　trees　were　for　the　most　part　Soont　（Acacia　Arabica）；
which　is　not　met　with　in　the　White　Nile　countries　south　of　the　Sobat
junction。

The　Langgos　were　an　immense　tribe；　but　were；　like　the　Baris；　divided
under　many　chiefs。　These　people　were　exceedingly　large　and　powerful；　and
were　esteemed　as　great　warriors。　They　seldom　ate　flour；　but　lived　upon
the　milk　and　flesh　of　their　innumerable　herds。

The　cattle　were　as　large　as　those　of　England；　and　were　celebrated　for
the　extreme　size　of　their　horns。

Wat…el…Mek　had　made　a　razzia　with　a　very　powerful　force；　collected　from
all　the　stations　of　Abou　Saood；　and　he　had　succeeded　in　capturing　an
enormous　number　of　these　fine　animals；　together　with　a　large　herd　of
donkeys。

These　strange　cattle　would　not　live　at　Fatiko；　as　the　herbage　was　quite
different　to　that　to　which　they　had　been　accustomed。　They　died　in　such
numbers；　that　in　three　months　only　three　or　four　remained　out　of　as　many
thousand。　Thus　all　these　beautiful　beasts　were　wasted。

The　river　Sobat　was　described　as　flowing　from　the　south；　and　was　known
as　the　Chol。　The　Asua　river　is　only　one　day's　march　or　about　twenty
miles；　east　of　Fatiko。　The　Sobat　is　never　dry　and　is　reported　to　be　a
noble　river；　this　suggests　that　Speke　Victoria　N'yanza；　or　the　Bahr
Ingo's　eastern　corner；　must　have　an　effluent　in　addition　to　the　Victoria
Nile；　that　flows　from　M'tese's　capital　of　Uganda。

Beyond　Langgo　there　is　a　country　called　Lobbohr；　which　is　said　to
possess　camels。　In　the　Lobbohr　there　is　a　river　called　Jooba。　This　is；　I
believe；　the　Juba　that　flows　into　the　Indian　Ocean；　as　the　report
continues　that：　〃Arabs　arrive　at　Lobbohr　mounted　upon　camels；　and　armed
with　swords　and　pistols；　but　without　guns。〃　Horses　and　donkeys　are　also
reported　to　exist　in　Lobbohr。

There　can　be　no　doubt　that　most　important　countries　lie　to　the　east　of
Fatiko；　and　should　the　story　of　camels　prove　correct；　there　will　be　no
difficulty　in　opening　up　a　commercial　route。

It　appears　that　at　Langgo　the　demand　for　beads　is　very　great；　as　the
natives　work　them　into　patterns　upon　their　matted　hair。　Ivory　has　little
or　no　value；　and　exists　in　large　quantities。

The　natives　refuse　to　carry　loads；　and　they　transport　an　elephant's　tusk
by　boring　a　hole　in　the　hollow　end；　through　which　they　attach　a　rope；　it
is　then　dragged　along　the　ground　by　a　donkey。　The　ivory　is　thus
seriously　damaged　。　。　。　。　。

Such　was　the　position　of　affairs　at　Fatiko　in　March；　1872。　New　and
important　countries　had　been　investigated；　not　by　explorers　or　traders；
but　by　the　brigands　of　Abou　Saood；　whose　first　introduction　was　the
unprovoked　attack　and　carrying　off　of　slaves　and　cattle。

Such　conduct　could　only　terminate　in　an　extension　of　the　ruin　which　a
similar　course　had　determined　in　every　country　that　had　been　occupied　by
the　traders　of　the　White　Nile。

I　trusted　that　my　arrival　would　create　a　great　reform；　and　restore
confidence　throughout　the　country。　The　news　had　spread　far　and　wide。　The
scarlet　soldiers　were　regarded　as　a　distinct　species；　and　the　report
quickly　circulated；　that　the　〃Pacha's　troops　were　entirely　different
from　any　that　had　hitherto　been　seen；　as　their　clothes　were　red；　and
their　muskets　were　loaded　from　the　wrong　end。〃

I　now　determined　to　establish　a　station　at　Fatiko；　to　represent　the
government　during　my　absence　in　the　south。

Abou　Saood　had　sworn　fidelity。　Of　course　I　did　not　believe　him；　but　as
the　natives　had　welcomed　the　government；　I　could　not　leave　them　without
protection。

It　was　therefore　arranged　with　Abou　Saood　that　after　the　expiration　of
the　contract；　all　operations　should　cease。　He　would　simply　remain　on
sufferance　in　the　country；　until　he　should　be　able　to　transport　his
ivory　to　Gondokoro。　This　could　only　be　effected　by　the　arrival　of
carriers　from　his　stations；　about　180　miles　west　of　the　Nile；　in　the
Makkarika　country。　His　first　step　would　therefore　be　to　communicate　with
the　vakeel　Atroosh；　who　commanded　about　600　men　in　the　west　station。

I　ordered　Abou　Saood　to　disarm　the　seventy　Baris　who　were　in　his　service
at　Fatiko；　as　I　would　not　allow　muskets　to　be　placed　in　the　hands　of
natives　who　were　hostile　to　the　government。

This　he　promised　to　do；　but　of　course　he　evaded　the　order；　by　returning
the　arms　to　the　Baris　the　instant　I　had　departed。

It　may　appear　to　the　public　that　having　〃absolute　and　supreme　power；〃　I
was　absurdly　lenient　towards　Abou　Saood；　whom　I　knew　to　be　so　great　a
villain。　I　confess　to　one　fault。　I　should　have　arrested　and　transported
him　to　Khartoum　when　he　first　arrived　at　Gondokoro　with　the　cattle
stolen　from　the　Shir；　which　caused　the　subsequent　massacre　of　the　five
soldiers　of　the　government。

At　the　same　time　that　I　admit　this　error；　it　must　be　remembered　that　I
was　placed　in　an　awkward　position。

〃Absolute　and　supreme　power〃　is　a　high…sounding　title；　but　how　was　I　to
exert　it？

I　was　an　individual　possessing　a　nominal　power；　the　application　of　which
required　extreme　delicacy。　I　was　determined　to　win；　and　with　God's　help
I　did　win；　but　every　step　necessitated　the　coolest　judgment。　Had　I
adopted　severe　or　extreme　measures　against　Abou　Saood；　I　might　have
ruined　the　expedition　at　commencement。

It　was　impossible　to　know　who　was　faithful。　There　was　a　general　leaning
towards　his　favour　among　all　the　officers；　with　whom　he　had　been　in
close　connection　when　in　Khartoum。　He　was　a　man　in　a　high　social
position　in　the　Soudan；　the　partner　of　the　great　firm　of　Agad　&　Co。；　who
commanded　about　2；500　armed　men。　He　had　worked　for　many　years　in　company
with　the　government；　according　to　his　connection　by　agreement　with　the
governor…general。

I　knew　that　I　had　him　in　my　power；　provided　I　should　be　supported　by　the
authorities　in　Egypt；　therefore　I　gave　him　line；　and　occasionally　held
him　tight；　as　though　he　had　been　a　salmon　on　a　single　gut；　but　I　was
determined　to　land　him　safe　at　last；　in　such　a　manner　that　his　greatest
supporter　should　be　obliged　to　acknowledge　that　he　had　received　the
fairest　play。　Abou　Saood's　Fatiko　station　was　crowded　with　slaves。　His
people　were　all　paid　in　slaves。　The　stations　of　Fabbo；　Faloro；　and
Farragenia　were　a　mass　of　slaves。

I　did　not　enter　a　station　to　interfere　with　these　wretched　captives；　as
I　knew　that　such　an　act　would　create　irretrievable　confusion。

I　had　only　212　men；　and　I　wished　to　advance　to　the　equator。

Fatiko　was　in　north　latitude　3　degrees　01　minutes；　and　165　miles　from
headquarters。　Had　I　attempted　to　release　some　thousand　slaves　from　the
different　stations；　I　should　have　required　a　large　military　force　to
have　occupied　those　stations；　and　to　have　driven　out　the　whole　of　the
slave…hunters　bodily。

If　the　slaves　had　been　released；　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　have
returned　them　to　their　homes；　as　they　had　been　collected　from　every
quarter　of　the　compass　and　from　great　distances。　If　I　had　kept　them；　I
could　not　have　procured　food　for　so　large　a　number：　as　the　stations
contained　several　thousand。

Under　the　circumstances；　I　took　the　wiser　course　of　non…interference
with　the　stock　in　hand；　but　I　issued　the　most　severe　orders　respecting
the　future　conduct　of　Abou　Saood's　companies。　I　arranged　to　leave　a
detachment　of　100　men；　under　the　command　of　Major　Abdullah；　to　form　a
station　adjoining　that　of　Abou　Saood　in　Fatiko；　together　with　the
heavier　baggage　and　the　greater　portion　of　the　ammunition。

The　government　would　be　thus　represented　by　a　most　respectable　and
civilized　officer；　who　would　give　confidence　and　protection　to　the
country；　as　I　concluded　that　the　prestige　of　the　Khedive　would　be
sufficient　to　establish　order　among　his　subjects；　by　the　representation
of　one　of　his　officers　and　a　detachment　of　100　troops。

I　gave　orders　to　Gimoro　and　Shooli　to　prepare　carriers　for　the　journey
to　Unyoro。

An　untoward　occurrence　had　taken　place　shortly　after　our　arrival　at
Fatiko。

As　has　already　been　described；　the　Lobore　natives　had　not　only　cheated
us　out　of　many　cows　that　had　been　received；　for　which　the　carriers　had
not　been　forthcoming；　but　numbers　had　deserted　on　the　road；　which　had
caused　the　troops　great　trouble　and　fatigue；　as　they　had　been　obliged　to
divide　among　them　the　abandoned　loads。　Upon　our　arrival　at　Fatiko；　the
son　of　sheik　Abbio；　of　Lobore；　would　have　absconded　with　all　his　people；
had　he　not　been　retain