C H A P T E R XX.
MADI.
JUNCTION OF THE TWO HEMISPHERES—THE FIRST CONTACT WITH
PERSONS ACQUAINTED WITH EUROPEAN HABITS—INTERRUPTIONS
AND PLOTS— THE MYSTERIOUS MAHAMED—NATIVE REVELRIES—
THE PLUNDERING AND TYRANNY OF THE TURKS — THE RASCALITIES
OF THE IVORY TRADE— FEELING FOR THE NILE —
TAKEN TO SEE A MARK LEFT BY A EUROPEAN— BUFFALO,
ELAND, AND RHINOCEROS STALKING— MEET BAKER— PETHERICK’S
ARRIVAL AT GONDOKORO.
A fter receiving more pombd from the chief, and, strange
to say, hot water to wash with—for he did
To Faioro, 3d . how else he could show hospitality
better—we started again in the same straggling manner as
yesterday. In two hours we reached the palace of Pid-
joko, a chief of some pretensions, and were , summoned to
stop and drink pomM In my haste to meet Petherick’s
expedition, I would listen to nothing, hut pushed rapidly
on, despite all entreaties to stop, both from the chief and
from my porters, who, I saw clearly, wished to do me out
of another day.
Half my men, however, did stop there, but with the
other half Grant and I went on; and, as the sun was
setting, we came in sight of what we thought was Petherick’s
outpost, N. lat. 3° 10' 33", and E. long. 31° 50’ 457/.
My men, as happy as we were ourselves, now begged I
would allow them to fire their guns, and prepare the
Turks for our reception. Crack, bang, went their carbines,
and in another instant crack, bang, was heard from the
northerners’ camp, when, like a swarm of bees, every
height and other conspicuous place was covered with
men. Our hearts leapt with an excitement of joy only
known to those who have escaped from long-continued
banishment among barbarians, once more to meet with
civilised people, and join old friends. Every minute increased
this excitement. We saw three large red flags
heading a military procession, which marched out of the
camp with drums and fifes playing. I halted and allowed
them to draw near. When they did so, a very black
man, named Mahamed, in full Egyptian regimentals, with
a curved sword, ordered his regiment to halt, and threw
himself into my arms, endeavouring to hug and kiss me,
Rather staggered at this unexpected manifestation of
affection, which was like a conjunction of the two hemispheres,
I gave him a squeeze in return for his hug, but
raised my head above the reach of his lips, and asked
who was his master ? “ Petrik,” was the reply. “ And
where is Petherick now ?” “ Oh, he is coming.” “ How
is it you have not got English colours, then V’ “ The
colours are Debono’s.” “Who is Debono?” “ The same
as Petrik; but come along into my camp, and let us talk
it out there;” saying which, Mahamed ordered his regiment
(a ragamuffin mixture of Nubians, Egyptians, and
slaves of all sorts, about two hundred in number) to rightabout,
and we were guided by him, whilst his men kept
up an incessant drumming and fifing, presenting arms, and
firing, until we reached his huts, situated in a village
kept exactly in the same order as that of the natives.
Mahamed then gave us two beds to sit upon, and ordered
bis wives to advance on their knees and give us coffee,
whilst other men brought pombd, and prepared us a dinner
of bread and honey and mutton.
A large shed was cleared for Grant and myself, and all