all, until the following day, when we made a march
parallel to the Nile, and arrived at Jaifi.
The [Nile and Jb l .Kukri
This was a collection of huts close to a deep nullah
which drains the central portions of Eastern
To Jaifi, i i&. At this place the Turks killed a crocodile
and ate him on the spot, much to the amusement of
my men, who immediately shook their heads laughingly,
and said, “ Ewa, Allah! are these men, then, Mussulmans 1
Savages in our country don’t much like a crocodile.”
After crossing two nullahs, we reached Apuddo, and at
once I went to see the tree said to have been
To Apuddo, 1 Stitt . i ■■, i • i ■ • i o cut by an Englishman some tune betore.
There, sure enough, was a mark, something like the
letters M. L, on its bark, hut not distinct enough to he
ascertained, because the bark had healed up. In describing
the individual who had done this, the Turks said he
was exactly like myself, for he had a long beard, and a
voice even much resembling mine. He came thus far
with Mahamed from Gondokoro two years ago, and then
returned, because he was alarmed at the accounts the
people gave of the countries to the southward, and he did
not like the prospect of having to remain a whole rainy
season with Mahamed at Faloro. He knew we were
endeavouring to come this way, and directed Mahamed
to point out his name if we did so.
We took up our quarters in the village as usual, but
the Turks remained outside, and carried off all the tops
of the villagers’ huts to make a camp for themselves. I
rebuked them for doing so, but was mildly told they had
no huts of their own. They carried no pots either for
cooking their dinners, and therefore took from the villagers
all that they wanted. It was a fixed custom now,
they told us, and there was no use in our trying to
struggle against it. If the natives were wise, they would
make enough to sell; hut as they would not, they must
put up with their lo t; for the “ government” cannot be
baulked of its ivory. Truly there seemed to he nothing
but misery here; food was so scarce the villagers sought
for wild berries and fruits; whilst the Turks helped themselves
out of their half-filled bins—a small reserve store
to last up to the far-distant harvest. Then, to make
matters worse, all the village chiefs were at war with one
another.
At night a party of warriors walked round our village,
Halt, wa, and but feared to attack it because we were in-
llth” side. Next morning the villagers turned out
and killed two of the enemy; hut the rest, whilst retreating,
sang out that they would not attempt to fight until
“ the guns” were gone—after that, the villagers had better
look out for themselves. I now proposed going on if the
Apina, or chief of the village, would give me a guide; but
he feared to do so lest I should come to grief, and Mahamed
would then he down upon him. Struggling was
useless, for I had no beads to pay my way with, and my
cows were now all finished; so I took the matter quietly,
and went out foraging with the rifle.
2 P