upon their assumed territory. Koorshid’s men would
refuse to advance by that route; my men, if alone;,
will be afraid to travel, and will find some excuse for
not proceeding ; from the very outset they have been
an absolute burthen upon me, receiving a monthly
allowance of two pounds of beads per head for doing
literally nothing, after having ruined the independence
of my expedition by their mutiny at Gondokoro.”
“ Aug. 23d.—My last camel died to-day; thus
all my horses and camels are dead, and only eight
donkeys remain out of twenty-one ; most of these will
die, if not all. There can be no doubt that the excessive
wet in all the food, owing to the constant rain
and dew, is the principal cause of disease. The camels,
horses, and donkeys of the Soudan, all thrive in the
hot dry air of that country, and are unsuited for this
damp climate.
“ Had I been without transport animals, my expedition
could not have left Gondokoro, as there was no
possibility of procuring porters. I had always expected
that my animals would die, but I had hoped they
would have carried me to the equator: this they would
have accomplished during the two months of comparative
dry weather following my arrival at Gondokoro,
had not the mutiny thwarted all my plans, and thrown
me into the wet season. My animals have delivered
me at Obbo, and have died in inaction, instead of
wearing out upon the road, Had I been able to start
direct from Gondokoro, as I had intended, my animals
would have delivered me in Kamrasi’s country before
the arrival of the heavy rains.
“ There is an excellent species of gourd in Obbo ;
it is pear-shaped, about ten inches long, and seven in
diameter, with a white skin, and warts upon the surface;
this is the most delicate and the best-flavoured that I
have ever eaten.
“ There are two varieties of castor-oil plant in this
country—one with a purple stem and bright red veins
in the leaves, that is remarkably handsome. Also a
wild plantain, with a erimson stem to the le a f; this
does not grow to the height of the common plantain,
but is simply a plume of leaves springing from the
ground without a parent stem.”
“ Aug. 30th.—Mrs. Baker and I made a morning
call for the first time upon old Katchiba by his express
desire. His courtyard was cemented and clean, about
a hundred feet in diameter, surrounded by palisades,
which were overgrown with gourds and the climbing
yam, Collololo. There were several large huts in the
inclosure, belonging to his wives; he received us
very politely, and begged us to enter his principal
residence; it was simply arranged, being the usual