that simple travelling was my object, and they were
shortly convinced that I was intent- upon espionage in
their nefarious ivory business and slave-hunting O*
In conversing with the traders, and assuring them
that my object was entirely confined to a search for
the Nile sources, and an inquiry for Speke and Grant,
I heard a curious report that had been brought down
by the natives from the interior, that at some Ogreat
distance to the south there were two white men who
had been for a long time prisoners of a sultan; and
that these men had wonderful JireworJcs; that both had
been very ill, and that one had died.
It was in vain that I endeavoured to obtain some
further clue to this exciting report. There was a
rumour that some native had a piece of wood with
marks upon it that had belonged to the white men ■
but upon inquiry I found that this account was only a
report given by some distant tribe. Nevertheless, I
attached great importance to the rumour, as there was
no white man south of Gondokoro engaged in the
ivory trade ; therefore there was a strong probability
that the report had some connexion with the existence
of Speke and Grant. I had heard, when in Khartoum,
that the most advanced trading station was about
fifteen days march from Gondokoro, and my plan of
operations had always projected a direct advance to
that station, where I had intended to leave all my
heavy baggage in dépôt, and to proceed from thence as
a “point do départ ” to the south. I now understood
that the party were expected to arrive at Gondokoro
from that station with ivory in a few days, and I
determined to wait for their arrival, and to return with
them in company. Their ivory porters returning,
might carry my baggage, and thus save the backs of
my transport animals.
I accordingly amused myself at Gondokoro, exercising
my horses in riding about the neighbourhood,
and studying the place and people.
The native dwellings are the perfection of cleanliness
; the domicile of each family is surrounded by a
hedge of the impenetrable euphorbia, and the interior
of the inclosure generally consists of a yard neatly
plastered with a cement of ashes, cow-dung, and
sand. Upon this cleanly-swept surface are one or
more huts surrounded by granaries of neat wickerwork,
thatched, resting upon raised platforms. The
huts have projecting, roofs in order to afford a
shade, and the entrance is usually about two feet
high.
When a member of the family dies he is buried in
the yard ; a few ox-horns and skulls are suspended on
a pole above the spot, while the top of the pole is