follow. Previous to leaving Khartoum I had felt convinced
that I could not succeed with such villains for
escort as these Khartoumers : thus I had applied to
the Egyptian authorities for a few troops, hut had been
refused. I was now in an awkward position. All my
men had received five months’ wages in advance, according
to the custom of the White Nile ; thus I had
no control over them. There were no Egyptian
authorities in G-ondokoro ; it was a nest of robbers,
and my men had just exhibited so pleasantly their
attachment to me, and their fidelity. There was no
European beyond G-ondokoro, thus I should be the only
white man among this colony of wolves; and I had in
perspective a difficult and uncertain path, where the
only chance of success lay in the complete discipline
of my escort, and the perfect organization of the expedition.
After the scene just enacted I felt Sure that
my escort would give me more cause of anxiety than
the acknowledged hostility of the natives.
I made arrangements with a Circassian trader, Koor-
shid Aga, for the purchase of a few oxen, and a fat
beast was immediately slaughtered for the men. They
were shortly in the best humour, feasting upon masses
of flesh cut in strips and laid for a few minutes upon
the embers, while the regular meal was being prepared.
They were now almost affectionate, vowing that they
would follow me to the end of the world; while the
late ringleader, in spite of his countenance being rather
painted in the late row, declared that no man would
be so true as himself, and that every “ arrow should
pass through him before it should reach me” in the v
event of a conflict with the natives. A very slight
knowledge of human nature was required to foresee
the future with such an escort:—if love and duty
were dependent upon full bellies, mutiny and disorder
would appear with hard fare. However, by having
parade every morning at a certain hour I endeavoured
to establish a degree of regularity. I had been waiting
at Gondokoro twelve days, expecting the arrival of
Debono’s party from the south, with whom I wished
to return. Suddenly, on the 15th February, I heard
the rattle of musketry at a great distance, and a
dropping fire from the south. To give an idea of the
moment I must extract verbatim from my journal as
written at the time.
I Guns firing in the distance; Debono’s ivory porters
arriving, for whom I have waited. My men
rushed madly to my boat, with the report that two
white men were with them who had come from the
sea! Could they be Speke and Grant ? Off I ran,
and soon met them in reality; hurrah for old England
!! they had come from the Victoria N’yanza,
H %