Atthisreply，theking，withoutalteringhispositionorexpression，said，”ThenwhoamI?”
TheKoordiraisedhiseyesforthefirsttime，andlookedatQuatKare，butsaidnothing；heonlypuffed——thepipedidnotseemtodrawwell。Atlengthafairvolumeofsmokewasemitted，andtheKoordiansweredbyaquestion：”IfyouareQuatKare，whydidyouhideyourself?whydidyounotpresentyourselfbeforemeatFashoda?thenIshouldhaveknownthatyouwerealive。”
QuatKareregardedhimfixedly，andherepliedslowly，”Whereareallmycattlethatyoustole?wherearethewomenandchildrenthatyoukidnapped?Iconsideredthatifyoutookmycattleandcapturedmypeople，youmightprobablytakeME，thereforeIdeclinedtheopportunity。”
TheKoordipuffedandpuffedvigorously，butthelongpipedidnotdraw；
somethinghadevidentlychokedthetube。
Itwouldbetedioustodescribethewholedialogue，buttherewasnoquestionthattheoldShillookkinghadthebestoftheargument；
therefore，afteralongdiscussion，duringwhichthekingwascontinuallypromptedbyhisfavouritewife，inexcitedwhispersthateveryonecouldhear，Iexaminedboththegovernorandthekinguponvariouspoints；andcametotheconclusionthatthegovernorwasagreatscoundrel，andthekingaverycunningfellow；atthesametimehehadbeenshamefullytreated。TheKoordihadreportedhimasdead，andobtainedafirmanconferringthetitleofSheikoftheShillooksuponanimpostor，whohadbeenabrandenemyofQuatKare。SincethattimetheadherentsofQuatKarehadbeensubjecttoconstantraidsandpillage，andtheoldkingwasafugitive，who，ifcaughtbytheKoordi，wouldassuredlyhavebeenquietlyputOUTOFTHEWAY。[*]
[*Footnote：Eventuallytheoldking，QuatKare，wasimprisonedatFashoda，anddiedinamysteriousmanner。Therearenocoroners’
inquestsinCentralAfrica。
Idecidedthattheaffairmustbesettledinthefollowingmanner：——I
explainedthatIhadnojurisdictionintheShillookcountry，whichwasunderthegovernmentofAliBey，theKoordi；butasIheldthepositiveandspecialordersoftheKhedivetosuppresstheslavetrade，Ihadbeencompelledtointerfereandtoreleasethosecaptiveswhohadbeenthusshamelesslykidnapped。
Withregardtothegeneralpillageofthecountryinsteadofdirecttaxation，thegovernorwouldexplainhisconducttotheKhedive。
WithregardtothefalsereportofQuatKare’sdeath，therecouldbenodoubtthatthefirmanforhisrivalJangyhadbeenobtainedfromtheKhediveunderfalsepretences。
IthereforerecommendedQuatKareandhissonstogodirecttoKhartoum，andpleadhiscauseatthedivanofDjiafferPacha，whowasthegovernor-generaloftheSoudan，whichincludedtheShillookcountry；
thusthewholeaffairwaswithinhisjurisdiction。IalsoexplainedthatIshouldsendanofficialdespatchtotheKhediveofEgypt，andalsotoDjiafferPacha，describingthegeneralstateoftheShillookcountryandthespecialcaseofQuatKare，withadirectreportuponthekidnappingofslavesbythegovernment’srepresentative。
Atthesametime，IassuredQuatKareandhispeoplethattheKhedivehadonlyoneobjectinformingagovernment：thiswastoprotectthenativesandtodeveloptheresourcesofthecountry。IpersuadedtheKoordiandQuatKaretobecomefriendsandatoncetodeclarepeace；
thus，allhostilitieshavingceased，theresponsibilityforfurtherdisturbancewouldrestwithhimwhoshouldrecommenceabreachofthepeace。
IadvisedtheShillookkingtoforgetthepast，wheretherehadevidentlybeenamistake，andheshouldtrusttohisapplicationtoDjiafferPacha，whowouldspeedilygivehimjustice。TheShillookkingthenreplied，withoutmovingamuscleofhisfeatures，”IfIforgetthepast，whatistobecomeofallmycattlethattheKoordihasstolenfromme?Ishegoingtoreturnthem，orkeepthemhimself，andforgetthepast?Ican’tforgetmycows。”
Thispracticalquestionwasdifficulttoanswer。TheKoordi’spipewasout：hethereforerosefromhisseatandretired，leavingthestoicalQuatKaremasterofhisposition，butnotofhiscattle。IadvisedhimtosaynothingmoreuntilheshouldseeDjiafferPacha，andhewouldreceiveadirectreplyfromtheKhedive。
QuatKare，withhiswivesanddaughtersandgeneralretinue，determinedtopassthenightinourstation。
Ithereforeorderedanoxtobekilledfortheirentertainment。IgavethekingalargeCashmerescarf，alsooneofredprintedcotton，andadozensmallharnessbells，whichheimmediatelyarrangedasanklets。Hisusuallyunchangeablecountenancerelaxedintoasmileofsatisfactionashetookleave，andthebellstinkledateveryfootstepashedeparted。
QuatKarenevereatsordrinksinthepresenceofhispeople，buthisfoodistakentohimeitherwithinahutortoalonelytree。
OnthefollowingmorningboththegovernorofFashodaandtheoldkingreturnedtotheirrespectivehomes。
Onthe10thMay，asailwasreportedbythesentriesinthesouth。Noneoftheslave-tradershadanyintelligenceofmystationatTewfikeeyah。
ThepeopleofKutchukAli，ontheBahrGiraffe，wereundertheimpressionthatwehadreturneddirecttoKhartoum。IwasrathercurioustoknowwhethertheywouldpresumetosendslavesdowntheWhiteNileduringthisseason，knowingthattheKhedivehadsentmeexpresslytosuppressthetrade。IcouldnotbelievethattheKoordigovernorofFashodawouldhavetheaudacitytoallowthefreepassageofslavevesselsafterthestringentordersthathadbeengiven。AlthoughIhadheardthatthisgovernorhadamassedaconsiderablefortunebytheestablishmentofatollperheadforeveryslavethatpassedFashoda，I
imaginedthathewouldthisyearmakeuphismindthattherichharvestwasover。
Ifanyvesselsshouldattempttodescendwithslavecargoes，theymustpassmynewstation，ofwhichtheywereignorant，andthefactwouldprovethecomplicityofthegovernorofFashoda，asitwouldsubstantiateallthereportsthatIhadheardconcerninghisconnivancewiththeslave-traders。ThestrangesailnowreportedwasrapidlyapproachingonherroutetoKhartoum，withouttheslightestsuspicionthatalargemilitarystationwasestablishedwithinfourmilesoftheSobatjunction。Ifguilty，shewasthusapproachingthejawsofthelion。
Asshenearedthestation，shemusthavediscoveredthelongrowofmastsandyardsofthefleetmooredalongsidethequay。Ofthesesheappearedtotakenonotice，andkeepingwellinthemiddleoftheriver，shewouldhavepassedthestation，andcontinuedonhervoyage。Thislookedverysuspicious，andIatoncesentaboattoorderhertohalt。
Whenshewasbroughtalongside，Isentmytrustyaide-de-camp，ColonelAbd-el-Kader，onboardtomakethenecessaryinquiries。Shewasquiteinnocent。Thecaptainandthevakeelagentandcommanderofstation
wereamazedatmythinkingitnecessarytosearchtheirvessel。Shehadaquantityofcornonboard，stowedinbulk。TherewasnotapersonbesidethecrewandafewsoldiersfromKutchukAli’sstation。
ThevakeelwasthesamewhomIhadseenatthestationattheBahrGiraffe，towhomIhadgivenadvicethatheshouldnotattempttosendslavesdowntheriveragain。Allwasinorder。ThevesselbelongedtoKutchukAli，whonowcommandedthegovernmentexpeditionsentbyDjiafferPachatotheBahrGazal。Shewasladenwithivorybeneaththecorn，whichwasforthesupplyofthecrewandsoldiers。
ColonelAbd-el-Kaderwasanexcellentofficer；hewasoneoftheexceptionswhotookagreatinterestintheexpedition，andhealwaysservedmefaithfully。Hewasafinepowerfulman，upwardsofsixfeethigh，andnotonlyactive，butextremelydetermined。Hewasgenerallycalled”theEnglishman”byhisbrotherofficers，asabittercomplimentreflectingonhisdebasedtasteforChristiansociety。ThisofficerwasnotthemantoneglectasearchbecausetheagentofKutchukAliprotestedhisinnocence，andexhibitedtheapparentlynakedcharacterofhisvessel。Sheappearedsuspiciouslyfullofcornforaboathomewardbound。Therewasanawkwardsmellabouttheclosely-boardedforecastlewhichresembledthatofunwashednegroes。Abd-el-Kaderdrewasteelramrodfromasoldier’srifle，andprobedsharplythroughthecorn。
Asmotheredcryfrombeneath，andawrigglingamongthecorn，wassucceededbyawoollyhead，asthestrongAbd-el-Kader，havingthrusthislongarmintothegrain，draggedforthbythewristanegrowoman。
Thecornwasatonceremoved；theplankswhichboardeduptheforecastleandthesternwerebrokendown，andtherewasamassofhumanityexposed，boys，girls，andwomen，closelypackedlikeherringsinabarrel；whounderthefearofthreatshadremainedperfectlysilentuntilthusdiscovered。Thesailattachedtothemainyardofthevesselappearedfullandheavyinthelowerpart；thiswasexamined，anduponunpacking，ityieldedayoungwomanwhohadthusbeensewnuptoavoiddiscovery。
Thecasewasimmediatelyreportedtome。Iatonceorderedthevesseltobeunloaded。Wediscoveredonehundredandfiftyslavesstowedawayinamostinconceivablysmallarea。Thestenchwashorriblewhentheybegantomove。Manywereinirons；thesewerequicklyreleasedbytheblacksmiths，totheastonishmentofthecaptives，whodidnotappeartounderstandtheproceeding。
Iorderedthevakeel，andthereisorcaptainofthevessel，tobeputinirons。Theslavesbegantocomprehendthattheircaptorswerenowcaptives。Theynowbegantospeak，andmanydeclaredthatthegreaterportionofthemenoftheirvillageshadbeenkilledbytheslave-hunters。
Havingweighedtheivoryandcountedthetusks，Ihadthevesselreloaded；andhavingplacedanofficerwithaguardonboard，IsenthertoKhartoumtobeconfiscatedasaslaver。
Iorderedtheslavestowash，andissuedclothesfromthemagazineforthenakedwomen。
OnthefollowingdayIinspectedthecaptives，andIexplainedtothemtheirexactposition。Theywerefreepeople，andiftheirhomeswereatareasonabledistancetheyshouldbereturned。Ifnottheymustmakethemselvesgenerallyuseful，inreturnforwhichtheywouldbefedandclothed。
Ifanyofthewomenwishedtomarry，thereweremanyfineyoungmenintheregimentswhowouldmakecapitalhusbands。Igaveeachpersonapaperoffreedom，signedbymyself。Thiswascontainedinahollowreedandsuspendedroundtheirnecks。Theirnames，approximateage，sex，andcountrywereregisteredinabookcorrespondingwiththenumbersontheirpapers。
Thesearrangementsoccupiedthewholemorning。IntheafternoonIagaininspectedthem。Havingaskedtheofficerwhetheranyofthenegresseswouldwishtobemarried，herepliedthatallthewomenwishedtomarry，andthattheyhadalreadyselectedtheirhusbands！
Thiswaswholesalematrimony，thatrequiredachurchaslargeasWestminsterAbbey，andawholecompanyofclergy！
Fortunately，mattersarebrieflyarrrangedinAfrica。Isawthelovingcouplesstandinghandinhand。Someofthegirlswerepretty，andmyblacktroopshadshowngoodtasteintheirselection。Unfortunately，however，fortheEgyptianregiment，theblackladieshadastrongantipathytobrownmen，andthesuitorswereallrefused。Thiswasaveryawkwardaffair。Theladieshavingreceivedtheirfreedom，atonceasserted”woman’srights。”
Iwasobligedtolimitthematrimonialengagements，andthosewhowereforatimecondemnedtosingleblessednesswereplacedinchargeofcertainofficerstoperformthecookingforthetroopsandotherdomesticwork。Idividedtheboysintoclasses；someIgavetotheEnglishworkmentobeinstructedincarpenter’sandblacksmith’swork；
otherswereapprenticedtotailors，shoemakers，&c。，intheregiment，whilethebestlookingwereselectedasdomesticservants。Anicelittlegirl，ofaboutthreeyearsold，withoutparents，wastakencareofbymywife。