”Itwouldbeadisgracetotoleratethesethieves，asGondokoroisrenderedaperfecthell，andthenativeswillnaturallyabhoranylawfulgovernmentsolongastheycanconsortandsharespoilswithsuchbrigandsastheseso-calledtradersofKhartoum。”UponmyreturnhomeIwroteanofficiallettertoAbouSaoodofwhichthefollowingisacopy：——”ISMAILIA，orGONDOKORO，June12，1871。”ToAbouSaood，vakeelofthefirmofAgad&Co。”Sir，”Youarrivedhereonthe10thinst。withalargenumberofcattlestolenbyyouandyourpeople。”You，knowingthattheBariswereatwarwiththegovernment，haveneverthelessbeenindailyandfriendlycommunicationwiththem。”TheBarisofthiscountryarerenderedhostiletoallhonestgovernmentbytheconductofyourpeople，who，bystealingslavesandcattlefromtheinterior，anddeliveringthemhere，haveutterlydestroyedallhopeofimprovementinapeoplenaturallysavage，butnowrenderedbyyouractsthievesoftheworstdescription。”ItisimpossiblethatIcanpermitthecontinuanceofsuchacts。”Ithereforegiveyouduenoticethatattheexpirationofyourcontractyouwillwithdrawallyourpeoplefromthedistrictundermycommand。AtthesametimeIdeclaretheforfeituretothegovernmentofthecattleyouhaveforciblycapturedundertheeyesofmyauthority。”SAMUELW。BAKER。”
TheonlyerrorthatIcanacknowledgethroughouttheexpeditionwasmypresentleniency。IshouldatoncehaveplacedAbouSaoodinirons，andhavesenthimtoKhartoum，insteadofleavinghimatlargetocarryonhisintriguesagainstthegovernment。
IintendedonthefirstopportunitytosendnoticetotheShirtribeofthesafetyoftheircattle，butanincidentshortlyoccurredthatalteredmydetermination。Thesecattlewerekeptinaseparatepenorzareeba，andwereguardedwhenatpasturagebyspecialsoldiersforsomeweeks，inorderthattheyshouldbereturnedtotheShirtribeuponthefirstopportunity。
AtthesametimethatAbouSaoodwasindisgrace，hewasabosomfriendofthecolonel，RaoufBey，whocommandedmytroops。Theydinedtogetherconstantlyinthehouseofthelatterofficer，andtheirfriendshiphadoriginallycommencedinKhartoumduringthelongintervalthattheregimentswereawaitingmyarrivalfromCairo。ItwasduringthatintervalthattheofficersoftheexpeditionhadfraternizedwiththeWhiteNiletraderswhoresidedatKhartoum。
Theresultofsuchintimacymightbeimagined。
Theobjectoftheexpeditionhadalwaysbeendistastefultobothofficersandmen。Thetradershadalreadyseenbythe，examplesmadeatTewfikeeyahthatIshouldactuallydestroytheircherishedslave-trade。
ItwasthereforenaturalthatAbouSaoodshouldexerthimselftoruintheexpedition。HavingfriendinRaoufBey，hewasinapositiontocreatedivisionofopinion。Heconstantlyassociatedwiththisofficer，inorderthatitshouldbegenerallyknownthathewassupportedbyaninfluentialpersoninthegovernmentservice。Thescandalofthecampquicklyassumedthattheopinionsconcerningtheslave-tradersbetweenmyselfandRaoufBeywereatvariance。
Theofficersoftheexpeditionhad，contrarytomyexpressorders，purchased126slavesfromthestationsofthetradersduringtheWhiteNilevoyage！IhadonlylearntthisonarrivalatGondokoro；thuswhencornwassoscarcethattherationswerereduced，whilethoseofmeatwereincreased，wehadanadditionof126mouths！
Thepolicyoftheslave-traderswasidenticalwiththefeelingsoftheofficersandmen，allofwhomwishedtoabandontheexpeditionandreturntoKhartoum。AbouSaoodworkedmolelikeinhisintrigues。HefraternizedsecretlywithAllorronandhisBaris。Manyofhismenpurchasedtobaccofromthenativesinexchangeforammunition。ThenativesfromBelinianwereindailycommunicationwithAbouSaood’scamp，andtheirspiesobtainedinformationofourproceedings，andcarriedthenewsthroughoutthecountrythat”theywouldbesupportedbyAbouSaoodagainstmyauthority。”
Ilearnteverythingthatoccurredthroughtrustworthyagents。ItquicklybecameknownthatRaoufBeywasdesiroustoterminatetheexpedition。
Thecontagionspreadrapidly，andthemenworkedlanguidlyandwithouttheslightestinterest：theyhadmadeuptheirmindsthattheexpeditionwasafailure，andthatascarcityofcornwouldbetheirexcuseforareturntoKhartoum。AbouSaoodfannedtheflameamongtheofficers，anddiscontentbecamegeneral。
InthemeantimetheBariswereveryactiveinannoyingthecampatnight。Althoughthesenativescouldnotstandagainstthetroopsintheopen，theyharassedthembynecessitatingaperpetualvigilancebothbynightandday。Itwasnecessarytohavestrongpatrolsintwopartiesatallhours；andIregrettosaytheEgyptianofficersandmendidnotappeartoenjoyastateofwarwhereactivityandgooddisciplinewereabsolutelynecessary。TheSoudaniofficersandmen，althoughignorant，werefarsuperiortotheEgyptiansinactivityandcourage。
Unfortunatelythecampwassickly。Themennowsufferedfromthefatigueofthelongvoyagethroughslushandmarsh。Manyhadfeveranddysentery。Ulceratedlegswereprevalent；andthisdiseaseappearedtobecontagious。Manymendiedfromthesemalignantulcers，whichinsomecasesentirelydestroyedthefoot。Thewomendidnotsufferfromthiscomplaint。Itoriginatedfromapoisonousgrassthatfesteredthewounditgave，andrapidlyproducedanincurablesore。Asthewomenhadnotbeenexposedtotheworkinthemarshes，theyhadescapedthescourgeinflictedbythesharpedgesofthegrass。
Therewasnorestforthepeople；theyhadtobuildtheircampandfighttheBarisatthesametime。Ascarcityofcornstaredthemintheface。
TheofficersandmenwerewellawarethatwecouldnothopeforregularsuppliesofcornandreinforcementsoftroopsfromKhartouminthedreadfulstateoftheriver：thustheyfelttheirpositionkeenly，assick，dispirited，inthemidstofenemies，withapproachingfamineofcorn，andnocommunicationwiththeSoudan。Allthesedifficultiesweretobeenduredforthesakeofanobjectwhichtheydetested——”thesuppressionoftheslavetrade。”
CHAPTERIX。
NEWENEMIES
Ourenemieswerenotconfinedtothelandonly：thecrocodilesintheneighbourhoodofGondokorowereexceedinglyferocious。Asthenativesweresomuchinthehabitofswimmingtoandfrowiththeircattle，thesewilycreatureshadbeenalwaysaccustomedtoclaimatollintheshapeofacow，calf，ornigger。TwoofAbouSaood’ssailorswerecarriedoffontwoconsecutivedays。Oneofmysoldiers，whileengagedwithmanyothersinwater，onlyhipdeep，wasseizedbyacrocodile。Theman，beingheldbythelegbelowtheknee，madeagoodfight，andthrusthisfingersintothecreature’seyes；hiscomradesatthesametimeassistedandrescuedhimfromabsolutedestruction；buttheleg-bonewassomashedandsplinteredinmanyplacesthathewasobligedtosubmittoamputation。
Oneofmysailorshadanarrowescape。Heandmanyotherswereengagedincollectingtheleavesofaspeciesofwater-convolvulusthatmakeanexcellentspinach；thisplantisrootedonthemuddybank，butitrunsuponthesurfaceofthewater，uponwhichitspinkblossomsareveryornamental。
Thesailorwasstoopingfromthebanktogatherthefloatingleaves，whenhewassuddenlyseizedbythearmattheelbow-joint；hisfriendsimmediatelycaughthimroundthewaist，andtheirunitedeffortspreventedhimfrombeingdraggedintothewater。Thecrocodile，havingtastedblood，wouldnotquititshold，buttuggedandwrenchedthearmcompletelyoffattheelbow-joint，andwentoffwithitsprize。Theunfortunateman，inexcruciatingagony，wasbroughttothecamp，whereitwasnecessarytoamputateanotherpieceslightlyabovethelaceratedjoint。
Imadeapointofcarryingarifleatalltimes，simplytodestroytheseterriblereptiles。Thereneverwasabetterriflethan”theDutchman，”
madebyHolland，ofBondStreet。Thislittleweaponwasadouble-barrelledbreechloader，andcarriedtheBoxerbulletofgovernmentcalibre，withachargeofthreedrachmsofpowder。Theaccuracyofbothbarrelswasextraordinary；itwasonlysightedupto250yards，butbytakingtheheadveryfull，itcarriedwithgreatprecisionupto300。Icouldgenerallymakecertainofcrocodilesifbaskingonasandbankwithinahundredyards，asIcouldputthebulletexactlyintherightplace，eitherbehindtheeye，orrightthroughthecentreoftheshoulder。Thishandyrifleweighed9-3/4lbs。，andthroughouttheexpeditionitwasalmostasmuchoneofmycomponentpartsasaboneofmybody。Ihadalargesupplyofammunition；thusI
neverlostanopportunityofshootingatacrocodile’sheadifIsawoneabovethesurface。Onmanyoccasionstheynevermovedfromtheshotwhenbaskingonsand-banks，butweresimplyextinguished。
Oneofourwomenwenttotherivertowash，butneverreturned。Thiswasclosetoourdiahbeeah；andthewaterbeingshallow，thereisnodoubtthatshewasseizedbyacrocodile。
Iwasonedayreturningfromhead-quarterstomystation，adistanceofamileandahalfalongtheriver’sbank，whenInoticedthelargeheadofacrocodileaboutthirtyyardsfromtheshore。Ikneweveryinchoftheriver，andIwassatisfiedthatthewaterwasshallow。Asolitarypieceofwavingrushthatgrewuponthebank，exactlyoppositethecrocodile，wouldmarktheposition；thus，stoopingdown，Iquietlyretreatedinlandfromthebank，andthenrunningforward，Icreptgentlytowardstherush。Stoopingaslowaspossible，Iadvancedtillverynearthebankuponwhichgrewtuftsofgrass，until，byslowlyraisingmyhead，Icouldobservetheheadofthecrocodileinthesameposition，notmorethantwenty-sixortwenty-eightyardsfromme。Atthatdistance，theDutchmancouldhitahalf-crown；Ithereforemadesureofbagging。Thebankwasaboutfourfeetabovethewater；thustheanglewasfavourable，andIaimedjustbehindtheeye。AlmostasItouchedthetrigger，thecrocodilegaveaconvulsivestart，andturningslowlyonitsback，itstretcheditsfourlegsabovethesurface，strainingeverymuscle；itthenremainedmotionlessinthispositioninwaterabouttwofeetdeep。
Myhorsewasalwaysfurnishedwithalonghalterortethering-rope：
thusIorderedthesyceandanothermantojumpintotheriverandsecurethecrocodilebyaropefastenedroundthebodybehindthefore-legs。Thiswasquicklyaccomplished，andthemenremainedknee-deephaulingupontheropetopreventthestreamfromcarryingawaythebody。
InthemeantimeMonsoorhadmountedmyhorseandgallopedoffforassistancetothecampofthe”FortyThieves。”
Crocodilesareverytenaciousoflife，andalthoughtheymaybeshotthroughthebrainandbeactuallydeadforallpracticalpurposes，theywillremainmotionlessatfirst，buttheywillbegininstinctivelytomovethelimbsandtailafewminutesafterreceivingtheshot。Iflyinguponasand-bank，orindeepwater，theywouldgenerallydisappearunlesssecuredbyarope，asthespasmodicmovementsofthelimbsandtailwouldsetuponthewater，andthebodywouldbecarriedaway。
Thecrocodile，thathadappearedstonedead，nowbegantomoveitstail，andmytwomenwhowereholdingontotheropecriedoutthatitwasstillalive。ItwasinvainthatIassuredthefrightenedfellowsthatitwasdead。Iwasonthebank，andtheywereinthewaterwithinafewfeetofthecrocodile，whichmadesomedifferenceinourideasofitsvivacity。Presentlythecreaturereallybegantostruggle，andtheunitedeffortsofthemencouldhardlyrestrainitfromgettingintodeeperwater。Themonsternowbegantoyawn，whichsoterrifiedthementhattheywouldhavedroppedtheropeandfledhadtheynotbeenafraidoftheconsequences，asIwasaddressingthemratherforciblyfromthebank。Iputanothershotthroughtheshoulderofthestrugglingmonster，whichappearedtoactasanarcoticuntilthearrivalofthesoldierswithropes。Nosoonerwasthecrocodilewellsecuredthanitbegantostruggleviolently；butagreatnumberofmenhauledupontherope，andwhenitwassafelylanded，Igaveitablowwithasharpaxeonthebackoftheneck，whichkilleditbydividingthespine。
Itwasnowdraggedalongtheturfuntilwereachedthecamp，whereitwascarefullymeasuredwithatape，andshowedanexactlengthof12