TheBarisofRegiafandsouthofthathillhadbeenalliedwiththoseofBelinian，andhadtakenchargeoftheirgreatherdsduringthemonth’scampaigninthatcountry。
Westartedpunctuallyatthetimeappointed，andsailedforaboutsevenmilesuptheriver，whichatthisseasoncouldbenavigatedwithoutdifficulty。Wenowcrossedovertothewestbank，andthewindbeingfoul，thesoldiersturnedoutandhauledthevesselsagainstthestreambytow-ropes。
Thecountrywasperfectlylovely。Thehigh，rockyhills，afewmilesdistant，slopedinbeautifulundulationsofopen，park-likelandtotheriver’sbank。Hereandtherefineornamentaltreesweredottedaboutthesurface；buttheabsenceofforestwouldhaverenderedthelocalityunfitforalargestation。
Thevillageswereinnumerable：buttherewasnotasignoffriendshipamongthenumerouspopulation。Thenativespouredoutoftheirvariousstationsleaping，brandishingtheirspears，andgesticulatingwithunmistakableactionsofhostility。
Theriverwasabout500yardswide，andinseveralplacesthedull，greyheadsofrocksprotrudedfromthesurface。Wethereforecontinuedtotowthevesselsclosetothebank，withapartymarchingparalleltoprotecttheflankincaseofasuddenattack。
Thenativesevidentlyintendedtoopposeus。IalwaysgavetheBarisafairchance，andallowedthemtomakethefirsthostilemovebeforeI
proceededtoforciblemeasures。Ithereforelandedandadvancedafewhundredpacesinland。Thereweremanycuriousrocksinthisneighbourhood，someofwhichwerecleanblocksofgraniteinmassesoffortyorfiftyfeethigh，piledroughlyasthougharrangedartificially。
Thenatives，asweadvanced，movedgraduallytowardsthisshelter，inwhichtheysquatteduntilwearrivedwithinahundredandtwentypaces。
Myinterpreternowconversedwiththem，sayingthatIhadnotcometofight，buttopurchasecorn，thatIwouldgivethemacowforeachgoogoofullofunthrasheddhurra：thiswastheusualpricewhenthenativestradedamongthemselves。
Inreplytothispoliteassurance，theyusedmostinsultinglanguage，andsaid——”Youneednotofferusyourcattle，asweintendtotakethembyforce；therefore，beofftoKhartoum！”
BythistimeIhadadvancedwiththeinterpretertowithinahundredyardsofthem。Theywerecompletelyinmypower，butIresistedthetemptation。Thisisthedisadvantageintreatingwithsavages。Ialwaysaffordedthemeveryopportunityforpeacefularrangements，andreturnedcivilrepliestotheirabusiveandcoarseinsults。Thisgavethemtheadvantageofselectingtheirownconvenienceforanattack。AhundredtimesIhavehadtheminmygrasp，asuponthisoccasion，whenawell-directedvolleywouldhavecreatedaterribleeffect；butIhavealwaysbeenpatient，andallowedthemtostrikethefirstblow。
Inowexplainedtothemmyposition。IgavethemtheinstanceoftheirfriendsatBelinian，andbeggedthemtoavoidasimilarnecessity。I
musthavecorn。Theirgranarieswereoverflowing，whileminewereempty。
Ihadmanythousandcattleinadditiontoallkindsofmerchandise。I
desiredfairdealing，whichwouldgivesatisfactiontoallparties。Theysimplyshoutedaderisivereply，coupledwithmostdisgustingandinsultinglanguage。”Won’tyouhaveashot，sir，atthatfellowontherock?”saidmyshadow，Monsoor，whowasalwaysatmyelbow。Ideclinedtheinvitation，tothegreatdisappointmentofmymen；atthesametimeIexplainedtothesepig-headedBaristhattheymustaccepttheconsequencesoftheirconduct。
Iorderedthebuglertosoundtheassembly。
Withgreatreadinessthetroopsleftthevessels，andhavingformed，theymarcheduptheslopewithdrumsandbugles。Inowmadeadisplayofforce，andoncemoreaddressedthenatives，explainingthatthemenwerehungryandwouldtaketheircorngratisunlesstheywouldagreetosellaportion。
Thenativessullenlywithdrewtoagreaterdistance，andcommencedblowingtheirwhistles，andmakingapeculiarshrillcrywhichisusedbythemgenerallyinderisionandcontemptofanenemy。Thelastwordswedistinguishedastheyincreasedtheirdistance，wereathreattoexterminateusduringthenight，ifwedaredtoremainintheircountry。
ItappearedhopelesstoattemptapeacefulcommunicationwiththeBaris。
ThisportionofthecountrytothesouthofRegiafwasimmenselypopulous，andthenativesweremoredreadedbytheslave-tradersthananyother。Inowdeterminedtoexaminesomeofthevillages。
Havingextendedthemeninlinesoastocoverabouthalfamile，I
orderedtheadvancetowardsthehillofRegiaf，withstrictordersthatnosoldierwastoenterahut；buttheyweresimplytoexaminethevillagesastheypassedthrough，bytappingthenumerouswickergoogoosorgranarieswiththeirhands，toprovewhethertheywerefull，Theseneatlittlegranariescontainedgenerallyaboutfortybushels，buttheyvariedinsize：somewouldhaveheldmorethandoublethatquantity。
Thenativeswatchedusinconsiderablenumbersfromallpoints。Inthismannerweexaminedtwentyorthirtyvillages，eachofwhichcontainedatleastfifteengoogoos，nearlyallofwhichwerequitefullofcorn。Theentirecountrywasoverflowingwithdhurraandsesame。Asfarastheeyecouldreachwereinnumerablevillages，allofwhichweknewwerestoresofabundance，bythesampleswehadalreadyexamined。
FromthehighlandofRegiaf，welookeddownuponalongseriesofrichislandsintheriver，thatappearedtobenothingbutalineofgranaries，asIcoulddistinguishwiththetelescopethenumerousclumpsofgoogoosandsmallvillagesthatfringedthefertilebanksofthesewelcomeretreats。
IfeltastheIsraelites，whenthemannaandthequailsappearedinthedesert。ThankGod，weweredeliveredfromthedangeroffamine，andwehadatlengtharrivedatthePromisedLand。
Eventheofficers，allofwhomhadsignedthedeclaration”thattherewasnocorninthecountry，thereforetheymustreturntoKhartoum，”
lookeddelighted，andexclaimed”Mashallah！”
Ifelttherelief，forIhadsufferedmuchanxiety；butoutwardlyItookitverycoolly，andquiteasamatterofcourse。Iexplainedtotheofficersandmen，thatofcoursetheywereignorantofthecountry，butthatiftheyrelieduponme，Ishouldalwaysleadthem”Inshallah！”
intoalandofplenty。Theblackofficersnowbegantoexclaim，”Wah-Illai！thePachaknowsthecountrywell！WhowouldhavebelievedwhenatGondokorothattherewascornenoughforacoupleofyearswithinaday’smarch?””Acoupleofyears！”criedanother；”wecouldn’teatthiscornintenyears！””Wemightdrinkmerissaeverydayinthiscountry，”exclaimedothersofthesoldiers。
Sailorswhohavebeenindangerofshipwreck，witharockyshorecloseontheleainaheavygale，mayunderstandthereliefofferedbyasuddenshiftofwindinthemomentofextremity。SuchexperiencealonecanallowanappreciationofthementalreactionafteragreatstrainofanxietythatIhadsufferedforsometimepast。
Acertainknowledgeofhumannaturedeterminedmetoimprove，withoutamoment’sdelay，theopportunity，whilethetroopswereunderthefirstimpulseofastonishmentanddelight。
Iaddressedmyselftothe”FortyThieves”inparticular，andtothelinegenerally，andexplained”thepleasurethatIfeltinnowbeingabletoincreasetheirrationsofcorn，thathadbeenreducedbyhalf。AtthesametimeIhadbeenmuchdissatisfiedwiththesmallcollectiontheyhadmadefromtheharvestatBelinian。Iknewthecountry，andthiswastheonlytruegranarythatadmittedofrivertransporttoGondokoro。Iftheyneglectedthisopportunity，therationswouldagainbereduced；butuponnoaccountwhatevershouldIpermitthereturntoKhartoumofanyofficersormen，exceptthosewhocouldpresentamedicalcertificateofchronicbadhealth。Ishouldthusgetridoftheuselessmouths，whichwouldrelievethestrongmenfromtheworkofgatheringcorntofeedtheweak，whocouldnotperformtheirshareofthelabour。”
Iconcludedbyrecommendingthem”tothankGod，andtosettoworkwithgoodwill。”
Imarchedmymentoseveralvillagesdesertedbytheirinhabitants，whichIoccupiedinforce，andanchoredthevesselsclosetothebankbeneaththem。HavingsentforRaoufBey，Imadenootherremark，thantogivetheordersnecessaryforthenight。Thismelancholyofficerlookedmoremiserablethanusual，andhisexpressionremindedmeofoneofDante’sdamnedsouls，asillustratedbyGustaveDore。
Thesunsank，andIhadnottastedfoodfortwenty-fourhours。Iwaswithoutmywife，thereforeIwasnotveryparticular；mygoodMonsoorhavingforaged，producedsomepumpkinsoup，ashetermedit，whichwascomposedofaverywaterypumpkinboiledinwaterwithoutsalt。Thenextdishwastheverysimplenativeluxuryofdhurraflourboiledintoathickporridge。Iwasveryhungryandveryhappy，thusIatetheplainfarewithagoodappetite。
Monsoorhadmadeafirewithdrycattle-dung，andspreadanativematontheground，closetothesmoke，uponwhichIcouldsleepifthemosquitoeswouldallowme。Ilayasclosetothesmokeaspossible，withacomfortablelogofwoodforapillow，andponderedovertheeventsoftheday，feelingverythankfulforthechangeofcircumstances，andmakingplansforthemorrowuntilIfellasleep。
Nosoonerhadthebuglessoundedthemorningcall，thanIwasupandoff。IinstructedRaoufBeytotakeacompanyoftroopswiththevessels，andoccupytheislands。Atthesametime，Imarchedthroughthecountrytothesouth，andhavingpassedaboutthreehoursinexploration，Iformedtwostationsinexcellentpositions，anddividedmymenequallyunderLieutenant-ColonelAchmetandMajorAbdullah。Thesestationswereaboutamileapart，uponhighground，andcommandedaviewofRaoufBey’svessels，thatwerealreadyanchoredattheislandaboutamileandahalfbelowthem。Thethreepositionsformedatriangle，intheveryheartofthegreatestabundance。
Havingconcludedthesearrangementsandestablishedmypositions，withthenecessaryinstructionstotheofficersincommand，Ireturnedtotheriver，andpreparedtostartforGondokorointhelittledingy。Ididnotwishtotakealargevessel，thereforeIorderedRaoufBeytofillthenoggurswithcornasrapidlyaspossible，andtostartthemoffwhenfulltoGondokoro。Thegranariesontheislandswereallfull，andclosetothebanks；thereforethevesselslayalongside，asthoughinadock，andcouldloadwithgreatease。
Istartedinthedingywithtwoboatmentorow，accompaniedbyMonsoorandtwosoldiersof”TheForty。”
Thestreamranatthreemilesandahalfperhour：thus，withgoodpulling，wereachedhead-quartersinonehourandthirty-twominutes，adistanceofabouttenmilesandahalf。
Ibelieveitiscommontohumannaturetolovetocarrygoodnews。ThesightofthelittledingyapproachingGondokoroalone，hadgivenrisetoallkindsofsurmises，andwhenIreachedtheshore，acrowdofofficers，soldiers，sailors，andwomenwerestandinginexpectationuponthecliff。Mymenimmediatelyrecountedallparticulars。
GreatwasthejoyoftheEnglishpartyatthenewsofoursuccess。Thisflewthroughthestation，andtheEgyptianofficersandsoldiersslunkaway；whereas，theblackwivesoftheSoudaniregimentweredelighted，astheydidnotwishtogotoKhartoum。ThesewomenwereslavesthatI
hadliberated，andtheyalwaysimaginedthatiftheyshouldarriveatKhartoum，theywouldbesold。Thishomeinfluencewasofservicetome。
Inconversationwithmy”FortyThieves”Ihadsuggested，thatperhapsontheirarrivalatKhartoum，thegovernmentmightnotpermitthemtoretainsomanywivesintheregiment。TheSoudanisarealwayshappyiftheyhaveawifeandplentytoeatanddrink；thereforeCentralAfricawaspreferabletotheirtaste，wheretheycouldenjoydomesticblisswithayoungwife，insteadofsittinginthesultrybarracksofKhartoumasmelancholybachelors。