On29thFebruarywewerereadyforthestart。Theloadswereallpreparedandarrangedinseparatedivisionsoftwentyeach，underthechargeofselectedofficersandmen。
Thebignogarahadsounded，thenativescollected，andeachmanstoodbyhisload；thustwenty-fivegangsoftwentyeachshouldhavestoodinline。
InowdiscoveredthatthevauntedhonestyoftheLoborewasofthesameorderasthatofothernegroes。Fivehundredcowshadbeengiventoasmanynatives，forallofwhichthesheikAbbiohaddeclaredhimselfresponsible。Thebignogarasoundedinvain。Afterwaitingforsomehours，andsendingnumerousmessengerstoasmanyvillages，only433
carrierscouldbemustered；thussixty-sevenhadelopedwithasmanycows！
Noonecanimaginethetroubleofsuchajourneywithsolongaretinueofcarriers，mostofwhomaredishonest，andonlyseekanopportunitytoabscondupontheroad。
TheLoboreareimmenselypowerfulmen，andtheycarriedtheboxesofHale’srocketsassingleloads，althoughweighingupwardsofseventy-twopounds。Atthesametimetheyquarrelledamongthemselvesastothechoiceofparcels，andIcouldwithdifficultyprevailuponthemtocarrythezincboat，althoughitdidnotexceed130lbs。Fourmenactuallyrefusedtotouchit，asitsatuneasilyupontheirheads。
Thishandylittlevesselwasmadeofzincuponanironframework，andwouldcontainfourpeopleuponapinch，butwouldeasilyconveythreeacrossariver。Ihadarrangeditupontwostoutbamboossoadjustedthatfourmenshouldhavecarrieditwithease。Thenativesdemandedeight，butIatlengthcompromisedforsix。
Thedelaycausedbythenon-appearanceofthesixty-sevencarrierswasextremelydangerous，asitincreasedthechanceofdesertions。Alreadymanyhadvolunteeredtosearchfortheirmissingfriends，whichwouldhaveresultedinasearchforthemalso，untilmybodyofcarrierswouldhavemeltedaway。
FortunatelyIhadmadeaconsiderableallowancefordesertionsontheroad，andIcouldmanagetostartwiththeassistanceofthesoldiersandtheirwives，amongwhomIdividedmanybasketsofflour。
At3。25P。M。westarted。
TherewasnodangernowthatwehadpassedtheBaritribe，thereforewecouldpushonwithanadvanceguardoffivepickedmenof”TheForty，”
whoalwaysaccompaniedus，andleavethechargeofthemarchandbaggagetoColonelAbd-el-Kaderandthevariousofficers。
Weaccordinglymarched，atfourmilesanhour，througharockyandhillycountry，generallywooded，whichwouldhavebeenanawkwardpositionifheldbyanenemy。
At6P。M。wehaltedatarockyravinewherewaterhadbeenexpectedbyourguide。Toourdismaywefounditnearlydry，anditwasnecessarytodigtemporarywellsinthesandtoprocureasupplyforourselves，whilethehorseswereforcedtocontentthemselveswiththeimpurepool。
Itquicklybecamedark，andthetroopsandbaggagewerefarbehind。Wethereforegatheredwoodandmadeablazingfiretoshowourposition；atthesametimeabugleranddrummerwhohadaccompaniedus，madeasmuchnoiseaspossiblefromthesummitofasmallhill。
At7。30P。M。thecattlearrivedbytorchlight，togetherwiththetroopsandbaggage。SomeoftheLoborecarriershadalreadydesertedontheroad，whichhadcausedmuchdelay。
Wehadmarchedninemiles，butitwasabsolutelynecessarytosendfourmenbacktoLobore，toinsistuponfreshcarriersbeingimmediatelysenttoreplacetherunaways。
OnMarch1westartedathalf-pastsixA。M。，afteraterrificscrambleforloadsby400Loborecarriers，whorushedinandtuggedandwrestledfortheirpackageslikewolvesoveracarcase。Boxeswereturnedupsidedown，andcarriedinthatmannerwithanutterdisregardforthecontents。
TheinvertedcanteenwasdiscoveredupontheheadofabrutalLobore，whosebodywasbeingbastedwithCognacandginthatshoweredfromtheloosenedstoppersofthedecanters。
Ineversawsuchawildpackofsavages；theywereonlyfittocarrytheelephants’tusksofthetraders；butanycivilizedbaggageranariskofinstantdestruction。
Theoldsheik，Abbio，hadgivenmehissontokeeporderamongthepeople。Thisyoungmanwasabouttwenty-sevenyearsofage，but，althoughrespectableinappearance，hedidnotappeartohavetheslightestcontroloverhispeople，andheregardedtheirdesertionswithseemingindifference。
Ihadastrongsuspicionthathemightquietlyabscondatnight，inwhichcaseeverymanmightinstantlyfollowhisexample。Ithereforeorderedalightthongofleathertobeattachedtotheironcollarwornasanornamentuponhisneck，andItrustedhimtothesurveillanceofacoupleofsoldierstoldoffashisguardofhonour。
Wemarchedsouthforsixteenmilesthroughafinecountryofhillsandlowforest，wherethevillagesoftheMadihadbeenmostlydestroyedbytheslave-huntingpartiesofAbouSaood。
Wepassedlargetractsoflandthathadformerlybeeninahighstateofcultivation，andthecharredremainsofnumerousvillagesbespokethedesolationcausedbythesebrigandsoftheWhiteNile。Theroadwaswellwateredbymanysmallstreamsindeepgorges，untilwedescendedtotheAsuariver。Thiswasjusttwenty-fivemilesfromourcampatLobore，inlatitudeN。，byobservation，3degrees43minutes。
WehappenedtoarriveatthespotwheretheriverAtabbijoinedtheAsua。AtthisjunctiontheAtabbiwasperfectlyclear，whiletheAsuawasmuddy，whichprovedthatheavyrainhadfallenintheMadiandShoolicountries，whiletheweatherwasdryinthemountainsofObbo。
TheAsuaflowedthroughafineforest，butalthoughthewaterwasmuddyfromrecentrains，thevolumeatthisseasonwasconfinedtoaportionofthebed，inthedeepestpartsofwhichitdidnotexceedtwofeetsixinches。Thebedfrombanktobankwasabout120yardsinwidth，andthemaximumriseoftheriverwasabouttwelvefeet。Duringthewetseasonthisisafrightfultorrentthatactsasabarriertoanyadvanceorretreatoftroopsencumberedwithbaggage。
Havingwadedthroughtheriver，wehaltedundertheshadytreesonthesouthside；heretherewasexcellentherbageforthecattle，astheyounggrassaftertheannualfireswasnowabouteightincheshigh，upontherichsoilneartheriver’sbank。
Wheneverwehaltedduringdaylight，Itookastrollwiththerifle，accompaniedbyLieutenantBaker。
Wewalkedforsometimealongthebanksoftheriverupstreamwithoutseeinganygame，andIwasstruckwiththeabsenceoftracksofthelargeranimals，whichcoincidedwithmyremarksontheAsuarivermanyyearsprevious，whenIcrosseditaboutthirtymileshigherup，onmyroutefromLatookatoShooa。
Iexpectedtoreturnwithoutseeinggame，whenwesuddenlyspiedafewwaterbuckinthesandybedoftheriver，about300pacesdistant。
Wemadeagoodstalk，butIonlywoundedtheanimalatwhichIfiredatabout150yards，andtheygallopedoffthroughtheopenforest。Iheardthebulletfromthelefthandbarrelstrikeatreestem，whichsavedtheantelope，buthavingquicklyreloaded，Ihadaclearandsteadyshotatalongrangeasthelargebucksuddenlystoppedandlookedback。Iputupthelastsightfor250yardsandtookafullbead。Tomygreatsatisfactionthewaterbuckwithafinesetofhornsdroppeddead。I
couldnotmeasurethedistanceaccuratelyaswehadtodescendarockybank，andthen，crossingthebedoftheAsua，toascendthesteepnorthbankbeforewearrivedattolerablylevelground。
Uponreachingtheanimal，Ifoundthebulletintheneck，whereithaddividedthespine。Iguessedthedistanceatabout240yards。SomeofourLoborenatives，whohadkeptatadistancebehindus，nowcameup，andinashorttimethenoblewaterbuckwascutupandthefleshcarriedintocamp。Thisspeciesofantelope，wheningoodcondition，weighsaboutthirtystonecleaned。
OnMarch2westartedat6A。M。，andmarchedatarapidratealongahardandexcellentpath，whichinclinedupwardsfromtheriverforabouteightmiles。
Thebushwasveryopen，andinmanyportionsthecountrywasasuccessionofdeepdells，whichinthewetseasonwerecoveredwithhighgrass，butatthistimetheyounggrasswashardlythreeincheshigh，havingsproutedaftertherecentfires。
Fromanaltitudeofabout1，000feetabovetheAsuariver，wehadasplendidviewoftheentirelandscape。
Ontheeast，ataboutfiftymilesdistant，wasthefinerangeofloftymountainsthatstretchedinalonglinetowardsLatooka。Onthewest，ontheleftbankoftheWhiteNile，whichnowflowedalmostbeneathourfeet，wastheprecipitousmountainNeri，knownbytheArabtradersasGebelhuku。ThisfinemassofrockdescendsinaseriesofruggedterracesfromaheightofbetweenthreeandfourthousandfeettotheNile，atapointwheretheriverboilsthroughanarrowgorgebetweenthemountains。ItisinthispassagethattheprincipalfallstakeplacewhichIwitnessedinmyformerjourney。Atthattimeourpathledalongtherockybankoftheriver，andwasbothdifficultanddangerous。
EightmilesfromtheAsuarivernowbroughtustothetopofthepass，andhavingstoppedforafewmomentstotakecompassbearings，webeganthesomewhatsteepdescent。
Walkingwaspreferabletoriding，andafteradistanceofacoupleofmileshadbeenaccomplished，weroundedtherockyhillbycrossingaravineuponourright，andtheviewofthepromisedlandburstuponus。
ThegrandWhiteNilelaylikeabroadstreakofsilveronourrightasitflowedinacalm，deepstreamdirectfromtheAlbertN’yanza；atthisspotaboveallcataracts。Nowaterhadasyetbeenbrokenbyafall；thetroublesofriver-lifelayinthefuture；thejourneytotheseamightbesaidtohaveonlyjustcommenced。HeretheentirevolumeflowedfromtheAlbertN’yanza，distanthardlyonedegree；andherehadIalwayshopedtobringmysteamers，asthestarting-pointfortheopeningoftheheartofAfricatonavigation。Thishassincebeenprovedcorrectbytheeffortsofmysuccessor，ColonelGordon，whocarriedthe38-tonsteamerwhichIhadleftatGondokorotothispointabovethecataracts，andconstructedheratDuffleontheoppositebank。ThisvesselsteamedintotheAlbertN’yanzawithoutanydifficulty，andcorroboratedmyassertionthattheriverwasnavigable。ItmayberememberedthatmanygeographershadcontestedthefactthattheNilewasaneffluentfromtheAlbertN’yanza。
IwasdeeplymortifiedwhenIgazeduponthislovelyview，andreflectedupontheimpossibilitiesthathadpreventedmysuccess。HadtheWhiteNilebeenopenasformerly，IshouldhavetransportedthenecessarycamelsfromKhartoum，andtherewouldhavebeennoseriousdifficultyinthedeliveryofthesteamerstothispoint。Twoorthreestrongpioneerparties，withnativeassistance，wouldquicklyhavebridgedoverthenarrowwater-coursesandhaveclearedaroughroadthroughtheforestsasthecartsadvanced。
Itwasuselesstorepine。Istillhopedtoaccomplishthework。
Wenowdescendedintothebeautifulplain，towhichIhadgiventhenameIbrahimeyah，inhonourofthefatherofhisHighnesstheKhediveIbrahimPacha。
ThispointisdestinedtobecomethecapitalofCentralAfrica。
ThegeneraldepotforthesteamerswillbenearthemouthoftheUn-y-Ameriver；which，afterrisingintheprairiesbetweenFatikoandUnyoro，windsthroughalovelycountryforabouteightymiles，andfallsintotheWhiteNileoppositetoGebelKuku。ThetradeofCentralAfrica，whendevelopedbythesteamersontheAlbertN’yanza，willconcentrateatthisspot，whenceitmustbeconveyedbycamelsfor120milestoGondokoro，untilatsomefuturetimearailwaymayperhapscontinuethelineofsteamcommunication。
Itisacuriousfactthatashortlineof120milesofrailwaywouldopenuptheveryheartofAfricatosteamtransport——betweentheMediterraneanandtheequator，whenthelinefromCairotoKhartoumshallbecompleted！
TheNo。10steamerthatIhadbroughtuptoGondokorofromKhartoumwasoriginallybuiltinEnglandforthemailserviceperNilebetweenAlexandriaandCairo，atthetimewhentheoverlandroutewasmadebyvansacrossthedeserttoSuez。ThissteamerhadsailedfromLondon，andhadarrivedcompleteatAlexandria。
Itappearsalmostimpossiblethatsheisnowfloatingatanaltitudeofnearly2，000feetabovethesealevel；towhichgreatelevationshehasactuallysteamedfromtheMediterranean。Thus，startingfromabaseline，andproducingalineperpendiculartothesealevelof2，000feet，shehasclimbeduptheNiletoherpresenthighposition。
AcceptingtheapproximatelengthoftheNileinallitswindingsfromtheMediterraneantoN。lat。4degrees38minutes，at3，000milesinroundnumbers；thiswillgiveanaverageriseorfallintheriverofnineinchespermile；whicheasilyexplainsthepositionofthesteamerathermostremotepointbelowthelastcataracts。
Irevelledinthislovelycountry。Thefinepark-liketreeswereclumpedindark-greenmasseshereandthere。Thetalldolape-palmsBorassusEthiopicuswerescatteredabouttheplain，sometimessingly，atothersgrowinginconsiderablenumbers。Highandboldrocks；nearanddistantmountains；therichestplainimaginableintheforeground，withtheclearUn-y-Ameflowingnowinashallowstreambetweenitsloftybanks，andthegrandoldNileuponourright，allcombinedtoformalandscapethatproducedaparadise。
Theairwasdelightful。Therewasanelasticityofspirit，theresultofapureatmosphere，thatmadeonefeelhappyinspiteofmanyanxieties。