TheEnglishmenhadcarefullypackedeverythingthatbelongedtotheNo。
3steamerandmachinery，andhadstowedherinamagazinethatwasgiveninchargeofanofficer，whogaveareceiptforthecontents。
Everythingwasreadybythe25thMayforourreturnhomewards。IerectedamonumentofredbrickcoatedwithpitchovermypoorfriendHigginbotham’sgrave，withinmygarden，nearthespotwherethemissionarieswereformerlyburied。
Westartedonthe26th，havingtakenafarewellofmygallant”FortyThieves，”manyofwhomshowedmuchemotionatparting。AsIwalkeddownthelineoftroopswhenItookofficialleave，myoldsoldiersbroketheboundsofdisciplinebyshouting：”MayGodgiveyoualonglife！andmayyoumeetyourfamilyingoodhealthathome！”
Ifeltachokingsensationinsayinggood-bye；butweweresoononboard，andthesteamwasup。
Thenewsteamer，theKhedive，tookusintow，andwetravelledrapidlydownthestreamtowardshomeinoldEngland。
AlthoughIhadwrittenthemostimportantletterstotheKhediveandtohisministerinOctober1871，Ihad，tomyamazement，NOTRECEIVEDONE
WORDINREPLYbythepostthathadarrivedfromEgypt。Ihadapparentlybeenlookeduponasadeadmanthatdidnotrequirealetter。ItappearedthatmyexistencewasutterlyignoredbytheEgyptiangovernment，althoughIhadreceivedmylettersinduecoursefromEngland。
OnarrivalattheBahrGiraffe，wefoundthatthecanalswhichIhadformerlycutweremuchimprovedbytheforceofthestream。Althoughthesepassageswerenarrow，theyhadbecomedeep，andweprogressedwithcomparativelylittletrouble。
On7thJune，threesailswerereportedaheadonthehorizon。Wepushedforwardwithsomecuriosity，butunfortunatelyasuddofvegetableraftshadclosedthepassageforashortdistance，whichrequiredaboutanhourtoclean；thisdelayedthechase。
Thatevening，aswehadstoppedforthenightataspotknownasthe”ThreeDubbas，”weheardawoman’svoicefromthehighgrassaddressingusinanimploringtone。Iimmediatelysentaboattomakeinquiries，asoneofournativegirlsunderstoodthelanguage。
Itappearedthatthewomanhadthesmall-pox，andshehadbeenthereforethrownintothehighgrass，andabandonedbythevakeelofthethreevesselsthatwehadobservedinthedistance。Shedescribedthesevesselsasbeingcrowdedwithslaves。
Igavetheunfortunatecreatureasupplyofsixdays’food，togetherwithacooking-potandsomefirewood，butIdarednotintroducesohorribleadiseaseasthesmall-poxamongourparty。Shewasthusleftaloneuponthedubba。Atthisseasonnativefishermenvisitedthedubba，thereforeshewasmostprobablydiscoveredonthefollowingmorning。
On8thJunewesteamedalong，towardsthetallmastsandyardsofthethreevesselswhichweperceiveduponthehorizon。
Theintricaciesofthenarrowchannelweresuchthatwedidnotovertaketheslaversuntilsunset。
Wethenanchoredforthenightinalake，whileIsentaboatforwardintothecanaloccupiedbythethreevesselstoorderthevakeelofthecompanytovisitmeimmediately。
InashorttimetheboatreturnedwithmyoldacquaintanceWatHojoly，thevakeeloftheBohrstationbelongingtoAbouSaood。
Ihadalwayslikedthisman，ashewasgenerallystraightforwardinhismanner。Henowtoldme，withouttheslightestreserve，thatduringmyabsenceinthesouth，severalcargoesofslaveshadpassedthegovernmentstationatFashodabybribingthegovernor；andthathewouldcertainlyhavenodifficulty，providedthatIdidnotseizehim。Heconfessedthathehad700slavesonboardthethreevessels，andaccordingtoordersthathehadreceivedfromhismaster，AbouSaood，hewasconveyingthemtotheirdestination，afewdayssouthofKhartoum，ontheWhiteNile；atwhichpointtheycouldeithermarchoverlandtothewestviaKordofan，ortotheeastviaSennaar；whencetheycouldpassunmolestedtotheRedSeaortoothermarkets。
Thesmall-poxhadbrokenoutamongtheslaves，severalofwhomhaddied。
Iwasmostthoroughlydisgustedandsickatheart。Afterallthetroubleanddifficultiesthatwehadgonethroughforthesuppressionoftheslavetrade，therecouldbenoquestionofthefactthatAbouSaood，thegreatslave-hunteroftheWhiteNile，wassupportedbysomehighauthoritybehindthescenes，uponwhomhecoulddependforprotection。
Thiswasapparentlythelastactofthedrama，inwhichthevillainofthepiececouldmockandscoffatjustice，andridiculeeveryeffortthatIhadmadetosuppresstheslavetrade。Hisvesselswereactuallysailingintriumphanddefiancebeforethewind，withflagsflyingthecrescentandthestar，aboveahorriblecargoofpest-smittenhumanity，inopencontemptformyauthority；whichWatHojolyhadbeencarefullyinformeddidnotextendnorthofGondokoro。
Iaskedthisplain-spokenagentwhetherhewasquitesurethathecouldpassthegovernmentstation?”Ohyes，”hereplied，”alittlebacksheeshwillopentheroad；thereisnothingtofear。”
IwastheninformedbythesameauthoritythatAbouSaoodhadgonetoCairotoappealtotheKhedive’sgovernmentagainstmyproceedings，andtorepresenthisTRADEasruinedbymyacts。
Thiswasaremarkabledisclosureattheendofthelastact；themoralofthepiecewasthusexplainedbeforethecurtainfell。Theslave-hunterparexcellenceoftheWhiteNile，whohadrentedorfarmedfromthegovernment，forsomethousandssterlingperannum，therightofTRADINGincountrieswhichdidNOTbelongtoEgypt，wasnowontheroadtoprotestagainstmyinterferencewithhisTRADE，thisinnocentbusinessbeingrepresentedBYTHREEVESSELSWITHSEVENHUNDREDSLAVES
THATWERETOPASSUNCHECKEDBEFORETHEGOVERNMENTSTATIONOFFASHODA。
ItoldWatHojolythatIdidnotthinkhewouldsucceeduponthisoccasion，butthatIshouldcertainlynotlayhandsuponhim。
IhadnotreceivedrepliestomylettersaddressedtotheKhedive，thereforeIwasdeterminednottoexertphysicalforceagain；atthesametimeImadeupmymindthattheslavevesselsshouldnotpassFashoda。
Aftersomedelay，owingtoashallowportionoftheriver，wepassedahead，andthefearfulstenchfromthecrowdedslavevesselsreekingwithsmall-poxfollowedusforquiteamiledownthewind。FortunatelytherewasapowerfulforcewithWatHojoly，whomIcalleduponforassistanceinheavingthesteameroverthebank；otherwisewemusthavedugachannel。
On19thJune，at3。30P。M。，wereachedFashoda。Thegovernoratoncecameonboardtoreceiveus。
Thisofficerhallbeenonlyrecentlyappointed，andheappearedtobeveryenergeticanddesiroustoassistmeinthetotalextinctionoftheslavetrade。IassuredthegovernorJusefEffendithatIhadentirelysuppresseditinmyterritory，andIhadalsosuppressedtherivertradein1870；butiftheauthoritiesweredeterminedtoconniveatthisabomination，Ihadbeenplacedinadisgracefullyfalseposition，andhadbeensimplyemployedonafool’serrand。
JusefEffendiassuredmethatitwouldbeimpossibleforvesselstopassFashodawithslavecargoesnowthatherepresentedthegovernment，astheKhedivehadissuedthemostpositiveorderswithinthelastsixmonthsagainstthetrafficinslaves；thereforesuchinstructionsmustbeobeyed。
Ididnotquiteseethatobediencetosuchorderswasabsolutelynecessary，astheslavetradehadbeensimilarlyprohibitedbyproclamationinthereignofthelateSaidPacha，butwithnopermanenteffect。
ThereweretwofinesteamerslyingatFashoda，whichhadformedaportionofthefleetofsixsteamersthatIhadsentupfromCairosomeyearsagototowmyflotillauptheWhiteNile。ThiswasthefirsttimethatIhadeverseenthem。
InowtoldJusefEffendithathewouldbeheldresponsibleforthecaptureofAbouSaood’sthreevessels，togetherwiththe700slaves；atthesametime，itwouldbeadvisabletoallowthemtoarriveatFashodabeforetheircaptureshouldbeattempted；asthefactofsuchanaudaciouscontemptoflawwouldatonceimplicatetheformergovernorashavingbeeninthehabitofconnivance。
JusefEffendiappearedtobeinearnest。HewasanactiveandhighlyintelligentCircassianwhoheldtherankoflieutenant-colonel。
Myservantshaddiscoveredbychance，whenincommunicationwithWatHojoly，thatSalim-Wat-Howah，whohadbeenoneoftheprincipalringleadersintheattackuponthetroopsatFatiko，andhadsubsequentlyknockeddownSuleimanandpossessedhimselfforciblyoftheammunitionfromthemagazine，withwhichheandhispartyhadabsconded，wasnowactuallyconcealedononeofthethreeslavevessels。IhadtakencarenottomentionhisnametoWatHojoly，lestheshouldbeleftatsomestationupontheroute，andthusescapeme。
InowgaveawrittenordertoJusefEffenditoarresthimuponthearrivaloftheslavevessels，andtosendhimtoKhartouminirons。
ThenewsofAbouSaood’spersonalappealtothegovernmentatCairowasconfirmedbythebestauthoritiesatFashoda。
On21stJuneItookleaveofJusefEffendi，anduponthe28th，at11
A。M。，wearrivedatthelargetreewhichiswithinfivemilesofKhartoum，bytheshortcutacrosstheneckoflandtotheBlueNile。
Istoppedatthistree，andimmediatelywrotetoIsmailAyoubPacha，thenewgovernorofKhartoum，totelegraphINSTANTLYtoCairotoarrestAbouSaood。
Isentthisnotebyafaithfulofficer，FerritchAgha，withpositiveordersthathewastodeliveritintothehandsofIsmailPacha。
ThisorderwasimmediatelycarriedoutbeforeanypeopleinKhartoumhadanideaofmyreturn。HadIatoncesteamedroundthepoint，somefriendwouldhavetelegraphedmyarrivaltoAbouSaoodinCairo，andhemighthavegoneintoconcealment。
IntheafternoonweobservedasteamerroundingthedistantheadlandatthepointofjunctionofthetwoNiles。Sherapidlyapproached，andinabouthalfanhourmyoldfriend，IsmailAyoubPacha，steppedonboardmydiahbeeah，andgaveusaheartywelcome。
TherewasnolettereitherfromtheKhediveorCherifPacha，inreplytotheimportantcommunicationsthatIhadwrittenmorethantwoyearsago。
IsmailAyoubPachawasafriendofeightyears’date。IhadknownhimduringmyfirstexpeditiontotheNilesourcesasIsmailBey，presidentofthecouncilatKhartoum。Hehadlatelybeenappointedgovernor，andI
couldonlyregretthatmyexcellentfriendhadnotbeeninthatcapacityfromthecommencementoftheexpedition，asIshouldhavederivedmuchassistancefromhisgreatenergyandintelligence。
IsmailAyoubPachaisaCircassian。Ihaveobservedthatallthoseofficerswhoaresuperiortotheaverageinintellectandgeneralcapacitybelongtothisrace。TheCircassiansareadmirablyrepresentedinCherifPacha，whoiswellknownandrespectedbyallEuropeansinEgyptforhisprobityandhighintelligence；andRiazPacha，whowaslatelytheMinisterforPublicInstruction，isaCircassianmuchbelovedandrespected。
IsmailAyoubhadcommencedagreatreformintheSoudan，inhisendeavourtoputdownthewholesalesystemofbriberyandcorruptionwhichwastheruinofthecountry。Hehadalsocommencedagreatwork，accordingtotheordershehadreceivedfromtheKhedive，toremovethesuddorobstructiontothenavigationofthegreatWhiteNile。Hesucceededinre-openingtheWhiteNiletonavigationinthefollowingseason。
TheKhedivehadgiventhisimportantorderinconsequenceoflettersthatIhadwrittenon31stAugust，1870，totheMinisteroftheInterior，CherifPacha，andtohisHighnessdirecton8thOctober，1871，inwhichcommunicationsIhadstrenuouslyadvocatedtheabsolutenecessityoftakingtheworkinhand，withadeterminationtore-establishtheriverinitsoriginalnavigablecondition。
IsmailAyoubPachahadbeenworkingwithalargeforce，andhehadsucceededinclearing，accordingtohiscalculations，onehalfoftheobstruction，whichextendedformanymiles。
Therewasnoengineeringdifficultyintheundertaking，whichwassimplyamatteroftimeandsteadylabour。
Theimmenseforceofthemainstream，thusconfinedbymattedandtangledvegetation，wouldmateriallyassistthework，astheclearingwascommencedfrombelowthecurrent。
Theworkwouldbecomelighterastheheadofthesuddwouldbeneared。