CHAPTER XIII.
Gondokoro - A mutiny quelled - Arrival of Speke and Grant - The sources of
the Nile - Arab duplicity - The boy-slave's story - Saat adopted.
Having landed all my stores, and housed my corn in some granaries belong
to Koorshid Aga, I took a receipt from him for the quantity, and gave
him an order to deliver one half from my depot to Speke and Grant,
should they arrive at Gondokoro during my absence in the interior. I was
under an apprehension that they might arrive by some route without my
knowledge, while I should be penetrating south.
There were a great number of men at Gondokoro belonging to the various
traders, who looked upon me with the greatest suspicion. They could not
believe that simple travelling was my object, and they were shortly
convinced that I was intent upon espionage in their nefarious ivory
business and slave-hunting.
I had heard when at Khartoum that the most advanced trading station was
fifteen days' march from Gondokoro. I now understood that the party from
that station were expected to arrive at Gondokoro in a few days, and I
determined to await them, as their ivory porters returning might carry
my baggage and save the backs of my transport animals.
