The last vessels having arrived, terminated the voyage from Tewfikeeyah,
which had occupied five months and twenty-two days. The troops, who had
suffered much by fatigue in cutting through the marshes, had not been
absolutely relieved by their arrival in the clear White Nile. The north
wind changed suddenly to the south, in which unfavourable quarter it
continued steadily for a month; thus my unfortunate men had to tow the
vessels along the banks against wind and stream for about 300 miles from
Wat-el-Shambi to Gondokoro. Upon arrival at that station, which I had
described to them as the "Promised Land," they found a lovely park, but
without a single dwelling. Instead of being received as deliverers by a
friendly and grateful population, they met with neglect and ill-will
from a tribe of robbers, allies of the traders, who fattened upon the
spoil of weaker neighbours.
After all their hard work and suffering in attaining the promised
paradise, they found only additional labour awaiting them, as they had
to wander several miles in search of long thatch-grass and timber to
construct the new station, in which fatigue they were entirely
unassisted by the sullen inhabitants.
Added to these disappointments, the men were hungry, and no cattle could
be purchased from my new subjects, who were obstinate and refractory.
I had a serious conversation with Sheik Allorron, during which I clearly
defined our relative positions, and represented to him in the strongest
terms the folly of trusting to the support of Abou Saood and his people
against the government, as they were all subjects of the Khedive and
bound to obey my orders. At the same time I informed him of the absolute
necessity of cattle for the supply of the troops, which I promised to
pay for.
I clearly saw that the miserable policy of these people was to starve
the troops into the supposed necessity of evacuating the position, and
returning to Khartoum. I represented to Allorron the danger of trifling
with a hungry lion, at which he grinned, as a good joke, and immediately
replied: "If you want cattle, I will give you some of my people as
guides, and you can attack a neighbour of mine, and capture his herds,
which will last you for a long time." I replied, that I could not injure
any one who had not committed an offence, but as he for the last time
refused assistance, I should not permit his herds to graze upon my
pasturage; therefore I begged they might be confined to the island.
At the same time I officially invited Allorron and all the headmen of
the country, including the sheik of Belinian, to an entertainment.
