On 9th September it was
necessary for the unfortunate Dr. Gedge, my chief medical officer, to
return to Khartoum, as his state of health required immediate change.
Just as the diahbeeah was leaving the station, a vessel arrived from the
Bahr Gazal, by which I received a letter from the German traveller, Dr.
Schweinfurth. This gentleman, to whom I was quite unknown personally,
had the extreme courtesy and generosity to intrust me with all the
details of his geographical observations, collected in his journey in
the Western Nile Basin.
It was necessary for me to return personally to Khartoum to assure
myself that my arrangements should be carried out without delay. I had
determined that the expedition should start for the south from
Tewfikeeyah on 1st Dec., at which time the Nile would be full, and the
wind strong from the north. As Tewfikeeyah was nearly half way in actual
distance from Khartoum to Gondokoro, I trusted that we should have time
to accomplish the work of cutting through the marshes, and be enabled to
pass the shallows before the river should begin to fall. I therefore
sent Mr. Higginbotham to Khartoum to engage vessels; I followed on 15th
September, with the No. 10 steamer towing my diahbeeah - and ten empty
vessels to bring up a supply of corn.
