I went back and
found them in a terrible fix, as the water is leaving us rapidly, and we
must cut a fresh channel through the sand, about one hundred yards long.
"February 6.-I took the diahbeeah a mile and a quarter ahead to a sudd,
passing over several shallows of only two feet eight inches, and three
feet, which will again cause great delay and labour. I returned to the
fleet and assisted in the tedious work of dragging the vessels over the
shallows. In the evening I returned to the diahbeeah, and having dragged
the dingy across the sudd, I explored the channel ahead for an hour, for
about three miles; passed over distressing shallows for a space of a
quarter of a mile ahead of the diahbeeah, after which I entered a deep,
narrow channel with very rapid current.
"It is quite impossible to say where we are as the professed guides seem
to know nothing of this horrible chaos, which changes its appearance
constantly. It is most harassing.
"February 7.-Last evening I brought the diahbeeah back to the fleet, so
as to push the work forward personally. The soldiers and officers hope
we shall return as failures, in the same manner as last year.
