I then gave an order aloud to the officers: "Return
carts and all baggage on board vessels at sunrise to-morrow. All troops
to be ready for the advance."
"Bugler! sound the retreat."
That peculiar habit of discipline yielded instinctively to the sound of
the bugle. The officer gave the order, "Right, turn," and the late
tumultuous crowd marched quietly to their quarters. This was ended; at
the same time it was not cheering.
My Englishmen, who had been witnesses of this scene, were filled with
indignation. They were men who thoroughly represented English
determination, and they at once volunteered to carry their own baggage
if I would only permit them to accompany me.
How often my heart has beaten with pride when I have seen the
unconquerable spirit of the country burst forth like an unextinguishable
flame in any great emergency!
I now had to quell the eagerness of my own good fellows, as I knew that
if "the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak," and it would be
impossible for Englishmen to carry loads through a journey in a tropical
country.
I saw the necessity of the occasion at a glance; and I gave the
necessary orders.
The Englishmen, together with the steamer sections, machinery, &c., must
return to Gondokoro. They must immediately commence the construction of
the No. 2 steamer of 108 tons and 20-horse power, as this vessel, being
provided with twin screws instead of paddles, would be able to pass
through the narrow channels of the Bahr Giraffe, and communicate with
Khartoum.
I gave the order to prepare to-morrow for a return to Gondokoro.
On 6th February, at sunrise, all hands were at work dismounting the
carts, and returning on board the vessels all material connected with
the steamer, &c. I altered the loads, and made arrangements for a new
plan of action.
I had determined to push on to Lobore with one hundred men, in heavy
marching order, if I could only engage a few natives to carry the
necessaries for the road. At Lobore I might be able to engage a few
hundred porters that I should send back to the vessels with an escort of
fifty soldiers, to bring up sufficient ammunition and material for an
advance south. I knew the route.
It was therefore necessary to assort the baggage: much had to be
returned to Gondokoro with the Englishmen.
I had a small invoice-book that had been carefully prepared by Mr.
Marcopolo, which gave the numbers and contents of every box; therefore
the difficulty of assortment was not great.
All the boxes were of block tin, painted; thus they could be piled like
bricks one upon the other to form a wall. I arranged about 400 loads
which were set apart for the carriers, should I be fortunate in
procuring that number from Lobore.
On 7th February the carts were shipped.
