Eight miles from the Asua river now brought us to the top of the pass,
and having stopped for a few moments to take compass bearings, we began
the somewhat steep descent.
Walking was preferable to riding, and after a distance of a couple of
miles had been accomplished, we rounded the rocky hill by crossing a
ravine upon our right, and the view of the promised land burst upon us.
The grand White Nile lay like a broad streak of silver on our right as
it flowed in a calm, deep stream direct from the Albert N'yanza; at this
spot above all cataracts. No water had as yet been broken by a fall; the
troubles of river-life lay in the future; the journey to the sea might
be said to have only just commenced. Here the entire volume flowed from
the Albert N'yanza, distant hardly one degree; and here had I always
hoped to bring my steamers, as the starting-point for the opening of the
heart of Africa to navigation. (This has since been proved correct by
the efforts of my successor, Colonel Gordon, who carried the 38-ton
steamer which I had left at Gondokoro to this point above the cataracts,
and constructed her at Duffle on the opposite bank. This vessel steamed
into the Albert N'yanza without any difficulty, and corroborated my
assertion that the river was navigable. It may be remembered that many
geographers had contested the fact that the Nile was an effluent from
the Albert N'yanza.)
I was deeply mortified when I gazed upon this lovely view, and reflected
upon the impossibilities that had prevented my success. Had the White
Nile been open as formerly, I should have transported the necessary
camels from Khartoum, and there would have been no serious difficulty in
the delivery of the steamers to this point. Two or three strong pioneer
parties, with native assistance, would quickly have bridged over the
narrow water-courses and have cleared a rough road through the forests
as the carts advanced.
It was useless to repine. I still hoped to accomplish the work.
We now descended into the beautiful plain, to which I had given the name
Ibrahimeyah, in honour of the father of his Highness the Khedive
(Ibrahim Pacha).
This point is destined to become the capital of Central Africa.
The general depot for the steamers will be near the mouth of the
Un-y-Ame river; which, after rising in the prairies between Fatiko and
Unyoro, winds through a lovely country for about eighty miles, and falls
into the White Nile opposite to Gebel Kuku. The trade of Central Africa,
when developed by the steamers on the Albert N'yanza, will concentrate
at this spot, whence it must be conveyed by camels for 120 miles to
Gondokoro, until at some future time a railway may perhaps continue the
line of steam communication.
