He was quickly despatched,
and that evening his flesh gladdened the cooking pots of the Soudani
regiment.
"I was amused with the account of this adventure given by various
officers who were eye-witnesses. One stated in reply to my question as
to the length of the animal, `Well, sir, I should not like to
exaggerate, but I should say it was forty-five feet long from snout to
tail!' Another witness declared it to be at least twenty feet; but by
rigid cross-examination I came to the conclusion that it did not exceed
ten.
"The steamers and tender, having been released, arrived this morning. At
1 p.m. we started with a light air from the northeast, and travelled
till 3.30 p.m. along the lake, which narrowed to the dimensions of a
moderate river. We at length arrived at a sudd which the advance boats
had cleared for about sixty yards. Having emerged, we were introduced to
a deep but extremely narrow channel flowing through the usual enormous
grass.
"The whole fleet ranged in single line to widen the passage. We are now
about twelve miles from the dubba, or raised dry ground, near to which
we first commenced clearing. We have actually cut away about six miles
of vegetation. No dependence whatever can be placed upon the guides: no
place answers to their descriptions. We have now been hard at work for
thirteen days with a thousand men, during which time we have travelled
only twelve miles!
"March 22. - Wind S.W. - foul. The people are all lazy and despairing.
Cleared a sudd. I explored ahead in a small boat. As usual, the country
is a succession of sudds and small open patches of water. The work is
frightful, and great numbers of my men are laid down with fever; thus my
force is physically diminished daily, while morally the men are
heart-broken. Another soldier died; but there is no dry spot to bury
him. We live in a world of swamp and slush. Lieutenant Baker shot a
Baleniceps Rex. This day we opened about 600 yards.
"March 23. - We have been throughout the day employed in tugging the
vessels through the channel. The Egyptians have quite lost heart. The
Soudanis are far more valuable as soldiers; none of them are ill, and
they work with a good will. I serve them out a glass of grog in the
evening. The fanatical fellahs will not touch spirits, thus they succumb
to fever and nervousness when exhausted by the chill occasioned by
working throughout the day in mud and water.
