"Wind very strong from north. The north wind always commences at about 7
A.M. and increases in power as the sun rises. It sinks together with the
setting sun. Although the country is all that we could wish, there is no
game. The water-marks upon the trees show that the maximum of the river
has been a foot above its present level.
"December 16. - Suleiman Effendi's diahbeeah with six horses passed this
morning; he left in company with us, as did also the new noggur that
passed us yesterday morning; thus there must be gross negligence on the
part of the twenty-one vessels still remaining in the rear. Thermometer,
6 A.M., 69 degrees; noon, 88 degrees. We shot seven guinea-fowl.
"December 17. - I see four vessels about six miles ahead that are only
now making sail! thus they have been stopping for two days. In the
afternoon the two diahbeeahs of the Englishmen came up, and gave us the
terrible news that one of the vessels had sunk near the mouth of the
river Sobat on the day of our departure from Tewfikeeyah; this vessel
was laden with portions of the 38-ton steamer.
"I immediately ordered steam to be got up, and at 4.20 P.M. we started
to return 120 miles to the wreck. It appears that Raouf Bey, with many
other vessels, was in company with the lost noggur. To work in this
country is simply heart-breaking; the material is utterly worthless,
boats, officers, and men are all alike. The loss of invaluable time is
ruinous, and the ignorance of the people is such that they can do
nothing by themselves; thus I must be everywhere and superintend
everything personally.
"The boatmen say the rats drag out the rags with which the vessels are
caulked from within, thus occasioning sudden and dangerous leaks; but in
such a case, why does not the captain run his vessel ashore to prevent
sinking?
"Before starting, I despatched a letter by a vessel to Suleiman Effendi
at the sudd, with orders to commence clearing the channel without loss
of time.
"At 7.40 P.M. made out a light ahead, and shortly afterwards we met
Raouf Bey's diahbeeah tied to the bank alongside of Achmet Effendi, the
bimbashi's vessel. Raouf Bey came on board and confirmed the bad news.
They describe the sunken vessel as lying with her stem about a foot
below the surface, but her stern is in very deep water. I gave orders
for steam to be up at daylight, and we halted for the night, as it is
dangerous to travel down stream with a steamer in this narrow winding
river.
"December 18. - Started at 6.25 A.M. Then, 68 degrees; noon, 81 degrees.
At noon we met Colonel Tayib Agha and twelve vessels. I ordered three of
these vessels to turn back immediately to the wreck, as I am determined
to raise her, if possible.
"At 12.37 P.M. we reached the spot where we had passed the first wreck
in the Bahr Giraffe. At exactly 2 P.M. we reached the Nile junction. At
6.50 P.M. we distinguished the mast of the wreck above water, almost
opposite the Sobat junction, on the west side of the river. Having
passed the wreck we reached our old station Tewfikeeyah at 7.30 P.M.
Here we found a number of Shillooks, with Quat Kare's counsellor,
Abdullah, who were guarding a quantity of corn that I had left in the
king's charge, as our vessels were too heavily laden to carry it.
"December 19. - Thermometer, 6 A.M., 64 degrees; noon, 79 degrees. I sent
Abdullah with orders to the king, Quat Kare, to collect all his people
with their ambatch canoes to assist us in raising the wreck.
"The Shillooks have already taken possession of our old station, and
have divided it into lots for planting.
"December 20. - Thermometer at 6 A.M. 66 degrees; noon, 78 degrees; the
water in the goolah (cooler), 59 degrees. The wind blows a gale from the
north daily.
"I have just heard that Raouf Bey and the two colonels, Tayib Agha and
Achmet Effendi, together with about 400 men, actually abandoned, not
only the wrecked vessel and her invaluable cargo, but they also left a
section of one of the lifeboats upon the mud bank of the river and
forsook it. Such conduct is incredible, and could only be found in this
country.
"At 3.15 P.M., the steamer having replenished her wood, we started and
arrived at the wreck at 4.35 P.M. After a careful examination we passed
the night at the high ground near the Sobat junction.
"The section of the lifeboat is no longer on the mud, but I have no
doubt it has been secured by the governor of Fashoda, together with the
yard and sail. This entails the necessity of my sending him a letter
seventy miles distant to order the return of the boat section
immediately.
"December 21. - Thermometer at 6 A.M., 63 degrees; water in goolah, 52
degrees. I sent Abdullah Uz Bashi to Tewfikeeyah with a letter to the
governor of Fashoda, which the Shillooks were to forward immediately.
The letter demands eight oxen, ten sheep, the section of lifeboat saved
from the wreck, together with the yard and sail.
"I shot two small antelopes, also some guinea-fowl, francolin partridge,
and five pelicans.
"December 22. - Waiting for the arrival of Quat Kare and his Shillooks.
Shot two geese and knocked over a large antelope, but lost him in the
high grass. The country is all flooded, except for a space of about a
mile from our little camp on the Sobat dubba, which is the highest
ground for a great distance, being about fourteen feet above the maximum
level of the river.
