. . . .
"At that instant I ordered the firing party to retire, and I summoned
the prisoner, who was brought up in charge of the guard. In the presence
of all the troops I then explained to him the necessity of strict
discipline, and that the punishment of death must certainly follow
desertion, at the same time I made such allowance for his youth and
ignorance that I determined to reduce the punishment to that of
flogging, which I trusted would be a warning to him and all others. I
assured him, and the troops generally, that although I should never
flinch from administering severe punishment when necessary, I should be
much happier in rewarding those who should do their duty. The prisoner
was flogged and kept in irons. The troops formed into sections of
companies and marched past with band playing; each company cheering as
they passed before me; but the crowd of slave-hunters slunk back to
their station, disappointed that no blood had been spilt for their
amusement.[*]
[Footnote: It was satisfactory to me that this young man, who was
pardoned and punished as described, became one of the best and most
thoroughly trustworthy soldiers of my body-guard; and having at length
been raised to the rank of corporal, he was at the close of the
expedition promoted to that of sergeant. His name was Ferritch Ajoke.]
"No person except Lieutenant Baker and the colonel, Raouf Bey, had been
in the secret that I HAD NEVER INTENDED TO SHOOT THE MAN. I had merely
arranged an impressive scene as a coup de theatre, that I trusted might
benefit the MORALE of the men.
"We were now in the fine clear stream of the Bahr Giraffe, which, having
received numerous affluents from the marsh regions, was united in one
volume. We got up steam and started at 4.30 p.m., and the diahbeeah,
towed by the steamer down stream, travelled at about nine miles an hour
until 8 a.m., making a run of 125 miles.
"We then stopped at a large forest on the west bank to cut wood for the
steamer.
"April 16. - Went out shooting with Mr. Baker, and shot two Ellipsyprymna
antelopes. The country is beautiful, but game is scarce. The forest is
much broken by elephants, which appear to frequent it during the wet
season. These animals are very useful in preparing wood for the
steamers' fires. They break down the green trees, which dry and become
good fuel. Were it not for the elephants, we should only find dead wood,
which is nearly all either hollow or rotten, and of little use as
firewood. Today we met four vessels from Khartoum that had followed me
with a reinforcement of one company of troops, with letters from
Djiaffer Pacha and Mr. Higginbotham.
