"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.
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