On 9th September It Was
Necessary For The Unfortunate Dr. Gedge, My Chief Medical Officer, To
Return To Khartoum, As His State Of Health Required Immediate Change.
Just as the diahbeeah was leaving the station, a vessel arrived from the
Bahr Gazal, by which I received a letter from the German traveller, Dr.
Schweinfurth.
This gentleman, to whom I was quite unknown personally,
had the extreme courtesy and generosity to intrust me with all the
details of his geographical observations, collected in his journey in
the Western Nile Basin.
It was necessary for me to return personally to Khartoum to assure
myself that my arrangements should be carried out without delay. I had
determined that the expedition should start for the south from
Tewfikeeyah on 1st Dec., at which time the Nile would be full, and the
wind strong from the north. As Tewfikeeyah was nearly half way in actual
distance from Khartoum to Gondokoro, I trusted that we should have time
to accomplish the work of cutting through the marshes, and be enabled to
pass the shallows before the river should begin to fall. I therefore
sent Mr. Higginbotham to Khartoum to engage vessels; I followed on 15th
September, with the No. 10 steamer towing my diahbeeah - and ten empty
vessels to bring up a supply of corn.
We reached Khartoum on the 21st Sept. at 9.30 a.m., to the astonishment
of the governor and population, who could not understand why I had
returned. I now met for the first time the Vicomte de Bizemont, who was
to accompany the expedition. This gentleman had been intrusted by the
Empress of the French with a very gracious token of her interest in the
expedition, which he presented as a gift from her Majesty to my wife. I
now heard for the first time the startling news of the war between
France and Prussia. I found Dr. Gedge alive, but in a deplorable state
of health. It was impossible for him to travel north, therefore he was
carefully attended by the Greek physician to the forces, Dr. Georgis. I
at once saw that there was no hope of recovery. Mr. Higginbotham had
been exceedingly kind and attentive to his wants.
I was very well received by my old friend, Djiaffer Pacha, the
governor-general, but as usual the work was all behind-hand, and Mr.
Higginbotham had been in despair until my arrival. Only seven vessels
were forthcoming. I had expected thirty! Thus, it would again be
impossible to transport the camels that were indispensable for the
transport of the steamers from Gondokoro. This was very heart-breaking.
Instead of completing the expedition by a general direct move south with
all material, transport animals, store, &c., in travelling order, the
operation would extend over some years, for the simple reason that the
government had not the means of transport. Even now the steamers had not
arrived from Cairo. The fifteen large sloops had failed to pass the
cataract; thus, I was reduced to the miserable open vessels of Khartoum,
and even these were of an inferior description and few in number.
Fortunately I had brought ten empty vessels with me from Tewfikeeyah,
otherwise we should not have had sufficient transport for the necessary
supply of corn.
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