This was a sad termination after a journey of nearly four years and a
half, when he was on the hopeful road towards home.
We were nearly wrecked during the voyage from Souakim to Suez, as the
engine of the sloop-of-war was out of repair. We then changed to another
steamer, which carried away the cap of her rudder during a heavy sea and
fresh northerly gale. Fortunately our English shipwrights were on board,
and Lieutenant Baker, R.N., knew his work; thus we escaped drowning on a
coral reef, which would assuredly have been our fate had we been left to
the ignorance of the officers and crew.
We reached Cairo on 24th August at 4.30 P.M. On 25th I had the honour
of presenting myself to his Highness the Khedive, to explain the large
chart of his new territory that I had annexed in Central Africa.
I received from his Highness the Imperial order of the Osmanie, 2nd
class, as a token of his approbation of my services. I had already had
the honour to accept from his hands the order of the Medjidie, 2nd
class, before I had started upon my mission.
