- 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.
