Him as
friends; he accordingly handed the sheep to his wife, and shortly after
we rose to depart. Having effected an exit by creeping through the
doorway, he led us both by the hand in a most friendly way for about a
hundred yards on our path, and took leave most gracefully, expressing a
hope that we should frequently come to see him.
"On our return home we found the sheep waiting for us; determined not to
be refused, he had sent it on before us. I accordingly returned him a
most gorgeous necklace of the most valuable beads, and gave the native
who had brought the sheep a present for himself and wife; thus all
parties were satisfied, and the sheep was immediately killed for dinner.
"The following morning Katchiba appeared at my door with a large red
flag made of a piece of cotton cloth that the Turks had given him; he
was accompanied by two men beating large drums, and a third playing a
kind of clarionet: this playing at soldiers was an imitation of the
Turks. He was in great spirits, being perfectly delighted with the
necklace I had sent him."
"Oct. 6th. - I have examined my only remaining donkey: he is a picture of
misery - eyes and nose running, coat staring, and he is about to start to
join his departed comrades; he has packed up for his last journey. With
his loose skin hanging to his withered frame he looked like the British
lion on the shield over the door of the Khartoum consulate. In that
artistic effort the lion was equally lean and ragged, having perhaps
been thus represented by the artist as a pictorial allusion to the
smallness of the Consul's pay; the illustration over the shabby gateway
utters, 'Behold my leanness! 150l. per annum!'
"I feel a touch of the poetic stealing over me when I look at my
departing donkey. 'I never loved a dear gazelle,' &c.: but the practical
question, 'Who is to carry the portmanteau?' remains unanswered. I do
not believe the Turks have any intention of going to Kamrasi's country;
they are afraid, as they have heard that he is a powerful king, and they
fear the restrictions that power will place upon their felonious
propensities. In that case I shall go on without them; but they have
deceived me, by borrowing 165 lbs. of beads which they cannot repay;
this puts me to much inconvenience. The Asua river is still impassable,
according to native reports; this will, prevent a general advance south.
Should the rains cease, the river will fall rapidly, and I shall make a
forward move and escape this prison of high grass and inaction."
"Oct. 11th. - Lions roaring every night, but not visible.
