The Prospect Was Pleasant, As Many Men
Had Died Of The Plague On Board Our Vessel During The Voyage From
Khartoum; Thus We Should Be Subject To A Visitation Of This Fearful
Complaint As A Wind-Up To The Difficulties We Had Passed Through During
Our Long Exile In Central Africa.
I ordered the vessel to be thoroughly
scrubbed with boiling water and sand, after which it was fumigated with
several pounds of tobacco, burnt within the cabin.
Three days were employed in ferrying the slaves across the river in the
two noggurs, or barges, as they must be returned to their respective
stations. I rejoiced at the total discomfiture of the traders, and,
observing a cloud of smoke far distant to the north, I spread the alarm
that a steamer was approaching from Khartoum! Such was the consternation
of the traders' parties at the bare idea of such an occurrence that they
prepared for immediate flight into the interior, as they expected to be
captured by Government troops sent from Khartoum to suppress the
slave-trade. Profiting by this nervous state of affairs, I induced them
to allow the boat to start immediately, and we concluded all our
arrangements, contracting for the diahbiah at 4,000 piastres (40
pounds). The plague having broken out at Gondokoro, the victims among
the natives were dragged to the edge of the cliff and thrown into the
river; - it is impossible to describe the horrible effluvium produced by
the crowds of slaves that had been confined upon the limited area of the
station.
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