268 PASSENGERS BY THE " MESSINA the reason was, that they would have to wait some days at Suez, for a boat from Italy, before going south again, and so we were only too glad to take things easily. A great deal of the cargo consisted of ivory from the White Nile, and the rest was chiefly gum. The " Cosseir " arrived while we were waiting there, one of the Khedivial post-boats that had been newly done up, and was bound for Massawa, Hodeida, Aden, Zeilla, Tajurra, and Berbera. These last three ports have lately been added to these steamers' ports of call, as they are now under the Cairo government ; and I trust the country from these points will soon be opened up. A small steamer, belonging to some merchants at Aden, has also lately commenced trading with these places, which are in the Soumali country. A second steamer came into Souakim while we were there, — the " Kassal Kerim," for cattle, a filthy-looking vessel, flying the Turkish flag.

We took several first-class passengers from Souakim, among others two Americans whom we had met at Shepherd's Hotel, before leaving Cairo. They had been sent out by the " Freec'-man's Aid Society" of New York, I believe, to endeavour to find out suitable places for establishing schools and stations for this society on the White Nile and at Khartoum. It is proposed to send out educated negroes from America, both ordained and laymen ; the idea being, that they will be more suited to the climate, and have more influence over their black brethren, than white people possibly could have. These American gentlemen had travelled to Khartoum via the Nile and Korosko Desert, and had been up the White Nile in one of the government-steamers as far as the Sobat River, seven hundred miles south from the junction of the Blue and White Niles. Their scheme has the sanction and approval of the Khedive, who had promised, before they left Cairo, to aid them in the undertaking.