296 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

salute answered by the approching boat, so that at last we dared to believe in the chance of escape. Some of the crew began to pray, some to sing and dance for joy, and there was a general shaking of hands. In about an hour after its first appearance, the boat stopped about six miles off, and we thought that perhaps the block was there, and that we should have still to wait a few days until a small boat could work its way through the grass. In the evening, as we were sitting on the bridge, clad in armour of wraps against mosquitoes, I thought I saw a shadow dart noiselessly across the lake to the steamer, and then a dark figure sprang upon the deck, followed by another and then another. I hastened down the ladder to see who they were, and found to my great surprise that it was our jpilot, who had come in a native boat ; and so delighted were the sailors to see him again that they nearly hugged him to pieces. He was assailed by such a torrent of questions that some time elapsed before he was able to make himself heard above the tumult ; but at last he sat down cross-legged, and a circle was formed round him while he told his tale. It was an interesting sight to watch the group, their eager faces, his graceful gestures, all lit up by the light of the moon, and occasionally by a bright flash of lightning from some clouds in the background. The man told us that after leaving us it had taken three davs' hard work to force the boat