AN ABORTIVE START 7

The next day I presented myself at the Paviilon de Flore,

" You are leaving for the Sudan," said Monsieur Delcass^ ;

" what are you going to do there ? " " It is not quite decided yet," I replied. " I heard some talk of a hydro- graphic exploration of the courses of the Bafing and the

Bakhoy " (two streams which meet at Bafulab^, to form the Senegal). " You no doubt know more about it than I do."

" Well ! " he replied, " I would rather you went down the

Niger, in accordance with the project Monteil s|X)ke to me about, and which you, it seems, submitted to my

predecessor."

" I should prefer it too," I said ; " it is just what I have

been asking for for the last five years."

" Well, then, that is settled ; send me a report and an

estimate of expenses."

Thus in two minutes the exploration of the Niger was decided upon.

It is, in fact, true (see Report of December 1888) that I suggested such an expedition five years ago; but it is really ten years since a similar plan was proposed by another, and that other my venerated chief, my friend, and my master in all things connected with the Sudan, Naval Lieutenant Davoust. He died in harness.

After the occupation of Bamaku, Naval Ensign Froger,

a man of immense energy, endurance, and indomitable (per-

severance, whose name comes in whenever there is any

talk of French work in the Sudan, took a French gunboat,

piece by piece, to the Niger. God only knows at what cost There he put her together, launched her, and since 1884

she has remained on the river. This gunboat, baptized the Niger, was commanded, on the retirement of Froger, by

Davoust, who in accepting the appointment, hoped to take

his vessel up to Timbuktu. As a logical consequence, of

course, he asked permission to go down to the opening of