THE 150RDEIN splendid work. In the year 1880 she played an important part in the deliverance of Gessi Pasha and his followers from a serious position. Gessi Pasha, the loyal friend of Gordon, having crushed the rebellion of Suleman, left Meshra ar-Rek in the Sasia on September 25th, 1880, taking in tow boats containing 400 Arabs and officials. Near Ghaba Jer Dekka the whole flotilla got hemmed in by the " Sudd," i.e. masses of vegetation which blocked the river, and could not move. Provisions ran short, and scores of men died from hunger and fever, and the EAST BANK OF THE NILE ABOVE ATBARA, SHOWING NATIVE BOATS.

living were eating the bodies of the dead. When things were at their worst Marno, an Egyptian official, appeared on January 4th, 1881, with the Burden, bringing with him food and medicines, and so saved the life of the remainder of Gessi's party. The " Sudd " was broken up and towed away piecemeal by the Burden, and the Sasia was able to proceed to Khartum.

As we steamed up the river there was abundant opportunity of examining the state of the country on each bank, and a more desolate region it would be difficult to imagine. The west bank is lower than the east, and except on the very edge of the river no traces of cultivation were to be seen. The little islands we passed 259