FORGOTTEN OR FORSAKEN. 457 times. Will they ever come? ‘The worst mishap, and the one that has vexed me most, is the entire destruction of our gardens by the river floods. My bamboo plantations, so carefully tended, and the lovely roses, are gone, while even the rice has been drowned. I have seeds of the latter, but what of the others? Only the guavas have benefited by the rain, and they are now covered with fruit, which, however, no one eats here, because of their aroma. The Elais seeds have not yet sprouted. Cabbages, grown from French seed, have done very well, and so have the carrots, though they are not sweet. The vines are in good condition, but have no fruit yet. Peaches, plums, and olives will hardly be able to bear fruit on account of the great heat, although they are beautifully green; I will transplant them to Makraka, where it is cooler (Janda, 3300 feet).

November 29, 1883.

It is rather a long time since I last worked at my notes for you. I waited from day to day, hoping that a steamer would come at last and bring me news from you, but we seem to be forgotten in Kharttim or consigned to perdition. On November 23 I was delighted at receiving a letter from Lupton Bey, who had not written for a long time, and who now informed me that a steamer had arrived in the Meshra, but had not been heard of till a month afterwards, on the 11th of Shewal (August 15), for the road between the Meshra and Jur Ghattas was blocked by the Dinka, and could only be used with an escort of several hundred armed men. According to a note Lupton had received—the despatches were still on board the steamer on October 14, and Lupton himself was at Jur Ghattas—the Governor-General in Khartuim has been changed once more, and Giegler Pasha has gone on leave.

A Huropean traveller had come to the Meshra, and as he would try to force his way to Jur Ghattas in spite of all the warnings of the people, he was killed by the Dinka, one and a half day’s march from the Meshra, the victim of his own . obstinacy. The unfortunate man may have been your friend _ Schuver.* * It was Schuver.—R. W. F.