70 Seven Years in tJic Soudan, Ibrahim, and communicated to him my decision to abandon his dahabia and the nugars, and go in search of fuel. Ibrahim had his family on board, and it did not suit him to remain with them in a place anything but secure. I soothed him by giving him some soldiers for escort and rifles for the creAV.

We had been on our way for about two hours Avhen I perceived smoke in the distance. It was a steamer coming -towards us, which Ave soon recognized to be the yacht Khedive belonging to the Commander-in-chief. A more fortunate meeting could not have been, since I Avas able to learn at Avhat distance the forest lay. The Khedive had left Gondokoro eight days before ; the captain explained to me that Ave AA'ere now three hours from the mouth of the Bahr-el-Zeraf, and that from thence to Gabe-Shambe there were only two hours more, and that finally the forest Avas about an hour from the place of our meeting.

Precisely an hour after, AA'ithout need of orders, the engine stopped for want of fuel, just as we touched the forest. All that day was employed in cutting wood, and the day after Ave arrived at Gabe-Shambc, the journey haA'ing taken exactly a month betAveen that place and Bahr-el-Ghazal. It had been a very sad journey !