92 Seven Years in the Soudan.

Oil October 21st Ismail Aga showed me on a lieap of sand several crocodiles of enormous size ; tliey looked like great beams of wood. NotwitL-standing tlie three hundred yards of distance, I sent an explosive bullet at them. Of the seven crocodiles, six escaped, but one after an hour of convulsions at last died. For Avant of boats I was obliged to leave it where it was.

The natives eat the flesh of the crocodile and find it exquisite. I tried it also when I was in the Bahr-el-Ghazal but could not swallow it ; imagine a piece of meat boiled in fish-water and you have an idea of the I'avourite dish of these iDeople. Every day our communication with Khartoum became more seldom and more difficult, and we sometimes even remained for three months without news from Europe ; we found great difficulty also in procuring fuel, not the least of the causes being the indolence of the captains of the steamers. To remedy this, the Commander-in-chief summoned me to him at the headquarters of Gondokoro, and on my arrival there made known the absolute necessity there was that I should go directly to Khartoum and from thence arrange affairs in his name.

Having returned to Lado, i was making my preparations to depart, when the TaJahuin arrived from Khartoum, having on board M. Ernest de Linant, brother of the deceased, who was travelling for pleasure, but with the idea of finding an emplopnent.

At Berber he heard of his brother's death ; but not discouraged at this, he wished to make himself a name by penetrating into Central Africa. He was formerh* a pupil of the Ecole des Arts et Metiers, and was possessed of the most varied knowledge, and had left a very good position at Cairo. His father, Linant Pasha, member of the Khedive's Privy Council, had visited Sennaar formerly, and published some works of merit.

In company with M. Linant there were also on