146 Seven Years in the Soudan.

Comm. De Martino, to get a letter from His Highness to the authorities, ordering them to facilitate our journey in the countries which they govern.

A telegram from De jMartino apprised us that a letter had been sent ; twenty days would be necessary for this to reach us. We were therefore stuck fast here for all this time making the necessary preparations for setting off immediately afterwards for Fazoglu, Fadasi and Affulo. If the fates are propitious we may hope to be at Kaffa by the end of March. It seems that Gordon has pacified an Abyssinian tribe which disturbed the frontier, assuring to them six thousand dollars a month. The want of rain and the Ioav water of the Xile contributed to increase our misery. In Dongola we paid seventy dollars for an " erdep " of " doora." An erdep is equal to about one hundred and twenty kilogrammes, and cost formerly about three dollars. I shall make all possible investigations in the interests of the firm of Carlo Erba at Milan.

My desire is to proceed to make purchases at reasonable terms, and to find means that the capital does not remain idle, as quickly as possible.

They tell me that at Xarkog, where I must pass, there is a great DOORA {Soyghunx Vulgaris.) quantity of guuis and