174 Seven Years in the Soudan.

Lado, with wliom he is often in communication. There is ;ilso Sheikh Lori, who is not to be feared, being accustomed to the passage of travellers.

But three hundred miles of unexplored country with tribes unknown to me still remain, and I ask myself how will our explorers manage to defend themselves from their hostility, and how will they transport their baggage h I do not know what means are at the disposal of the king of Kaffa, and what facilities he can accord, but in any case I think it unlikely that he will risk three or four hundred men ; and even if he did so, I do not know what confidence one could place in such undisciplined troops, who might desert us to return to their country.

June l7tJt. — I am making every preparation for an exploration of the Sobat, and hope this time to be more fortunate than in the journey to Fadasi. I have much at heart the desire to render some service to my country. The Sobat is a river which is of great interest, and I hope to do myself more credit in this part of Africa.

June 20th. — I am working unceasinglv to collect the baggage and material for the expedition that I intend to make to the Sobat.

I have sufficient arms and ammunition for a campaign of two years, not having yet made use of those I received from the Minister of "War. Of the instruments which the Geographical Society put at my disposition, I shall take the most necessary with me, leaving all the others in the care of my friend Rosset, the Anglo-German consul. I cannot yet give an exact plan of my intentions, as all depends on the difficulties I have to contend with.

Four caravans of slaves have been arrested at various points, the leaders made prisoners, and the slaves set at liberty. A piece of intelligence which will give great pleasure to all, is that Gordon Pasha has given the necessarj orders for the bones of our