The Slave Monopoly of the Government. 179 desire to re-enter the Egyptian service, and that I expected aid from friends in Europe to establish a commercial house ; but not wishing to remain idle at Khartoum, I intended to push on to the Sobat, ascend it. and study its tributaries at a hundred and fifty miles from its mouth. Gordon Pasha, on dismissing me, begged me to come again the following day, as he had a personal project in store for me.