i87 CHAPTER XXIII.

THE WAR AGAINST THE SLAYERS ON THE GAZELLE RIVER.

Farewell to Gordon — Hurricane — Forgotten post — Capture of a dahabia — Ismailia — Meeting with Emin Bey — Arrival at Fashoda — Slaves disembarked — The Sultan of the Shilluks — Taib Bey — Difficulties — Sixty irregular Arab soldiers — Emin Bey departs.

We were to leave Khartoum at noon on July loth, 1878, but with the usual unpunctuality of the Arabs, we could not embark before four o'clock. Dr.

Zucchinetti accompanied the expedition as surgeon. On the eve of my departure I received my last instructions from Grordon Pasha, I was accompanied by a numerous crowd of friends to the Bordeen, which had two nugars in tow with ammunition and forty soldiers. A last farewell to my friends, and the signal was given to put the column in motion. As we passed before the Governor's house, Gordon Pasha appeared on the balcony and waved his hand to me in final greeting. All the shore was lined with curious spectators, who gazed at those, whom, as they said, Gordon was sending to certain death.

The strong current and the boats in tow hindered the progress of the steamers. The sky grew dark with clouds, and a hurricane was imminent. Soon the wind blew with such violence that the captain was forced to cast anchor at Omdurman, a suburb of Khartoum, between the Blue and the White rivers.