Slave-dealing Governors.

Thus passed the days, one after the other, in constant uncertainty. The rains had ah'eady commenced, and the roads of communication became more difficult from day to day, the country being in many parts inundated. I feared that the rising waters woukl impede my march. The soldiers Avere without meat ; but fortunately, two days after my arrival, one of my orderlies killed an enormous hippopotamus, which was distributed among the troops.

I was anxious at the absence of Yussuf Bey and the bearers, and hoped to have tidings of Suleiman, but my faith in Yussuf Bey as an officer was not great. It being impossible for me to move without means of transport, I began to fear that Yussuf Bey would never return. I might have set out, trusting to raids in the villages, but could not and would not follow the example of the Egyptian troops.

So the days passed with an uncertainty to which I put an end by determining to take a little clothing, provisions for five days, and fifty soldiers without baggage, and march quickly on to Rohl-Rumbek.

Fortunately I was able to find ten native women, who, for an erdah of doora, offered to carry our few effects. Besides the doctor, Zucchinetti, I had the owner of Jur-Gattas, who came with me to persuade the people of his seriba to join me.

He was a young man, a certain Mangrios Effendi, of the Copt religion. His parents had died when he was a child. His father had left him an immense fortune, calculated at about eighty thousand pounds sterling. The young man from his stooping manner must have been sickly. He paid me great respect, and having no one who could write Arabic, I employed him as private secretary. Though timid, he was very quick of perception, and knew thoroughly well all the intrigues of Khartoum, and the course of affairs which it is not easy to learn without being on friendly terms with the officials. "What astonished