Sudan Archive

Open the original scan

1 he y el abb a.

of introducing some industry to replace the ivory trade when no more elephants can be found. The soil here is very fertile, producing annually four harvests of doora. Cotton grows in a wild state and reaches the size of a small tree, which yields a copious crop for three successive years.

If these agricultural villages were employed in cultivating cotton they would be able to produce more than Lower Egypt. Everyone of these three provinces has its port : Makraka is only five days from Lado, Rohl four days from Gaba-Sliambc, and the province of Bahr-el-Grhazal has its port at Meshrael-Rek. The Government could easily get cotton for two dollars the hundredweight, and export it from these ports to Kliartoum where it could be re-sold at ten dollars. The natives would then begin to appreciate the Aalue of mone}, and in time come to understand that there are more advantageous means of gain and of procuring comforts than the infamous slave trade. When, God willing, T shall be so happy as to return to Khartoum, I will employ all my small influence to induce the Governor-General to put my ideas into execution.

The river in the neighbourhood of Gaba-Shambe continues to be interrupted, and the steamer sent forty days ago from Khartoum is still labouring to open a passage. The soldiers belonging to the station of Gaba-Shambc are employed in assisting the crew. On board are the missionaries of the English Church Mission, Avho are going from Mtesa to Uganda. Thanks to the kindness of His Excellency General Gordon they have everywhere found great assistance ; and the same advantages were accorded to Monsignor Comboni, when he went to establish the mission on the Albert Nyanza. Monsignor Comboni, however, met with difficulties.

Although his jurisdiction extends to 4° south latitude. His Holiness Leo XIII. thought Avell to accord to another French Mission, directed by

Text produced by OCR — report an error