350 Seven Years in (he Soudan.

" If you will glance at tke map, you will see what an immense tract of country is now open to exploration and witli what ease and safety" — for these chiefs have more than 50,000 warriors — the countries of Sandeh, Monbuttu. and Akka can be traversed in all directions.

" Dr. Junker has one hundred and fifty trunks with him. I shall furnish him with all the means of going to Monbuttu.

" The chiefs of Sandeh are not the only ones who have submitted. The whole country between Meshrael-Rek and Balir-el-Arab is inhabited by the powerful tribe of the Xuer, and, protected by the marshy soil, has hitherto escaped the raids of the Arabs. Seventeen chiefs of this tribe have submitted to the Egyptian Government. All the country between Meshra-el-Rek and the Jur was deserted eight years ago, when the inhabitants retreated to inaccessible regions. But during the last eight months it has become populated again and villages have arisen all along the jaths. Dr. Junker's arrival is a great consolation to me. He can assure himself of the truth of what I say. To what can be attributed the change mentioned above, if not to the security which the natives now enjoy ? The country so deserted was once so rich in cattle, that during a single raid by a certain Murgian Ali of Rohl, 20,000 head were carried away. This will give you an idea of the thousands carried off in twenty-seven years by the Arabs encamped in twenty different settlements, and to what riches such a country may be restored.

" The irregular soldiers of these settlements were the scum of all that is bad. The greater part, escaping the justice of the Soudan Government, committed the vilest actions ; every day they were intoxicated, ravished the native women and carried away everything that fell into their hands. One day, three men in the service of a clerk belonging to the station of Jur Gattas went to a neighbouring