352 Seven Years, in the Soudan.

mutilation was mucli practised in the Monbuttu country, where a certain number of eunuchs were made annually to supply the harems of the Sultans. I must confess that I had but little faith in the above-named Governor's account.

" At half an hour's distance from Rumbek, about a hundred Monbuttus were encamped, who had been brought to Rumbek to construct huts and other woodwork, being very dexterous in tlie art. Their chief was a certain Mai, the same whom I knew when I wrote to you about Miani. The Monbuttus, who had become confidential with me, asserted that what I had been told about eunuchs for the harems of their Sultans was false, and that only the Arabs allowed themselves to commit such an infamy. I could do nothing for the moment, and left the aifair to a better opportunity. One day, not long after the campaign had commenced, while we were being attacked by Suleiman, Sultan Gambari arrived from Monbuttu to pay me a visit, bringing with him the few remains of poor Miani.

"I profited by this occasionto inform myself exactly aboiit the affair of the eunuchs, but I had scarcely put the question, than the Sultan, much disturbed, asked where I could have obtained such particulars. Comprehending the false situation in which he found himself, I cut the conversation short and spoke of something else. Gambari had said that he would leave in eight days, and I hoped in the meantime to get out of him what I wanted to know. Two days passed without my seeing him, and later on I learned that he had departed on the very day of our interview. I asked Yussuf Bey's people what could be the reason, and they told me that the Sultan had gone away because he was alarmed at the cannon balls and bombs which burst into our barricade.

" But Yussuf Bey told me quite another stor}*. He said that the Sultan, offended by the questions I had ' These remains now repose at Eovigo, Miani's native place.