400 Seven Yea7's in the Soudan.

December loth. — At the petition of the captain Jinau Bey's men were sent to work on board the steamer. Turning to the captain, I said, — "It is now time that you should set a good example by going on board yourself to direct and join in the work." But he contemptuously replied that he alone was responsible, and that I should meddle with my own business in Bahr-el-Grhazal ! This was too much. I lost patience, and attacked him, forgetting where I was and everything about me. He fell on the deck of the nugger, and at the same moment all the crew of the steamer declared tliev would no longer submit to the orders of such a person. I Avent on board the steamer. Our position was extreme, and I was obliged to arrest the captain and confide the command to the head-engineer. I told the crew the decision I had come to, and warned them that they must not obey any orders given by the captain.

December 20th. — Te are encountering enormous difficulty, but we hope that they will not prove insurmountable. If Ave had had at our disposal the forty-three men Avho have been abandoned, twenty of them Avould have helped us to overcome two or three bars Avhich we must pass before getting into free water. A sailor and five of Jinau Bey's men died.

We are dying of hunger. If things remain as they are now for two days more, I feel that I also must succumb.

From the bridge can be seen at a distance the huts of the Xuer fishermen, who, hoAvever, are enemies. I decided to attack them in the hope of finding some proAisions, but onh' seven men would accompany me. When we drew near the huts we