436 Seven Years in the Soudan.

interest you take in my enterprise, and for what you wrote in your journal about my new exploration, illustrated Avith the fine map of our mutual friend, Dr. Schweinfurth.

"Amid the general indifference, it is a great comfort for us travellers to see that we are followed in our peregrinations by the sym])atln' of men who dedicate their own studies and time to the progress of geographical science. After the modest results of my first journey, I was tempted to undertake a second exploration in regions where other and illustrious explorers have met with glory and death.

" As to my constitution, T nourish a well-founded belief that it will resist the pernicious influences of the climate, and this is what especially gives me confidence in my success, for all other difiiculties — and they are not few — will be overcome by the able help of our common friend, Gessi Pasha, who will earn all my gratitude if I can but reach the goal I have proposed to myself. The rest Avill be overcome Avith a little energy.

" During my voyage from Suez to Berber and Khartoum I met with no difficulty. Even in Khartoum I Avas favoured by circumstances, for I Avas able, after only tAventy days' sojourn in that city to start for the south. That was at the end of February. For several months before that time no steamer had been able to naAigate in the regions of the Upper Nile because of the obstruction of the Bahr-el-Ghazal, which, as you well know, prevented communications for a year and a half. The 8eH (flotsam) was finalh'' got rid of after long labour, by three steamers under Marno's direction. In this respect, hoAvever, the Bahr-el-Jebel will perhaps offer difficulties for navigation in the future.

" When we passed the barriers of grass, although there was a passage for the boats, we had still to work in many places for several days, and we could only overcome the difficulty at the cost of great fatigue.