Inashorttimewehadabovegroundsweetmelons，watermelons，pumpkins，cabbages，tomatoes，cauliflowers，beet-root，parsley，lettuce，celery，&c。，butallthepeas，beans，andaverychoiceselectionofmaizethatIhadreceivedfromEngland，weredestroyedduringthevoyage。Againstmyexpressorders，theboxhadbeenhermeticallysealed，andthevitalityofthelargerseedswasentirelygone。Seedsshouldbesimplypackedinbrownpaperbagsandsecuredinabasket。
　　Theneighbouringcountrywas，asusualintheWhiteNiledistricts，flatanduninteresting。Forestandbushclothedthebanksoftheriver，butthisformedamerefringeforadepthofabouthalfamile，beyondwhichallwasopenprairie。
　　Althoughtherewasaconsiderableextentofforest，therewasadearthofusefultimberforbuildingpurposes。Theonlylargetreeswereaspeciesofmimosa，namedbytheArabs”kook。”Wewereveryshortofsmallrowingboats，thosebelongingtothesteamerswerelargeandclumsy，andIwishedtobuildafewhandydingiesthatwouldbeextremelyusefulforthenextvoyageuptheobstructionsoftheBahrGiraffe。IthereforeinstructedtheEnglishshipwrightstotakethejobinhand，andduringaramblethroughtheforesttheyselectedseveraltrees。Thesewerequicklyfelled，andthesawyersweresoonatworkcuttingplanks，keels，andallthenecessarywoodforboat-building。ItisapleasuretoseeEnglishmechanicsatworkinawildcountry；theyfinishajobwhileanEgyptianworkmanisconsideringhowtodoit。InaveryshorttimeMr。Jarvis，theheadshipwright，hadconstructedanimpromptuworkshop，withanironroof，withintheforest；severalsetsofsawyerswereatwork，andinafewdaysthekeelofanewboatwaslaiddown。
　　Thechiefmechanicalengineer，Mr。McWilliam，wasengagedinsettingupthesteamsaw-mills，andinafewweeksafterourfirstarrivalinthisuninhabitedwilderness，thechangeappearedmagical。Inadditiontothelongrowsofwhitetents，andthepermanentironmagazines，werehundredsofneathutsarrangedinexactlines；alargeironworkshopcontaininglathes，drillingmachines，andsmallverticalsawmachine；
　　nexttothistheblacksmith’sbellowsroared；andtheconstantsoundofthehammerandanvilbetokenedanewlifeinthesilentforestsoftheWhiteNile。TherewereseveralgoodmenwhohadreceivedaEuropeanmechanicaleducationamongthoseIhadbroughtfromEgypt；thesewerenowengagedwiththeEnglishengineersinrepairingtheengineoftheNo。10steamer，whichrequiredanewpiston。Iorderedanumberofverycrookedbill-hookstobepreparedforcuttingthetangledvegetationduringournextvoyage。Thefirstboat，aboutsixteenfeetlong，wasprogressing，andtheentirestationwasafieldofindustry。Thegardensweregreenwithvegetables，andeverythingwouldhavebeenflourishinghadthetroopsbeeningoodhealth。ThosemiserableEgyptiansappearedtobeinahopelessconditionmorally。Itwasimpossibletoinstilanyspiritintothem，andifsick，theyatoncemadeuptheirmindstodie。
　　ItistobehopedthatmyregimentofconvictswasnotafairsampleofthespiritandintelligenceoftheEgyptianfellah。SomeofthemDESERTED。
　　Thereisanabsurdprejudiceamongthementhatthegrindingofflourupontheusualflatmillstoneisanunmanlytaskthatshouldalwaysbeperformedbyawoman。Thisisaveryancientprejudice，ifwemayjudgebythesymbolsfoundupontheflatmillstonesoftheancientEgyptians。
　　WealsohearintheTestament，”twowomenshallbegrindingtogether；
　　oneshallbetaken，theotherleft。”Therewasascarcityofwomeninourstation，andthegrindingofthecornwouldhavegivenrisetomuchdiscontenthadInotexperiencedthisdifficultyinaformervoyage，andprovidedmyselfwithsteelcorn-mills。Ihadoneoftheseerectedforeachcompanyoftroops，andinadditiontotheusuallabour，Ialwayssentencedmenunderpunishmenttosomanyhoursatthemill。
　　Althoughthiscountrywasexceedinglyrichinsoil，itwasentirelyuninhabitedonoursidetheeastoftheriver。ThishadformerlybeentheDinkacountry，butithadbeenquitedepopulatedbyrazziasmadeforslavesbytheformerandpresentgovernorsofFashoda。Theseraidshadbeenmadeonalargescale，withseveralthousandtroops，inadditiontothesharpslave-hunters，theBaggaraArabs，asallies。TheresultwasalmosttheexterminationoftheDinkatribe。ItseemedincomprehensibletotheShillooknativesthatagovernmentthathadonlylatelymadeslave-huntingaprofessionshouldsuddenlyturnagainsttheslave-hunters。
　　Ifrequentlyrodeonhorsebackaboutthecountry，andwhereverIfoundaspotslightlyraisedabovethegenerallevel，Iwassuretodiscoverquantitiesofbrokenpottery，thevestigesofvillages，whichhadataformertimebeennumerous。Therewasverylittlegame，butnowandthenostricheswereseenstalkingabouttheyellowplainsofwitheredgrass。
　　OnoneoccasionIwasridingwithLieutenantBaker，accompaniedbyafeworderlies，whenIdistinguishedtheformsofseveralostrichesatagreatdistance。Theywerefeedingontheflatplainwhereitwashopelesstoattemptanapproach。Iwasjustreplacingmytelescope，whenIobservedanostrichemergefrombehindsomebushes，about400yards’
　　distance。Thiswasamalebird，bytheblackcolour，anditappearedtobefeedingtowardsthescatteredbushonmyleft。Wewereatthemomentpartiallyconcealedbythegreenfoliage。Iimmediatelydismounted，andleavingthepartybehindthebushes，Iranquicklyforward，alwaysconcealedbythethickthorns，untilIthoughtImustbesomewherewithinshot，unlessthebirdhaddiscoveredmeandescapedwithoutmyknowledge。Inowwentcautiouslyandslowlyforward，stoopingunderthebusheswhennecessary，andkeepingagoodlookoutonallsides，asI
　　expectedthattheostrichmustbesomewhereinthejungle。Atlength，asIturnedroundaclumpofthickthorns，Isightedthebirdracingawaywithimmensespeedstraightfrommeatabout130yards。Iraisedthe150-yardsightoftheDutchman，andtakinghimverysteadily，asthebirdkeptaperfectlystraightcourse，Ifired。Theostrichatoncefellwithsogreatashockuponthehard，parchedground，thattheairwasfulloffeathers。Istepped130longpaces，andfoundthatthebullethadstruckthebirdinthecentreoftheback，killingitinstantly。Mypartycameuptomywhistle，andIdespatchedamountedorderlytocamptobringmenanddonkeys。
　　AlthoughIhavebeenmanyyearsinAfrica，thiswasthefirstandthelastostrichthatIhaveeverbagged。Itwasaveryfinemale，andthetwothighsandlegswereaveryfairloadforastrongdonkey。
　　Ihaveseenerroneousaccountsofostrichesdesignatedastwovarieties，theblackandthegrey。Theblack，withwhitefeathersinthewingsandtail，issimplythemale，andthegreythefemale。Thefeathersofthisbirdwereoldandinbadorder。ThefatismuchesteemedbytheArabsasanexternalapplicationforrheumatism。Ifoundthestomachrichinscorpions，beetles，leavesoftrees，andwhiteroundedquartzpebbles。
　　Thebirdmusthavecomefromaconsiderabledistanceastherewasneitherrocknorpebbleintheneighbourhood。
　　OnmyreturntocampIcarvedanartificialostrichheadfromapieceofwood，andmadefalseeyeswiththeneckofawinebottle。Iintendedtostickthisheaduponapole，concealedinalinenfishingrodcase，andtodressupmycapwiththickplumesofostrichfeathers。Ihavenodoubtthatitwouldbepossibletoapproachostrichesingrassbythisimitation，asthepolewouldbecarriedinthelefthand，andallthemovementsoftheostrichesmightbeeasilyimitated。Thepoleinthelefthandrestedonthegroundwouldmakeagoodrestfortheriflewhenthemomentarrivedfortheshot。
　　Heavyrainssetin，andthehithertodryplainsbecamefloodedandswampy，thusIneverhadanopportunitytotrymyfalseostrich。
　　TheShillookswerenowbecomeourfastfriends。Thecampwascrowdeddailywithnativeswhocamebywaterfromaconsiderabledistancetotrafficwiththesoldiers。Likeallnegroes，theyweresharptraders，withaJewishtendencyintheirbargains。Theybroughtrawcottonandprovisionsofallkindsinexchangeforcottonmanufacturesandiron。
　　Theircountryconsistssimplyofrichalluvialsoil，thereforeallironmustbeimported，anditisofgreatvalue。Thebestarticlesofexchangeforthiscountrywouldbepiecesofwroughtironofaboutfourouncesinweightandsixincheslong，andpiecesofeightounces，andeightinchesinlength。Alsocottoncloth，knownasgreycalico，togetherwithwhitecalico，andothercheapmanufactures。Thecottonthatisindigenoustothecountryisshortinstaple，butitgrowsperfectlywild。TheShillooksareveryindustrious，andcultivatelargequantitiesofdhurraandsomemaize，butthelatterisonlyusedtoeatinagreenstate，roastedontheashes。Thegrainofmaizeistoohardtogrindonthecommonflatmillstonesofthenatives，thusitisseldomcultivatedinanyportionofCentralAfricaonanextendedscale。IgavesomegoodEgyptiancotton-seedtothenatives，alsotheseedofvariousEuropeanvegetables。Tobaccowasingreatdemandbythetroops，andI
　　consideredthequalitysuppliedbytheShillookssuperiortothatcultivatedintheSoudan。
　　Althoughthecampwasvisitedbyhundredsofnatives，includingtheirwomen，daily，therewereseldomanyquarrelsoverthemarketing，andwhenadisagreementtookplaceitwasgenerallythefaultofasoldier，whotooksomethingoncredit，andpleadedinabilitytopay。I
　　administeredarough-and-readyjustice，andappointedanofficertosuperintendthebazaartopreventsquabbles。
　　Iwasmuchstruckwiththehonestyofthenatives，whoappearedthoroughlytoappreciatetheprotectionaffordedthem，andthefairdealinginsistedupononthepartofthetroops。Theriverwasabout700
　　yardswide，butthelandonthewestshorewasonlyalargeisland，throughwhichseveralsmallstreamscutdeepchannels。ThisislandwasseparatedfromthemainwesternshorebyabranchoftheWhiteNile。Thewestbankwasthicklylinedwithvillagesforabout200milesofriverfrontagethroughouttheShillookcountry，thusaffordingadmirableopportunitiesfordirecttradewithvesselsfromKhartoum。Itwasatediousjourneyforthenativestovisitusdaily，astheyhadtocrossfirsttheirwesternbranchoftheNile，thentocarrytheircanoesacrosstheislandforaboutamile，andagaintocrossthemainrivertoarriveatourcamp。TheShillookcanoehasoftenbeendescribed。Itisformedoflongpiecesoftheambatch-wood，whichislighterthancork。
　　Thesecurioustrees，whichgrowintheswampsoftheWhiteNile，arethickatthebase，andtapertoapoint，thusanumberarelashedsecurelytogether，andthepointsaretiedtightlywithcord，soastoformabow。Thesecanoesorraftsgenerallyconveytwopersons，andtheyareespeciallyadaptedforthemarshynavigationoftheriver，astheycanbecarriedontheheadwithoutdifficulty，whenitmaybenecessarytocrossanislandormorass。
　　Ournativetradersarriveddailyinfleetsofambatchcanoesfromaconsiderabledistance。Thesoldierstrustedthemwiththeirrationsofcorntogrind，ratherthantakethetroubletoprepareitthemselves。
　　Thenativestookthecorntotheirhomes，andinvariablyreturnedwiththehonestcomplementofflour。IneverhadacomplaintbroughtbeforemeofdishonestywhenaShillookhadbeentrusted。Ihavegreathopesofthesepeople，theysimplyrequireallassuranceofgoodfaithandprotectiontobecomeavaluablerace。
　　FromtheShillookcountrytoKhartoumtheriverissuperbandcanbenavigatedatallseasons。ThenorthernendofthiscountryisrichinforestsoftheAcaciaArabicaSoont，awoodthatisinvaluableasfuelforsteamers，andistheonlyreallydurablewoodforship-buildingintheSoudan。TherainsbegininMay，andareregularthroughoutfourmonths，thuscottonmaybecultivatedwithouttheexpenseofartificialirrigation；atthesametimethedrysummeroffersaninestimableadvantageforgatheringthecrop。
　　TheDinkacountryontheeastbankwouldhavebeenofequalvalue，but，asIhavealreadydescribed，ithasbeendepopulated。
　　Therewasanoldblindsheikwhofrequentlyvisitedusfromtheotherside，andthispooroldfellowcametoanuntimelyendwhenreturningonedaywithhissonfrommarketingatTewfikeeyah。Iwaswalkingonthequay，whenIheardagreatcommotion，andIsawasplashingintheriver，thesurfaceofwhichwascoveredwiththeambatchfragmentsofanativecanoe。Thereweremanycanoesontheriver，severalofwhichimmediatelywenttotheassistanceoftwomenwhowerestrugglinginthewater。Ahippopotamushadwantonlychargedthecanoe，andseizingitinhismouth，togetherwiththepooroldblindsheikwhocouldnotavoidthedanger，crunchedthefrailboattopieces，andsocrushedandlaceratedtheoldmanthat，althoughhewasrescuedbyhiscomrades，hediedduringthenight。
　　AspeaceandconfidencehadbeenthoroughlyestablishedamongtheShillooks，IdeterminedtosendforthegovernorofFashoda，andtointroducehimpersonallytotheoldking，QuatKare，whomhehadofficiallyreportedtobedead。IthereforesummonedQuatKare，andhavinginformedhimofmyintention，IsentthesteamertoFashodasixty-fivemiles，andinvitedtheKoorditopaymeavisit。
　　Whenhearrived，Ireceivedhimbeneaththetreewhichformedmydivan，andafterapreliminarypipeandcoffee，weproceededtobusiness。I
　　toldhimthathemusthavebeeninerrorwhenhereportedthedeathoftheoldking，asIhadprovedhimtobestillalive。HerepliedthathedidnotbelievetherealQuatKarewasinexistence，ashehadheardonthebestauthoritythathewasdead。Igaveanordertoanaide-de-camp，andinafewminutesthetallandstatelyfigureoftheoldkingwasseenapproaching，accompaniedbyhiswives，ministers，andacrowdofmostorderlyretainers，includingseveralofhissons。Thekingsatdownuponacarpetinadignifiedmanner，withouttakingtheslightestnoticeoftheKoordigovernor。Histwowivessatdownbyhim，buthissonsstoodwithhisfollowersafewyardsdistant。
　　TheKoordi，whowasaremarkablyhandsomeoldman，withasnow-whitebeard，satequallyunmoved，smokingthelongchibook，withoutapparentlyregardingthekingorhispeople。Thechibookisamostusefulinstrumentforadiplomat。Ifthesituationisdifficult，hecanpuff，puff，puff，andtheincorrigiblepipewillnotdraw；inthemeantime，heconsidersareply。Atlengththepipedraws，acloudofsmokeissuesfromthemouth。”Ibegyourpardon，”saystheembarrasseddiplomat，evidentlyrelievedbythelittleunrealdifficultywithhispipe，”whatwerewetalkingabout?”andhavingconsideredhisreply，heisreadyforargument。Thepipethendrawsleisurely，thesmokeascendsinsteadyclouds，whilehelistenstotheargumentsoftheotherside。Thereisnonecessityforatoosuddenreply。Eveniftheconversationhasceased，thepipemaybecalmlysmoked，whilethefactsofthecasearearrangedintheowner’smindbeforehecommitshimselftoananswer。
　　Inthepresentinstancenobodyspoke，buttheKoordigovernorofFashodasmokedsteadily。PresentlyQuatKarefixedhiseyesuponhimwithasteadyanddeterminedstare，butwithhisusualimmovablefeatures，andhethussilentlyregardedhimduringseveralminutes。”HaveIfoundthee，Omineenemy?”mighthavebeentheShillookking’sidea，buthekeptsilence。
　　Howlongthistableauvivantwouldhavecontinueditisimpossibletosay，thereforeIproceededtobusinessbyaskingthegovernorifheknewQuatKarebysight?Heonlyreplied”yes。”