Ihavealreadyfullydescribedthissystemin”TheAlbertN’yanza，”
　　thereforeitwillbeunnecessarytoenterintominutedetailsinthepresentwork。Itwillbesufficient，toconveyanideaoftheextendedscaleoftheslave-huntingoperations，toexplainthatanindividualtradernamedAgadassumedtherightovernearlyNINETYTHOUSANDSQUARE
　　MILESofterritory。Thushiscompaniesofbrigandscouldpillageatdiscretion，massacre，take，burn，ordestroythroughoutthisenormousarea，orevenbeyondthisbroadlimit，iftheyhadthepower。
　　ItisimpossibletoknowtheactualnumberofslavestakenfromCentralAfricaannually；butIshouldimaginethatatleastfiftythousandarepositivelyeithercapturedandheldinthevariouszareebasorcamps
　　oraresentviatheWhiteNileandthevariousroutesoverlandbyDarfurandKordofan。Thelossoflifeattendantuponthecaptureandsubsequenttreatmentoftheslavesisfrightful。Theresultofthisforcedemigration，combinedwiththeinsecurityoflifeandproperty，isthewithdrawalofthepopulationfromtheinfesteddistricts。Thenativeshavetheoptionofsubmissiontoeveryinsult，totheviolationoftheirwomenandthepillageoftheircrops，ortheymusteitherdeserttheirhomesandseekindependenceindistantdistricts，orallythemselveswiththeiroppressorstoassistintheoppressionofothertribes。ThustheseedsofanarchyaresownthroughoutAfrica，whichfallamongtribesnaturallypronetodiscord。Theresultishorribleconfusion，——distrustonallsides，——treachery，devastation，andruin。
　　ThiswasthestateofCentralAfricaandtheWhiteNilewhenIwasfirsthonouredwiththenoticeofIsmailPacha，thepresentKhediveofEgypt。
　　IhadreceivedcertainintimationsfromtheForeignMinister，NubarPacha，concerningtheKhedive’sintentions，ashorttimeprevioustoaninvitationwithwhichIwashonouredbyhisRoyalHighnessthePrinceofWalestoaccompanytheirRoyalHighnessesthePrinceandPrincessduringtheirtourinEgypt。
　　Itisalmostneedlesstoaddthat，uponarrivalinEgypt，thePrinceofWales，whorepresentedathearttheprinciplesofGreatBritain，tookthewarmestinterestinthesuppressionoftheslavetrade。
　　TheKhedive，thussupportedandencouragedinhisideasofreform，concludedhisarrangementsforthetotalabolitionoftheslavetrade，notonlythroughouthisdominions，buthedeterminedtoattackthatmoralcancerbyactualcauteryattheveryrootoftheevil。
　　IwasaccordinglyrequestedtodrawupaplanfortheproposedexpeditiontoCentralAfrica。
　　Aftersomeslightmodifications，IreceivedfromtheKhedivethefollowingfirman：——”We，Ismail，KhediveofEgypt，consideringthesavageconditionofthetribeswhichinhabittheNileBasin；”Consideringthatneithergovernment，norlaws，norsecurityexistsinthosecountries；”Consideringthathumanityenforcesthesuppressionoftheslave-hunterswhooccupythosecountriesingreatnumbers；”Consideringthattheestablishmentoflegitimatecommercethroughoutthosecountrieswillbeagreatstridetowardsfuturecivilization，andwillresultintheopeningtosteamnavigationofthegreatequatoriallakesofCentralAfrica，andintheestablishingapermanentgovernment……Wehavedecreedandnowdecreeasfollows：——”AnexpeditionisorganizedtosubduetoourauthoritythecountriessituatedtothesouthofGondokoro；”Tosuppresstheslavetrade；tointroduceasystemofregularcommerce；”Toopentonavigationthegreatlakesoftheequator；”Andtoestablishachainofmilitarystationsandcommercialdepots，distantatintervalsofthreedays’march，throughoutCentralAfrica，acceptingGondokoroasthebaseofoperations。”ThesupremecommandofthisexpeditionisconfidedtoSirSamuelWhiteBaker，forfouryears，commencingfrom1stApril，1869；towhomalsoweconferthemostabsoluteandsupremepower，eventhatofdeath，overallthosewhomaycomposetheexpedition。”WeconferuponhimthesameabsoluteandsupremeauthorityoverallthosecountriesbelongingtotheNileBasinsouthofGondokoro。”
　　ItwasthusthattheKhedivedeterminedattheriskofhispopularityamonghisownsubjectstostrikeadirectblowattheslavetradeinitsdistantnest。Toinsurethefulfilmentofthisdifficultenterprise，heselectedanEnglishman，armedwithadespoticpowersuchashadneverbeenintrustedbyaMohammedantoaChristian。
　　Theslavetradewastobesuppressed；legitimatecommercewastobeintroduced，andprotectionwastobeaffordedtothenativesbytheestablishmentofagovernment。
　　ThesuppressionoftheslavetradewasacomplimenttotheEuropeanPowerswhichwoulddenotethesuperiorityofEgypt，andwouldlaythefirststoneinthefoundationofanewcivilization；andapopulationthatwasrapidlydisappearingwouldbesavedtoAfrica。
　　ToeffectthisgrandreformitwouldbenecessarytoannextheNileBasin，andtoestablishagovernmentincountriesthathadbeenhithertowithoutprotection，andapreytotheadventurersfromtheSoudan。ToconveysteelsteamersfromEngland，andtolaunchthemupontheAlbertLake，andthusopentheresourcesofCentralAfrica；toestablishlegitimatetradeinavastcountrywhichhadhithertobeenafieldofrapineandofmurder；toprotecttheweakandtopunishtheevil-doer，andtoopentheroadtoagreatfuture，wherethepasthadbeenalldarknessandthepresentrecklessspoliation——thiswasthegrandobjectwhichIsmail，theKhediveofEgypt，determinedtoaccomplish。
　　InthishumaneenterprisehewasfirmlysupportedbyhistwoMinisters，NubarPachaandCherifPachaanArmenianandaCircassian。Theyoungprinceshissons，whoarewell-educatedandenlightenedmen，tookthegreatestinterestintheundertaking；butbeyondtheseandafewothers，theobjectoftheexpeditionwasregardedwithill-concealeddisgust。
　　HavingreceivedfullpowersfromtheKhedive，IgaveordersforthefollowingvesselstobebuiltofsteelbyMessrs。SamudaBrothers：——
　　No。1。Apaddlesteamerof251tons，32-horsepower。
　　No。2。Atwinscrewhigh-pressuresteamerof20-horsepower，108tons。
　　No。3。Atwinscrewhigh-pressuresteamerof10-horsepower，38tons。
　　Nos。4，5。Twosteellifeboats，each30ft。by9——10tonseach。
　　ThesevesselswerefittedwithenginesofthebestconstructionbyMessrs。Pond&Co。，andweretobecarriedacrosstheNubiandesertinplatesandsections。
　　Inadditiontothesteamersweresteamsawmills，withaboilerthatweighed8cwt。inonepiece——allofwhichwouldhavetobetransportedbycamelsforseveralhundredmilesacrosstheNubiandesert，andbyboatsandcamelsalternatelyfromAlexandriatoGondokoro，adistanceofaboutTHREETHOUSANDMILES。
　　Inthedescriptionofthisenterprise，whichterminatedinthesuppressionoftheslavetradeoftheWhiteNileandtheannexationofalargeequatorialterritorytoEgypt，IshallbecompelledtoexposemanyabuseswhichweretheresultofmisgovernmentinthedistantprovincesofUpperEgypt。ItmustbedistinctlyunderstoodthathisHighnesstheKhedivewasignorantofsuchabuses，andthathetookpromptandvigorousmeasurestoreformtheadministrationoftheSoudanimmediatelyuponreceivinginformationofthemisgovernmentofthatextensiveterritory。ThroughouttheexpeditionhisHighnesshasexhibitedadeterminationtosucceedinthesuppressionoftheslavetradeinspiteoftheadverseopinionofthepublic；therefore，whenIexposetheabusesthatexisted，itmustbeacceptedwithouthesitationthattheKhedivewouldhavebeentheforemostinpunishingtheauthorsandinrectifyingsuchabuseshadhebeenawareoftheirexistence。
　　AsadutytotheKhedive，andinjusticetomyself，Ishalldescribetheprincipalincidentsastheyoccurredthroughouttheexpedition。Thecivilizedworldwillformbothjudgeandjury；iftheirverdictbefavourable，Ishallhavemyreward。Icanonlyassuremyfellow-menthatIhavesoughtearnestlytheguidanceoftheAlmightyintheuseofthegreatpowercommittedtome，andItrustthatIhavebeenpermittedtolayafirmfoundationforagoodworkhereafter。
　　CHAPTERII。
　　ENGLISHPARTY。
　　Thesuccessofanexpeditiondependsmainlyuponorganization。FrommyformerexperienceinCentralAfrica，Iknewexactlytherequirementsofthenatives，andallthematerialthatwouldbenecessaryfortheenterprise。Ialsoknewthattheoldadageof”outofsightoutofmind”
　　mightbeadoptedastheEgyptianmotto，thereforeitwouldbeindispensabletosupplymyselfwitheverythingattheoutset，soastobeindependentofsupporthereafter。
　　TheEnglishpartyconsistedofmyselfandLadyBaker；LieutenantJulianAlleyneBaker，R。N。；Mr。EdwinHigginbotham，civilengineer；Mr。Wood，secretary；Dr。JosephGedge，physician；Mr。Marcopolo，chiefstorekeeperandinterpreter；Mr。McWilliam，chiefengineerofsteamers；Mr。Jarvis，chiefshipwright；togetherwithMessrs。Whitfield，Samson，Hitchman，andRamsall，shipwrights，boiler-makers，&c。Inadditiontotheaboveweretwoservants。
　　IlaidinstoressufficienttolasttheEuropeanpartyfouryears。
　　Iprovidedfourgalvanizedironmagazines，eacheightyfeetlongbytwentyinwidth，toprotectallmaterial。
　　BeforeIleftEnglandIpersonallyselectedeveryarticlethatwasnecessaryfortheexpedition；thusanexpenditureofabout9，000poundswassufficientforthepurchaseofthealmostinnumerableitemsthatformedtheoutfitfortheenterprise。ThisincludedanadmirableselectionofManchestergoods，suchascottonsheeting，greycalico，cottonandalsowoollenblankets，white，scarlet，andblue；Indianscarfs，redandyellow；handkerchiefsofgaudycolours，chintzprinted；
　　scarletflannelshirts，sergeofcoloursblue，red，linentrowsers，&c。，&c。
　　Toolsofallsorts——axes，smallhatchets，harnessbells，brassandcopperrods，combs，zincmirrors，knives，crockery，tinplates，fish-hooks，musicalboxes，colouredprints，finger-rings，razors，tinnedspoons，cheapwatches，&c。，&c。
　　AllthesethingswerepurchasedthroughMessrs。Silber&Fleming，ofWoodStreet，Cheapside。
　　Ithushadsufficientclothingforaconsiderablebodyoftroopsifnecessary，whilethemagazinescouldproduceanythingfromaneedletoacrowbar，orfromahandkerchieftoaboat’ssail。Itwillbeseenhereafterthatthesecarefularrangementsassuredthesuccessoftheexpedition，asthetroops，whenleftwithoutpay，couldprocurealltheyrequiredfromtheapparentlyinexhaustiblestoresofthemagazines。
　　Inadditiontothemerchandiseandgeneralsupplies，Ihadseverallargemusicalboxeswithbellsanddrums，anexcellentmagiclantern，amagneticbattery，wheelsoflife，andanassortmentoftoys。Thegreatestwondertothenativesweretwolargegirandoles；alsothesilveredballs，aboutsixinchesindiameter，that，suspendedfromthebranchofatree，reflectedthescenebeneath。
　　Ineveryexpeditiontheprincipaldifficultyisthetransport。”Travellight，ifpossible，”isthebestadviceforallcountries；butinthisinstanceitwassimplyimpossible，astheobjectoftheexpeditionwasnotonlytoconveysteamerstoCentralAfrica，buttoestablishlegitimatetradeintheplaceofthenefarioussystemofpillagehithertoadoptedbytheso-calledWhiteNiletraders。Itwasthereforeabsolutelynecessarytopossessalargestockofgoodsofallkinds，inadditiontothemachineryandsteelsectionsofsteamers。