On29thFebruarywewerereadyforthestart。Theloadswereallpreparedandarrangedinseparatedivisionsoftwentyeach，underthechargeofselectedofficersandmen。
　　Thebignogarahadsounded，thenativescollected，andeachmanstoodbyhisload；thustwenty-fivegangsoftwentyeachshouldhavestoodinline。
　　InowdiscoveredthatthevauntedhonestyoftheLoborewasofthesameorderasthatofothernegroes。Fivehundredcowshadbeengiventoasmanynatives，forallofwhichthesheikAbbiohaddeclaredhimselfresponsible。Thebignogarasoundedinvain。Afterwaitingforsomehours，andsendingnumerousmessengerstoasmanyvillages，only433
　　carrierscouldbemustered；thussixty-sevenhadelopedwithasmanycows！
　　Noonecanimaginethetroubleofsuchajourneywithsolongaretinueofcarriers，mostofwhomaredishonest，andonlyseekanopportunitytoabscondupontheroad。
　　TheLoboreareimmenselypowerfulmen，andtheycarriedtheboxesofHale’srocketsassingleloads，althoughweighingupwardsofseventy-twopounds。Atthesametimetheyquarrelledamongthemselvesastothechoiceofparcels，andIcouldwithdifficultyprevailuponthemtocarrythezincboat，althoughitdidnotexceed130lbs。Fourmenactuallyrefusedtotouchit，asitsatuneasilyupontheirheads。
　　Thishandylittlevesselwasmadeofzincuponanironframework，andwouldcontainfourpeopleuponapinch，butwouldeasilyconveythreeacrossariver。Ihadarrangeditupontwostoutbamboossoadjustedthatfourmenshouldhavecarrieditwithease。Thenativesdemandedeight，butIatlengthcompromisedforsix。
　　Thedelaycausedbythenon-appearanceofthesixty-sevencarrierswasextremelydangerous，asitincreasedthechanceofdesertions。Alreadymanyhadvolunteeredtosearchfortheirmissingfriends，whichwouldhaveresultedinasearchforthemalso，untilmybodyofcarrierswouldhavemeltedaway。
　　FortunatelyIhadmadeaconsiderableallowancefordesertionsontheroad，andIcouldmanagetostartwiththeassistanceofthesoldiersandtheirwives，amongwhomIdividedmanybasketsofflour。
　　At3。25P。M。westarted。
　　TherewasnodangernowthatwehadpassedtheBaritribe，thereforewecouldpushonwithanadvanceguardoffivepickedmenof”TheForty，”
　　whoalwaysaccompaniedus，andleavethechargeofthemarchandbaggagetoColonelAbd-el-Kaderandthevariousofficers。
　　Weaccordinglymarched，atfourmilesanhour，througharockyandhillycountry，generallywooded，whichwouldhavebeenanawkwardpositionifheldbyanenemy。
　　At6P。M。wehaltedatarockyravinewherewaterhadbeenexpectedbyourguide。Toourdismaywefounditnearlydry，anditwasnecessarytodigtemporarywellsinthesandtoprocureasupplyforourselves，whilethehorseswereforcedtocontentthemselveswiththeimpurepool。
　　Itquicklybecamedark，andthetroopsandbaggagewerefarbehind。Wethereforegatheredwoodandmadeablazingfiretoshowourposition；atthesametimeabugleranddrummerwhohadaccompaniedus，madeasmuchnoiseaspossiblefromthesummitofasmallhill。
　　At7。30P。M。thecattlearrivedbytorchlight，togetherwiththetroopsandbaggage。SomeoftheLoborecarriershadalreadydesertedontheroad，whichhadcausedmuchdelay。
　　Wehadmarchedninemiles，butitwasabsolutelynecessarytosendfourmenbacktoLobore，toinsistuponfreshcarriersbeingimmediatelysenttoreplacetherunaways。
　　OnMarch1westartedathalf-pastsixA。M。，afteraterrificscrambleforloadsby400Loborecarriers，whorushedinandtuggedandwrestledfortheirpackageslikewolvesoveracarcase。Boxeswereturnedupsidedown，andcarriedinthatmannerwithanutterdisregardforthecontents。
　　TheinvertedcanteenwasdiscoveredupontheheadofabrutalLobore，whosebodywasbeingbastedwithCognacandginthatshoweredfromtheloosenedstoppersofthedecanters。
　　Ineversawsuchawildpackofsavages；theywereonlyfittocarrytheelephants’tusksofthetraders；butanycivilizedbaggageranariskofinstantdestruction。
　　Theoldsheik，Abbio，hadgivenmehissontokeeporderamongthepeople。Thisyoungmanwasabouttwenty-sevenyearsofage，but，althoughrespectableinappearance，hedidnotappeartohavetheslightestcontroloverhispeople，andheregardedtheirdesertionswithseemingindifference。
　　Ihadastrongsuspicionthathemightquietlyabscondatnight，inwhichcaseeverymanmightinstantlyfollowhisexample。Ithereforeorderedalightthongofleathertobeattachedtotheironcollarwornasanornamentuponhisneck，andItrustedhimtothesurveillanceofacoupleofsoldierstoldoffashisguardofhonour。
　　Wemarchedsouthforsixteenmilesthroughafinecountryofhillsandlowforest，wherethevillagesoftheMadihadbeenmostlydestroyedbytheslave-huntingpartiesofAbouSaood。
　　Wepassedlargetractsoflandthathadformerlybeeninahighstateofcultivation，andthecharredremainsofnumerousvillagesbespokethedesolationcausedbythesebrigandsoftheWhiteNile。Theroadwaswellwateredbymanysmallstreamsindeepgorges，untilwedescendedtotheAsuariver。Thiswasjusttwenty-fivemilesfromourcampatLobore，inlatitudeN。，byobservation，3degrees43minutes。
　　WehappenedtoarriveatthespotwheretheriverAtabbijoinedtheAsua。AtthisjunctiontheAtabbiwasperfectlyclear，whiletheAsuawasmuddy，whichprovedthatheavyrainhadfallenintheMadiandShoolicountries，whiletheweatherwasdryinthemountainsofObbo。
　　TheAsuaflowedthroughafineforest，butalthoughthewaterwasmuddyfromrecentrains，thevolumeatthisseasonwasconfinedtoaportionofthebed，inthedeepestpartsofwhichitdidnotexceedtwofeetsixinches。Thebedfrombanktobankwasabout120yardsinwidth，andthemaximumriseoftheriverwasabouttwelvefeet。Duringthewetseasonthisisafrightfultorrentthatactsasabarriertoanyadvanceorretreatoftroopsencumberedwithbaggage。
　　Havingwadedthroughtheriver，wehaltedundertheshadytreesonthesouthside；heretherewasexcellentherbageforthecattle，astheyounggrassaftertheannualfireswasnowabouteightincheshigh，upontherichsoilneartheriver’sbank。
　　Wheneverwehaltedduringdaylight，Itookastrollwiththerifle，accompaniedbyLieutenantBaker。
　　Wewalkedforsometimealongthebanksoftheriverupstreamwithoutseeinganygame，andIwasstruckwiththeabsenceoftracksofthelargeranimals，whichcoincidedwithmyremarksontheAsuarivermanyyearsprevious，whenIcrosseditaboutthirtymileshigherup，onmyroutefromLatookatoShooa。
　　Iexpectedtoreturnwithoutseeinggame，whenwesuddenlyspiedafewwaterbuckinthesandybedoftheriver，about300pacesdistant。
　　Wemadeagoodstalk，butIonlywoundedtheanimalatwhichIfiredatabout150yards，andtheygallopedoffthroughtheopenforest。Iheardthebulletfromthelefthandbarrelstrikeatreestem，whichsavedtheantelope，buthavingquicklyreloaded，Ihadaclearandsteadyshotatalongrangeasthelargebucksuddenlystoppedandlookedback。Iputupthelastsightfor250yardsandtookafullbead。Tomygreatsatisfactionthewaterbuckwithafinesetofhornsdroppeddead。I
　　couldnotmeasurethedistanceaccuratelyaswehadtodescendarockybank，andthen，crossingthebedoftheAsua，toascendthesteepnorthbankbeforewearrivedattolerablylevelground。
　　Uponreachingtheanimal，Ifoundthebulletintheneck，whereithaddividedthespine。Iguessedthedistanceatabout240yards。SomeofourLoborenatives，whohadkeptatadistancebehindus，nowcameup，andinashorttimethenoblewaterbuckwascutupandthefleshcarriedintocamp。Thisspeciesofantelope，wheningoodcondition，weighsaboutthirtystonecleaned。
　　OnMarch2westartedat6A。M。，andmarchedatarapidratealongahardandexcellentpath，whichinclinedupwardsfromtheriverforabouteightmiles。
　　Thebushwasveryopen，andinmanyportionsthecountrywasasuccessionofdeepdells，whichinthewetseasonwerecoveredwithhighgrass，butatthistimetheyounggrasswashardlythreeincheshigh，havingsproutedaftertherecentfires。
　　Fromanaltitudeofabout1，000feetabovetheAsuariver，wehadasplendidviewoftheentirelandscape。
　　Ontheeast，ataboutfiftymilesdistant，wasthefinerangeofloftymountainsthatstretchedinalonglinetowardsLatooka。Onthewest，ontheleftbankoftheWhiteNile，whichnowflowedalmostbeneathourfeet，wastheprecipitousmountainNeri，knownbytheArabtradersasGebelhuku。ThisfinemassofrockdescendsinaseriesofruggedterracesfromaheightofbetweenthreeandfourthousandfeettotheNile，atapointwheretheriverboilsthroughanarrowgorgebetweenthemountains。ItisinthispassagethattheprincipalfallstakeplacewhichIwitnessedinmyformerjourney。Atthattimeourpathledalongtherockybankoftheriver，andwasbothdifficultanddangerous。
　　EightmilesfromtheAsuarivernowbroughtustothetopofthepass，andhavingstoppedforafewmomentstotakecompassbearings，webeganthesomewhatsteepdescent。
　　Walkingwaspreferabletoriding，andafteradistanceofacoupleofmileshadbeenaccomplished，weroundedtherockyhillbycrossingaravineuponourright，andtheviewofthepromisedlandburstuponus。
　　ThegrandWhiteNilelaylikeabroadstreakofsilveronourrightasitflowedinacalm，deepstreamdirectfromtheAlbertN’yanza；atthisspotaboveallcataracts。Nowaterhadasyetbeenbrokenbyafall；thetroublesofriver-lifelayinthefuture；thejourneytotheseamightbesaidtohaveonlyjustcommenced。HeretheentirevolumeflowedfromtheAlbertN’yanza，distanthardlyonedegree；andherehadIalwayshopedtobringmysteamers，asthestarting-pointfortheopeningoftheheartofAfricatonavigation。Thishassincebeenprovedcorrectbytheeffortsofmysuccessor，ColonelGordon，whocarriedthe38-tonsteamerwhichIhadleftatGondokorotothispointabovethecataracts，andconstructedheratDuffleontheoppositebank。ThisvesselsteamedintotheAlbertN’yanzawithoutanydifficulty，andcorroboratedmyassertionthattheriverwasnavigable。ItmayberememberedthatmanygeographershadcontestedthefactthattheNilewasaneffluentfromtheAlbertN’yanza。
　　IwasdeeplymortifiedwhenIgazeduponthislovelyview，andreflectedupontheimpossibilitiesthathadpreventedmysuccess。HadtheWhiteNilebeenopenasformerly，IshouldhavetransportedthenecessarycamelsfromKhartoum，andtherewouldhavebeennoseriousdifficultyinthedeliveryofthesteamerstothispoint。Twoorthreestrongpioneerparties，withnativeassistance，wouldquicklyhavebridgedoverthenarrowwater-coursesandhaveclearedaroughroadthroughtheforestsasthecartsadvanced。
　　Itwasuselesstorepine。Istillhopedtoaccomplishthework。
　　Wenowdescendedintothebeautifulplain，towhichIhadgiventhenameIbrahimeyah，inhonourofthefatherofhisHighnesstheKhediveIbrahimPacha。
　　ThispointisdestinedtobecomethecapitalofCentralAfrica。
　　ThegeneraldepotforthesteamerswillbenearthemouthoftheUn-y-Ameriver；which，afterrisingintheprairiesbetweenFatikoandUnyoro，windsthroughalovelycountryforabouteightymiles，andfallsintotheWhiteNileoppositetoGebelKuku。ThetradeofCentralAfrica，whendevelopedbythesteamersontheAlbertN’yanza，willconcentrateatthisspot，whenceitmustbeconveyedbycamelsfor120milestoGondokoro，untilatsomefuturetimearailwaymayperhapscontinuethelineofsteamcommunication。
　　Itisacuriousfactthatashortlineof120milesofrailwaywouldopenuptheveryheartofAfricatosteamtransport——betweentheMediterraneanandtheequator，whenthelinefromCairotoKhartoumshallbecompleted！
　　TheNo。10steamerthatIhadbroughtuptoGondokorofromKhartoumwasoriginallybuiltinEnglandforthemailserviceperNilebetweenAlexandriaandCairo，atthetimewhentheoverlandroutewasmadebyvansacrossthedeserttoSuez。ThissteamerhadsailedfromLondon，andhadarrivedcompleteatAlexandria。
　　Itappearsalmostimpossiblethatsheisnowfloatingatanaltitudeofnearly2，000feetabovethesealevel；towhichgreatelevationshehasactuallysteamedfromtheMediterranean。Thus，startingfromabaseline，andproducingalineperpendiculartothesealevelof2，000feet，shehasclimbeduptheNiletoherpresenthighposition。
　　AcceptingtheapproximatelengthoftheNileinallitswindingsfromtheMediterraneantoN。lat。4degrees38minutes，at3，000milesinroundnumbers；thiswillgiveanaverageriseorfallintheriverofnineinchespermile；whicheasilyexplainsthepositionofthesteamerathermostremotepointbelowthelastcataracts。
　　Irevelledinthislovelycountry。Thefinepark-liketreeswereclumpedindark-greenmasseshereandthere。Thetalldolape-palmsBorassusEthiopicuswerescatteredabouttheplain，sometimessingly，atothersgrowinginconsiderablenumbers。Highandboldrocks；nearanddistantmountains；therichestplainimaginableintheforeground，withtheclearUn-y-Ameflowingnowinashallowstreambetweenitsloftybanks，andthegrandoldNileuponourright，allcombinedtoformalandscapethatproducedaparadise。
　　Theairwasdelightful。Therewasanelasticityofspirit，theresultofapureatmosphere，thatmadeonefeelhappyinspiteofmanyanxieties。