TheEnglishmenhadcarefullypackedeverythingthatbelongedtotheNo。
　　3steamerandmachinery，andhadstowedherinamagazinethatwasgiveninchargeofanofficer，whogaveareceiptforthecontents。
　　Everythingwasreadybythe25thMayforourreturnhomewards。IerectedamonumentofredbrickcoatedwithpitchovermypoorfriendHigginbotham’sgrave，withinmygarden，nearthespotwherethemissionarieswereformerlyburied。
　　Westartedonthe26th，havingtakenafarewellofmygallant”FortyThieves，”manyofwhomshowedmuchemotionatparting。AsIwalkeddownthelineoftroopswhenItookofficialleave，myoldsoldiersbroketheboundsofdisciplinebyshouting：”MayGodgiveyoualonglife！andmayyoumeetyourfamilyingoodhealthathome！”
　　Ifeltachokingsensationinsayinggood-bye；butweweresoononboard，andthesteamwasup。
　　Thenewsteamer，theKhedive，tookusintow，andwetravelledrapidlydownthestreamtowardshomeinoldEngland。
　　AlthoughIhadwrittenthemostimportantletterstotheKhediveandtohisministerinOctober1871，Ihad，tomyamazement，NOTRECEIVEDONE
　　WORDINREPLYbythepostthathadarrivedfromEgypt。Ihadapparentlybeenlookeduponasadeadmanthatdidnotrequirealetter。ItappearedthatmyexistencewasutterlyignoredbytheEgyptiangovernment，althoughIhadreceivedmylettersinduecoursefromEngland。
　　OnarrivalattheBahrGiraffe，wefoundthatthecanalswhichIhadformerlycutweremuchimprovedbytheforceofthestream。Althoughthesepassageswerenarrow，theyhadbecomedeep，andweprogressedwithcomparativelylittletrouble。
　　On7thJune，threesailswerereportedaheadonthehorizon。Wepushedforwardwithsomecuriosity，butunfortunatelyasuddofvegetableraftshadclosedthepassageforashortdistance，whichrequiredaboutanhourtoclean；thisdelayedthechase。
　　Thatevening，aswehadstoppedforthenightataspotknownasthe”ThreeDubbas，”weheardawoman’svoicefromthehighgrassaddressingusinanimploringtone。Iimmediatelysentaboattomakeinquiries，asoneofournativegirlsunderstoodthelanguage。
　　Itappearedthatthewomanhadthesmall-pox，andshehadbeenthereforethrownintothehighgrass，andabandonedbythevakeelofthethreevesselsthatwehadobservedinthedistance。Shedescribedthesevesselsasbeingcrowdedwithslaves。
　　Igavetheunfortunatecreatureasupplyofsixdays’food，togetherwithacooking-potandsomefirewood，butIdarednotintroducesohorribleadiseaseasthesmall-poxamongourparty。Shewasthusleftaloneuponthedubba。Atthisseasonnativefishermenvisitedthedubba，thereforeshewasmostprobablydiscoveredonthefollowingmorning。
　　On8thJunewesteamedalong，towardsthetallmastsandyardsofthethreevesselswhichweperceiveduponthehorizon。
　　Theintricaciesofthenarrowchannelweresuchthatwedidnotovertaketheslaversuntilsunset。
　　Wethenanchoredforthenightinalake，whileIsentaboatforwardintothecanaloccupiedbythethreevesselstoorderthevakeelofthecompanytovisitmeimmediately。
　　InashorttimetheboatreturnedwithmyoldacquaintanceWatHojoly，thevakeeloftheBohrstationbelongingtoAbouSaood。
　　Ihadalwayslikedthisman，ashewasgenerallystraightforwardinhismanner。Henowtoldme，withouttheslightestreserve，thatduringmyabsenceinthesouth，severalcargoesofslaveshadpassedthegovernmentstationatFashodabybribingthegovernor；andthathewouldcertainlyhavenodifficulty，providedthatIdidnotseizehim。Heconfessedthathehad700slavesonboardthethreevessels，andaccordingtoordersthathehadreceivedfromhismaster，AbouSaood，hewasconveyingthemtotheirdestination，afewdayssouthofKhartoum，ontheWhiteNile；atwhichpointtheycouldeithermarchoverlandtothewestviaKordofan，ortotheeastviaSennaar；whencetheycouldpassunmolestedtotheRedSeaortoothermarkets。
　　Thesmall-poxhadbrokenoutamongtheslaves，severalofwhomhaddied。
　　Iwasmostthoroughlydisgustedandsickatheart。Afterallthetroubleanddifficultiesthatwehadgonethroughforthesuppressionoftheslavetrade，therecouldbenoquestionofthefactthatAbouSaood，thegreatslave-hunteroftheWhiteNile，wassupportedbysomehighauthoritybehindthescenes，uponwhomhecoulddependforprotection。
　　Thiswasapparentlythelastactofthedrama，inwhichthevillainofthepiececouldmockandscoffatjustice，andridiculeeveryeffortthatIhadmadetosuppresstheslavetrade。Hisvesselswereactuallysailingintriumphanddefiancebeforethewind，withflagsflyingthecrescentandthestar，aboveahorriblecargoofpest-smittenhumanity，inopencontemptformyauthority；whichWatHojolyhadbeencarefullyinformeddidnotextendnorthofGondokoro。
　　Iaskedthisplain-spokenagentwhetherhewasquitesurethathecouldpassthegovernmentstation?”Ohyes，”hereplied，”alittlebacksheeshwillopentheroad；thereisnothingtofear。”
　　IwastheninformedbythesameauthoritythatAbouSaoodhadgonetoCairotoappealtotheKhedive’sgovernmentagainstmyproceedings，andtorepresenthisTRADEasruinedbymyacts。
　　Thiswasaremarkabledisclosureattheendofthelastact；themoralofthepiecewasthusexplainedbeforethecurtainfell。Theslave-hunterparexcellenceoftheWhiteNile，whohadrentedorfarmedfromthegovernment，forsomethousandssterlingperannum，therightofTRADINGincountrieswhichdidNOTbelongtoEgypt，wasnowontheroadtoprotestagainstmyinterferencewithhisTRADE，thisinnocentbusinessbeingrepresentedBYTHREEVESSELSWITHSEVENHUNDREDSLAVES
　　THATWERETOPASSUNCHECKEDBEFORETHEGOVERNMENTSTATIONOFFASHODA。
　　ItoldWatHojolythatIdidnotthinkhewouldsucceeduponthisoccasion，butthatIshouldcertainlynotlayhandsuponhim。
　　IhadnotreceivedrepliestomylettersaddressedtotheKhedive，thereforeIwasdeterminednottoexertphysicalforceagain；atthesametimeImadeupmymindthattheslavevesselsshouldnotpassFashoda。
　　Aftersomedelay，owingtoashallowportionoftheriver，wepassedahead，andthefearfulstenchfromthecrowdedslavevesselsreekingwithsmall-poxfollowedusforquiteamiledownthewind。FortunatelytherewasapowerfulforcewithWatHojoly，whomIcalleduponforassistanceinheavingthesteameroverthebank；otherwisewemusthavedugachannel。
　　On19thJune，at3。30P。M。，wereachedFashoda。Thegovernoratoncecameonboardtoreceiveus。
　　Thisofficerhallbeenonlyrecentlyappointed，andheappearedtobeveryenergeticanddesiroustoassistmeinthetotalextinctionoftheslavetrade。IassuredthegovernorJusefEffendithatIhadentirelysuppresseditinmyterritory，andIhadalsosuppressedtherivertradein1870；butiftheauthoritiesweredeterminedtoconniveatthisabomination，Ihadbeenplacedinadisgracefullyfalseposition，andhadbeensimplyemployedonafool’serrand。
　　JusefEffendiassuredmethatitwouldbeimpossibleforvesselstopassFashodawithslavecargoesnowthatherepresentedthegovernment，astheKhedivehadissuedthemostpositiveorderswithinthelastsixmonthsagainstthetrafficinslaves；thereforesuchinstructionsmustbeobeyed。
　　Ididnotquiteseethatobediencetosuchorderswasabsolutelynecessary，astheslavetradehadbeensimilarlyprohibitedbyproclamationinthereignofthelateSaidPacha，butwithnopermanenteffect。
　　ThereweretwofinesteamerslyingatFashoda，whichhadformedaportionofthefleetofsixsteamersthatIhadsentupfromCairosomeyearsagototowmyflotillauptheWhiteNile。ThiswasthefirsttimethatIhadeverseenthem。
　　InowtoldJusefEffendithathewouldbeheldresponsibleforthecaptureofAbouSaood’sthreevessels，togetherwiththe700slaves；atthesametime，itwouldbeadvisabletoallowthemtoarriveatFashodabeforetheircaptureshouldbeattempted；asthefactofsuchanaudaciouscontemptoflawwouldatonceimplicatetheformergovernorashavingbeeninthehabitofconnivance。
　　JusefEffendiappearedtobeinearnest。HewasanactiveandhighlyintelligentCircassianwhoheldtherankoflieutenant-colonel。
　　Myservantshaddiscoveredbychance，whenincommunicationwithWatHojoly，thatSalim-Wat-Howah，whohadbeenoneoftheprincipalringleadersintheattackuponthetroopsatFatiko，andhadsubsequentlyknockeddownSuleimanandpossessedhimselfforciblyoftheammunitionfromthemagazine，withwhichheandhispartyhadabsconded，wasnowactuallyconcealedononeofthethreeslavevessels。IhadtakencarenottomentionhisnametoWatHojoly，lestheshouldbeleftatsomestationupontheroute，andthusescapeme。
　　InowgaveawrittenordertoJusefEffenditoarresthimuponthearrivaloftheslavevessels，andtosendhimtoKhartouminirons。
　　ThenewsofAbouSaood’spersonalappealtothegovernmentatCairowasconfirmedbythebestauthoritiesatFashoda。
　　On21stJuneItookleaveofJusefEffendi，anduponthe28th，at11
　　A。M。，wearrivedatthelargetreewhichiswithinfivemilesofKhartoum，bytheshortcutacrosstheneckoflandtotheBlueNile。
　　Istoppedatthistree，andimmediatelywrotetoIsmailAyoubPacha，thenewgovernorofKhartoum，totelegraphINSTANTLYtoCairotoarrestAbouSaood。
　　Isentthisnotebyafaithfulofficer，FerritchAgha，withpositiveordersthathewastodeliveritintothehandsofIsmailPacha。
　　ThisorderwasimmediatelycarriedoutbeforeanypeopleinKhartoumhadanideaofmyreturn。HadIatoncesteamedroundthepoint，somefriendwouldhavetelegraphedmyarrivaltoAbouSaoodinCairo，andhemighthavegoneintoconcealment。
　　IntheafternoonweobservedasteamerroundingthedistantheadlandatthepointofjunctionofthetwoNiles。Sherapidlyapproached，andinabouthalfanhourmyoldfriend，IsmailAyoubPacha，steppedonboardmydiahbeeah，andgaveusaheartywelcome。
　　TherewasnolettereitherfromtheKhediveorCherifPacha，inreplytotheimportantcommunicationsthatIhadwrittenmorethantwoyearsago。
　　IsmailAyoubPachawasafriendofeightyears’date。IhadknownhimduringmyfirstexpeditiontotheNilesourcesasIsmailBey，presidentofthecouncilatKhartoum。Hehadlatelybeenappointedgovernor，andI
　　couldonlyregretthatmyexcellentfriendhadnotbeeninthatcapacityfromthecommencementoftheexpedition，asIshouldhavederivedmuchassistancefromhisgreatenergyandintelligence。
　　IsmailAyoubPachaisaCircassian。Ihaveobservedthatallthoseofficerswhoaresuperiortotheaverageinintellectandgeneralcapacitybelongtothisrace。TheCircassiansareadmirablyrepresentedinCherifPacha，whoiswellknownandrespectedbyallEuropeansinEgyptforhisprobityandhighintelligence；andRiazPacha，whowaslatelytheMinisterforPublicInstruction，isaCircassianmuchbelovedandrespected。
　　IsmailAyoubhadcommencedagreatreformintheSoudan，inhisendeavourtoputdownthewholesalesystemofbriberyandcorruptionwhichwastheruinofthecountry。Hehadalsocommencedagreatwork，accordingtotheordershehadreceivedfromtheKhedive，toremovethesuddorobstructiontothenavigationofthegreatWhiteNile。Hesucceededinre-openingtheWhiteNiletonavigationinthefollowingseason。
　　TheKhedivehadgiventhisimportantorderinconsequenceoflettersthatIhadwrittenon31stAugust，1870，totheMinisteroftheInterior，CherifPacha，andtohisHighnessdirecton8thOctober，1871，inwhichcommunicationsIhadstrenuouslyadvocatedtheabsolutenecessityoftakingtheworkinhand，withadeterminationtore-establishtheriverinitsoriginalnavigablecondition。
　　IsmailAyoubPachahadbeenworkingwithalargeforce，andhehadsucceededinclearing，accordingtohiscalculations，onehalfoftheobstruction，whichextendedformanymiles。
　　Therewasnoengineeringdifficultyintheundertaking，whichwassimplyamatteroftimeandsteadylabour。
　　Theimmenseforceofthemainstream，thusconfinedbymattedandtangledvegetation，wouldmateriallyassistthework，astheclearingwascommencedfrombelowthecurrent。
　　Theworkwouldbecomelighterastheheadofthesuddwouldbeneared。