THEADVANCETOLOBORE。
　　Idetermineduponanewplan。IknewthedirectionofLobore，asIhadbeenthereduringmyformerexpedition；thedistancecouldnotexceedsixtymiles。
　　Ifthesoldierscoulddrawthecarts，Imightyetmanagetoadvance，asIshouldbeabletoprocurecarriersonarrivalatLobore；providedalwaysthatthenativeswereasfriendlyaswhenIleftthemsomeyearsago。
　　Itwouldbeimpossibletoconveythesteamer，asIcouldnotexpecttoprovide2，000carriers；butImightbeabletopenetratesouth，suppresstheslave-hunters，establishthegovernment，andopenupalegitimatetrade。
　　Thefirststepnecessarywastoconveythelargeherdofcattleacrosstheriver，whichwasabout400yardsinwidth，withaveryrapidstream。
　　Ifullyexpectedthatweshouldbeattackedbythenativesingreatforceduringthisoperation，whichnecessitatedadivisionofmyforceuponbothbanksoftheNile。
　　Thesheepweretakenacrossinvessels，butthecowswereobligedtoswim。Thispassagewasverytedious，astheanimalswerenecessarilytakeninsmallbatches，guidedbymenwhoswambytheirsideinthemanneralreadydescribedatGondokoro。
　　Althoughthenativeswereavowedlyhostile，theydarednotfaceusintheopen。Theymadeanotherattemptbynighttosurprisethecattlekraal，butColonelAbd-el-Kaderimmediatelysetfiretoafewvillagesasaresponseandwarning。
　　Wewereoccupiedfourdaysinpassingthecattleacrosstheriver。
　　Duringthepassage，welostonetakenbyacrocodile，andthreecowswerewantonlyseizedanddrownedbyhippopotami。Aherdofthesecreatureshappenedtobeinthewayasthecowswerefloatinginlargenumbersdownthestream，andseveralwereseentoattackthecattleandseizethemintheirjaws。Asthehippopotamusisnotcarnivorous，thiswasanunexpectedattack。
　　MyEnglishmenhadbeenbusilyengagedinerectingthecarts，greasingthewheels，andattachingtheropesnecessaryforhauling。Theywereallloaded，andwerearrangedtobedrawnbyfifteenmeneach。
　　Ontheeveningofthe5thFebruary，whilewewereatdinner，Iwasastonishedbytheunexpectedmusteringofmywholeforce，exceptingthe”FortyThieves。”Themenwerewithoutarmsorofficers，buttheymarchedtothemarginoftheriverandformedalinetwodeepalongsidethediahbeeah，whichlaycloseagainstthebank。
　　Iknewatoncewhatallthismeant，butIpretendedtotakenonotice，andIcontinuedeatingmydinner。
　　Iwasquicklyinterruptedbyloudcriesfromthemen。”Wecan’tdrawthecarts！that’snottheworkforsoldiers；we’llfight，ordoanythingelseyoumaydesire，butwearenotcamelstodragthewaggons。”
　　The”FortyThieves”immediatelyseizedtheirarms，andmarchingquicklytothespot，theyformedinlineuponthebank，betweenthediahbeeahandthemenwhothusmutinouslyhadappearedwithouttheirofficers。
　　Iatonceorderedthebuglecallforallofficers，andatthesametimeIsentfortheEnglishmentocometothediahbeeah。
　　Whenallhadarrived，andtheshoutsstillcontinued，IrosefromthetableandaddressedthetroopsinArabic，fromthepoop-deckofthediahbeeah。
　　IrecalledtotheirrecollectionhowIhadalwaysledthemsuccessfullythrougheverydifficulty，andIassuredthemthatthedistancetoLoborewastrifling，andthatweshouldfindgoodandwillingnativestoconveythebaggage，ifwecouldonlyoncereachthedesiredtribe。
　　Criesof”therearenogoodnegroes-theyareallbad，”interruptedmydiscourse。Ineverthelesscontinued；buthavingathoroughknowledgeoftheAfricancharacter，andknowingthatifanegrogetsanideaintohishead，thatideacanonlybeeradicatedbycuttingtheheadoff，Iwasnotfoolenoughtopersistinswimmingagainstatorrent。The”FortyThieves”nowjoinedthetumultbydeclaringthat”THEYwoulddrawthecarts，ordoanythingthatIshouldcommand。”
　　Itookimmediateadvantageoftheoccasion，andexclaimed，”YouSHALLdoallthatIcommand。Ihavechangedmyplans，andIorderyoutotakethecartstopiecesatsunriseto-morrowmorning。AllthosewhoareafraidtofollowmeshallreturnwiththevesselsandcartstoGondokoro。I
　　neverturnback；andmyladyandIwillgoonalonewithMr。Baker。I
　　onlyrequireorderlysoldiers，whoknowtheirduty；ifyouhaveforgottenyourduty，youshallreturnatoncetoGondokoro。”
　　Thisdeclarationwasfollowedbyloudshouts——”Wewon’tletyougoalone；thenativesaretreacherous；wewillfollowwhereveryoulead。
　　ArewenotsoldiersoftheSultan?areyounottheSultan’sPacha?”
　　Ihadtheminhand；thereforeIatonceterminatedthescenebycommandingsilence。Ithengaveanorderaloudtotheofficers：”Returncartsandallbaggageonboardvesselsatsunriseto-morrow。Alltroopstobereadyfortheadvance。””Bugler！soundtheretreat。”
　　Thatpeculiarhabitofdisciplineyieldedinstinctivelytothesoundofthebugle。Theofficergavetheorder，”Right，turn，”andthelatetumultuouscrowdmarchedquietlytotheirquarters。Thiswasended；atthesametimeitwasnotcheering。
　　MyEnglishmen，whohadbeenwitnessesofthisscene，werefilledwithindignation。TheyweremenwhothoroughlyrepresentedEnglishdetermination，andtheyatoncevolunteeredtocarrytheirownbaggageifIwouldonlypermitthemtoaccompanyme。
　　HowoftenmyhearthasbeatenwithpridewhenIhaveseentheunconquerablespiritofthecountryburstforthlikeanunextinguishableflameinanygreatemergency！
　　Inowhadtoquelltheeagernessofmyowngoodfellows，asIknewthatif”thespiritwaswilling，thefleshwasweak，”anditwouldbeimpossibleforEnglishmentocarryloadsthroughajourneyinatropicalcountry。
　　Isawthenecessityoftheoccasionataglance；andIgavethenecessaryorders。
　　TheEnglishmen，togetherwiththesteamersections，machinery，&c。，mustreturntoGondokoro。TheymustimmediatelycommencetheconstructionoftheNo。2steamerof108tonsand20-horsepower，asthisvessel，beingprovidedwithtwinscrewsinsteadofpaddles，wouldbeabletopassthroughthenarrowchannelsoftheBahrGiraffe，andcommunicatewithKhartoum。
　　Igavetheordertoprepareto-morrowforareturntoGondokoro。
　　On6thFebruary，atsunrise，allhandswereatworkdismountingthecarts，andreturningonboardthevesselsallmaterialconnectedwiththesteamer，&c。Ialteredtheloads，andmadearrangementsforanewplanofaction。
　　IhaddeterminedtopushontoLoborewithonehundredmen，inheavymarchingorder，ifIcouldonlyengageafewnativestocarrythenecessariesfortheroad。AtLoboreImightbeabletoengageafewhundredportersthatIshouldsendbacktothevesselswithanescortoffiftysoldiers，tobringupsufficientammunitionandmaterialforanadvancesouth。Iknewtheroute。
　　Itwasthereforenecessarytoassortthebaggage：muchhadtobereturnedtoGondokorowiththeEnglishmen。
　　Ihadasmallinvoice-bookthathadbeencarefullypreparedbyMr。
　　Marcopolo，whichgavethenumbersandcontentsofeverybox；thereforethedifficultyofassortmentwasnotgreat。
　　Alltheboxeswereofblocktin，painted；thustheycouldbepiledlikebricksoneupontheothertoformawall。Iarrangedabout400loadswhichweresetapartforthecarriers，shouldIbefortunateinprocuringthatnumberfromLobore。
　　On7thFebruarythecartswereshipped。Alltheloadswereperfectedandreadyforastartonthefollowingday。Someofmymenwereendeavouringtotrainafewoxentocarrytheirbaggage。
　　On8thFebruarytheEnglishmen，inverylowspirits，startedforIsmailiaGondokorointwovessels，withninetyurdepsofdhurraconsignedtoMr。Marcopolo。
　　Ihadarrangedthattwenty-twoboatmenshouldaccompanymetoLobore，carryingsuchloadsaswereabsolutelynecessaryforourparty。Theywouldthenreturntogetherwiththefiftysoldierswhowouldescortthenativecarrierstothevessels。
　　IhadgiventheEnglishmeninstructionstocommencethebuildingofthesteamerimmediately，andtoconfinetheirworktothisvesseluntilsheshouldbecompleted。
　　HavingcountedalltheloadsthatwereleftinchargeofMajorAbdullah，Itookareceiptforthem，andgavethatofficerbothclearandpositiveordersforhisconduct。
　　Ileftwithhim120men，togetherwiththefield-pieceandeightartillerymen。InadditiontothesemenwasthecrewoftheNo。10
　　steamer，allofwhomweretrainedassoldiers。Thuswiththearmedcrewsofthedifferentvesselshewouldhaveaforceofabout145muskets。Itwashighlyprobablethatthenativeswouldattackthevesselsandthecattleinmyabsence，astheywouldhaveremarkedthegreatreductionofforce。Althoughthecountrywasperfectlyopen，thegroundwashighandrocky，andrapidlyrosetoabout200feetabovetheleveloftheriverwithinadistanceofamile；thusthenativesscatteredabouttheheightscouldalwaysobserveourproceedings。
　　BeforeIquittedthevessels，Imadeeverypreparationfortheirsecurity。Allthemetalboxeswerebuiltintoaquadrangularbreastwork，thatwouldformalittlefortforadozenpeople。
　　Imooredthevesselsinlineclosetothemouthofadeepflat-bottomedravine，which，althoughnowdryandaboutthirtypaceswide，hadformedthebedofariverduringthewetseason。Theperpendicularbanksofthisfossewouldmakeagrandprotectionforthecattle；Ithereforeorderedafenceofthornstobeconstructedacrosstheravineaboutahundredyardsfromtheriver，soastoformakraal，inwhichthecowswouldbeconfinedbelowthelevelofthecountry。
　　Sixtymenweretoguardthecattleatnight；thirtyuponeitherbank。Asthisravineranatrightangleswiththeriver，thesixtymenwouldenfiladeanenemyattackingthevessels，andtheguardofthevesselswouldatthesametimeenfiladeanenemyshouldheattackthecattleonthenorthside。
　　Iplacedtheguninaconvenientpositionabouttwentyyardsfromthemarginoftheriver，onapieceofhard，flatground，exactlyoppositethecentreofthelineofvessels。Thiswouldsweeptheapproachinfrontandupontheleftflank。
　　Iorderedtheofficertoloadwithcanistercontaining250smallmusketballs。HavingservedoutadozenWoolwichtubes，insteadoftheuncertainEgyptianarticles，Igavepositiveordersthatthegunwastobelaidforapoint-blankrangeof200yardseveryeveningatsunset，withthetubeinitsplace，thelanyardattachedandcoiled。Apieceofrawhidewastocoverthebreechoftheguntoprotectitfromthenightdew。
　　Havinggiveneveryinstruction，andimpresseduponofficersandmenthenecessityofvigilance，IorderedMajorAbdullah，incommand，toremaininchargeofthevesselsandcattleuntilIshouldeithersendhimcarriersforanadvance，orfallbackmyself，shouldIbeunabletoobtainthem。
　　Atalloldmanofaboutseventy，orperhapseightyyears，hadpaidusavisit。Fromhisappearance，andthenumerousspellshungabouthisperson，Ijudgedhimtobearain-maker。Hisfacewassmearedwithwoodashes，andtherewasagooddealoftheidealdemoninhispersonalexterior。
　　Igavehimablueshirt，andaglassofMarsalawine，thusappealingatoncetohisexteriorandinterior。
　　Itisalwaysadvisabletomakefriendswiththerain-makers，astheyareregardedbythenativesaspriests，andareconsideredwithacertainrespect。Ithereforegivehimanotherglassofwine；or，tobecorrect，hedrankitfromatinthathadcontainedpreservedprovisions。
　　Thiscausedhimtoblinkhiseyesandsmackhislips，andtheoldrain-makergrinnedaghastlysmileofadmiration。Hiswoodash-smearedfeaturesrelaxedintoanexpressionthatdenoted”morewine。”Ithoughthehadenough，andtherewasnonetospare；therefore，havingopenedhisheart，Ibegantoaskhimquestions。
　　Thatunfailingkey，liquor，hadestablishedaconfidentialflowofconversation。Theoldfellowexplainedthatheknewtheentirecountry，andhehadnoobjectiontoaccompanyustoLoboreforasmallconsiderationintheshapeofacow。Heassuredmethatifhewerewithus，thenativeswouldbecivilthroughoutthejourney。Beddenhadbehavedverybadly，buthehadgottheworstofit，andthenewshadspreadupthecountry。