ROOSEVELT'S JOURNEY FROM UGANDA DOWN THE NILE 431 



during- this final part of the journey gave them all the noisy honor that 

 they could get out of their brass instruments and Indian drums. 



Shouts of welcome from natives and citizens hailed the entrance 

 of the Americans, awaiting whom on the Bahr-el-Jebel (as the Nile 

 is here called) was the launch of General Sir Reginald Wingate, the 

 Sirdar of the Egyptian Army, who had sent it for the convenience of 

 the coming distinguished traveler. At its mast-head flew the Stars 

 and Stripes, and on entering its cabin Colonel Roosevelt was gratified 

 to find there a large amount of mail, which had been forwarded to 

 await his arrival. After a brief rest, he plunged into his mass of 

 correspondence. In the town itself, which, in addition to the ivory 

 traders, had a few shops belonging to Greek and Hindu storekeepers, 

 a brick house had been set aside for his convenience during his stay in 

 that frontier town. 



The journey to Khartum was to be made in the Sirdar's launch, 

 but before setting out the party decided on having a final week's hunt- 

 ing, and on the i8th three of the party, Roosevelt, Kermit, and Mr. 

 Heller, set out with the purpose of shooting such game as might be 

 found along the river banks. The remaining members of the party 

 stayed behind to pack the specimens they had recently gathered in their 

 Nile journey and pay oflf and dismiss the porters who had so long been 

 their faithful companions and helpers. 



The day promised to be one of adventures. Before their start 

 word came that a native had fallen into the river and been drowned. 

 On learning of this accident Kermit and Mr. Loring dove into the 

 river in an efifort to recover the body, heedless of the peril from croco- 

 diles and from the swift current. Fortunately no harm came to them. 

 Meanwhile from Lado, a few miles north of Gondokoro and the 

 extreme northeast station of the Congo Free State, the Belgian Com- 

 mandant and other officials called on the guest of honor and presented 

 their congratulations upon the success of his African hunting excur- 

 sion, with a request that he should visit their town. 



The shooting expedition also opened with an adventure, the small 

 boat in which it set out beginning its record by landing its crew on a 

 sand bank. It was soon afloat, however, and, reaching the Congo side 

 of the stream, the party began its hunt, its native attendants carrying 



