THE WORLD'S WONDEBS. 153 



was only for one day. The route from this place toward 

 Latooka led generally through a flat country, with few difficulties 

 to surmount. The Turks took the lead, with Ibrahim in advance, 

 alongside of whom rode Mr. and Mrs. Baker. They soon got 

 into friendly conversation, which Baker improved by flattering 

 the old Turk and winning his friendship. Ibrahim at length 

 became confidential and told Baker that his men had agreed to 



O 



mutiny as soon as they should arrive at Latooka, and named the 

 leader. This was bad news in one sense, but good in another, 

 for it gave Baker time to prepare for the trouble, whereas he 

 might otherwise have been shot down and his wife left to perish 

 in that barbarous region. They pushed on together, and two 

 days after leaving Ellyria they came into the YVakkula country, 

 which, owing to its rich pasturage and abundant water, abounded 

 with all kinds of game, such as elephants, rhinoceros, buffaloes, 

 giraffes, wild boars, and several varieties of large antelope. 

 Just before going into camp in this beautiful region, some of 

 Baker's men found a buffalo that had been caught in a trap and 

 partially eaten by a lion ; that which remained the men devoured 

 with great relish, as it was the first meat they had tasted since 

 leaving Gondokoro. Baker went on a hunt in this paradise and 

 bagged several antelope, enough to provision the force until their 

 arrival at Latooka, but his great anxiety to push forward pre- 

 vented hirn from enjoying a hunt for larger game. 



Shortly after leaving the lovely plain on which he had 

 found such an abundance of game, still in the company of 

 Ibrahim and his party, they saw a large Latooka town, named 

 Latome, in the distance, and could discover a considerable crowd 

 of Turks assembled in the shade of two enormous trees. These 

 issued forth, upon observing the approaching columns, and com- 

 ing near, fired their guns off with great rapidity, as a salute. 

 This was the place where Baker's men had agreed to mutiny, 

 and the salute was therefore no indication of an agreeable spot to 

 camp. Directly afterward, however, a Turkish trading party, 

 under Mohamed Her, that had bivouacked in the village, came 

 out and forbid the passage of Ibrahim through the country, 



