216 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



THE VOYAGE DOWN THE RIVER. 



ON the third day out from Gondokoro a herd of antelope was 

 discovered foraging in the vicinity of some ant-hills a hundred 

 yards from the river. As meat had become scarce, Baker ordered 

 the boat stopped, and, with his servant carrying a spare gun, he 

 stalked the game until a fair shot was obtained at a large buck, 

 which fell dead at the first fire. The herd seemed dazed, and 

 did not break away until another one was killed. They then ran 

 toward a covert, and in their flight he fired again, and by acci- 

 dent shot a doe in the neck at a distance of six hundred yards. 

 As the herd gained the covert some native hunters, who were 

 there concealed, charged them with spears, and drove them 

 back again toward Baker, who succeeded in killing two more. 

 This was five antelopes in one day, and they were now well sup- 

 plied with meat for the trip. 



THE PLAGUE APPEARS. 



ON the following day one of Baker's men was seized with 

 pains in the back and bleeding of the nose, and similar symp- 

 toms speedily developed in six others the plague had broken out. 

 In two days more the vessel became a hospital, and death fol- 

 lowed death with fearful rapidity. Poor little Saat, whom Mrs. 

 Baker had adopted at Khartoum, and who had been so faithful 

 throughout the three years' journeyings in Central Africa, fell 

 also before the dreadful disease. Helplessly he lay upon a mat 

 before his loved mistress, who watched with tenderest care and 

 deep anxiety, moistening his parched lips and trying to cool his 

 burning head, while the little fellow only muttered in a delirium 

 from which he could not be roused. But at last she saw that he 

 slept, and hoping that he would awaken refreshed and better, she 

 kept everything quiet, that undisturbed sleep might bring him 

 back to life. Old Karka, the good-natured slave woman, stole 

 softly to the poor boy, stretched his legs into a straight position, 

 and laid his arms close by his side. She then covered his face 

 with a cloth. "Does he still sleep well?" asked Mrs. Baker; 

 but the old slave ( answered only with her tears, for little Saat was 



