MY ORDERS 79 



The Mudir brought me back to Fashoda with him. 

 We were accompanied by the Mek of the Shilluks, 

 who, till ejected at last from our quarter of the boat, 

 " spread himself " in a manner inexplicable to one 

 accustomed to the deference shown elsewhere to the 

 British officer. 



The orders I got were to go on a visit of inspection 

 to Itang on the upper reaches of the Sobat, and then 

 to make an attempt to penetrate those of the Pibor, the 

 most important tributary of the former. The Sirdar 

 was most anxious to learn something about the 

 country south of the Sobat. It was terra incognita, 

 for M'Millan's expedition, which had just returned 

 from the exploration of the Akobo, had followed very 

 much the same routes as Captain Welby (i8th Hussars), 

 and Major Austin, R.E., C.M.G., D.S.O., both of 

 whose explorations have made them justly famous. 



At Fashoda I boarded the Abii Klea, which had 

 already been used in two abortive attempts in the 

 same direction as I was to follow. I may say here 

 that I consider that it was the fact that I had had 

 my men in hand for three weeks before the real 

 work began that was one of the deciding factors of 

 our ultimate success. But above all, I put the loyal 

 co-operation of Mr. Sharpies (the engineer of the 

 Steamer's Department), who was my companion. 



Some miles up the Sobat game began to be seen 

 in plenty. Ostriches, which we were forbidden to 

 shoot, must have had a copy of the ordinance pro- 

 tecting them under their wings to produce if asked 

 for, so bold were they. 



