FRIJ GETS MARRIED. 
411 
the Egyptian and Abyssinian or Mokada Govern- 
ments, as their territory lies between both. Their 
country is hilly, stony, and cool ; the hills of Abys- 
sinia are seen in the blue distance, and the minister's 
station is on the postal route between Khartoom and 
his fellow-labourers of the Pilgrim Mission in Hubeesh 
or Abyssinia. 
Our Seedees had been living a life of freedom ever 
since their arrival in the capital of the Soudan. Ma- 
nila and the Uganda girls had never before witnessed 
such grandeur. Bombay and Frij were seldom sober, 
and went about smoking cigars. The clothes in which 
Ali Bey had dressed Speke and myself were given to 
Bombay and Frij, with instructions that it would be 
indelicate of them to wear them while in Khartoom ; 
but they forgot the injunction, and Bombay paraded 
the town in a blue frock-coat and fez ! Frij contem- 
plated marriage, and on the same evening that he an- 
nounced his intention, the ceremony was performed 
by a " Fakee," or clergyman, who was paid the fee of 
one dollar. The lady had been the property of Bom- 
bay, and was given him by the king of Uganda, but, 
for a trifle of twelve dollars, promised to be paid at 
Zanzibar, she was made over to Frij, who told me 
that the clergyman exacted a promise from him to 
protect her and be a faithful husband for life. How- 
ever, there was a clause in the contract that, should 
he tire of her, she was again to become the property 
of Bombay. 
Nearly twenty years ago Khartoom was a canton- 
ment with twenty thousand troops. The regimental 
officers led a gay social life, and the town increased 
greatly. In 1863, it had rather a decayed look, with 
