416 
BAPTISM OF A NEGRESS. 
Moorlang, we took our Seedees to church, in order that 
they might be gratified with the sacred music from the 
harmonicon. It was a Sunday, and many other na- 
tives were present. Mabrook became greatly excited. 
On seeing the bleeding figure of our Saviour upon the 
cross, he held his mouth with his hand ; he wished to 
touch the figure, thinking it was real. While at Khar- 
toom Speke was asked to be godfather to a grown-up 
negress, a servant girl in the Mission establishment. 
His being a Protestant did not preclude him from 
officiating in this capacity. The ceremony took place 
in the morning, and there was an immense gathering. 
The liberal-minded Ali Bey, though a Mussulman, was 
present, also the Baroness Capellen, who was god- 
mother to the girl. Another christening took place at 
the same time, when Madame Bartolemy and M. de 
Bono officiated as godmother and godfather. During 
the ceremony loud reports took place outside ; pro- 
bably the fellow - servants of the girls were making 
merry by firing guns in honour of the event ! 
The ruins of Soba, on the right bank of the Blue 
Nile, though as yet not much excavated, repaid us for 
the trouble of a visit, as we had not seen those of 
Thebes or Phylse. Ali Bey kindly arranged a picnic 
for us, and in our old diabeah, Mr Aipperly, M. Angelo, 
a moullim or secretary, Speke, and I, rowed and sailed 
up the Blue river for three hours in the afternoon, 
accomplishing about six miles. We were then opposite 
Soba. There were no houses on the bank, and the 
country appeared flat and dreary. Sometimes the 
ground swelled up, marking the spot where houses or 
temples were still entombed. Arriving too late to pay 
the ruins a visit, we delayed till morning, and had 
