170 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
importance.’ (Instructions, ‘Proceedings,’ YoL XL.) Also Air. 
Petherick undertook, in the event of the non-arrival of Captain 
Speke, to go southwards as far as he could, to endeavour to meet 
and succour him. 
“ Lastly, Air. Petherick was entirely relieved from the respon- 
sibility of remaining himself or detaining the boats longer than 
the end of June, 1862. 
“In considering how far Air. Consul Petherick has fulfilled 
his engagement to the Society, it is proper to make allowance for 
the disasters which befell him when engaged in his own trading 
pursuits, and rendered him incapable of reaching Grondokoro till 
many months after the latest of the above dates. Difficulties 
of transport in Egypt, partly due to the absence of camels 
at Korosko, delayed Air. Petherick’s arrival at Khartoum till 
Xovember, 1861, at which date he had undertaken that the 
boats should have been stationed at Grondokoro. However, 
immediately on his arrival at Khartoum, he dispatched two 
boats, which reached Gondokoro in January, 1862. 
“ A misconception now appears to have arisen on the part of 
the Egyptian under whose charge they were. Instead of main- 
taining the two boats till the end of June, 1862, with stores to 
await Captain Speke’s arrival, the Egyptian proceeded westward, 
ffix or eight days’ journey from the White Xile, to a trading 
station belonging to Air. Petherick. Thence he dispatched an 
agent southwards, in order, Air. Petherick states, to search for 
Captain Speke’s party, and carrying letters for them ; but, as 
they did not follow the course of the river, they were not travel- 
ling in the direction from which that expedition might have been 
expected to arrive. 
“Stores were bartered on Air. Petherick’s account, and the 
Egyptian captured slaves on his own. He then sailed back from 
Gondokoro towards Khartoum early in Alay, and met Air. 
