80 
TEAA^ELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
to start. When it came to the good byes_, I was sad^ I had been so 
happy in our home. The garden was visited^ and particular direc- 
tions were given as to the care to be bestowed on pet plants,, to all 
of which the gardener responded by offering his head to be disposed 
of, if he failed in his obedience. The animals were then visited j 
and then Petherick^ who had been receiving the adieux of his 
acquaintances^ came to take me to the river. The servants crowded 
round to kiss our hands : the poor old porteiq who was very weak 
and ill,, could not rise from his angerib in the porch,, and so I stooped 
low to hear his feebly whispered prayer that we might return,, and 
I thought if we did that he would not be there to give us welcome. 
On we walked^ accompanied by many people. Guns were firing 
fast and furious ; the women wept and shrilled the zachareet ; whilst 
my eyes would fill with tears^ and I could not speak^ but was saying 
inwardly, Courage, courage ! and it did not fail me. The Lady 
of the Nile was reached at last. The cabins were in great dis- 
order, and it was a relief to arrange the things. Halima was the 
neatest little handmaiden, and bright as a sunbeam, cheering me 
always. Poxcroft Avent with us in our dahahyeli, Pinga, Pechan 
the cook, little Achmed, and Ali the scapegrace ; but he promised 
that we should find him the best man in our service, once away from 
Khartoum. There, he said, the aracki (spirit) floAved like water, 
and he was always thirsty. Two secretaries were also with us, but 
one was to return in a day or two with a favourite servant, Jochar, 
who had begged hard to remain as long as possible on board. Our 
crew consisted of seventeen sailors, a rm, and mate; and there 
were two women (to grind corn) Avith their two children, one of 
them my little acquaintance previously mentioned. On the deck 
Avere two four-pounder cannon ; they had been purchased from the 
Poman Catholic mission. In the cabin were rifles, muskets, and 
