SLAVE BOATS. 
95 
greatly. The river windings are most eccentric. The doctors’ 
boat^ which is far behind,, appears at times to be coming towards 
us. At four p.m. sailing close to the west shore. There^ in a creek,, 
were seven slave boats made fast to the bank. Petherick hoisted 
the British flag; and fired ; the black boats sent up the Turkish flag. 
He went on the upper deck with the field-glasses; and soon coming 
down; he said; with great emotion; There are hundreds of slaves 
— men; women; and children — grouped beneath the shadow of treeS; 
and thousands of cattle around. It is a horrible sight ! -They are 
DinkaS; I think ; and there are the BagaraS; with their horseS; who 
have been hired to hunt them down.” 
The country on the Dinka side of the river was desolate of 
human beings ; the villages were quite deserted. Formerly these 
people would come fearlessly to the boatS; and barter cattle; hideS; 
and ivory; for beads. The wind at six p.m. was failing fast. At 
night; whilst we were on deck; nine boats laden with slaves passed 
US; going down stream ; and thousands of cattle were seen at dawn 
being driven along the west shore. At midnight sailed past the 
second mountain; Djebelein. 
Sunday, Z^th . — Early in the morning another slave boat floated 
past. One poor old white-haired negro was seated in the boW; his 
face covered by his handS; which were clasped above his kneeS; his 
attitude eloquent of grief and despair. The other slaves were 
chiefly women and children huddled together. In some part of the 
deck straw matting; suspended to poleS; afforded them protection 
from the sun. 
The Shillook territory had now commenced on the west shore ; 
village after village we sailed past; all deserted. The tookuls were 
neatly built; a round mud wall four feet in height forms the 
