100 
TKAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
towed gallantly. I once called encouragingly^ Auafi / auafi ! ” 
strength to you^^). Gaily they shouted^ ^^Aioua ! aioua ! om il 
cool!^’ (‘■^Yes^ yes! mother of us alP^). One of the sailors^ Paid 
Mahommed_, is a great favourite. He has been a long time in 
Petherick^s service^ is always light-hearted and active^, always the 
first to swim with the line to the bank_, and the first to plunge into 
the river for the game Petherick shoots from the deck. We did 
not know until this morning that he was married and the father 
of an infant son; but finding him sleeping on the bare deck^ 
Petherick roused him_, sayings How is it^, Faki^ you have no mat 
beneath you?^-’ He answered^ left it and all other luxuries 
with my wife.^^ 
At one oYlock reached the mouth of the Sobat. On the east 
shore there is a deserted village ; formerly a Turkish garrison was 
there. The Shillooks have gone to the opposite shore^ where the 
White Fiver is divided into several channels^ and boats are not easily 
able to navigate them ; so that these people feel more secure. The 
weather was now doubtful ; the sky blacky and forked flashes of 
lightning were frequent^ the wind being against us. The mouth of 
the Sobat was wide^ and of course there was a difficulty to cross 
it ; but we rounded the entrance_, and proceeding up the Sobat some 
distance to where the river was not so broad_, preparations were 
made to carry the line to the opposite bank. Before this arrange- 
ment was completed the storm burst. The rain came down in 
torrents_, the lightning flashed in every direction^ and the thunder 
was something awful. We endeavoured to make everything as 
snug as possible,, but the cabins were soon flooded. All our sun- 
loving people huddled under their mats^ the goat invaded the 
cabin^ whilst the gazelle revelled on our sofa,, always her bed; 
Fox croft, Halima, and the children were also with us. The cabin 
