142 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
he should be enabled to collect and supply still more particulars^ 
he hoped that a becoming example would be made of the accused. 
With regard to the state of trade and the country, I venture to 
give the following extract of my hushand^s official correspondence : 
‘‘ In a word, legal commerce from Khartoum to Gondokoro is at 
an end — such a thing as trading with the natives is out of the 
question : they are prepared for flight or fight according to the 
density of population, and circumstances. Suspicious in a high 
degree, they cunningly watch the passing boats, and, when they 
see more than one, fear a descent on them ; but on the other hand, 
opportunity serving, they attack and murder boats^ crews.^^ The 
latter circumstance took place a few months ago in the Shillook 
territory, when the principal and crew of a boat that was moored 
to the shore, conscious of no aggression, and dispensing with a 
guard at night, were surprised, and with their lives paid for their 
misplaced confidence. 
Another dreadful storm. 
Sunday, 2^th. — Wet, cold, and wretched. A boat from Gondo- 
koro ; no tidings of the travellers. Three of our boats sailed in 
the afternoon for Khartoum ; Abd il Majid still in irons on board 
one of them. The Lady of the Nile made a good start about 
the same time j also Dr. Muriels dahahyeh, into which Signor 
Carlo had removed. She carried twenty-six additional soldiers— 
those from Gondokoro, who were now to return, and eight of the 
freed negroes. The wind did not last many hours. The river again 
winding : we seemed to be perpetually meeting the boats that had 
sailed before us, but we were, of course, still following them. 
May 26//z. — At an early hour met the dahahyeh of Monsieur de 
