FAMINE AND DISCONTENT. 
207 
basely murdered by any of tbe savage vagabonds among whom he 
was travelling — and if the reader will look at Petherick^s book he 
will see what style of savages they are — it is our duty as English- 
men not to sit quietly down and accept for the truth the news of 
his having been drowned ^ but to call the murderers,, or those who 
have power over them,, to strict account ; and this not only because 
Petherick was the fine brave fellow we all knew him to be^ but 
because he was the emissary of the British Government,, as Consul 
at Khartoum,, as well as the commander of an expedition to render 
assistance to Captains Grant and Speke in their arduous, dangerous, 
but important explorations. 
I would, therefore, pray the readers of this wide-spread journal 
to render any information they can relative to the death of this 
brave Englishman and his poor wife. 
^^FBANK T. BUCKLAND, 
“ 2}id Life Guards. 
“ Kegent’s Park, London, Jan. SOth, 1863.” 
To return to our subject. 
September Sth . — I have a severe touch of lumbago, which 
cripples me. The men famishing and discontented j short of grain, 
and no meat. The negroes refuse to sell either cattle or dourra. 
Fortunately, one of the Ehol porters, proclaiming himself a brother 
of the chief Afar, volunteers to induce his relatives to supply us ; 
and Neara, for so he is called, proceeded alone on his mission. My 
wife at noon had a sharp attack of ague. Dispatched more of our 
men in the captured canoes to disembark on the other side of the 
lagoon, where, they say, is a deserted cattle-kraal with well-covered 
sheds. The canoes, propelled by one man in each, returned during 
the day, having landed our men in safety; they were joined by 
