314 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
“ GONDOKORO, 
“ White Nile, 
‘‘ 12th Mai'ch, 1863. 
Air. Ale Quie, 
“ Dear Sir, 
“ The present state of Airs. Petherick’s health has 
made me write you a few lines relative to matters here. In the 
first place she herself, from causes which I will afterwards men- 
tion, has been reduced to a great state of weakness, and at times 
there is a tendency to wanderings of the mind : she tells me she 
sent some letters home by Captain Speke, but is quite confused 
who they were to. Her intention seems to have been to forward, 
by this boat, her journal for publication in Blackwood, but that 
I know she has been unable to finish, so be not surprised at its 
non-arrival, or any letters to friends, for the present at least. 
“ I am very sorry to have to inform you that Air. Petherick’s 
affairs are in anything^but a flourishing condition. After nearly 
a year’s journey, from Khartoum to this place (which ordinarily 
is made in a couple to three months), with losses, disasters, and 
difiiculties daily befalling us, we arrived only to learn that, from 
the Consul’s activity in reporting and seizing those connected 
with the slave trade, he had drawn upon him the hatred and 
vengeance of all the Arab traders and soldiers ; but who, it 
seems, were really instigated by the intrigues of the Europeans 
of Khartoum, chiefly low rascally Frenchmen and Italians. 
“ So great has the furor become against him that his life is 
not safe, his own and the other Arab soldiers, when drunk, com- 
ing and firing their guns close to the boat, showing, as they say, 
their defiance of him : at any moment a false shot may carry 
him off. 
“ A great part of the men, nay, all but five, mutinied and re- 
fused to proceed, so we are left without power to do anything. 
