chap, hi.] ARRANGEMENT WITH KOORSHID AG A. 127 
would fire upon me and my party, as they would allow 
no English spies in their country.” 
My vakeel must have known of this preconcerted 
arrangement. I now went to the Circassian, Koorshid, 
who had always been friendly personally. In an inter¬ 
view with him, I made him understand that nothing 
should drive me back to Khartoum, but that, as I was 
now helpless, I begged him to give me ten elephant- 
hunters ; that I would pay one-half of their wages, and 
amuse myself in hunting and exploring in any direction 
until the following year, he to take the ivory ; by which 
time I could receive thirty black soldiers from Khar¬ 
toum, with whom I should commence my journey to 
the lake. I begged him to procure me thirty good 
blacks at Khartoum, and to bring them with him to 
Gondokoro next season, where I arranged to meet him. 
This he agreed to, and I returned to my tent delighted 
at a chance of escaping complete failure, although I 
thus encountered a delay of twelve months before I 
could commence my legitimate voyage. That accom¬ 
plished, I was comparatively happy ; the disgrace of 
returning to Khartoum beaten, would have been 
insupportable. 
That night I slept well, and we sat under our shady 
tree by the tent-door at sunrise on the following 
morning, drinking our coffee with contentment. Pre- 
