116 
DIPLOMACY. 
[chap. iy. 
no reply; but, upon my repeating the call in a loud 
key, he turned his donkey towards us and dismounted. 
I ordered him to sit down, as his men were ahead and 
we were alone. 
The following dialogue passed between us after the 
usual Arab mode of greeting. I said, “ Ibrahim, why 
should we be enemies in the midst of this hostile 
country ? We believe in the same God, why should 
we quarrel in this land of heathens, who believe in no 
God ? You have your work to perform ; I have mine. 
You want ivory; I am a simple traveller ; why should 
we clash ? If I were offered the whole ivory of the 
country I would not accept a single tusk, nor interfere 
with you in any way. Transact your business, and 
don’t interfere with me : the country is wide enough 
for us both. I have a task before me, to reach a great 
lake—the head of the Nile. Reach it I will (In- 
shallah). No power shall drive me back. If you 
are hostile, I will imprison you in Khartoum; if you 
assist me, I will reward you far beyond any reward 
you have ever received. Should I be killed in this 
country, you will be suspected; you know the result; 
the Government would hang you on the bare suspicion. 
On the contrary, if you are friendly, I will use my 
influence in any country that I discover, that you 
may procure its ivory for the sake of your master 
Koorshid, who was generous to Captains Speke and 
Grant, and kind to me. Should you be hostile, I 
shall hold your master responsible- as your employer. 
Should you assist me, I will befriend you both. Choose 
your course frankly, like a man—friend or enemy ? ” 
Before he had time to reply, Mrs. Baker addressed 
him much in the same strain, telling him that he 
did not know what Englishmen were ; that nothing 
would drive them back ; that the British Government- 
watched over them wherever they might be, and that 
no outrage could be committed with impunity upon 
a British subject. That I would not deceive him in 
any way ; that I was not a trader ; and that I should 
