chap, ix.] HOSTILITY CAUSED BY TEE TURKS. 
253 
except tullaboon, a small bitter grain used in lieu of 
corn by the natives: there is no game ; if it existed, 
shooting would be impossible, as the grass is impenetra¬ 
ble. I hear that the Turks intend to make a razzia on 
the Shoggo country near Farajoke; thus they will stir 
up a wasp s nest for me wherever I go, and render it 
impossible for my small party to proceed alone, or 
even to remain in peace. I shall be truly thankful to 
quit this abominable land ; in my experience I never 
saw such scoundrels as Africa produces—the natives of 
the Soudan being worse than all. It is impossible to 
make a servant of any of these people; the apathy, 
indolence, dishonesty combined with dirtiness, are 
beyond description ; and their abhorrence of anything 
like order increases their natural dislike to Europeans. 
I have not one man even approaching to a servant; 
the animals are neglected, therefore they die. And 
were I to die they would rejoice, as they would imme¬ 
diately join Koorshids people in cattle stealing and 
slave hunting;—charming followers in the time of 
danger! Such men destroy all pleasure, and render 
exploration a mere toil. No one can imagine the hard¬ 
ships and annoyances to which we are subject, with the 
additional disgust of being somewhat dependent upon 
the traders’ band of robbers. For this miserable situa¬ 
tion my vakeel is entirely responsible : had my original 
escort been faithful, I should have been entirely inde¬ 
pendent, and could with my transport animals have 
penetrated far south before the commencement of the 
rainy season. Altogether I am thoroughly sick of 
this expedition, but I shall plod onwards with dogged 
obstinacy ; God only knows the end. I shall be grate¬ 
ful should the day ever arrive once more to see Old 
England.” 
Both my wife and I were excessively ill with bilious 
fever, and neither could assist the other. The old 
chief, Katchiba, hearing that we were dying, came to 
charm us with some magic spell. He found us 
lying helpless, and he immediately procured a small 
