<CHAP. XVII.] 
yiPPROACH GONDOKORO. 
467 
marched well, generally accomplishing fifteen miles of 
latitude daily from this point, as the road was good 
and well known to our guides. The country was gene¬ 
rally poor, hut beautifully diversified with large trees, 
the tamarind predominating. Passing through the 
small but thickly-populated and friendly little province 
of Moir, in a few days we sighted the well-known 
mountain Belignian, that we had formerly passed on 
its eastern side when we had started on our uncertain 
path from G-ondokoro upwards of two years ago. The 
mountain of Belignian was now N.E. from our point of 
observation. We had a splendid view of the Ellyria 
Mountain, and of the distant cone, Gebel el Assul 
(Honey Mountain), between Ellyria and Obbo. All 
these curiously-shaped crags and peaks were well 
known to us, and we welcomed them as old friends 
after a long absence; they had been our companions 
in times of doubt and anxiety, when success in our 
undertaking appeared hopeless. At noon on the follow¬ 
ing day, as we were as usual marching parallel with 
the Nile, the river, having made a slight bend to the 
west, swept round, and approached within half a mile 
of our path;—the small conical mountain, Begiaf, 
within twelve" miles of Gondokoro, was on our left, 
rising from the west bank of the river. We felt 
almost at home again, and marching until sunset, we 
bivouacked within three miles of Gondokoro. That 
night we were full of speculations. Would a boat be 
waiting for us with supplies and letters ? The morning 
anxiously looked forward to at length arrived. We 
started ;■—the English flag had been mounted on a fine 
straight bamboo with a new lancehead specially arranged 
for the arrival at Gondokoro. My men felt proud, as 
they would march in as conquerors;—according to 
White Nile ideas such a journey could not have been 
accomplished with so small a party. Long before 
Ibrahim's men were ready to start, our oxen were 
saddled and we were off, longing to hasten into 
Gondokoro and to find a comfortable vessel with a few 
h h 2 
