494 
SAAT SMITTEN BY THE PLAGUE. [chap. xix. 
lessly on his mat, and cast wistful glances at the face of 
his mistress as she gave him a cup of cold water mixed 
with a few lumps of sugar that we had obtained from 
the traders at Gondokoro. 
We arrived at Fashoder, in the Shillook country, 
where the Egyptian Government had formed a camp of 
a thousand men to take possession of the country. We 
were well received and hospitably entertained by Osman 
Bey, to whom our thanks are due for the first civilized 
reception after years of savagedom. At Fashoder we 
procured lentils, rice, and dates, which were to us great 
luxuries, and would be a blessing to the plague-smitten 
boy, as we could now make some soup. Goats we had 
purchased in the Shir country for molotes (iron hoes) 
that we had received in exchange for corn at Gondo¬ 
koro from Koorshid’s agent who was responsible for the 
supply I had left in. depot. We left Fashoder, and 
continued our voyage towards Khartoum. 
Saat grew worse and worse : nothing would relieve 
the unfortunate boy from the burning torture of that 
frightful disease. He never slept, but night and day 
he muttered in delirium, breaking the monotony of his 
malady by occasionally howling like a wild animal. 
Richarn won my heart by his careful nursing of the 
boy, who had been his companion through years of 
hardship. We arrived at the village of Wat Shely, only 
three days from Khartoum. Saat was dying. The 
night passed, and I expected that all would be over 
before sunrise; but as morning dawned a change had 
taken place,—the burning fever had left him, and 
although raised blotches had broken out upon his chest 
and various parts of his body, he appeared much 
better. We now gave him stimulants ; a tea-spoonful 
of araki that we had bought at Fashoder was adminis¬ 
tered every ten minutes on a lump of sugar. This he 
crunched in his mouth, while he gazed at my wife 
with an expression of affection, but he could not speak. 
I had him well washed, and dressed in clean clothes, 
that had been kept most carefully during the voyage, 
