ROOSEVELTS JOURNEY FROM UGANDA DOWN THE NILE 431 
during this final part of the journey gave them all the noisy honor that 
they could get out of their brass instruments and Indian drums. 
Shouts of welcome from natives and citizens hailed the entrance 
of the Americans, awaiting whom on the Bahr-el-Jebel (as the Nile 
is here called) was the launch of General Sir Reginald Wingate, the 
Sirdar of the Egyptian Army, who had sent it for the convenience of 
the coming distinguished traveler. At its mast-head flew the Stars 
and Stripes, and on entering its cabin Colonel Roosevelt was gratified 
to find there a large amount of mail, which had been forwarded to 
await his arrival. After a brief rest, he plunged into his mass of 
correspondence. In the town itself, which, in addition to the ivory 
traders, had a few shops belonging to Greek and Hindu storekeepers, 
a brick house had been set aside for his convenience during his stay in 
that frontier town. 
The journey to Khartum was to be made in the Sirdar’s launch, 
but before setting out the party decided on having a final week’s hunt¬ 
ing, and on the 18th three of the party, Roosevelt, Kermit, and Mr. 
Heller, set out with the purpose of shooting such game as might be 
found along the river banks. The remaining members of the party 
stayed behind to pack the specimens they had recently gathered in their 
Nile journey and pay off and dismiss the porters who had so long been 
their faithful companions and helpers. 
The day promised to be one of adventures. Before their start 
word came that a native had fallen into the river and been drowned. 
On learning of this accident Kermit and Mr. Loring dove into the 
river in an effort to recover the body, heedless of the peril from croco¬ 
diles and from the swift current. Fortunately no harm came to them. 
Meanwhile from Lado, a few miles north of Gondokoro and the 
extreme northeast station of the Congo Free State, the Belgian Com¬ 
mandant and other officials called on the guest of honor and presented 
their congratulations upon the success of his African hunting excur¬ 
sion, with a request that he should visit their town. 
The shooting expedition also opened with an adventure, the small 
boat in which it set out beginning its record by landing its crew on a 
sand bank. It was soon afloat, however, and, reaching the Congo side 
of the stream, the party began its hunt, its native attendants carrying 
