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February； 1870：
〃Mr。 Higginbotham； who has safely arrived at Berber with the steel
steamers in sections for the Albert N'yanza； will； I trust； be provided
with vessels at Khartoum； according to my orders； so as to follow me to
Gondokoro with supplies； and about 350 troops with four guns。
〃My original programmeagreed to by his Highness the Khedive； who
ordered the execution of my orders by the authoritiesarranged that
six steamers； fifteen sloops； and fifteen diahbeeahs； should leave Cairo
on 10th June； to ascend the cataracts to Khartoum； at which place
Djiaffer Pacha was to prepare three steamers and twenty…five vessels to
convey 1；650 troops； together with transport animals and supplies。
〃The usual Egyptian delays have entirely thwarted my plans。 No vessels
have arrived from Cairo； as they only started on 29th August。 Thus；
rather than turn back； I start with a mutilated expedition； without a
SINGLE TRANSPORT ANIMAL。〃
Having minutely described the White Nile in a former work； 〃The Albert
N'yanza；〃 I shall not repeat the description。 In 103 hours and ten
minutes' steaming we reached Fashoda； the government station in the
Shillook country； N。 lat。 9 degrees 52 minutes； 618 miles by river
from Khartoum。
This town had been fortified by a wall and flanking towers since I had
last visited the White Nile； and it was garrisoned by a regiment of
Egyptian soldiers。 Ali Bey； the governor； was a remarkably handsome old
man； a Kurd。 He assured me that the Shillook country was in excellent
order； and that according to the instructions received from the Khedive
he had exerted himself against the slave trade； so that it was
impossible for vessels to pass the station。
Fashoda was well situated for this purpose； as it completely dominated
the river； but I much doubted my friend's veracity。
Having taken on board a month's rations for all hands； we started； and；
with a strong breeze in our favour； we reached the Sobat junction on
16th February； at 12。30 p。m。
There we took in fresh water； as that of the Sobat is superior to the
White Nile。 At this season the river was about eight feet below the
level of the bank。 The water of the Sobat is yellowish； and it colours
that of the White Nile for a great distance。 By dead reckoning I made
the Sobat junction 684 miles by river from Khartoum。
When I saw the Sobat； in the first week of January 1863； it was
bank…full。 The current is very powerful； and when I sounded in various
places during my former voyage； I found a depth of twenty…six to
twenty…eight feet。 The volume of water brought to the Nile by this river
is immense； and the power of the stream is so superior to that of the
White Nile； that as it arrives at right angles； the waters of the Nile
are banked up。 The yellow water of the Sobat forms a distinct line as it
cuts through the clear water of the main river； and the floating rafts
of vegetation brought down by the White Nile； instead of continuing
their voyage； are headed back； and remain helplessly in the backwater。
The sources of the Sobat are still a mystery； but there can be no doubt
that the principal volume must be water of mountain origin； as it is
coloured by earthy matter； and is quite unlike the marsh water of the
White Nile。 The expeditions of the slave…hunters have ascended the
river as far as it is navigable。 At that point seven different streams
converge into one channel； which forms the great river Sobat。 It is my
opinion that some of these streams are torrents from the Galla country；
while others are the continuation of those southern rivers which have
lately been crossed by the slave…hunters between the second and third
degrees of N。 latitude。
The White Nile is a grand river between the Sobat junction and Khartoum；
and after passing to the south of the great affluent the difference in
the character is quickly perceived。 We now enter upon the region of
immense flats and boundless marshes； through which the river winds in a
labyrinth…like course for about 750 miles to Gondokoro。
Having left the Sobat； we arrived at the junction of the Bahr Giraffe；
thirty…eight miles distant； at 11 a。m。 on 17th February。 We turned into
the river； and waited for the arrival of the fleet。
The Bahr Giraffe was to be our new passage instead of the original White
Nile。 That river； which had become so curiously obstructed by masses of
vegetation that had formed a solid dam； already described by me in 〃The
Albert N'yanza；〃 had been entirely neglected by the Egyptian
authorities。 In consequence of this neglect an extraordinary change had
taken place。 The immense number of floating islands which are constantly
passing down the stream of the White Nile had no exit； thus they were
sucked under the original obstruction by the force of the stream； which
passed through some mysterious channel； until the subterranean passage
became choked with a wondrous accumulation of vegetable matter。 The
entire river became a marsh； beneath which； by the great pressure of
water； the stream oozed through innumerable small channels。 In fact； the
White Nile had disappeared。 A vessel arriving from Khartoum in her
passage to Gondokoro would find； after passing through a broad river of
clear water； that her bow would suddenly strike against a bank of solid
compressed vegetationthis was the natural dam that had been formed to
an unknown extent： the river ceased to exist。
It may readily be imagined that a dense spongy mass which completely
closed the river would act as a filter： thus； as the water charged with
muddy particles arrived at the dam where the stream was suddenly
checked； it would deposit all impurities as it oozed and percolated
slowly through the tangled but compressed mass of vegetation。 This
deposit quickly created mud…banks and shoals； which effectually blocked
the original bed of the river。 The reedy vegetation of the country
immediately took root upon these favourable conditions； and the rapid
growth in a tropical climate may be imagined。 That which had been the
river bed was converted into a solid marsh。
This terrible accumulation had been increasing for five or six years；
therefore it is impossible to ascertain or even to speculate upon the
distance to which it might extend。 The slave…traders had been obliged to
seek another rout； which they had found via the Bahr Giraffe； which
river had proved to be merely a branch of the White Nile； as I had
suggested in my former work； and not an independent river。
I was rather anxious about this new route； as I had heard conflicting
accounts in Khartoum concerning the possibility of navigating such large
vessels as the steamers of thirty…two horse…power and a hundred feet
length of deck。 I was provided with guides who professed to be
thoroughly acquainted with the river； these people were captains of
trading vessels； who had made the voyage frequently。
On 18th February； at 10 A。M。； the rear vessels of the fleet arrived； and
at 11。40 A。M。； the steamers worked up against the strong current
independently。 Towing was difficult； owing to the sharp turns of the
river。 The Bahr Giraffe was about seventy yards in width； and at this
season the bank