CHAP. IV.

A Turkish Camp. — Mohammed Din. — Negroes. — Egyptian Apothecaries. — Tribute. — Nile Expedition. — Monsieur Thibaut. — Diseases. — Natives’ Self-Admiration. — An Adventurer. — Madame Vigoureux.

11th April.—At last we are again in motion, having started at mid-day, a comfortable hour truly for both man and beast; my brother so weak he could hardly sit on his camel. In the bush we again saw the marks of burning, but the effect was here trifling. After half an hour we reached open ground, where the Pascha, as was his custom, lay down under some trees, and concerned himself not as to what might happen to the rest. There he remained upwards of an hour, awaiting the enemy, as it was said, but none appeared, though Mohammed Din had threatened something of the kind, asserting he was resolved to die, as the Pascha would give him no aman (pardon or quarter). At three o’clock the army were allowed to form their camp, while the Pascha rode out right and left reconnoitring, advancing on till he came to an endless durra field, yet green, but no water was hit on. The Schaigies had to accompany him, and, alas! we also, though half dead from the dust and wind.

12th April.—Yesterday’s ride has told. I have almost all night long had violent fever, with nervous convulsions; my brother escaped no better, and we passed all night in delirious dreaming, unable to aid each other. It was a mad conversation. When I had an easier moment, and somewhat recovered my senses, I heard Joseph talking away in all languages, but not to me; when he had a lucid minute, then his case was mine, mine his. To-day we mutually joked each other, but a sorry jest it was, nor could we hide from each other our mutual fears for each other’s life. Two nights before I had been slightly delirious. What can courage or heart do without health or intellect? In the morning the Pascha sent the cavalry on to some wells that the Schaigies, with keen scent, had smelt out, not far off, behind the durra fields. Ere long, he, leaving camp and baggage without any covering force, set forward himself to have these wells opened, as they had been filled up. Again at mid-day, in the most fearful heat, came the order for the camp to follow him; but no one troubled their heads as to any regular order, or protective measures during its advance. My brother gazed in alarm on me, as, besides other bad symptoms, my tongue had become brown; we wound our long white shawls turbanlike round our heads, and placed our hoods over them, as some protection against the sun’s scorching rays. We rode almost an hour in a track running through immense fields of exceedingly high durra, here and there intersected by rows of trees; the soil all along seemed exceedingly good, and everywhere the Arabs had most neatly led runs for irrigation. On arriving in camp, we found some dozen wells had been cleared out, and for each so cleared, the soldiers won fifty paras; but now all were in full work, forming with trees and thorns an inclosure round the camp. Mohammed Ladjam sent us a curious scorpion,—pity it was so much injured; it was almost two fingers in length, black-brown in colour, tail and feet covered with thorn-like hairs, and nippers as large as those of a small crab. The Pascha stated that he had seen one in Hedschas, though somewhat less, with a double sting.

Axes were issued out to the troops, but such axes!—one finger’s length long, and two broad! It is certainly a most amusing scene to watch a Turkish camp being pitched. All run against and through each other, men, camels, horses, asses, all mixed and mingling, each chooses out the spot that suits him best, there plants himself and beast, without the slightest heed being paid to forming divisions or leaving passages. We threw ourselves down under a green tree near a cotton plantation, while our servants unloaded our camels, pitched our tent, &c., and from under our carpets, over my legs and my brother’s face, out hurried and made off, a snake some six feet long. Astonished we indeed were, but too wearied to move, and remained calmly reposing, though ere long the very same snake, having been killed by the attendants of the Sheik Defalla, was brought back to us. After a time one becomes careless as to scorpions and other such reptiles. The Pascha had also hit on a shady tree, but had not allowed his tent to be set up, which led me to fancy he expected an attack, when his tent would have pointed out his whereabouts to the foe. About evening we struck our own, and for the same wise reasons as had prevented the Pascha’s being erected. But the tent of the Kaimakan Sorop Effendi had to remain up, to pass, in the enemy’s eye, for the Pascha’s, although it was not fifty paces from the tree under which the latter had settled himself.

13th April.—The country where we now are, is called El Gash, from the Gohr of like name; the nearest village is one named Aronga. All over our camping ground are now built bower-like huts, of branches and fresh green durra straw; these, called Recubas, are far cooler and pleasanter than tents. From the hut of our herculean neighbour, Mohammed Defalla, crept about mid-day, a snake like that of yesterday: it was, too, soon killed, and measured six feet two inches; they called it an assala (Python Sebæ); about the same hour came into camp, with six hundred dromedaries and seventy horses, Abu Sin, the great Sheik of the Schukurie. The Pascha had gone out to meet him, with all the cavalry and regimental bands. Abu Sin is a handsome large man, with noble countenance, and his character is described by all as vigorous, able, and generous.

14th April.—It is certainly, as usual, excessively warm, but the air here seems better and purer than at any of our former camping places; the same may also be said of the water, which, though drank in large quantities, has no ill effect. Serpents are brought us daily, but generally so much injured as not to be fit for stuffing. After much negotiation, there arrived to-day the much talked of and feared great Sheik, Mohammed Din, with a pretty numerous train, and dismounted at the hut of our neighbour, Sheik Defalla, who had ridden out to meet him on his great war horse. Greatly was our curiosity aroused to behold this so famed man, the defeater of the Turks under Churschid Pascha; but far greater was that of the soldiery, who, with unblushing boldness, pressed into the tents, although most assuredly, ere now, many of them had trembled before him. All were satisfied, and went away from gazing at him gladdened and rejoicing. Mohammed Din is of middle size, black-brown like all his race; at first sight his face says little, but more closely examined, one sees in it much cunning; his head, bald on the crown, is uncovered, his dress Arab, but his trowsers of fine red cloth. The Pascha well sees the importance of the moment, and excuses himself from receiving him under plea of illness, but appoints this morning for an audience. The train of Mohammed Din most truly consists of a parcel of most unmitigated looking rascals, and it really does seem as if nature had stamped on the faces of these Haddenda the faithless character ascribed by all to the race. All are above the middle size, and armed with shields and lance or sword.

15th April.—This morning we beheld the Effendina sitting on the throne of his angareb, while on both sides of it stood on the ground, in solemn silence, many Sheiks, and among them the great Mohammed Din, who seemed in deep thought, and gazed as if much humbled on the earth before him. Much cause he has indeed to muse, to reflect on his venturous step, for he has walked into the net, a lion in the toils, and our friend the Pascha seemed resolved to let him feel it was so; only after a time did he present him with the dress of honour, a red shawl and tarboosch as turban, an under dress, and purple mantle with gold buttons and tassels, but the sabre that generally accompanies the dress was not given, and this is held as a bad sign. Mohammed Din promised to send presents of cows and sheep to the camp, and next day rode away with his followers. A number of snakes were this day slain, many soldiers having been bitten by such reptiles. In spite of the friendship entered into with Mohammed Din, the Haddenda still hover round the camp stealing the camels.

17th April.—Mohammed Din has arrived with a present of two hundred cattle and two hundred sheep. All pots and pans are sought out with smiling faces, although the great men have appropriated the lion’s share of the prey to themselves. Mussa, the twelve year old son of Mohammed Din, paid us a visit in our recuba; he has a negro cast of features, wore heavy gold rings in his ears, and coloured silk trowsers. He showed no curiosity, nor did his mental faculties seem to have been cultivated; he could not talk Arabic, only his own Aggem. A great stretch of the woods is on fire, how or why no one knows, such things are matters of indifference to the Turks.

19th April.—To-night it has rained, a curious occurrence here at this season of the year; from this the air is somewhat cooler, the breeze for the first time refreshing. Mohammed Din has again departed to bring in a part of the tribute laid on his tribe; he wore the same dress as at first, with the white handkerchief the Pascha had given him as sign of pardon, tied round his neck. Poor man! what will this sign of peace avail you? Melek Mammud accompanies him with his Schaigies. He took a mysterious farewell of us, inviting us to visit him, and become acquainted with yonder country. This daring leader of Schaigies seems to have received some secret instructions as regards Mohammed Din, but how far his men may follow them seems doubtful, as they are all for war and nothing else.

22nd April.—Mohammed Din has again returned, but tulba, (tribute) he has brought none; so to-day all the Sheiks have been warned, that only one month’s time will be allowed for them to bring in their contributions, and in that time it must unfailingly be done. We, brothers, are in the meantime laid daily under contributions by these Arabs, for their much loved aragi (properly araki, from arak, sweet, a kind of brandy made from lees of wine or from rice). Not a little were we at first astonished at their coolness, nay, barefaced impudence, in their asking and begging for all that pleased them, while it never occurs to any one of them to make the slightest return on their side, and any little courtesy these men do deign to display, is only when they hope to gain a special advantage by it. My brother has long ere now attended professionally on many of the Sheiks, furnishing them with medicines from our own store, and now, in their own land, it is almost impossible to procure milk, honey, or even a fat sheep, though all of these they have in abundance. To-day we have had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the great Sheik (Sheik Kebir), of the tribe of Beni-Amer, between Habesch, the Red Sea, and the country of the Haddenda; but he must pardon us if we style him Pecus campi, and express our surprise how he can be held in any respect or estimation whatever, even by his own race. He is great, powerful, rich in camels, horses, cattle; in constant barter-trading with Habesch, and therefore has to pay a heavy tribute. The uncle of the Scheik, a very aged man, is of true herculean figure, but rather stout. My brother cured him of a disease in the leg, and, as his fee, had also to give him some bottles of aragi. He is still, though very old, with white hair and limping, a wild fellow, and an old lance is never out of his hand. If by chance he has drunk too much aragi or merissa, no very rare occurrence and sees a handsome horse or camel (in his own land), he at once asks for it, and if the Arab owner does not immediately comply, away goes the old lance through him. For his ferocity and strength all fear him; these, and his colossal figure, such as is seldom seen in this land, have gained him the name of Fill (Elephant).

It is singular, that with the strong bodies that both Negroes and Arabs here possess, none have any calves to their legs—neither man, nor woman. In the Negresses especially, as also in most of the women of Bellad-Sudan, the posteriors and thighs are much developed, but the under part of the legs are like sticks. None can boast of finer arms than these races, the women’s full and round, with well-turned elbows, and small delicate hands, the men’s strong and muscular, the breast high and arched. Truly beautiful are the bosoms of the young maidens, and of the women who have not yet borne children; small and most symmetrical in form, hard as stone to the touch, the nipples generally pointing outwards, and in such an erect state, that not rarely the firda is worn through in front by them. But, alas! alas! for these beautiful bosoms after a single child-birth! During child-bearing these are swollen, often to double their former size, and after the child has been long suckled, or at the end of that business, one sees on the youngest and prettiest wives, long empty breasts hanging down to the belly, which, from their smoothness, limpness, and many folds, resemble two long empty tobacco pouches, or, if one likes it better, two pieces of skin laid flat on each other. These repulsive looking bags they always leave bare and exposed to view, without the slightest blush, and it seems that here men’s ideas of beauty in a woman do not depend at all on this part of the female form, but include all in her facultates occultæ. After the first child-bearing, the abdomen, before so delicately arched, is disfigured by knobs and wrinkles, to an extent that as far as my brother’s medical experience went, he had never known common among white women; and this appearance among the women of these races, plainly declared, that they marry and bear children ere their bodies are fully matured. Nothing arrives at such sound maturity in these warm climes, where all develops itself so infinitely quicker than in cooler lands, and this rapid development, especially during child-bearing,—an epoch of evolution, which even with our matured women forces the body into all fulness of bloom,—works doubly injuriously on these half-matured girl-mothers. Nature and bodily power have both been overtasked; then comes the long suckling, the exclusive conversion of the small supply of nourishment to the use of the child, at the expense of the mother’s body, which afterwards cannot recover its exhausted powers, or gather sufficient strength to return to its former state. The extension of the skin and enlargement of the vessels are too sudden and rapid for the diminished powers of contraction to bring them back to a normal state; and herein lies, aided by the ever bad food, the continued consumption of vital power, which evidently, in every warm climate, produces that rapid advent of old age and ugliness among the women, as is only too plainly the case, even among the boasted beauties of Greece and Circassia.

As an exception, and perhaps from a feeling of good neighbourhood, the Sheik Defalla sent us to-day some sweet milk, but it had already been drawn some two hours, was firm, and in this state tasted well here, though it had neither the slight sourness, refreshing flavour, nor slight coating of cream, like our fresh milk, but a much sweeter taste. So rapidly and inexplicably does each change of health and body go on here, that at noon to-day both myself and brother were well again, and eat with excellent appetites; but after a short siesta which we took (when our meal was over), I awoke with strong fever, without being able in the most distant way to account for it. The great difference of temperature between day and night has, however, brought catarrhs and coughs on one-half the inmates of our camp, although it has hardly gone so far as to reach ague or intermittent fevers in any; but, on the other hand, syphilis prevails among the soldiers, as is most commonly the case. The Pascha to-day told us that in a weak battalion at Wollet Medine, 250 men suffered under this disease. Our cavalry, as well as the Schaigies and artillery, are ill off when sickness attacks any of them, as they have neither surgeon, medicine, nor hospital; and when my brother cannot prevail upon himself to leave them totally without medicine, he is compelled to prescribe it as if for some man of the infantry. The medicines for such stranger Sheiks as fall ill, are charged to the Pascha’s account. He has now at length finally settled with these Sheiks their tulba or contributions, and they to-day all set out, to proceed to their countries beyond the Beni Amer, to collect it. Some take small guards of twenty or thirty soldiers with them, thus to give more weight in their own lands to their demands, as there hatred against the Turks is united to Arab innate greed and avarice. Some few single Arabs still prowl about our camp, and it is therefore dangerous to send out the camels to feed, as they steal the beasts, or take them by violence from their keepers, when the latter are asleep or alone.

There have already been many establishments set up for the sale of merissa; the blacks seem totally unable to exist without this noble drink, or perhaps they would, by copious libations of it, repay their throats for swallowing the horrible mixtures which, during illness, the field apothecaries force them to take under the name of medicines. It is most scandalous to see how the Egyptian druggists, without exception, cheat government. Not only do they embezzle all linen furnished for hospital uses, to dress their own servants out with it, but they themselves use all the sugar intended for the sick, sell the medicines clandestinely, and have carried this so far with the here so all-necessary quinine and spiritus wucher, as to have none left, and now do not blush to manufacture false trash to issue in their stead. Ill it must go with them if any change of rule in Egypt causes a sharper eye to be kept on their doings; and among all of them in the Egyptian employ, there are not three who could pass the slightest medical examination of any European College of Surgeons. And where is the wonder it is so, as they are mostly a kind of wholesale, sham production, from the manufactory of Mr. Clot Bey, who, as Chef du conseil général de santé, can, in three months under him in Cairo, form out of common artisans skilful medical men, as was the case of the apothecary under my brother, who had before been a working goldsmith in Cairo; and of another of these medicos, whom I had known before as an honest knight of the thimble. As a matter of course, such men as these were ever going wrong and committing the most fearful blunders; but as for money-making, “per fas et nefas,” they were more expert, and follow ably the example set them by all the higher officials. Often did these gentry seek to make money in an allowed but most degrading way, and among others Gaetani Bey, the private surgeon of Mohammed Ali, who in Faszogl sold at enormous prices, with his own Bey’s hands, false pearls, large and small, to the negroes, and cheated them in the counting too. No one would credit the roguery and cheating that went on in the conseil général de santé itself, who was not well acquainted with the state of things in Egypt; but all formed themselves after the example of their great master, and from him down to the lowest employé of his department, runs a firmly-linked chain of like-minded and like-acting officials.

Already are the new branding-irons fabricated by Topschi Baschi, all in readiness to mark the expected contributions of camels, horses, cattle, cotton goods, &c.; and also two iron stars have been made—horrible barbarity!—for branding the new-made slaves. Our greatest plague is again the fearful heat, especially at noon and in the afternoon; one is ever in a constant sweat, even when sitting perfectly quiet, and everything is now wanting that could contribute to the commonest wants or enjoyments. Our Arabs are equally great admirers of tobacco as of onions, but in Taka there is as little of the one as the other, and not a single date is to be got, as here no date trees are known. Myself and brother would only too gladly advance farther into the country, and so become more closely acquainted with it, and its inhabitants, their manners, and way of life; but with one voice all counsel us, as we regard our own heads, to await a more suitable time. No great friendship does, in truth, seem to exist between the inmates of the camp and the natives, as never are any of the tribe of the Haddenda seen inside our fence, although these have retired no further into the Chaaba than some two hours’ journey from hence; but well do the measures of precaution, daily taken, show the light in which these people are viewed. Not only, every night, do the Turkish cavalry, Schaigies, and Magrabins bivouack outside the main camp and keep strict watch, but the infantry also place strong guards at the thorn bulwark, one half of this force being under arms before, the other after midnight. Most nights the Pascha himself goes, with his rabut, patrolling, and this, wielded by no light hand, plays all night, not on the soldiers’ backs alone, but on the officers also, when anything is found out of order. Doubtless, all this is most necessary, for leaders as well as soldiers are just the men to sleep all night long, and leave it to “Allah kerim” whether the enemy are to surprise them or not.

These bivouacks were not without their accidents. During one a Magrabin’s musket burst in his hands, and not only was the inside of one hand carried away, but part of the fore-arm shot off, and so lacerated, that most of the bones and sinews were laid bare and torn. As another surgeon wished to amputate at once, the Sheik Selim brought him to my brother: he put it to rights as far as he could, sewed up and plastered it, ordering constant cold bandagings, though he had little hopes of the lacerated parts uniting, as the accident happened yesterday, though the wounded man only came to him to-day at noon. When Joseph visited him this evening, no cold applications had been used; the patient fancied he must eat first, and as he had no food of his own, thought we might, perhaps, send him some;—a pleasant reward to my brother for all the pains he had already taken about him, and for which he had not received even a single word of thanks from any party.

A considerable number of the soldiers have been sent out to hasten the bringing in of the tribute, as in their presence each Scheik makes greater exertions, and it is possible they may pick up some knowledge of his country. We now at length discovered that each tribe under tulba pays 20 piastres each male (children not counted), and a tenth of all beasts and produce of all kinds. This tribute is not great, but still it will be heavily felt, and difficult to raise in those lands, where all trade is carried on by barter against cotton cloths. What taxes these tribes may have hereafter to pay, when the Turks find they have a firmer footing in the land, time will show.

After the Pascha had again to-day called his most devoted follower, the Major of Kordafan and Sennaar, an ass, complaining that everything fell on his own shoulders, he turned to me, and with much seeming satisfaction told me that the exploring expedition had returned from the White Nile, having traced that river for 600 miles upwards from Chartum. Now, this is either a great error or a great falsehood; nor can I resist the inclination I feel to investigate how far the Pascha’s favourite epithet may not apply to the leader of this expedition.

The chief commander of it, and general of its 400 soldiers, was Soliman Kaschef, of Karreri, a countryman and friend of the Pascha, who had sent him on this expedition to look after his interests, and have a special eye on Selim-Capitan, sent from Alexandria as chief leader. Men call Soliman Kaschef a good man, but though he may understand justly to allot and gather in the taxes of his district, still he is certainly no fit person to judge with accuracy of foreign countries and people, as regards their geographical position, cultivation, produce, industrious arts, and other such points, or to give them any hints how to better or increase them; nor is he fitted to observe if the Nile flows from a lake or hill, whether its course is east or west, &c. He has neither education, nor, as far as I know, inclination for such matters, and assuredly will ever have been thinking more of his harem at Karreri, and comfortable life there, than the aims of his journey; so the first plausible cause for a return will have been the pleasantest of all occurrences to him.

As admiral of the exploring fleet went the already-named short and well-fed Selim-Capitan, of Candia, a better judge of the qualities of young slaves than of navigation; and even only so far qualified and equipped for his office as one would expect from a proud, arrogant Mussulman. In one word, he is a perfect specimen of an Egyptian man-of-war captain. Such a one would not even admit of the idea of laying down a degree of latitude or longitude, to determine the position of a country, or the course of a river. [This however proved, as often happens in this world, a hastily formed opinion which I had entered in my journal, possibly from vexation at being prevented by sickness from personally taking part in the expedition, and partly because I could perceive no scientific knowledge about him; but I must now bear testimony, on the contrary, to his ability as a practical navigator, of which I had full proof during my later expedition on the White Nile, and in my account of that voyage I have already done so.] Besides, he is a man of mean, avaricious habits. The Soliman Kaschef is a liberal person, a quality that, well used, may do much in these exploring expeditions. The vice-admiral, by name Feizulla Capitan, is a man of good character, but, like the others, most remarkable merely from his ignorance. He indeed had passed five years in England, receiving instructions in naval science, and such matters; but every one asserts he came home as wise as he went, though he has picked up a smattering of English, with which he manages to make a show on all occasions.

These three gentlemen were the chiefs of the exploring expedition; and being such as they were, who could expect that any one of them could be of any service in such an affair? and as their rank and authority was pretty equal, it could be as little looked for that they should work in unison, or do their best, bad though that might be, to carry out the aims of their enterprise.

Besides these, the others were Turks of ordinary life. But a special mention is due to that chief of adventurers, Monsieur Thibaut, who was selected as engineer to this expedition, by reason of his various capabilities and genius. Whether at this moment many cities dispute the honour of his birth, I cannot tell; but as far as my information goes, Paris is the honoured place of his nativity, and there he passed his younger days as one of her famed gamins, without acquiring further knowledge than to read and write, or troubling his head about more. When Greece strove to burst her bonds of slavery, his heroic heart beat for her, and for two whole years Greece had the pleasure of admiring his deeds, but then the misfortune of beholding him quit her soil for Egypt, and join the foes of Hellas. There, however, he rested on his laurels, scorning fresh ones, till he joined his compatriot Seves (the present Soliman Pascha in Syria) who was then in Assuan, where, and in the opposite island of Elephantina, he organized the two first regiments on the European system, and, as all must allow, did so zealously and well. There it pleased M. Thibaut to fall into serious meditations over Europe’s weal and woe, from which not even his best friend’s persuasions could arouse him, or prevail on him to embrace some more active career, as then every thing was open to Europeans, who had only to choose their own degrees, as doctors or apothecaries, professors or instructors, to have such allowed them in Egypt. But the philosophic Thibaut would have held it a disgrace to have resigned his valuable meditations for the duties of instructing and drilling recruits, so did not in any way trouble himself about an instructor’s office or the good pay attached to it; till at last Soliman Pascha lost all interest in a man’s affairs, who, as he said of himself, was without mind or energy, but who had in the meantime been brooding over another, though far less honourable plan, which he now put in force. He became commissioner to the great slave-dealer, Joseph Vaissère, a Frenchman of Languedoc, who with the “Croix d’honneur” (?) on his breast, parades the slaves’ bazaars, buying and selling these unfortunates; with him our philosopher journeyed to the Bellad-Sudan, the Gold-rich Land. But ere long he had bored himself enough with men and men’s affairs, so he now cast his eyes on the animal kingdom, of which, with other men’s money, he picked up some curious specimens, and so ere long we find him first in London, then at Paris, where he gained himself high fame as showman and proprietor of some living giraffes (saraf). His project of conveying a living hippopotamus to Europe failed, but he at least bore off in triumph with him the brute’s skin. In London he became acquainted with his present Dulcinea, Madame Sara, who had arrived in that capital with an English family, a slave from Kordofan, a most interesting person, and who, in addition, is the one with whom the Vice-Admiral Feizulla displays his accomplishments in English. It is said that in former years she had been most pretty, as far as a black can be so; of this, indeed, some remains may still be traced, though now good living, high indulgence in idleness and repose, have swollen out her once well shaped form to colossal dimensions, and repeated and full draughts of darling merissa, it is whispered, have aided much in this. Mrs. Sara had picked up some property, reason sufficient that Mons. Thibaut should pick up her, and with her and her money return to Chartum, where he again set up his staff, and lived comfortably enough on his wife’s means, till the Frigate-Capitan Achmet (a Swiss named Baumgarten) was sent to examine closely the White Nile, and took our friend, then Chawagi Ibrahim, with him. Achmet Capitan died after fulfilling his task, but during his dying moments no one was near him save Thibaut and Dr. Soliman Effendi,—a singular loneliness, more remarkable as many matters belonging to the dead man were missing, as books, maps, charts, manuscripts, and some instruments; but it is possible these had been given away. Baumgarten had employed Ibrahim, at the recommendation of Achmet Pascha; and Ibrahim, by what means I know not, got himself recommended to Mehmet Ali, then in Bellad-Sudan. In short, all of a sudden, Mons. Thibaut was named engineer to the expedition, with 1000 piastres a month, and travelled on in full security under the guidance of Baumgarten’s notes, maps, papers, instruments, &c. The instruments, however, must have had an easy time of it with him, as our hero had not the smallest idea of their scientific uses, nor even of how to handle them, nor would he learn. So what could be hoped for from him? Nothing but the journal, notes, and charts, of Achmet-Capitan, altered and garbled, with favourite places and races set down where fancy dictated, and others that did not please struck out.

Lies,—adventures,—wonders,—were there in over abundance; such as the 600 miles of course surveyed, as the Pascha told us. The expedition was five months out; allow them three consumed in upward progress, and two for returning, thus to arrive at the 600 miles, seven miles a day must have been for three months the advance; a thing utterly impossible, taking into consideration ignorance of the river’s channel, the long and large shallow reaches—so many of which are to be seen in the White River—the knowing nothing of the languages of the countries, the halts necessary to make inquiries, and the still more necessary ones to procure provisions; then the total indifference of the Turks to all pushing on, or discoveries of any kind; and, finally, the disunion of the leaders among themselves;—all these considered, I say, made such progress impossible; and, were these not enough, the heavy-laden state of their vessels of itself made the thing impracticable.

But, be the 600 miles’ survey as it may, this much is only too certain,—that the hopes raised in all Europe as to the results of this expedition will be as little satisfied, as science or knowledge will be advanced by it.[10]

Mohammed Din has again visited the camp, and the Pascha has announced to him, that he must remain a hostage here till the tribute is paid, and probably also to answer for the lives of the thirty soldiers sent into his country. However, it seems to have occurred to the Pascha, that it was more than probable that the great Sheik’s absence from his own tribe might cause matters to go totally wrong, as he has again dismissed him to his people; but, as hostage in his stead, his only son Mussa has been placed under Mohammed Defalla’s care and guard.

We have now, in the early mornings, a good many clouds (Nedde), and tolerably cool air. At night the breeze is actually cold. The soldiers suffer much on night guards from this, as also from their bad food, which for long has been nothing but Belila. That the white soldiers from Syria and Egypt hold out far better against fatigues and heat than the blacks, is remarkable, as these latter should be far more accustomed and used to the heat.

The medical lessons and occupations of my brother have begun to attract much of my attention, and he has promised to keep a medical journal; but he must first get himself well, as he ever returns from his medical duties perfectly disgusted, complaining of the insufferable stench arising from the patients, and, worn out, falls back in perfect apathy on his cushions, with sunken head; sleeps with his eyes open,—often seeming to me as if something unnatural had come over him. So gets on my Joseph as doctor!

Later, when I had joined the expedition up the White Nile, he wrote me from the camp of Kassela-el-Lus to Chartum, that he had compiled a stout volume on African diseases, but was inconsolable at having lost all his labours. Ten days’ dangerous illness, during which he sadly missed me, had rendered him delirious; during the time he was in this state, on his servant’s asking him for some paper to light a fire with, he had given him his manuscript journal, and the stupid blockhead had used it for such mean purposes. In the same letter he bewailed the loss of our small menagerie, all of which had been starved to death. Topschi Baschi had, at the Pascha’s order, who had visited and beheld the state my brother was in, taken charge of his money that it might not be stolen, and issued to the servants the necessary coin for Joseph’s expenses, as also that needed to purchase food for the animals, which latter money they had spent in Merissa. Joseph, on being a very little better, opened the Fagged (a species of lynx), that had held out longest, having just then expired, and perfectly convinced himself that starvation alone had caused its death. The annoying vexations one suffers from these servants is beyond belief; and even the gentlest and mildest of men, like my brother, are compelled to do violence to their feelings, and have recourse to the Kurbash (hide whip).

The blacks in large numbers are suffering fearfully from the heat of the sun. They complain of horribly torturing heat, and burning in the head, and over the whole body; of such relaxation and weakness in the limbs, especially the legs, as not to be able to walk, and hardly to move them; the pulse is much quickened, at times hard, but never full. They are generally, after a few days, restored to health by bleeding, and cupping in the neck; but a bad case it ever is, when a negro becomes seriously ill, or is attacked by dysentery, for seldom does he survive it. Still, as before, one half of the army suffer from catarrh. Considering how we are situated, fever is rare; and only in very few cases does it reach stadium frigoris; but then, the hot fit, with violent headache, and often gastric complication, is all the longer and more severe. As yet we have had no deaths from fever alone, violent though in many cases its attacks have been. Diseases of the eyes have been rare if one does not regard as such a kind of œdema of the eyelids, which often goes so far as to prevent the sufferer opening even a hair’s breadth, the rima palpebræ. Often, in one day, six or eight sufferers under this, come to us; the reason they give for it is, they have been cutting durra, and must have rubbed their eyes with their hands, and some hurtful herb been among the durra. But as the conjunctiva balbi et palpebræ, as well as the pupil of the eyes, are wholly uninjured, Joseph doubts much that it is the effect of any blistering or deleterious substance. Probably the cause is cold. The men are highly heated by day while cutting durra, and then exposed to cold on night duties, without a sufficient covering for the head; for it is at these times, by their own showing, that the evil commences.

To-day the Sheik of the Beni-Amer, with his elephant uncle, left us for his three days’ distant home, to bring in his Tulba. Hassan Effendi, of Chartum, accompanied him with his soldiers, and also Melek Aat and his Schaigies. Our hunter Abdallah goes with this party, to shoot, and collect specimens for our collection. His Mentor is an old Schaigie named Hami, who is answerable to us for Abdallah with his head. Mohammed Defalla may once more rejoice in being master in his own tent, as this heretofore has been ever filled with these Sheiks and their attendants, so that he could call no part of it his own; besides, on him fell the heavy burden of providing for all these people. If a stranger arrives, and asks the Pascha where he is to lodge, the reply, without a moment’s consideration, is, “Go to Defalla!” Unalarmed at his thus ever increasing expenses, the good-natured Defalla, into whose head the idea of repayment never enters, replies, “Taib (Well, good) Effendina!” and has another guest. Our fat friend comes daily to our tent for his cough mixture, i.e. a beaker of strong punch, after swallowing which he never fails to remark that his Battè (paunch) feels much better. This Battè of his is much in his way when he would kneel to say his prayers; so he now holds it wiser to sit quietly down on his hinder end. For our bodily refreshment he often regales us with Kuschab, a kind of mead made with dripped honey, water, and much pepper; by no means unpleasant to the taste, and slightly intoxicating. We received to-day, as a present from the leader of the Magrabins, Mohammed Ladham, of Tripolis, the skin of an antelope (Ariel) as large as an ass, with legs like those of a cow; on the back and sides it is bright brown, white under the belly, greyish on the sides of the head and under the eyes; over the forehead and nose runs a broad brown stripe, and the horns are black, twisted, rising upwards from behind, and turning away from each other at the points. It is a pity that the hide is completely severed across at the throat, to let out the blood; the custom of the Mussulmen in killing all beasts and birds, for so it is ordered in the Koran—the beast must be living, and the flesh (debieg—with the Jews, Koscher) quivering, when this cut is made. In general, a Mussulman, immediately after firing at any animal, exclaims, “Bismillah!” to propitiate Allah, as the chase is strictly forbidden by the Prophet, save under peculiar circumstances.

To tempt into the camp the Arabs round, not one of whom is hardly ever seen inside our fence, the merchants accompanying the army have been permitted to form a bazaar outside the palisades, and there by day expose their wares for sale. The most favourite articles for sale are small mirrors or looking-glasses (Marrai, or Mirroa, from the French, Miroir); these are offered cheap, and must be highly pleasing to the Arabs here, as they will sit the whole day gazing into them, and even the eldest among them seem never to weary of this unrelaxing admiration of their own reflections. As a variety, every now and then a camel, horse, or ass of ours is carried off by these gentry. Not very long ago a Soggilab stole a horse of one of the Schaigies, and bringing him up close to the camp, killed the beast with many stabs of his knife; thus displaying the deep innate hatred of these people to their oppressors. And this would be most assuredly proved to us in a very different manner, were it not that the Pascha has concentrated so large a force as to overawe them; and so many being armed with firearms, of which the natives’ dread is almost childish. Even at present they show how deep their hate is, by not one ever bringing us the smallest article for sale, flesh, milk, honey, &c.—we can get none, no, not by an offer of ten times its value. Then, from their repeated refusals of money, it seems probable, all trade among themselves is by barter; coin they certainly have none. How under such circumstances the Pascha will get in the tribute, and in the short space of thirty days, is to us incomprehensible. It is true, that at a village some hours’ journey from hence, the present abode of Mohammed Din, a considerable number of cattle have been collected; but it is equally certain that far greater numbers are held in concealment, and in this way the tithe of both beasts and goods will be much reduced. That the number of men will also be in some similar manner made appear much less than the real number, and so diminish the head tax, is also not to be doubted. And who, save a Turk, could blame the people for doing so, as it is only what self-interest teaches?

The lot of the oppressed and enslaved is pitiable enough in its best view; but doubly enraged must every right-minded man be when he sees how inhumanly even Europeans allow themselves to act towards the unfortunates who have the ill fate of being their slaves. Thus the tender-hearted apothecary Dumont blushes not constantly to vent his uncalled-for passion in the most savage manner by kurbasch, fist, or foot on his little slave Amber, though the poor lad does more than all his other servants—but then the slave cannot defend himself! Often have we before now left this brute’s presence not to be spectators of his savage cruelties, but he seems determined to persist in these in spite of all our remonstrances. I have, however, at last informed him that I will call him to an account with my sabre if he does not desist, and also have threatened him that we will take Amber away from him, give him letters of manumission, and employ him as our servant, as he (Dumont) being an European and Frenchman has no right to possess a slave; and this we have already done in the cases of some ill-used slaves of Europeans in Chartum, and in these acts the Pascha ever supported us. Unfortunately, he is not the only Frank here who acts thus tyrannically; nor can I refrain from mentioning by name another, the Frenchman Vigoureux, an old corporal of Napoleon’s, at present living at Kordofan, who is also guilty of even worse cruelties. That his manner and habits have not lost their old corporal’s tinge is no fair charge against him, but it is a nameless disgrace to him that his newly-imported Parisian wife should be allowed to exercise on her female slaves the cruelties of all sorts she too often is guilty of. While in Chartum, my brother, one day at noon, during its fearful heat, saw this man’s small ten-year old female slave Nimra bound perfectly naked to a post, so that her body, all marked with bloody wheals and clotted, drying, and bleeding cuts, was exposed to the sun’s glowing rays, without her having the power of moving it. On his demanding the cause, madame and monsieur smilingly replied, that the little girl had not done something exactly as this Xantippe had ordered, and that he, this old soldier of the empire, had with his own hand flogged and cut the wretched girl with a kurbasch, till wearied out he had, to make the punishment complete, thus bound and exposed her to the sun’s beams, that the cuts might smart the longer; nor would these worthies consent even now to put an end to their barbarities, and madame most particularly showed her total ignorance of mercy. Pity such a woman should boast European blood! My brother came home, when I soon remarked something unpleasant had befallen him, and set about questioning him. “If you will promise to keep cool,” he said, and told me the story; but no remonstrance was of any use; I was already dressed and soon on my legs; so buckling on my sword, and taking up my 10½ lb. iron staff, well known in Chartum, and from which I was nicknamed Abu Nabut (the father of the stick), I set off at a pace that soon left my brother behind, who followed, fearing some mischance. Over the low but bolted court-door I beheld the poor girl, and, as I was afterwards told, shouted in furious tones for Vigoureux; but he, though in all haste, held it advisable to unbind the girl ere he admitted me. At first I was furious, but he called his wife to the rescue, and as her interference prevented my punishing him on the spot, I grew calmer, and at last cooled down. He, after this, told me, as he had done before, of a curious escape he had made when in former days pursued by our black hussars, by bending down over his horse’s neck while urging him to his utmost speed; he had to thank his carbine, slung across his back, that he was not sliced into ribbons.

This ci-devant corporal of the Grand Army has now been sixteen years in Egypt, having arrived in those times when all Franks were appointed, at their own choice, to high offices and good pay. Himself a soldier, he soon obtained the office of instructor to a regiment, with a salary of four purses (2000 piastres) a month, and 1000 for clothing or equipment. During his stay in Hedjas, and by his gold and slave dealings in Kordofan (where he passed his time, his gold scales in one hand, a brandy bottle in the other, and his female slaves dancing before him), he saved some 12,000 dollars,—all the more easily done as he spent little on himself, his habits being low and mean, and he being well skilled in the art of living on others. With the Pascha’s leave he then went to France, returning with soldier-like punctuality at the expiry of his year’s leave, in company of his noble-minded wife, who was to serve him as a companion and stay during his old age. But that no very high age will be his, is visible in his premature decay, and continued ailings, nor is the unhealthy climate of Kordofan in his favour, to which land, and to his ruin, his love of gold has again decoyed him; and his stay, who is far more ill and crazy than himself, is also sinking under the load of cotton wherewith she burdens herself to supply those beauties of form nature has denied her. Churschid Pascha, the predecessor of Achmet, had brought with him from Cairo a carriage, in pieces, so as to pack on camels’ backs, the ruins of which Achmet made a present of to Vigoureux, who, aided by a carpenter, converted them into a cabriolet. Into this he stuck his riding-horse, and, aided by two slaves who led it, drove in great state past our house in Chartum. He drank a glass of rum we offered him, and congratulated himself on the numbers who had admired him and his turnout. Soon after, however, one of our servants informed us that the wheel had passed over one of his slaves, and broke the man’s upper thigh bone, forcing it through the flesh. Vigoureux himself said he had expected something of the kind, and that the dog might die, as he had already paid too much for him. My brother promised to cure the slave for nothing, if he would give him his liberty. He was healed and supported all along and for a time after the cure at our expense; all at once, however, he vanished, and it was only some time after we learned that Monsieur the Corporal, in spite of all his promises, had laid hands on him and packed him off to Kordofan, to work in his garden.

Between this man and his wife existed a singular unanimity of feelings. Both were alike miserly, which was plainly enough written on their faces, and when at home kept most wretched commons. Both, too, gladly accepted any invitation, and in real gormandizing style devoured all food set before them. Neither ever thought it necessary to offer any return, but excused themselves under the plea of having no cook; but this would not go down with ourselves and others. But too much of persons of whom we know not one good trait, and who will find no pity from any one when the punishment justly due to their barbarity and fearful greed of money falls on them. Once, however, we did feel pity for the lady, as she told us this history. She was already in the family-way when she and her husband reached Cairo. Though advised by all to leave his wife there for her confinement, he was barbarian enough to drag her, well veiled and with black gloves on, to make the camel drivers believe she was a black woman, across the desert; and during the journey she one afternoon, under a glowing sun, on a camel’s back, gave birth to a male child, that instantly expired. No halt could be thought of in the desert, and the half-dead woman went on to Chartum, where she first obtained medical aid. Often has she begged of me to prevail on the Pascha at once to give her husband his discharge, as she was still so young, and longed so much again to behold la belle France; but Vigoureux would neither ask nor hear of discharge, so I did not interfere, as I might have incurred the blame of being an intriguer. On my return from the White Nile, and when in Chartum, I received a letter from her from Kordofan, in which, in language of despair, she described to me her situation, told me her husband was now always laid up, and praying me to recover some part of the arrears due to him. I, therefore, on asking the Pascha for these arrears, did not hesitate to tell him, that to keep such a man in his pay any longer was merely throwing away money, as he could no longer serve him. The Pascha’s reply was, “I know that, but he can die!” i.e. then all arrears will be paid, too. I told him of the lady’s sad state; he only quietly smiled. On my journey back to Egypt, I found the two at Dongola; he was free—was really discharged. They had been more than a month resting there, and indulging in an immoderate consumption of grapes, which regimen had had such an excellent effect on both, that I hardly again recognised Madame Vigoureux in the amiable and affectionate wife of her already in secret despaired of old corporal.