bone。
  On　4th　March　we　started　at　6。25　A。M。　The　advent　of　the　buffalo　was　a　sad
  misfortune；　as　it　had　supplied　the　natives　with　sufficient　flesh　to　feed
  them　on　the　road　home；　thus　thirty　Lobores　had　absconded　during　the
  night。
  Fortunately　we　had　already　consumed　many　loads　of　flour。　I　was　now
  obliged　to　divide　two　days　rations　among　the　troops　as　extra　weight。　The
  light　loads　were　then　doubled。　Brandy　boxes　of　twelve　bottles　were　now
  lashed　together；　so　as　to　form　a　load　of　twenty…four。　Several　boxes　of
  gin　had　been　entirely　destroyed　by　the　savage　carriers；　who　had　allowed
  them　to　fall　upon　the　rocks。
  Having　crossed　the　bends　of　the　Un…y…Ame　river　twice；　we　halted　for　the
  night　in　fine　open　forest　on　the　south　bank；　beneath　a　large
  tamarind…tree；　that　yielded　an　abundant　supply　of　fruit　for　all　hands。
  We　had　only　marched　ten　miles；　owing　to　the　delay　occasioned　by　the
  desertion　of　the　carriers。
  On　5th　March　I　led　the　way；　as　the　Lobore　guide　professed　ignorance　of
  the　route　to　Fatiko。　The　fact　was；　that　the　Lobores　had　wished　on　the
  previous　day　to　take　me　to　Farragenia；　which　is　two　days　nearer　than
  Fatiko。　Had　I　been　ignorant　of　the　country；　we　should　have　been
  deceived。
  I　steered　through　low　open　forest；　the　leaves　of　which　had　been　scorched
  off　by　the　fire　that　had　cleared　the　country。　Neither　a　village　nor　the
  print　of　a　human　foot　could　be　seen。　This　beautiful　district　that　had
  formerly　abounded　in　villages　had　been　depopulated　by　the　slave…hunters。
  Having　taken　the　Shooa　mountain　for　a　steering　point；　we　reached　the
  spot　where　in　former　years　I　had　passed　five　months　in　the　camp　of
  Ibrahim。　This　also　had　been　destroyed；　in　addition　to　all　the　numerous
  villages　of　the　mountain。　We　had　marched　fourteen　miles。
  I　gave　orders　that　on　the　morrow　all　the　troops　were　to　appear　in　their
  best　uniforms；　as　we　were　only　six　miles　from　Fatiko；　the　principal
  station；　where　I　fully　expected　to　meet　Abou　Saood　himself。
  CHAPTER　XVI。
  ARRIVAL　AT　FATIKO。
  ON　6th　March；　1872；　we　started　from　the　bivouac　at　the　base　of　the　Shooa
  mountain　at　6。10　A。M。
  The　troops　were　in　excellent　spirits；　the　air　was　fresh　and　cool　in　this
  elevated　country；　the　horses　had　been　well　groomed；　and　the　arms　and
  accoutrements　had　been　burnished　on　the　previous　afternoon；　in　order　to
  make　a　good　appearance　before　my　old　friends　the　natives　of　Fatiko　and
  Shooa。
  The　bright　scarlet　uniforms　and　snow…white　linen　trousers　of　212　men
  looked　extremely　gay　upon　the　fresh　green　grass；　which　had　lately　sprung
  up　throughout　this　beautiful　park。
  There　was　no　enemy　in　this　country。　From　a　former　residence　of　five
  months　at　Shooa；　both　my　wife　and　myself　were　well　known　to　the
  inhabitants；　and　I　felt　sure　that　our　arrival　would　be　hailed　with
  gladness。　In　my　former　visit　I　had　been　a　successful　hunter；　and　had
  always　given　the　flesh　to　the　natives；　thus；　as　the　road　to　a　negro's
  heart　is　through　his　stomach；　I　knew　that　my　absence　must　have　been
  felt；　and　that　the　recollections　of　past　times　would　be　savoury　and
  agreeable。
  I　had　with　me　a　herd　of　1；078　cows　and　194　sheep。　No　guard　was
  necessary；　and　I　intrusted　the　stock　to　the　care　of　the　three　boatmen；
  and　my　Bari　interpreter；　Morgian。
  The　line　of　march　was　thus　arranged：Myself；　with　my　wife　and
  Lieutenant　Baker；　on　horseback　in　advance；　preceded　by　the　guard　of　five
  of　the　〃Forty　Thieves。〃　Then　came　Colonel　Abd…el…Kader　and　the　remaining
  forty…three；　composing　the　gallant　〃Forty。〃　After　which　came　the
  regiment；　all　necessarily　in　single　file。　Then　came　the　baggage　with　400
  carriers；　followed　by　the　herd　of　cattle。
  All　our　boys　were　dressed　in　their　scarlet　uniforms；　and　the　girls　and
  women　generally　had　dressed　in　their　best　clothes。　Little　Cuckoo　as
  usual　carried　my　small　travelling…bag　upon　his　head；　and　kept　his　line
  with　the　other　boys；　all　of　whom　assumed　an　air　that　was　intended　to　be
  thoroughly　regimental。
  In　this　order　the　march　commenced。　The　distance　was　only　six　miles。　This
  was　as　lovely　a　route　as　could　be　conceived。
  Magnificent　trees　（acacias）；　whose　thick；　dark　foliage　drooped　near　the
  ground；　were　grouped　in　clumps；　springing　from　the　crevices　between　huge
  blocks　of　granite。　Brooks　of　the　purest　water　rippled　over　the　time…worn
  channels　cut　through　granite　plateaux；　and　as　we　halted　to　drink　at　the
  tempting　stream；　the　water　tasted　as　cold　as　though　from　an　European
  spring。
  The　entire　country　on　our　left　was　a　succession　of　the　most　beautiful
  rocky　undulations　and　deep　verdant　glades；　at　the　bottom　of　which　flowed
  perennial　streams。　The　banks　of　these　rivulets　were　richly　clothed　with
  ornamental　timber；　the　green　foliage　contrasting　strongly　with　the　dark
  grey　blocks　of　granite　resembling　the　ruins　of　ancient　towers。
  We　travelled　along　a　kind　of　hog's　back；　which　formed　the　watershed　to
  the　west。　As　we　ascended；　until　we　reached　a　large　plateau　of　clean
  granite　of　about　two　acres；　we　broke　upon　a　magnificent　panorama；　which
  commanded　an　extensive　view　of　the　whole　country。
  On　the　west；　we　looked　down　upon　the　plains　through　which　we　had
  arrived；　and　the　view　stretched　far　away　beyond　the　Nile；　until　it　met
  the　horizon　bounded　by　the　grey　outline　of　the　distant　mountains。
  No　one　could　feel　unhappy　in　such　a　scene。　I　trod　upon　my　old　ground；
  every　step　of　which　I　knew；　and　I　felt　an　exhilaration　of　spirits　at　the
  fact　that　I　was　once　more　here　in　the　new　capacity　of　a　deliverer；　who
  would　be　welcomed　with　open　arms　by　the　down…trodden　natives　of　this
  country。
  Having　descended　from　the　clean　plateau　of　rock；　we　carefully　rode
  across　a　slippery　channel　that　had　been　worn　by　the　sandy　torrents　of
  the　rainy　season；　and　once　more　arrived　at　level　ground。　We　were　now　on
  the　great　table…land　of　Fatiko。
  Upon　our　left；　a　mass　of　bold　ruins；　the　granite　skeleton　remains　of　a
  perished　mountain；　which　formed　a　shelter　from　the　morning　sun；　tempted
  us　to　halt。
  We　had　thus　suddenly　appeared　upon　the　greensward　of　the　plateau　without
  the　slightest　warning　to　the　inhabitants　of　Fatiko。　About　a　mile　before
  us　stood　the　large　station　of　Abou　Saood；　which　occupied　at　least　thirty
  acres。　On　our　right　we　were　hemmed　in　by　a　wall　of　granite；　sloped　like
  a　huge　whale；　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　long　and　100　feet　high。　The
  southern　extremity　of　this　vast　block　of　clean　granite　was　the　rocky　and
  fantastic　hill　of　Fatiko　crested　with　fine　timber。　To　our　left；　and
  straight　before　us；　was　a　perfectly　flat　plain　like　a　race…course；　the
  south　end　being　a　curious　and　beautiful　assemblage　of　immense　granite
  blocks；　and　groups　of　weeping　acacia。
  A　large　village　occupied　the　base　of　Fatiko　hill　。。。　The　bugles　and
  drums　sounded　〃the　advance。〃　The　echoes　rang　from　the　hard　granite　rock
  as　the　unusual　sound　gave　the　first　warning　of　our　presence。
  I　had　dismounted　from　my　horse；　and　was　watching　the　slaver's　camp　with
  a　powerful　telescope；　as　the　bugles　sounded　and　the　men　fell　into　order。
  A　number　of　people　ran　out　of　the　camp；　and　stared　at　the　blaze　of
  scarlet　uniforms；　which　must　have　appeared　as　a　larger　force　than　the
  reality；　owing　to　the　bright　contrast　of　red　with　the　green　turf。
  In　an　instant　there　was　confusion　in　the　camp。　I　soon　distinguished
  immense　numbers　of　slaves　being　driven　quickly　out；　and　hurried　away　to
  the　south。　The　slaver's　drum　beat；　and　a　number　of　crimson　flags　were
  seen　advancing；　until　they　halted　and　formed　a　line　close　to　the
  entrance　of　the　village。　I　now　saw　natives　rushing　wildly　to　and　fro　in
  all　directions　armed　with　spears　and　shields。
  Some　time　elapsed　before　the　cattle　and　baggage　arrived。　In　the　meantime
  I　waited；　perched　on　a　block　of　granite；　with　my　telescope；　watching
  every　movement。　There　was　no　doubt　that　our　sudden　appearance　had　caused
  intense　excitement。　I　saw　men　running　from　the　trader's　station　to　the
  large　village　opposite；　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。
  At　length；　I　observed　two　men　approaching。
  We　were　not　yet　ready　for　a　general　advance；　therefore；　as　the　servants
  and　carriers；　cattle；　&c。；　fell　into　order；　the　band　struck　up　some
  Turkish　airs；　which　sounded　extremely　wild　and　appropriate　to　the
  savagely…beautiful　scenery　around　us。
  In　the　meantime　the　two　messengers　drew　nearer。　They　were　both　filthy
  dirty；　and　appeared　to　be　clad　in　dark…brown　leather。　One　man　seemed　to
  hesitate；　and　stood　about　sixty　yards　distant；　and　demanded　who　we　were。
  Upon　hearing　from　Colonel　Abdel…Kader　that　it　was　〃the　Pacha；〃　and　that
  〃he　need　not　be　afraid；〃　he　told　us　that　Abou　Saood　was　at　the　station；
  and　that　he　would　run　back　with　the　news。
  The　other　messenger　came　timidly　forward；　until　he　stood　close　beneath
  me。　My　wife　was　on　horseback　by　my　side。
  Can　it　be　possible？　MOHAMMED；　my　old　Cairo　servant　of　former　years？
  The　grand　dragoman　of　the　lower　Nile　reduced　to　this！　My　wife　exclaimed；
  〃Ah；　Mohammed；　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　but　how　wretched　you　appear！〃
  This　was　too　much　for　the　prodigal　son；　he　seized　my　wife's　hand　to
  kiss；　and　burst　into　tears。
  Poor　Mohammed！　he　had　gone　through　many　trials　since　we　last　met。　When　I
  left　him　in　Khartoum　ill　with　guinea…worm　in　the　leg；　he　was　on　his　way
  t