DR. LADD’S JOURNAL.
The space in the Missionary will only admit of a few extracts from the remainder of this long journal. Much that is interesting we are obliged to omit. The time from Jan. 7th till Jan. 24th was busily spent in Khartoum. A small steamer was finally obtained, and our missionary explorers in the face of many discomforts and much danger pushed on up the Nile through the territory occupied by El Mehdi till they reached their objective point in Central Africa.—Ed.
Tuesday, Jan. 24th.—We fired up early. Crowds stood on the bank to see our steamer off. We started at 10:30 A.M. The views of Khartoum as we steamed down the Blue Nile were fine. The junction of the Blue and White Niles is very marked. The difference in color, and the line of demarcation are remarkable. The current as we rounded the point was very strong, for here the whole broad Nile is reduced to a very narrow channel, and our little steamer had all she could do to make headway. As we got beyond this point the river became very wide and the banks low. We were obliged to share our “hole” with an officer, who was one of the few who escaped from Mohammed Achmet at the time of the second slaughter. “He ran away and lived to fight another day,” and now he acted as though he were the hero of a hundred battles. We had a poor captain and not very good men, but a fine, energetic pilot. At 9:15 we anchored near the east bank in a position of comparative safety. We put up our mosquito nets and spread insect powder with a free hand, hoping to mitigate some of our troubles.
Wednesday, Jan, 25th.—No sleep; too many discomforts. The “Hero” kept up an incessant groaning. Our only hope was that he might die before morning. Doctor threatened to shoot him, and I stood ready to get him acquitted on the ground of justifiable homicide or of “insanity.” Started about sunrise. The river was like a great inland sea. There were thousands of ducks and geese. Mourgan and the mate both managed to tumble into the hold to-day. It was a wonder that they did not break their necks. The mate had to come under the doctor’s care. About sundown we stopped for wood. We went ashore in a boat as far as it could go, and were then carried to dry land. While on shore the mate was taken very ill with the fever, and lay on the ground in a most miserable condition. We got him on board, and the doctor took him in charge. The cockroaches are eating up everything, books and papers, etc. The water has come in at the port-holes, although we have stuffed them as well as possible, and has made the bedding damp. It is several inches deep under the floor, and have to look out and not step through a loose board into it. The mosquitoes may succeed in eating us up if they keep on. It appears to be only a question of time. Therm., S. R., 62°; M., 87°; S. S., 71°.
Thursday, Jan. 26th.—No sleep! The groans of the “Hero” and the bumping of the tiller, both “beyond control,” were too much for us. We left at 11 A.M. There were crocodiles in vast numbers along here and ducks by the thousands. From the steamer deck we shot great numbers. Finally the men got tired going after them. But what a feast they had. We also caught several large fish, but none of them are fit to eat taken in this water. Anchored for the night at Dooaim, a large town, evidently doing a good business, judging from the number of ships and boats that are here.
Friday, Jan. 27th.—Started at about 6 A.M. Had a good view of the town as we steamed slowly out. Arrived at Kowa at 10:30 A.M. This place was for some time the southern limit of the Soudan provinces. It is a very large town, and is now the southern terminus of the telegraph line. There is a low island opposite, but the town itself stands up high and dry on the desert. Here again we were invited to see a “fantasia,” but declined with thanks.
My face is still peeling from the effects of the Korosko Desert.
On the way to Fashoda the travelers passed the island of Abbas, where Mohammed Achmet, the “False Prophet,” first distinguished himself, saw his village and the spot where the first slaughter occurred. They stopped at various other places of interest on the way, and had a variety of experiences. They studied the towns and the people in passing, and although generally well received, they had some difficulty to get wood, on account of the hostility of the Shillooks. They became acquainted with the African fever among the swamps, and were only too glad to reach Fashoda.
Friday, Feb. 3d.—The steamer stopped, before we awoke this morning, for wood, as it will be impossible to get it at Fashoda on account of the hostile Shillooks. Started at noon with a small supply. Arrived at Fashoda, within the territory designated by Mr. Arthington, at 2:30 P.M. Saw naked natives fishing along the bank. There are three villages with conical straw roofs to the north of Fashoda, but near it, which first came in sight. The “Dragomen” reside in these. We have a plan of Fashoda, which will give a better idea of it than any verbal picture. We shall also take some photographs of it to illustrate a more detailed account in the report. For this country the place is well fortified. We could not anchor off the main land, as the water was too low, but tied up to an island opposite the town. The other steamer and a few boats were lying here. Several Dinka villages were just visible with the glass on the east shore. On our arrival an officer came on board to search for slaves! He proposed to examine our boxes. But we told him there was no custom house here. He might look for slaves, but he could not examine any of our baggage. He found it was no use, and went off. What a farce this suppression of the slave trade is! Men will live in Fashoda, and draw good salaries to suppress the slave trade. When a steamer comes in, like ours, from Khartoum, they will come on board and look for slaves! While right back of them is a regular caravan route, over which thousands are carried every year, and they go on their way, and no questions are asked! It looks well to have an officer in uniform examine government steamers, and make a show of great things! We sent our letters and orders up to the Governor pro tem., but he and his aid were already on their way to call on us. We found them very pleasant and friendly.
Saturday, Feb. 4th.—There was much noise and loud talking and confusion in unloading the steamer. This would have been a good steamer for Mohammed Achmet to have captured, as we brought down 20,000 Turkish dollars, besides powder, cloth and soap. Took several views of Fashoda as seen from the deck of the steamer. The Governor sent us a present of two sheep, a quantity of chickens, and a couple of baskets of vegetables. We noticed here for the first time a species of crow with a white breast. The Dinkas on the east shore are said to be quiet and friendly. Fashoda is considered by everybody to be one of the most unhealthy spots on the White Nile. * * The town is surrounded with a thorn zeriba, and is built up, outside of the fort and the officers’ quarters, of round cane huts smeared with mud and thatched. The Shillooks, who come from the neighboring villages to trade and visit, are tall and well built. The faces of the men and women are much alike, as the men carefully pull out all the beard they have. The women generally wear the skin of some animal loosely suspended from the left shoulder. The men, when they come to town, wear a piece of cotton cloth thrown over one shoulder and wound around them. I called a few moments on the friendly and generous Governor. He walked with me to the boat, while the soldiers presented arms and the band played “All confusion worse confounded,” which is their national air. It sounds best at a distance, say of five miles or more. The Governor does everything he can for us. He has even sent us some wood from the scant government stores. Witnessed a most brutal flogging from the deck of the steamer. Such an outrage would not be possible anywhere but here. I stood it as long as I could and then was about to interfere, when some of the men standing around drew off the man. There are great numbers of hippopotami around here; we hear them all about us toward night; I counted fourteen that I could see at one time. The Governor proposed to send a guard of soldiers with us to the Sobat, but we finally concluded that we would rather rely upon our own arms than have any such guard as he could furnish.
Monday, Feb. 6th.—Started about 4 A.M. Stopped for wood on the west side; went ashore and looked about. The Captain will not go on shore, nor allow us to do so, without being well armed. Some Shillooks came down to the shore apparently to barter. We were warned to be on our guard. They were absolutely naked, and a wild looking set. We were off as soon as we got wood enough. Passed a small island, one end of which was literally covered with crocodiles. There is almost a continuous stretch of Shillook villages on both banks along here. The men are all naked. The language strikes one as very peculiar. There are a number of palm trees in this vicinity with a bulge or swelling in the middle of the stem. Passed several villages of considerable size. Saw the village called O-Gawdie, where the late King of the Shillooks, who was killed by Mohammed Achmet, resided. The natives in many places are burning the grass and getting ready to plant their farms. We notice also various methods of fishing, which for a wonder seem to be quite successful. Some large flies came on board along here, and we found that they could bite. At 7:30 we cast anchor in the Sobat, at a point some distance above its mouth, and opposite the deserted military station. We chose the middle of the stream as a matter of safety, for although there are but a handful of people living near here, yet they will swarm from the White Nile, and other parts, at very short notice. Relays of three men each were placed on watch all night. Now that the military station is abandoned the country about here is not considered at all safe. But here we are in the Sobat at last! After all our hopes and fears, after all our journeyings over sea and land, up the old Nile and across the burning sands of the Desert, here we are at last! We are twenty-five hundred miles up the Nile. We are more than eight thousand miles from home. We are in Central Africa.
Dr. Ladd and his party went up the Sobat as far as was practicable, and took a number of photographs of the country and the people. They also went beyond the Sobat junction of the White Nile. Having successfully accomplished their mission, they were obliged to return as speedily as possible on account of the increasing dangers that surrounded them. They stopped at “Tawfikeeyeh,” where Sir Samuel Baker had his camp, and at the towns of Melacan and Waw, and took many interesting photographs of all these places. They also visited with a guard among the Shillook villages in the vicinity of Fashoda.
We rode around Fashoda outside of the zeriba of thorn bushes, which had been put up as a protection to the place, and then we struck across the plain to the village of Hegag. Here we had a pleasant interview with the natives, and saw a man who had received a bad bullet wound in the last fight with Mohammed Achmet. I took a photograph of this village and of the chief’s family. After we had had quite a chat with these people we again mounted, and, taking a good road back, we let our horses out on a full run, to see what an Arab horse could do. All the horses seemed to enjoy it, and certainly we did, after the cramped life we had been leading on board of the steamer. As we approached Fashoda the mounted guard, now always on the alert and fearing an attack from Mohammed Achmet at any time, spied us coming at full speed, and thinking something might be wrong, rode out to meet us. There is a constant fear that at any moment the place may be attacked, and a most vigilant watch is kept. We rode around the town, took a photograph of the market place and then returned to our lodgings on the steamer. Here we were waited upon by a number of men who had all sorts of favors to ask. One was a convict and wanted help; another wished us to present some petitions for him at Khartoum. Toward evening we called upon the Governor at his private house; had a pleasant visit, and obtained much valuable information about the natives and the country. On our return I took a photograph of some native women cooking durra. By a careful calculation from latitude and declination, I find that the time of sunrise this morning was 6:10 and the time of sunset was 5:50. In this way only are we able to regulate our watches. * * *
Speaking of Kaka, Dr. Ladd says:
The small garrison of 50 men is practically in a state of siege. They can get no supplies, and are actually afraid to go more than a few steps beyond their zeriba. Kaka is thus threatened both by the Shillooks and the followers of Mohammed Achmet, and there is much fear expressed on all sides. This whole section of country is considered very dangerous and unsafe. We are repeatedly told: “It is well that you are armed; don’t go on shore without your arms.” There certainly seem to be perilous times ahead, for things are constantly getting worse, and the government has delayed to act until action means war. There is a young Greek merchant on board with whom I have been brushing up my Greek. He is from Fashoda and expected to stop here, but is frightened out of it, and says he shall go on to Khershawal, which is on the other side of the river, and a place of less danger. He says, and others agree with him, that there are spies everywhere who keep the rebels posted as to every movement. One man is now in irons at Fashoda who was found with a letter on his person directed to Mohammed Achmet, telling him the condition of the forces at Fashoda and urging him to come on at once and take the place. Threats have been made that if the government does not send on an army at once the rebels will take Fashoda within 20 days.
The town of Kaka is built of mud-smeared straw huts, surrounded with a zeriba. The fort is built of mud, boasts one cannon, and is surrounded by a dry moat. One of the officers presented Doctor with a young red-crested crane. After we had sufficiently examined the fort and town we took the photograph of a Dinka woman whose person was a marvel of bas-relief work, and also a general view of the town. We were presented through the “Yousbashi” with a couple of baskets of a seed called “sutcheb,” and were assured that it is a sure cure for dysentery. Saw one soldier who ought to have been shot on the spot for insubordination. The Governor ordered him to accompany the durra to the town as a guard, and he flatly and most emphatically refused to budge. The Governor tried to reason with him and urge him, but he grew more and more obstreperous, till finally, the governor slapped him in the face, and, after a tussle, took his gun away from him. The Governor tried to have some one arrest him, but no one would do it, and finally the man got his gun back, and did as he pleased. What discipline can there be in an army where such things are possible? Very soon there was another fight, and this time on the steamer. We were about to put off. Doctor and I were standing on the bridge. A soldier rushed on board claiming an “angarib,” or native bed, which did not belong to him; but he was bound to come on board and take it by force. The Captain ordered him on shore. He refused to go. The Captain undertook, with the help of his sailors, to put him off the boat, and there was a fight at once. Other soldiers rushed in to help their comrade, and it looked for a few minutes as though the crew might be overpowered. Instinctively our hands found their way to our revolvers, and we stood ready to defend the Captain if it should become necessary. After a pretty general fight, the soldiers were obliged to retreat. The plank was drawn in, and to settle all questions of ownership, the “angarib” was broken up and thrown overboard.
Tuesday, Feb. 14th.—We were up early this morning, and started out to see the country and hunt a little before breakfast while the men were cutting wood for the steamer. We borrowed a rifle from one of the soldiers, so that we had two rifles and a shot gun in the party. We were warned, as we went on shore, of a lion that was lurking about in the bushes, but we wanted nothing better than to see a lion. We struck straight back into the country for some distance without seeing anything. After a time I got after some guinea hens with the shot gun, leaving the rest of the party with the rifles in the rear. I was creeping carefully along to get within range when I suddenly came upon two large deer, with horns over a yard long. They were close to me, and I ran a bullet into the shot gun, but decided that it would be better to drive them toward the rifles than to try them with only a shot gun. They stopped once and looked at me, and then bounded away in the direction of the rest of the party. Doctor fired as they passed, but the grass just there was tall, and he missed. We were about to follow them up, and get them, if possible, without giving them our wind, when our suspicious were aroused by something moving in the high grass and bushes. We watched closely, and soon made out a crowd of men with spears crouching down when we observed them, and darting from bush to bush, and circling around in such a way as to surround us. They had horses, and were easily identified as Baggara Arabs, probably belonging to Mohammed Achmet’s party. We thought it best to retreat while we could do so in good order. We reached the river, and reported the state of affairs to the Captain. Ibrahim and the Mate also soon came in, reporting that they were Mohammed Achmet’s people, that they were in great numbers, and that they were still advancing, and spreading out so as to surround us. The Captain gave the order to fire up at once, and ordered the men on board as soon as possible. The Doctor and I started to reconnoiter, but the Captain would not allow it, saying that we would find ourselves in an ambush, and that it would do no good. We did not want to be obliged to kill anybody to get away, or to fight unless it became necessary, so we obeyed him, and went on board. The ropes were cast off, and we turned on “full speed” down stream. We were glad enough to get safely away. We passed a large island, which is not properly named on the maps. In fact, there is not a single map or book upon the Nile, or any extended portion of the Nile, that is at all satisfactory. One would suppose that Gordon’s map of the White Nile would at least approximate to accuracy. On the contrary, it is full of the grossest and most amusing blunders. * * * Our steersman is very ill with the fever to-day, and just about used up. We have been obliged to take to eating durra, for our bread, as well as most of our other provision, has given out. Saw two large herds of buffaloes on the west bank. One herd numbered over a hundred head, young and old. We had a good long look at them before they sniffed the air and tossed their heads and plunged off into the jungle. In the evening, Turk and Greek gathered around us, and told us some marvelous stories of witches. Ibraham swallowed it all as the sober truth, while we laughed at his credulity. We stopped to spend the night and get wood on the east side, just beyond or north of Waldochone Island. There is said to be good hunting here, and we are preparing to enjoy the sport while the men are getting the wood in the morning. This is the only variety our life affords, and helps to keep us in good spirits. Temperature: 6, 61°; 11, 77°; 5:50, 83°.
Wednesday, Feb. 15th.—We were up bright and early, and started back into the country over a magnificent hunting ground. We started up a hare, and were after him, when two large lions sprang out from behind a bush, and ran across our path, tails up, making for the jungle. They were immense fellows, and the men who were with us were frightened and lagged behind, while Doctor and I chased them up and tried to head them off. It was an exciting chase, and made the blood tingle in our veins, but the brush became so dense that they finally got away from us. It was an experience in African life that we shall not soon forget. * * *
About four o’clock we saw some 300 Arabs with their horses, cattle and spears. They were on their way, so the Captain and all on board said, to join Mohammed Achmet. Certainly serious times are brewing. What will the end be? Saw a number of Dinkas on the east bank; saw a dozen huge hippopotami sunning themselves. Ran aground, but were soon off again. It is a wonder we don’t run down some hippopotami, for they are very thick in the water about here. Arrived at Khershawal at 6:30 P.M. The pilot was so intent on looking for sand-banks that he did not see the town and the people waiting on the shore, till after we had passed it and them. I was looking at the place through my glass, and the engineer asked me if I did not see Khershawal. Of course I did, and we turned back, while the whole crowd had a good laugh at the pilot. Here there is a garrison, at present consisting of only 30 men. The Governor, a fine looking man, came on board. He said the Arabs we saw had passed here, giving as an excuse that they were going hunting, but that it was very well understood where they were going. It is said that great numbers of the Baggara Arabs are constantly going over to Mohammed Achmet, and that at present his forces number 10,000 men. The Greek merchant is afraid to go back to Fashoda as he intended, after selling his goods. Doctor has been threatened with another chill, but happily it has been averted. The nearest village of the Dinkas, who inhabit this side of the river, is six hours distant. The chief of the tribe lives there. His assistant lives here in Khershawal. Temperature, 6:10, 64°; 4, 87°; 9:40, 74°.
Thursday, Feb. 16th.—Went on shore, and visited the town. The soil is gravel, sand and loam, and the town stands up high and dry from the river. The shore is covered with a beautiful white sand, underneath which is a layer of excellent clay for bricks. The town is built of straw huts, and is surrounded with a zeriba. We called at the Governor’s, and were treated to sherbet and coffee. We then walked about the town, and I took a photograph of the Assistant Chief of the Dinkas, and one of a Dinka woman, and then took an inside view of the town and another general view from the outside of the zeriba. This place must be comparatively healthy. We were presented with a sheep by the Governor as we were about to start. We left at 9:45 A.M. Doctor and I were sitting on the bridge seeing what we could see, when I discovered a huge snake in the water swimming slowly and trying to cross the river. I rushed for the shot-gun, and although we had almost got beyond range, gave him both barrels with good effect. I jumped into the small boat with a number of men; the steamer put about and we went after that snake. As we neared him, however, he began to show signs of life, and Doctor, fearing he might get away, fired two shots at him with the rifle from the bridge. The second ball struck, but glanced, leaving not the slightest trace of a mark, but stunned him so that he turned over on his back. We picked him up and found that we had got hold of a boa-constrictor. As soon as he was landed in the boat he came to again, and made it lively for us. His strength was something remarkable. He ran his head a little way under a board, and six men pulling with all their might and main could not get him out. He came out when he got ready, but then we had a rope around him, and hauled him on deck. There was a scattering of the crowd then. We choked him to death, cut his teeth out, and put him away. He came to life again, and broke one of the supports of the water-jar. Then Ibrahim stood on that snake’s head till he was dead. We hung him up. He came to life again, and nearly got away. Then we beat him on the head with a club till he was “as dead as a door nail.” He came to life again! No use! We determined to conquer him this time, and proceeded to skin him. This was too much for him, and he concluded to remain dead. He measured 9 ft. 6 in. in length, and 11¾ in. around. I have preserved the skin, and hope to have it stuffed. The sailors will eat the flesh. We anchored for the night, and to get wood, about 4 miles north of Gebel Ain, on the east side. Temperature, 7, 62°; 12, 84°; 7:30, 80°.
Friday, Feb. 17th.—The thumping of the rudder kept us awake nearly all night. We went on shore not expecting to be gone long, but the men said they had seen a lion, and that started us off, and we soon got on the trail. Doctor and I were separated in the thick brush. He followed one trail and I another. Ibrahim was with me; a good sailor with him. I soon came upon three large deer. I had only a shot gun, but dropped a bullet in, and was just raising the gun when Ibrahim, in what I call his woman’s clothes, came marching up, and asked what I saw. Of course I saw no deer then. It was a splendid hunting ground. There were fresh tracks of lions and buffaloes and deer, etc., all around us. But it was time to return to the steamer. We had turned and gone only a little way, when, all of a sudden, two mounted Baggara Arabs, with their long spears leveled, sprang from the bushes and stood in the pathway between us and the steamer. The truth flashed upon us. We were waylaid by followers of El Mehdi, who would not hesitate to kill us if they could. Ibrahim began to mutter his prayers and repeat passages from the Koran. The two men stood their horses before us, directly in our pathway, and eyed us from head to foot. My gun was ready, my finger on the trigger, and they saw that the first step forward meant death to one if not both of them. We walked steadily forward and towards them. Ibrahim was so frightened that I could hardly make him understand anything I said. Finally, I spoke so sternly that he recovered his senses, and kept close to my side, as I ordered him to do. As we approached the Arabs they turned their horses and walked them ahead of us, consulting what they had better do. Then they moved around us in a circle, and followed us up in the rear. Finally, they called to us, and we turned and faced them. They had evidently concluded that our guns were too many for them; but they tried to get us to go back into the country, telling us that our friends wanted to see us. But we were not to be fooled so easily, and kept steadily on till we reached the steamer. We thought, at first, that possibly the Doctor was in trouble, and did want to see us, but we found, on his return, that he had not seen them, and knew nothing about them. It was a ruse to get us into a trap. All agreed that, if we had not been armed as we were, they would have killed us in a minute. The Doctor had had his adventures, too. He had seen three lions, and wounded one and chased him nearly to Gebel Ain. He had met a party of Shillooks, and found them friendly, after marching up to them and shaking them by the hand. This region is full of game of all sorts. I killed some pigeons for dinner, and then we all went on board. We started at 11:20, and reached the broad part of the river, known as Aboo Zeid, which Gordon has put down on his map as a town, at 3:30. We anchored near the island of Abbas, about two hours from the former village of Mohammed Achmet. Along here we saw hundreds of cords of ambatch in rafts. But this spot did not please the Captain; so we turned and tied up finally at the upper end of the island of Abbas, near the town of Gos Aboo Goumaah. * * *
Wednesday, Feb. 22d.—We tried to start this morning at 4 A.M., but found that one of the boats in tow was aground. This delayed us until 6 o’clock, when we were off. The men were at work during the night cutting wood, and we have a fair supply. Saw the encampment of a slave caravan on the west bank, a little north of Gebel Owlee. The suppression of the slave trade is a farce from beginning to end. The first sight of Khartoum was a welcome one. It seemed almost like getting home. How grand its mud houses looked too, after the straw huts to which our eyes had become accustomed. There is quite a fall in the White Nile just above its confluence with the Blue. Looking across the low island which divides the main stream of the White Nile, a narrow rushing river, from the Blue Nile, the latter appears about six feet lower. We soon rounded the point of the island, and were once again in the clear blue water of the branch river. At 5:30 we tied up at Khartoum. The White Nile voyage was safely ended. As soon as we were fairly at land, Marcopoli Bey came on board and greeted us. And soon our Syrian friends, who were the last to see us off, came to welcome us back. We were among our friends again. We now heard the news for the first time that Raouf Pasha had been deposed, that there was a new order of government for the Soudan, and a new ministry, and mixed up state of affairs in Cairo, with Arabi “Pasha” at the top of the heap. The only thing that can be predicted with any certainty is that there will be a general muss, and probably an Anglo-French intervention. In the Soudan there can be no peace till Mohammed Achmet is taken. Giegler Pasha is preparing an army, such as it is, of about 3,500 men, to march against him, but the result is very doubtful. It is reported that there is considerable fever in town. One of our visitors had it upon him while he was calling on us, and there is a lady at his house, who it is feared is dying with it. We sent Ibrahim to see if our rooms were ready for us at the consul’s. He came back to say that they were, and brought Mougades, the “bookman,” with him. He seemed rejoiced to see us again. He was expecting to start by a merkeb for Berber tomorrow, but will wait now, and go with us. We marched up to the consul’s in the evening, and felt quite at home when we got back into our rooms. A pile of letters was awaiting us, and what a feast we had after hungering and thirsting so long for news from home. Our hearts are indeed full of thanksgiving to the kind Providence who has watched over our dear ones, and has brought us thus far on our way in safety.