第21章

March9-FromFeb。11tothisdatewehadtoiledthrougheveryspeciesofdifficulty。Themenhadcutonestraightlineofcanalthroughastiffclayforadistanceof600yards。Manyweresick，somehaddied；

thereappearedtobenohope。ItwasinvainthatIendeavouredtocheerbothofficersandmenwithtalesandassurancesofthepromisedlandbeforethem，shouldtheyonlyreachtheNile。Theyhadworkedlikeslavesinthesefetidmarshesuntiltheirspiritswereentirelybroken，——theEgyptianshadceasedtocarewhethertheylivedordied。

Theenormousquantityofmachinery，ironsectionsofsteamers，supplies，&c。，hadactuallybeendischargedfromfifty-eightvessels。Theriverhadfallenstilllower，anduponthequicklysun-bakedsurfaceImadearoad，andhavingsetupmywaggons，Iconveyedthegreatmassofcargoacrossthelandbyashortcut，andthusreachedmylonglineofvessels，andreloadedthemaftergreatlabour。Thewaggonswerethentakentopiecesandre-shipped。Itwouldbewearyingtogivethejournalofeveryincidentduringthistryingperiod，butfromthedescriptionalreadygiven，thefatigueandanxietymaybeimagined。ThankGod，I

seemedtobearacharmedlife。FrommorningtillnightIwasexploringinasmallboatthroughmudandmarsh，butIwascompletelyfever-proof。

Mywifewasalsowell。LieutenantBakerandMr。Higginbothamhadsufferedfrequentlyfromfever，buttheseenergeticofficersrenderedmemostimportantservice。WhileIwasaheadexploring，sounding，andplanningouttheroute，LieutenantBakerwascommandinganddirectingthesteamer，whichappearedmorelikeahugestrandedwhaleamongtherushesthananobjectadaptedforthenavigationofthishorriblecountry。Ihadafirst-ratecrewonmydiahbeeah，andsomepickedmenofthe”FortyThieves”whoalwaysaccompaniedme。ThebestandmostdevotedmanthatIhaveeverseenwasacorporalofthe”FortyThieves”namedMonsoor。ThismanwasaCopt(ChristiandescendantofthetrueEgyptians)；hewasrathershort，butexceedinglypowerful；heswamanddivedlikeanotter，andneverseemedtofeelfatigue。Hewasalwaysingoodhealth，verycourageous，andheaccompaniedmelikemyownshadow；

heseemedtowatchovermeasamotherwouldregardanonlychild。Infact，thisexcellentmanappearedtohaveonlyonethoughtandobject。

Ihadbeenasusualexploringfaraheadofthetoilingandlabouringfleet，when，afterpullingourlittleboatwiththeaidoffourteenmenforseveralhoursoveragreatmassofhighfloatinggrass，wesuddenlyemergeduponopenwater。Weatoncetooktoourboat，andhoistedthesprit-sail。Themenstowedthemselvesasballastinthebottom。Thewindwasstrongfromthenorth，andwetravelledataboutfivemilesperhour，thelakeexpandingasweroundedapromontoryuntilitattainedawidthofabouthalfamile。Followingthecourseofthelakeforaboutfivemiles，wefoundariverflowingdirectlyintothelong-soughtchannel。Onlyonemileandaquarterfromthelake，bythissmallriver，weenteredthegreatWhiteNile！Icannotdescribemyjoyandthankfulness。Mymensharedmyfeelings。Wealldrankwaterfromtheturbidriver，sounlikethemarsh-filteredwateroftheswamps；andaseachmanwashedhishandsandfaceinthenoblestream，heejaculatedfromhisheart，”ElhambdelIllah！”(”ThankGod！”)IalsothankedGod。

Itwasanhourafterdarkwhenwereturnedthatnight，aftermuchdifficulty，tomydiahbeeah，towhichwewereguidedbyalanternatthemast-head，thoughtfullyplacedtherebymywife’sorders。Thegoodnewsmadeallhappy。WehadactuallythatdaydrunkwaterfromtheWhiteNile！

Thegreatdifficultyremainedofbringingthelargervesselsintothelakethatcommunicatedwiththeriver。Afterallthelabourofthelasttwomonths，Ihadsucceededinassemblingtheentirefleetinasortofshallowpond，fromwhichtherewasactuallynoexit。Ihadcertainlyescapedfromthisplacebydraggingthelittledingyoveraboutamileoffright

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