Chapter VI

FROM MAY, 1898, TO THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF THE DERVISH POWER
(END OF 1899).

After the battle of the Atbara (8th April, 1898), the Khalifa concentrated his forces at Omdurman, and began making every preparation for resistance. The chief outlying force of Dervishes was one of between 5,000 and 6,000 men at and round Gedaref, under Ahmed Fedil, and these, after moving towards Mahmud, had returned to Gedaref. In addition to these, there were small Dervish garrisons at places up the river; at Bor (Upper White Nile, 1,200); and in Kordofan.

Meanwhile the Anglo-Egyptian preparations went on steadily, and by the 24th August the following troops were moving along the western bank of the 6th Cataract:—

British Troops (under Major-General Gatacre):—

21st Lancers.

32nd Field and 37th Howitzer Batteries, R.A.

1st Brigade (1st Warwicks, Lincolns, Camerons and Seaforths,
with 6 Maxims, and a detachment R.E.)—Wauchope.

2nd Brigade (1st Grenadier Guards and Northumberland Fusiliers,
2nd Lancashire Fusiliers and Rifle Brigade, with 4 Maxims, and a
detachment R.E.)—Lyttelton.

Egyptian Troops (Major-General Hunter):—

9 Squadrons Cavalry.

1 Horse and 4 Field Batteries.

8 Companies Camel Corps.

10 Maxims.

1st Brigade (2nd, IX, X and XI)—Macdonald.

2nd Brigade (8th, XII, XIII and XIV)—Maxwell.

3rd Brigade (3rd, 4th, 7th and 15th)—Lewis.

4th Brigade (1st, 5th, 17th, and 18th)—Collinson.Besides Camel
Transport, Medical Corps, O.S.C., &c.

Grand Total, about 23,000 men.

The river force consisted of a flotilla of 10 armoured gunboats, including two 40-pounder guns, besides other steamers, boats and barges.

No resistance was encountered up to Kereri.

[Sidenote: Battle of Omdurman.]

On the 2nd September the army, in zeriba at Egeiga, 8 miles from Omdurman, was attacked by the Khalifa in force, but repulsed him with heavy slaughter. The Anglo-Egyptian Army then proceeded towards Omdurman, but was fiercely attacked again, twice on the right rear (Macdonald’s brigade). By our troops wheeling to the right, this final attack was completely repulsed, chiefly through the steadiness of the 1st Egyptian Brigade, and the army continued its march, capturing Omdurman with little or no resistance. The Khalifa fled a few minutes before the Sirdar entered his house. The Anglo-Egyptian loss was as follows:—

British Troops:—

3 officers and 24 men killed.

8 „ „ 125 „ wounded.

Egyptian Troops:—

2 „ „ 27 „ killed.

15 „ „ 286 „ wounded.

The dead bodies of 10,560 Dervishes were counted on the battlefield.

The result of the battle was the practical annihilation of the Khalifa’s army—estimated at over 40,000 men—the consequent extinction of Mahdism in the Sudan, and the submission of nearly the whole country formerly under Egyptian authority.

The British troops were now quickly sent down-stream, and the Sirdar—shortly afterwards elevated to the Peerage under the name of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum—turned his attention to stamping out the remaining Dervishes, to reducing the country to some sort of order, and to exploring up-stream, with a view of meeting the French expedition under Major Marchand, which had been reported as having arrived at Kodok.

[Sidenote: Kodok.]

On the 10th September the Sirdar left Omdurman for the south with 5 gunboats, 2 Sudanese Battalions (XI and XIII), 100 Camerons, an Egyptian battery, etc., and having destroyed a Dervish force of 700 at Renk on the 15th, found, on the 19th, the French expedition entrenched at Kodok. This gallant little force of about 180 men had, after experiencing enormous difficulties in the swampy region of the Bahr el Ghazal, penetrated, with the help of its steam-launch, the “Faidherbe,” the country between the Nile-Congo watershed and Kodok, and had arrived at this latter point on the 10th July. On the 25th August they had been attacked by a Dervish force in 2 steamers, but had repulsed them, and were awaiting a second attack, when the Egyptian gunboats arrived and probably saved them from annihilation.[198]

The British and Egyptian flags were at once hoisted to the south of the French flag at Kodok, and the XIth Battalion, a gunboat and 4 guns were left at this point under Major Jackson. After much negotiation between France and England, which threatened at one time to lead to serious results between the two Powers, the French position was found to be untenable, and Kodok was eventually evacuated on the 11th December by Marchand and his companions, the latter proceeding to Jibuti, _viâ_ the Sobat and Abyssinia, and eventually reached France in May 1899.

[Sidenote: Sobat.]

[Sidenote: Meshra el Rek.]

The junction of the Sobat and Nile was reached on the 20th September, and a garrison (the XIIIth Battalion) left here under Captain Gamble. The Bahr el Jebel was found entirely closed by sudd, but a gunboat under Major Peake was sent up the Bahr el Ghazal, and hoisted the Egyptian flag a few miles north of Meshra el Rek. Subsequently the Bahr el Zeraf was explored by Major Stanton for a distance of 175 miles, and the Sobat was explored by Majors Gamble, Maxse, Capper, etc., up to the 282nd mile, both these rivers and their tributaries being mapped and their courses laid down provisionally.

[Sidenote: Blue Nile.]

Immediately after the occupation of Omdurman gunboats were sent to patrol the Blue Nile, and a force of 600 men (Xth Battalion) and the R.I.F. Maxim detachment was despatched under Major-General Hunter, on the 19th September, to occupy Sennar, Karkoj, and Roseires, which was done on the 23rd September, 1st October, and 30th September respectively.

[Sidenote: Battle of Gedaref. (22.9.98).]

On the 22nd September, Colonel Parsons, who had left Kassala on the 7th, and crossed the Atbara in flood with a force[199] of about 1,400 men, to occupy Gedaref, came into collision with its garrison of about 3,200 men, a few miles north of the town, and, beating off two desperate attacks, with a loss of 53 killed and 61 wounded out of 1,347, advanced and occupied the place.

Ahmed Fedil himself, who with about half the original garrison had previously left Gedaref in response to a summons from the Khalifa to reinforce him against the main advance on Omdurman, encountered General Hunter and the gunboats on the Blue Nile near Rufaa, and realising that Omdurman must have fallen, resolved to return at once and retake his headquarters at Gedaref, where he arrived at dawn on 28th September with some 4,000 to 5,000 men.

After two determined efforts to dislodge the Anglo-Egyptian troops, now safely ensconced in several walled enclosures, he withdrew after heavy loss to the village of Sofi on the Abu Haraz road, barely two miles from our forts. Here he remained for three days quietly collecting cattle and grain from the outskirts of the town and then moved to Asar, 10 miles south of Gedaref.

On receipt of the news at Omdurman of the state of affairs at Gedaref, Lieut.-Colonel Collinson was despatched to Abu Haraz with a force of about 1,100 Camel Corps and Sudanese Infantry with 2 Maxims, and arrived at Gedaref on the 21st October. Two days after the arrival of these reinforcements Ahmed Fedil began his move westwards _viâ_ Beila and Hawata to Roseires, his march being dogged by friendlies under command of the recently surrendered Emir Abu Bakr Mustafa.

Efforts were then directed, through gunboats on the Blue Nile, to prevent him crossing that river with a view to joining the Khalifa, at that time near Sherkeila.

[Sidenote: Action near Roseires (26.12.98).]

These were eventually successful, for Colonel Lewis, hearing from Roseires that the enemy were about to make the attempt to cross close by, marched with a small column (Xth Battalion and Friendlies), on the night of Christmas day, and in spite of the troops suffering much from fever, they, in a severe action on the following day, cut up most of Fedil’s force as they were crossing the river near Dakhila, the leader and a few hundred men only escaping. About 500 Dervishes were killed,[200] whilst 1 British officer was wounded and 24 Egyptian Sudanese were killed and 118 wounded. Most of the remaining Dervishes subsequently surrendered on the White Nile.

[Sidenote: Occupation of Gallabat.]

As the Abyssinians were becoming alarmed in consequence of our advance, and threatened trouble on their north-west frontier, a small body of troops was despatched from Gedaref to Gallabat, under Lieut.-Colonel Collinson, and hoisted the British and Egyptian flags alongside the Abyssinian one already flying on the old fort there (7th December).

[Sidenote: Occupation of Fazogli.]

Fazogli and Famaka were also occupied by a small force under Lieut.-Colonel Nason, on the 22nd January, and friendly overtures were made to the Abyssinians in the neighbourhood, with completely successful results.

On 19th January, 1899, an agreement was signed between Great Britain and Egypt, defining the status of the Sudan, and laying down broad principles for its government (_see_ p. 283).

[Sidenote: Reconnaissance to Sherkeila.]

Meanwhile, it having been determined to dislodge the Khalifa if possible from his position near Sherkeila, Col. W. Kitchener started with a force of 2,007 regulars[201] and 1,650 irregulars from Fachi Shoya on the 25th January for that place. On reaching the neighbourhood of Sherkeila, 30th January, 1899, the Dervish force was found to be occupying a strong position, and was estimated at over 6,000 men. After consideration, no attack was made, and the force returned to the river.

[Sidenote: Movements of Khalifa.]

During February reports were received that the Khalifa intended to attack Omdurman, but he made no forward movement, and remained in the neighbourhood of Sherkeila for some months. Many of his men deserted him owing to scarcity of food, and the neighbouring tribes harried him considerably.

[Sidenote: Patrols.]

Several further river-patrols were undertaken during the spring towards the Bahr el Jebel, but the sudd still prevented progress up that river. Another patrol pushed up to the farthest navigable limit of the Baro.

[Sidenote: 1899. Operations against Khalifa.]

The Khalifa remained at Sherkeila till the beginning of May, when, finding himself short of food, he moved south, with about 3,000 men, in the direction of Jebel Gedir. During July and August he remained near Jebel Gurun, raiding for food in various directions, and being harassed by the Gowama and other Arab tribes. He reached Jebel Gerada, 6 miles north of Jebel Gedir, towards the end of August, and preparations were made in September for an expedition to capture or dislodge him.

[Sidenote: Kaka expedition.]

Based on Kaka, the advanced guard of the force of 8,000 men reached Fungor, 50 miles inland, but the Khalifa had escaped north on the 16th October, and gave out his intention of marching on Omdurman, _viâ_ Dueim. A flying column in gunboats under Colonel Lewis was quickly organised to follow and head him off from the river; but the enemy did not proceed much farther north than opposite Goz Abu Guma.

[Sidenote: Gedid expedition.]

By the middle of November orders were given for an expedition to attack the Khalifa in the direction of Gedid, and a flying column[202] of 3,700 men, under Colonel Sir R. Wingate, left Fachi Shoya on the 21st November.

On the 22nd contact was established with Ahmed Fedil’s force at Abu Aadel. The column attacked and seized his camp, inflicting an estimated loss of over 400 in killed alone, and capturing all the grain which he was bringing to the Khalifa.

[Sidenote: Battle of Um Debreikat and death of Khalifa, 24.11.99.]

A night march followed to Gedid, and this place, containing water, was reached at 10 A.M. on the 23rd. The Khalifa’s position was located at Um Debreikat, 7 miles to the south-east, and another midnight march brought the column to within two miles of his camp. After repelling a furious attack in the semi-darkness (5 A.M.), our troops drove the enemy back on to their camp, killing large numbers of them, including the Khalifa, Ali Wad Helu, Ahmed Fedil, and many other important Emirs, who, on seeing the day lost, had calmly seated themselves on their sheep-skins and awaited death. 3,000 prisoners, besides 6,000 women and children, were taken, and the Dervish loss by death was estimated at another 600.

The total loss of the Egyptian Column was 4 killed and 29 wounded men. This victory finally stamped out the Dervish dominion in the Sudan.

[Sidenote: Khalifa Sherif.]

[Sidenote: Rebellion and death.]

Meanwhile, in August, it was discovered that the Khalifa Sherif, who had been permitted to live on parole near Wad Medani, was again preaching Mahdism, and had collected a number of followers. The movement was promptly quashed by Captain N. M. Smyth, V.C., who surrounded his village on the 27th August and captured him. He was then tried by court-martial and shot.

[Sidenote: Railway.]

During the year the railway had been steadily progressing; on the 26th August the Atbara bridge was opened, and on the last day of the year the railway reached Khartoum North.

[Sidenote: Kordofan.]

El Obeid was occupied by Colonel Mahon, D.S.O., on the 17th December. It was found to be in ruins. Steps were at once taken for opening up Kordofan, the inhabitants evincing much pleasure at the re-occupation.

[Sidenote: Darfur.]

Ali Dinar, with the sanction of the Government, took over the Sultanate of Darfur, and proceeded to consolidate his position; in this he had a good deal of difficulty, owing to the tribes in the west and south refusing to recognise his authority.

EXPEDITIONS FROM UGANDA.

Meanwhile Lieut.-Colonels Macdonald and Martyr, having quelled the mutiny of Sudanese troops in Uganda, pushed forward from that region in two small columns during the summer and autumn of 1898. Macdonald, starting from Mount Elgon, and marching across country, reached Latuka in September, and having made friends with the chiefs in this district, returned to Uganda in November. Martyr, proceeding down the Nile, reached Bedden and Rejaf in November, and, assisted by the Congo Free State troops, pushed on to Bor, where a Dervish garrison had been posted since March, 1897. On hearing of the advance of white troops, the Dervishes under Arabi Wad Dafaalla fled in a north-west direction. Martyr, hearing that the sudd extended from Shambe to Lake No, and recognising that no gunboat from down stream could join hands with him for many months to come, whilst the country around had been desolated by the enemy, retired again to Bedden, and formed posts at Fort Berkeley, Afuddo, and Wadelai (spring of 1899).

ANGLO-FRENCH AGREEMENT.[203]

The Marchand column had, on its way to Kodok, proceeded down the Sueh river to Meshra el Rek, and had left small posts along its route at Tembura and many other places, even in the Rumbek country.[204] After the evacuation of Kodok, however, negotiations were entered into by the British and French Governments, and in consequence of an Agreement dated 21st March, 1899, all French territorial claim to the Bahr el Ghazal was relinquished, and the line separating the spheres of influence was drawn northwards along the Congo-Nile watershed, thence between the territories of Darfur and Wadai, and thence in a north-west direction up to the frontier of Tripoli.

AFFAIRS IN ABYSSINIA.

Reference must here be made to affairs in Abyssinia, which have some bearing on Sudan matters.

After the Abyssinian victory over the Italians at Adua (1st March, 1896), the importance of the country began to attract much attention in Europe. Missions were sent from France and Russia to enter into friendly relations with the new Power, and in 1897, a British Mission under Mr. Rodd was despatched for the same purpose. A friendly treaty was concluded on the 14th May, but little progress in the way of commerce was made for some time. The French, whose merchants had been for many years established at the capital, Addis Abbaba, fitted out an expedition under Captain Clochette (late Marine Artillery) in the spring of 1897, which proceeded in the direction of the White Nile. Clochette died, and De Bonchamps, who succeeded him in the command, after many difficulties reached the Baro river, and eventually marched down it to the Sobat. It is difficult to say how far he penetrated, but the want of a boat and of supplies, the vast marshes, fever, and desertions of his followers, formed together such insurmountable obstacles that he was, after a gallant struggle, obliged to turn back (31st December, 1897) without reaching the Nile.

During 1897 an Abyssinian expedition was organised under Ras Makunnen, of Harrar, to subdue a rising in Beni Shangul. Without coming to a pitched battle, Wad Tur el Guri was defeated in detail, and most of this country was occupied in the spring of 1898.

In the early summer of 1898 another Abyssinian Expedition came down from the hills towards the Sobat and Nile. It was composed of 3,000 to 4,000 men, mostly armed with rifles, under Dejaj Tesemma. About half the men were mounted, and it is believed that some guns accompanied them. With the expedition were three Europeans—M. Faivre (French), Col. Artomonoff (Russian), and M. Potter (Swiss—subsequently killed).

Part of this force arrived at Waratong, on the Pibor, about June, and pushed on to the White Nile, _viâ_ Nasser, and the left bank of the Sobat. It arrived at Sobat mouth at the end of June, only a few days before Marchand and his companions passed that point in their boats. Owing, it is reported, to the death of Tesemma,[205] the expedition returned almost immediately, apparently by the same way it had come, to the south of Waratong and the Kum Kum (or Kung Kung) country.

The victory of Omdurman and our subsequent successes appear to have impressed the Abyssinians, and a revolt by Mangasha, of Tigre, coupled perhaps with some uneasiness as to his possessions in the north-west of his kingdom, induced the Emperor Menelik to lead a large army into Tigre in the late autumn of 1898.

Mangasha was, however, quickly suppressed; the relations of the Negûs with England and Egypt continued to be of the most friendly character, and these were further accentuated by the news of the death of the Khalifa in November, 1899.

THE FRENCH ADVANCE INTO THE BAHR EL GHAZAL, ETC.

(Taken from French sources.)[206]

“When the Franco-Congolese agreement of 14th July, 1894, was concluded, the French had little difficulty in taking over the territory that had been occupied by the Belgians. Three companies of Senegalese _tirailleurs_—in effective force 175 men each—formed the regular military forces, and to these were joined, after a while, the native militia that had been recruited by the Belgians. Captains Vermot, Ditte, and Hossinger successively proceeded to take possession of the fortified posts still in the hands of the agents of the Congo State, and it was thus that M. Liotard was able, on his return to the Congo, at the beginning of 1895, after a seven months’ absence in France, to occupy as Commissioner of the Republic, and Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Ubangi, the important centre Zemio, on the 10th July, situated at 248 miles from the confluence of the M’Bomu with the Welle. Consequently, he was able to control the N’Sakarras and Azande tribes, whose chiefs, Bangassu, Rafaï, and Zemio, are now faithful allies of France.

“Once these territories were placed under direct French control, M. Liotard proceeded to carry out the initial programme of penetrating towards the Nile, and began to push forward the occupation of the Bahr El Ghazal Province, the rights over which, acquired by their treaty with England of 12th May, 1894, had been ceded to France by the Belgian Congolese.

“In February, 1896, M. Liotard, accompanied by Captain Hossinger, arrived at Tembura, where he was warmly received by the Azande Sultan. A post was established, and Captain Hossinger put in command. He was assassinated some months afterwards, 6th July, by a Senegalee belonging to the garrison. This did not modify in the least the political situation. M. Liotard had gained such an ascendency over the natives, that French authority was as firmly established as if it had been preceded by a vigorous military campaign.

“Moreover the personal influence of the Lieutenant-Governor impressed itself equally on his white fellow-workers.

[Sidenote: In the Bahr El Ghazal Province—Marchand Mission.]

“It was thus that at the beginning of 1896, French political action had penetrated beyond the ridge of the Congo Basin, and had made itself felt in the Bahr El Ghazal Province, that is, in the Basin of the Nile. Captain Marchand therefore had had nothing to do with this, as it was only on the 25th June, 1896, practically four months after the occupation of Tembura, that this officer embarked at Marseilles. With him were Captains Baratier, Germain, Mangin, Lieutenant Largeau, Naval-Lieutenant Morin, Midshipman Dyé, Landerouin, interpreter Dr. Emily, 12 French non-commissioned officers, and 150 Senegalese _tirailleurs_. He had at his disposition two small steamers, the ‘Faidherbe’ and the ‘Duc d’Uzés,’ and three barges made of aluminium, the ‘Pleigneur,’ ‘Crampel,’ and the ‘Lauzière.’

“On the 23rd July, 1896, Marchand disembarked at Loango, and set to work to send forward the members of his staff and his material. The task was difficult, as the tribes between Loango and Brazzaville were in rebellion.

“On the 27th September, the head of the Mission arrived at Loudima, 155 miles from Brazzaville, in a dying condition. However, he pulled through, and on the 19th October he was on his feet again. The country had been pacified, and transports were able to get through, so that by the 1st March, 1897, Captain Marchand was able to leave Brazzaville and to reach the Upper Ubangi.

“Everything here was prepared for his forward march. M. Liotard having opened up on the east the road from Zemio to Tembura, had also freed the road to the north. To effect this, he had taken possession of Deim Zubeir, in June, 1897, formerly the residence of Lupton Bey when he commanded the Bahr El Ghazal. Thus Captain Marchand had the choice of two roads for reaching the Nile—the way by Zemio—Tembura, with the River Sueh for his flotilla, or the way of Zemio—Deim Zubeir, with the Bahr El Homr. Captain Marchand chose the first, and by tremendous exertions, lasting over eight months, all the material (boats, stores and ammunition) was concentrated near Tembura, in Fort Hossinger on the banks of the Sueh. This was in the last days of 1897.

“Marchand then chose Kojali as his point of embarkation. It is situated on the Sueh (about 50 miles N.N.E. from Fort Hossinger), and he connected it with Méré[207] by a road over 16 feet wide and 99 miles in length—a gigantic work. He built a dockyard at Kojali, with slips, for repairing his boats; then, 4 miles above the confluence of the Wau and the Sueh, he built Fort Desaix,[208] near the old Kuchuk Ali, and, in order to connect this with Kojali, he established the ‘Rapides’ station (Rafili), latitude N. 6° 52″.

“In the month of November, 1897, the whole mission was established on this solid base of operations, with the two gunboats ‘Faidherbe’ and ‘Nil,’ and ten barges built of steel and aluminium.

“Marchand, from his headquarters, Fort Desaix, set himself to convert the pronounced hostility of the Dinkas (estimated at 5,000,000 (?)) into a more amicable attitude, by making them understand that he had not come to raid them in the name of the Sultan Tembura.

“In February, 1898, the announcement that a party of whites coming from the south had arrived at Ayak, on the Naam or Rohl River, determined Marchand to put his troops in motion, and this had an excellent moral effect on the population. Lieutenant Gouly was sent to occupy M’Bia, two days’ march from Ayak and Rumbek, but he unhappily died there of an attack of bilious hematuric fever; Captain Germain marched from the ‘Rapides’ post towards the Tonj, where the post of observation Diabéré was established; Captain Mangin went from Fort Desaix to Jur Ghattas; while a reinforcement of 100 _tirailleurs_, armed with ‘Gras’ carbines, arrived at Fort Desaix from Deim Zubeir. All the native chiefs then sent to Fort Desaix with offers of help.

“On the 26th March, Captain Baratier and the interpreter Landerouin returned from a reconnaissance which they had made as far as the confluence of the Bahr El Arab and up to Lake Nô, while Captain Largeau had explored the Bahr El Homr and made a survey of the course of the River Wau.

“At this time Captain Marchand occupied the following centres in the Basin of the Bahr El Ghazal:—Tembura, Kojali, les Rapides, Fort Desaix, Meshra El Rek, Bahr El Arab, Rumbek, Jur Ghattas, M’Bia, and Ayak. It was then that he wrote:—

“‘I hold now, in the Basin of the Bahr El Ghazal—that is, of the Nile—an all-powerful position. I have seven barges or steel boats, a steamer under way, fifteen canoes made by my _tirailleurs_, able to take me wherever I wish in the Basin of the Nile, where the first French steamer has now penetrated in spite of obstacles and every hostility.

“‘But do not think that our position is altogether an agreeable one. First of all, we are dying of hunger, and for a long time we have depended almost exclusively on what we shoot for food. You know that starvation was the cause of the disaster in this neighbourhood to the Dhanis[209] expedition. Locusts have ravaged the few plantations of the Bongo natives on which we were depending, and my own plantations are also destroyed. How are we going to reach the Nile? Shall we be forced to eat the _ambach_ of the marshes? And then, if it were only the question of pushing quickly through with my boats, it would be little. But the problem is much more difficult. One must not pass through here only. The march through a country does not constitute a right to the country traversed. It must be an _effective_ occupation, etc.’

“In spite of all these obstacles, Marchand and his companions arrived at Kodok on the 10th July, not without having had to do with the Dervishes. Three different times were they attacked by them in large numbers, but the rifles of the Senegalese _tirailleurs_ soon caused great havoc in their ranks, and they fled, leaving their dead behind them. Thus the French Mission was able to establish itself at Kodok.”

[Footnote 198: _See_ end of Chapter for details of this expedition.]

[Footnote 199: Composed of:—16th Battalion, Arab Battalion, Camel Corps, Irregulars and details, the whole under 8 British officers.]

[Footnote 200: Among them the Emir Sadalla, who commanded the Dervish force at the first action at Gedaref.]

[Footnote 201: 1 squadron Cavalry, 2 guns and 2 Maxims, 2nd and XIVth Battalions, &c.]

[Footnote 202: 7th Squadron, 2nd Field Battery, 6 Maxims, 6 Companies Camel Corps, IXth and XIIIth Sudanese, 1 Company 2nd Battalion, 1 Battalion of Gehadia, etc., etc.]

[Footnote 203: _Vide_ p. 285.]

[Footnote 204: _See_ below (next page).]

[Footnote 205: False report.]

[Footnote 206: Translation from the “Bulletin de la Société de Géographie de Lyon.”]

[Footnote 207: The highest navigable point on the River Mboku.]

[Footnote 208: Now Wau.]

[Footnote 209: Congo Free State.]