ing our release; that he had given up the
plan of descending to Berber by boat, and that he had received L100 to
purchase camels. He further told me that he had not brought any letter
with him. He asked about the sisters, and when I told him that one had
died almost a month ago, he almost wept, and striking his forehead with
his hand, said, "Oh, that I had come a month earlier!" But I told him
that I would take another sister in her place.

We then set to talking earnestly about our plans; I told him to purchase
at least five good camels and to see that he had sufficient arms. In
anticipation of flight, I had a long time ago secured and carefully
concealed a hundred Remington cartridges. When Ahmed left the hut I
began to doubt if he was really sincere; it seemed almost incredible
that they should have sent him from Cairo without a line or even a
signature on such an important undertaking.

The next day Ahmed reappeared, bringing with him two Arabs whom he had
engaged in the cause, one at Korosko and the other at Berber. Ahmed
seemed a little afraid that we would not dare to undertake the flight;
he told me that he had brought a letter from Archbishop Sogaro, but had
left it at Berber. The main difficulty for the Arabs would be leaving
the house without being observed, but I reassured them on that point. It
was almost full moon at that time, so it was decided to delay our
departure until it should be on the decline, and we should thus be able
to make our way out under cover of obscurity. I begged Ahmed not to come
to us any more, to avoid exciting suspicion.

I now began to make preparations. My first object was to get one of the
sisters, who was at that time living in a Greek's house, to come to my
house. This was not an easy matter, for I dared not mention one word
about our intentions to a soul, or our plans would undoubtedly have been
frustrated. I therefore feigned illness, and said I could no longer
carry on this hard work alone, so the sister was allowed to come, and,
quite unwittingly, the Greek gladly lent me her services. She had now
been with me some twenty days, so I felt that the Greek could not be
held responsible for her disappearance, which occurred a few days later.

Ahmed gave me Archbishop Sogaro's letter, which he had procured from
Berber, and with intense excitement I read the few lines, in which he
wished me all success in the undertaking. This letter encouraged me
greatly, and I had now no doub