returning; they
happened to encamp near this natural reservoir, and seeing us took us
for Dervishes, rushed to their arms, took up a position behind a rock
and levelled their rifles at us, but Ahmed, who knew them at once,
called out and they hurried up to us, begging pardon for the mistake
they had made. They gave us some of their flour, dates, and tobacco, and
we chatted with them till nightfall.

We made no further extended halt, and on the early morning of the 13th
of December reached Korosko. In the deep valley which debouches suddenly
on to the Nile at this place we alighted, cleaned ourselves as best we
could, and then mounted our camels for the last time, and soon came in
sight first of the palm-trees and then of the Nile, which we had last
seen at Abu Hamed. We were at once surrounded by numbers of people, who
bore us off to the fort, and here the commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel Ali
Bey Haider, greeted us most cordially, and for the first time for many
years we found ourselves in comfortable rooms again, and listening to
the regimental band, which we greatly enjoyed.

On the evening of the 15th of December we got on board a steamer which
took us down most comfortably to Assiut. Here we were greeted by Mr.
Santoni and Brother Sayer, who had been directed by the Cairo Mission to
come on board and welcome us. From Assiut we took the train to Cairo,
where we arrived safely on the 21st of December, 1891.

The rapid transition from barbarism to civilization, our pleasant
journey from Korosko to Cairo, intercourse with educated people, the
incessant change of scene, all affected us greatly; but our joy and
delight at being free was somewhat saddened by the thought of the
sufferings of our poor companions in our adversity, whom we had left
behind in slavery and captivity. Our guides accompanied us to Cairo,
where they received the money agreed upon, and we felt full of
thankfulness to the energetic Ahmed Hassan and his two companions; but
to our good Archbishop Sogaro we owe a deep debt of gratitude, for it
was through his intermediary all arrangements for our happy release had
been effected.

It may be as well to insert here the terms of agreement made in Arabic
between Monsignor Sogaro and Ahmed Hassan regarding our release. The
wording is as follows:--

"I, the undersigned, Ahmed Hassan el Abbadi, of Bashri Mohammed
Ali's Arabs, agree to proceed at once to Omdurman to bring Father
Ohrwalder and