Proceeding along the banks of the Blue Nile, Mr and Mrs Baker reached Khartoum on the 11th of June, 1862. A beautiful view met their sight as they gazed across the waters of the Nile. "The morning sun was shining on this capital of the Soudan provinces; the dark green foliage of the groves of date-trees contrasted exquisitely with the numerous buildings of many colours which lined the margin of the river, while long lines of vessels with tapering spars gave light to the scene. But alas! this beauty soon vanished, both the sight and smell being outraged grievously as they entered the filthy and miserable town." CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. TRAVELS OF SIR SAMUEL AND LADY BAKER, CONTINUED. PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY TO THE SOUTH--DIFFICULTIES--THE SHILLOOKS--THE NUEHR--INFORMATION ABOUT THE SLAVE TRADE--THE KYTCH--THE SACRED BULLOCK--ARRIVE AT GONDOKORO--ATTEMPTS TO SHOOT BAKER--HIS ESCORT MUTINY--HE MEETS SPEKE AND GRANT--TREACHERY AMONG HIS SERVANTS-- ENCOUNTER WITH SLAVE-TRADERS--WINS OVER IBRAHIM, AND ARRIVES AT TARRANGOLLE--THE LATOOKA VICTORY--MISBEHAVIOUR OF THE TURKS, AND THREATENED ATTACK BY THE NATIVES--A FUNERAL DANCE--RETURNS TO OBBO-- FEVER--SETS OUT FOR KARUMA--REACHES KARUMA FALLS--KAMRASI--PROCEEDS TO THE LAKE--A STRANGE RECEPTION--ILLNESS OF MRS. BAKER--REACH THE VILLAGE OF PARKANI--ARRIVE AT THE LAKE WHICH BAKER CALLED ALBERT NYANZA--SURVEYS IT--REACHES MAGIMGO--PROCEEDS TO THE MURCHISON FALLS--RETURN TO MAGIMGO--DESERTED BY HIS GUIDE AND CARRIERS--STARVATION--THE GUIDE REAPPEARS, AND THEY ARRIVE AT KAMRASI'S CAMP--AN INVASION BY FOWOOKAS-- MR. BAKER PREVENTS AN ATTACK--HE AT LAST SETS OFF WITH TURKISH TRADERS, AND ARRIVES AT SHOOA--A MARCH THROUGH THE BARI--REACH GONDOKORO--VOYAGE DOWN THE NILE--WELCOMED AT KHARTOUM--A DUST-STORM--CONTINUING THEIR VOYAGE, REACH BERBER, AND AT LENGTH ARRIVE IN ENGLAND--RETURNS TO EGYPT--ORGANISES AN EXPEDITION TO CONVEY STEAMERS UP THE NILE FOR LAKE NYANZA, TO OPPOSE THE SLAVE TRADE. At Khartoum Mr and Mrs Baker spent some months to recruit, occupying the house of the British Consul, who was then absent. On the 17th of December their preparations for a fresh start were completed. Three vessels had been engaged, and were laden with large quantities of stores, with four hundred bushels of corn, and twenty-nine transport animals, including camels, horses, and donkeys. Their party consisted of ninety-six souls, including Johann Schmidt and the faithful black Richarn, and forty-nine well-armed men. Khartoum was a nest of slave-traders, who looked with jealous eyes upon every stranger venturing within the precincts of their holy land, and, as Mr Baker observes: "sacred to slavery and to every abomination and villainy that man can commit."