II. Or, to send say fifteen couriers with a letter to the edge of the plain, there to learn if the Bandusuma were still our friends or no; if unfriendly, then to return to the Fort; if friendly, then the couriers would take on the letter to Mr. Jephson, and relief would come. To the first proposal I replied:-- (1.) Mr. Stanley told me not to move across the plain, whatever else I did, without outside aid. (2.) Did not Mr. Stanley tell Emin Pasha it was not safe to cross the plains, even should the natives be friendly, without sixty guns? (3.) We had only thirty strong men, the rest were sick; we should lose our loads and sick men. We all lived on the best of terms after I had told them we could not desert the Fort. We went on hoeing up the ground and planting corn and other crops, as if we expected a prolonged occupation. On the 1st September a severe hurricane accompanied by hail passed over the Fort, destroying fully 60 per cent. of the standing corn, and wrecking the banana plantations to such an extent that at least a month passed before the trees commenced to send up young shoots. Had it not been for this we should have had great quantities of corn; but as it was I was only able to give each man ten corns per week. The weakly ones, recommended by Dr. Parke, got one cup of shelled corn each per day. At one time we had over thirty men suffering from ulcers, but, through the exertion of Dr. Parke, all their ulcers on your arrival had healed up with the exception of some four. Eight deaths occurred from the time of your departure up to the 20th December, two were killed by arrows, and two were captured by natives. In all matters where deliberation was necessary the other officers and myself took part. We were unanimous in our determination to await your arrival, knowing that you were using every endeavour to bring relief to us as speedily as possible. On the 20th December I handed over the charge of the Fort to you, and on the 21st the goods entrusted to my care. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) W. G. STAIRS, Lieut. R.E. [Sidenote: 1888. Dec. 21. Fort Bodo.] We were now left to conjecture what had become of the energetic Jephson, the man of action, who had been nick-named _Buburika_, or the Cheetah, because he was so quick and eager, and strained at the leash. No small matter would have detained him, even if the Pasha after all thought that a long journey to Fort Bodo was unnecessary.