There is no reason why peace should not be permanently established between Egypt and Ethiopia, if the Abyssinian slave-raids are stopped. But the changes and chances of international politics bring about strange consequences. Rumours, not without foundation, have been circulated recently of new engagements entered into by the Negus giving far-reaching concessions to Americans. Other Powers are busy, and a diplomatic—and spectacular—mission started lately from Berlin for Addis Abbiba. There is room in the country for all nations to find commercial opportunities. But if influences hostile to Great Britain became dominant in Western Abyssinia, a danger to the Soudan—and not to the Soudan only—would have arisen, the seriousness of which few people at home, perhaps, rightly realize. I make no further apology for bringing some account of a journey from Khartoum to Lake Tsana before the public. My heartiest thanks are due to my friend, Mr. Godfrey Burchett, without whose aid in preparing for publication the rough notes of a traveller’s diary, this book would not have come into existence. I cannot too cordially acknowledge my indebtedness to him. I wish to acknowledge also my great obligation to Sir W. Garstin, who, on behalf of the Egyptian Government, has allowed me to reproduce the map of Lake Tsana, published in his Report on the Basin of the Upper Nile (1904); to Professor Poulton for his kindness in preparing the entomological appendix to this volume; and to Mr. C. E. Dupuis for permission to publish interesting photographs taken by him. And I have the pleasure of cordially thanking Mr. John Murray for leave given me to make extracts from “Life in Abyssinia,” by Mansfield Parkyns, and the “Narrative of the British Mission to Theodore, King of Abyssinia,” by Hormuzd Rassam; Messrs. Macmillan and Co., for similar permission in the case of “The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia,” by Sir Samuel Baker; Messrs. C. Arthur Pearson, Ltd., in the case of “Abyssinia,” by Herbert Vivian; Messrs. Chapman & Hall in the case of “A Narrative of a Journey through Abyssinia,” by Henry Dufton; and Mr. Augustus Wylde in the case of “Modern Abyssinia.” It would have been impossible to publish the collated information about the Soudan and Abyssinia contained in this volume without the privilege kindly granted me by these gentlemen. A. J. HAYES. SUEZ, 1905. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TO FACE PAGE THE SOURCE OF THE BLUE NILE, SHOWING LAKE IN THE DISTANCE _Frontispiece_ THE START AHEAD OF THE CARAVAN 4 CHILDREN AT NO. 6 STATION, BETWEEN HALFA AND ABOU HAMED, EAT THE REMAINS OF LUNCH, CURRY AND RICE 4 THE WELCOME AT ABOU HARRAS 13