The Sun. — 1863-07-25 (London, England)

SAM. W. BAKER. ''  " Gondokoro, March 25, 1863,  "My dear Colquhoun,—Still here I My men again in open mutiny, holding forcible possession of the arms and ammunition belonging to me, and having conspired to shoot the 'Vakeel and desert me, and to shoot me likewise should I attempt to take the guns from them. " Gondokoro is a perfect hell. Not a day passes without natives coming to me with tales of their wives and children being carried off, their cattle stolen, the defenders murdered, &c. The traders' establishments here are full of slaves, women in fetters, &c. The whole of the traders who now infest Gondokoro and the neighbouring country are Egyptian subjects, with the exception of Andrea Debono. No trader (I make no exceptions) can carry on his trade without stealing cattle, which entails the murder of the proprietors. " Is the Egyptian Government to be allowed to blink the fact that such atrocities are committed wholesale? Should not the Government be compelled to keep a Bey and 600 troops in Gondokoro to enforce order if the White Nile trade is permitted, or should it not be altogether prohibited? " Travelling and exploring are at an end. The traders can always a xcite discontent, or frighten the escort of a traveller, and thus keep him out of the country. " I enclose you a copy of an official letter that I addressed to Petherick to-day upon my affairs. " You will remember that I applied for troops as escort from the Egyptian Government, and was refused, although the Baronne de Capellane had soldiers given her. " I therefore engaged my present escort in Khartoum, all of whom are Egyptian subjects, and their names were registered at the Divan of Khartoum before my departure.  " These men were specially engaged for my expedition to the sources of the Nile, and even the idea of meeting Speke and Grant was explained to them, that there should be no discontent upon so long a journey, and that the difficulties of the undertaking should be fully understood previous to their engagement.  " Upon this understanding they received five months' pay in advance at Khartoum.  " Having inquired fully into the character of the country, and having heard that no porters could be hired without cattle, and that the cattle could not be obtained without robbery, I brought here, in three vessels, at a greatexpense, camels, horses, and asses. By great personal attention on my part all these arrived here in good' order —thus I can start at an hour's notice, without a single porter, my animals being sufficient for the purpose of transport. In fact, my expedition was in perfect order, and I was capable of going anywhere bad the men been faithful. The men are therefore responsible, as Egyptian subjects, for the whole of my expens-s from Khartoum, and these I intend to recover, if possible, as a large sum of money is not only entirely wasted through their mutiny, but they have themselves received five. months' wages in advance, and nevertheless they have not moved a step from Gondekoro. "March 26.  " I have picked out a few of my men, making a weak escort of 17, including servants, and with these I start today, intending to explore the east towards the river Sobat, as I cannot get a man to move south from Gondokoro, and I am determined not to be beaten back from this point before I have completed an exploration of some of this hitherto untrodden land. " I start thus suddenly, as I take advantage of a trader's armed party of 80 men, who are going to a depot in that direction (east), and I will follow close to their heels with my weak party through the east country, until I get into undisturbed tribes. I have no time to write home, as I must pack immediately. If I lose this chance lam done entirely. Please let Speke know (or the Geographical So. ciety) Of the state of affairs. He will know that I have done my best, and, D.V., although driven from my path, I will nevertheless bring home some information. "Dr. Murie, who accompanied Petherick, and the lad Folcroft are returning to England. The former will give you some curious information of planners and customs, Scc.  " Petherick is to send me a boat and corn, to be here in January next, for which I have paid him £6l. I trust there will be no mistake, or I shall be in an extremity.—l am, &c., "S. W.