News has this week reached England of an interesting and
important scouting expedition down the Upper Nile, which started from Uganda by order of the Commissioner. It will be remembered that Major Owen only penetrated as far as Wadelai. Major Cunningham and Lieutenant Vandeleur, who conducted the new expedition, succeeded in passing Wadelai -and reaching Defile, where they arrived on January 14th of this year. Here they learnt that the Dervishes had established an advanced post at Rejaf, to the south of Lado, thus con- rming the news recently received by way of the Congo as to the Dervishes having come into contact with the Belgian forces on the Upper Nile. This looks as if the Belgians had been obliged to abandon Lado. The journey down the Nile was made in a steel boat, carrying sixteen men and a Maxim- gun in the stern. On January 15th the boat proceeded further down the river for the purpose of inspecting the rapids below Duffle. These were found to be unnavigable. The return journey was slow, owing to the strength of the current, which, below Wadelai, was especially strong. The country on either side of the river was found to be very barren and dried up, offering a marked contrast to Uganda and Unyoro. We wish the Government would send up several more of these boats even before the railway is built. When that is made there should, of course, be a regular flotilla, or rather two, one above and one below the Duffle Rapids.
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