238 Mr. H. F. \\iiherhj— Ornithological 



34 hours. But coruing dowu in an ordinary train with 

 fewer and shorter stoppages the journey was accomplished in 

 29 hours — excellent time on a line of 3 feet 6 inches gauge. 

 At Halfya we found a steamer to convey us to Omdurman. 

 At the time of our visit all the government offices, excepting 

 the Sirdar's Palace, were at that place, but a move to 

 Khartum is, I believe, very shortly to be effected. Many 

 government buildings, besides private houses and an hotel, 

 were in process of building at Khartum. We were the 

 recipients of the greatest possible kindness and courtesy 

 from everyone whose aid we sought. The Sirdar, Sir F. 

 Reginald Wingate, granted us permission to travel up the 

 east bank of the White Nile, the west batik at that time 

 being considered unsafe, and, through the agency of Bim- 

 bashi F. C. Newall of the Intelligence Department at 

 Omdurman, had most kindly hired camels for us. With 

 the generous help and advice of other officers I was enabled 

 to complete my arrangements quickly, so that on March 21st 

 we started away fully eqjiipped up the White Nile. 



I decided to w^ork a siuall portion of the country thoroughly, 

 and not to attempt merely to " cover ground." 



Time and fatigue might have been saved if we had travelled 

 by a steamer up the river, and worked back by land from a 

 given point. However, we adopted the plan of going altogether 

 by land, the object being to get such an idea of the country 

 on our journey up as would enable us to fix upon likely places 

 for camps, and to roughly estimate how many days should 

 be spent in each place on our way back. This plan was so 

 far successful that while thoroughly working the country 

 from our southernmost point to Khartum, we were able to 

 get back to England on June 3rd, or within a day or two of 

 the prearranged time. 



Our baggage was carried by camels, and as horses were 

 exceedingly difficult to obtain in Omdurman, we rode donkeys. 

 The Soudan donkey is a miserable beast compared with the 

 Egyptian animal, and the wooden native saddle did not 

 altogether make it a success as a mount. 



Camels, though more expensive in every way, would 



