394 Mr. \V. R. Ogilvic-Grant on 



way, but that we were not to go south of Fashoda. Tliis was 

 a disappointment, as I had. made plans to be absent about 

 two years, and had brought stores sufficient for that period. 

 I had left Loudon with the understanding that I should be 

 able to go through to Mombasa, being assured that tliere 

 would be no objection raised by the authorities, and that I 

 should, not require permission from the Foreign Office to 

 do so. 



Captain Parker, of the lutclligence Office, kindly arranged 

 for the hire of two muikabs (native sailing-boats) and their 

 crews for our use. These we got partially decked and had 

 grass shelters erected over their sterns. We bought six camels, 

 eight donkeys, and a pony, while a second pony was kiudly 

 lent us by Capt. Harold. 



Our baggage having at last arrived, we spent several days 

 in re-packing it, and got it and the transport-animals on board 

 on February 1st, but, as that day was a Friday, the rias 

 (captain) objected to starting, as he said that it would bring 

 us bad luck. We let him have his way and started on the 2nd. 

 The wind was from the north, and as the boats sailed well we 

 made from thirty to sixty miles a day. The scenery of the 

 banks on both sides of the river was most monotonous and 

 barren for some distance, and, with the exception of a few 

 very prickly acacias [Mimosa asperata) and Ipomcea asari- 

 fulia, a plant of the convolvulus family, with large green 

 leaves and fruit, the country was almost devoid of vegetation. 



There were myriads of Waterfowl and Waders feeding on 

 the mud-banks, and Cranes, Storks, lierous. Spoonbills, 

 Ducks, and Geese swarmed, while flocks of Doves kept 

 flying down to the river to drink. Hippopotamuses and 

 crocodiles, basking on some sand-bank, were occasionally 

 seen. Near Ed-Duem the sunt-tree (^Acacia nUot'tca) made 

 its appearance, growing in belts along the river-bank. On 

 the 6th we arrived at El-Kawa, which is about 130 miles 

 south of Omdurman. Here we landed the ponies, as the rias 

 wanted to get stores for the crew, and rode round the town 

 with the Marmoor (Egyptian Magistrate) to see the sights. 

 El-Kawa is built of grass huts, the streets being uamed after 



