Lake Victoria to Khartoum 



depths of the valley between that hill and the 

 next. The bore of it is, there always is a next ! 

 In fact, the local method of judging distance here 

 is not so much by hours' marching, as by so many 

 *• mettulahs " (hills) ; and in the north, near 

 Gondokoro, by so many rivers, "river" being a 

 euphonious name for the stagnant marshes which 

 alone vary the monotony of the elephant grass. 



These same marshes are crossed by long narrow 

 causeways, built upon piles driven into the ground 

 so as to form two rows : logs, reeds, grass, and 

 earth are thrown on the top of and in between 

 these, leaving a few little culverts underneath the 

 road to enable the water to drain off from the 

 stream above. A well-kept causeway on a much- 

 used main road will have a low " kissikati " fence 

 some two feet high on each side, which helps to 

 improve its appearance. 



At the end of the recognized march, when one 

 reaches camp, and also half-way along the route, 

 are to be found a few "bandas," or grass huts, 

 built ready to shelter the belated traveller. There 

 is usually a big one for the " Bwana" (master), 

 one for the cook, and another two or three for 

 boys or what-nots. This constitutes the scene of 

 one's evening rest. If these huts are frequently 

 burnt down and rebuilt on a new site, they are a 

 source of great comfort, as they afford most 

 welcome shade from the afternoon sun, and are 

 cool and roomy to live in. If not destroyed 



i8 



