Lake Victoria to Khartoum 



golden weaver birds find here retreats where 

 they are never disturbed; a panting hippo plunges 

 into the spray-crowned waves, leaving its shady 

 resting-place at the noise of the steamer ; and 

 light, long-legged waders hasten over the broad 

 leaves of the water lilies, picking up a few insects 

 on the way. 



We tied up to the bank of an evening, and 

 the instant the steam-whistle sounded the tall 

 grass started into life. Savages appeared on 

 all sides with the bundle of firewood they are 

 paid to cut to replenish the voracious maw of 

 the boiler. A Madi village would be situated close 

 by in all probability. It is usually small, and 

 consists of rather miserable hemispherical straw- 

 thatched huts, with their sides made of short 

 vertical logs closely planted together, and the 

 interstices stuffed with mud. The inevitable three- 

 legged granaries fill the vacant spaces between 

 the dwellings. Dhurra and simsim are largely 

 cultivated. The men are usually " stark oh ! " 

 occasionally sporting a diminutive apron of well- 

 worn cotton. They wear iron ornaments for the 

 most part, though several of the presumably 

 wealthier members adorn themselves with ivory 

 bracelets above the elbow, and numbers have the 

 rims of their ears pierced in which short pieces 

 of stiff straw are stuck. 



In this part of the Nile, owing chiefly to Its 

 extreme breadth — sometimes a mile to a mile 



46 



