Khartoum and Omdurman 



river is remarkable, a great portion of the river 

 front here is embanked with masonry. A stone 

 flight of steps leads from the landing-stage and 

 conducts us up to the precincts of the palace, 

 where a good stout British sentry is the first 

 thing that meets our eyes — good and reliable, but 

 not necessarily stout, by the way. 



The palace faces the river, and is built with 

 two wings running back and a garden courtyard 

 in between. It is one of the coolest and most 

 comfortable houses I have ever struck in the 

 East, but that is chiefly due to the kindness 

 and hospitality of its occupants. 



On entering the cool white hall, the walls of 

 which are decorated with lances and various guns, 

 one gets a glimpse of the gardens beyond, and as 

 one climbs the steps to the house above, one sees 

 these beautiful gardens spread out before one. 

 Very cool they seem after the hot voyage down 

 the Nile. Nice green lawns laid out for croquet 

 or tennis ; palm trees, flowers, black watde in 

 bloom ; different kinds of shrubs, every variety 

 of hothouse plants and jungle vegetation meet 

 the eye — all is green and peaceful. 



Last but not least — in case I forget him aeain — 

 is the whale-headed stork, Balaenicips rex, the 

 property of Lady Wingate. He seems to like 

 having his photograph taken, for he stands quite 

 still during the process ; and he is even nicer on 

 his way to bed. He cannot bear the cool marshy 



121 



