Lake Victoria to Khartoum 



ing rays beneath the wild date palms, a very 

 pleasing feature in the picture, varied by the fan 

 palms, having green feather-like leaves and bright 

 orange stalks covered with similarly coloured fruit. 

 When ripe this fruit becomes dark brown, like 

 the cultivated date. At intervals, a few delight- 

 ful moments of repose would be passed by a 

 marshy stream, almost hidden by its rich jungle 

 of shade. 



Then came some weary marches through an 

 everlasting bush of mimosa thorn which rose like 

 impenetrable walls on either side of us. Along 

 this road there is hardly any rising ground; hence 

 it is impossible to see anything for more than a 

 few yards around one, unless one is willing to 

 brave the dangers of penetrating the bush and 

 returning to camp with tattered garments and 

 ruffled temper, if return you can, for when only a 

 few yards from camp it is quite possible to get 

 hopelessly lost. The imperviousness of this 

 jungle in some places is almost unbelievable ; the 

 bushes of wait-a-bit thorn form an absolutely im- 

 passable barrier. Every tree of every description 

 about here seems to be armed by nature with 

 weapons for its own defence. The naturalist can 

 here enjoy every hour of his day. The flowers 

 are lovely ; and animal life is seen in many unac- 

 customed forms. Quaint spire-like ant-hills, 

 tapering to pinnacles of fifteen feet in height, and 

 the clustered nests of the noisy, yellow weaver- 



202 



