VALLEY OF THE JUBA 



names formed in a similar way are, for example, 



Shimbirleh "(pool) of birds," Madoleh, "(place) of 



darkness," and Arnoleh, which means "containing 



milk," in other words, "a good place to graze cattle." 



From Sarrenleh to the sea, the valley of the Juba 



is extraordinarily level, the fall being roughly 500 



feet in 450 miles. The river, which is known locally 



as the Webbe Ganana, rises to its maximum height 



between the months of October and December ; it 



then falls slowly until April, when it begins to rise 



again ; in June the floods subside, in July it is at its 



lowest ebb, but in August it increases once more. 



Between the two low-water periods, shallow draught 



steamers can proceed for nearly 400 miles up 



river. Owing to the extreme flatness of the country, 



it has no important tributary in Jubaland except the 



river Daua. During the rains there are no doubt 



several small streams that temporarily discharge their 



waters into it, and of these probably the largest is 



the outlet from the Deshek Wama, There are 



numerous swamps on both sides that lie just outside 



the belt of tropical vegetation that clothes the banks. 



Above Mfudu the country is at first densely covered 



with forest, but below, as far as Helwalud, the 



country is under cultivation. Maize and sim-sim are 



doing well in the hands of natives, and an English 



company is busy growing cotton in the district 



between Yonti and Helwalud. I was fortunate in 



being able to visit this plantation through the 



kindness of Mr. Gabriel, to whom it belongs, and I 



was very hospitably entertained there by Mr. and 



Mrs. Sargent, who are interested in the estate. 



I was much struck by the extraordinary fertility of 



the soil ; moreover, the physical formation of the 



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