THE DESHEK WAMA 



camping I came across some very fresh tracks of a 

 small cow-elephant, and near by the pug marks of 

 a Hon, almost equally fresh ; but of antelopes I saw 

 no sign at all. 



Although heavy clouds gathered in the afternoon, 

 no rain fell, and towards evening the sun came out 

 again with renewed intensity. During the second 

 part of the journey, Juma travelled tied on to one 

 of the camels, as I did not fancy walking all day if 

 it could be avoided. 



On the following day I had a renewed attack of 

 dysentery, but was compelled to proceed until water 

 was reached. This we found in considerable quantities 

 ten miles farther on, in a little valley that sloped 

 downwards in a northerly direction towards the 

 Deshek Wama. The latter is a large, shallow de- 

 pression about sixteen miles long by two broad, which 

 used to contain permanent water, thus forming a 

 natural lake. It was fed by a stream that issued 

 from the Juba, and also, during the rains, by the 

 combined waters of the Lak Jiro and Lak Dera, 

 while in turn it was drained by a stream that joined 

 the Juba River again just above Yonti. But the 

 feeder has now been cut off by an artificial bank, 

 and the Deshek Wama is dry, except during the 

 rainy season. The valley, where I camped, occupied 

 almost the exact position on the map that had 

 previously been assigned to El Lin Swamp, from 

 which the Guranlag-oa was said to rise and flow 

 southwards. But to the natives this name is un- 

 known, and, though questioned separately, they all 

 referred to it as Seyera. It is a shallow valley 

 whose sides are covered with jungle, while the bottom 

 forms a small swamp three miles long by half a 



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