20 SPORT IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



paid for them. These tents were supplied by the 

 Elgin Mills, Cawnpore, and I take this opportunity 

 of thanking that firm for the excellence of these 

 articles. I suppose that nowadays all tent-makers 

 know the needs of tropical climates. Suffice it to say 

 that the tent-pegs should be of iron, the material 

 damp and vermin proof throughout ; plenty of 

 pockets should be provided inside, and ventilation 

 should be considered. A mosquito dining-tent is 

 unnecessary in the Eastern Sudan, though I am told 

 that it is essential on the White Nile. When rain 

 threatens, all tent-poles should be supported by 

 storm-guys in the usual manner, preferably attached 

 to trees, failing this to heavy articles such as ammuni- 

 tion-boxes, and trenches should be dug just inside 

 the outer fly, and banked up to prevent water 

 entering the tent. The whole of my tents collapsed 

 one stormy evening on the Galegu, and I only got 

 back to camp just in time to get up the 60-lb. tent 

 for shelter before night fell. 



The traveller must be continually on guard against 

 the assaults of white ants, which prefer leather to any 

 other article of diet, but in default thereof will eat 

 practically everything but metal, or material specially 

 poisoned against them. His store of sacks of grain, 

 etc., should always be deposited on a layer of loose 

 stones or logs, and he will soon observe that the shelter 

 thus provided is much appreciated by scorpions. 



