A Mock Vegetation. 53 



this wood were not then under sufficient supervision. 

 The consequence was that much wood had been wasted 

 and many fine trees ruthlessly maimed. We often passed 

 a mile or two of stumps four or five feet high left in the 

 ground, and so many of the best trees had been 

 mercilessly lopped by the careless and ignorant natives, 

 that near these wood stations it was often impossible 

 to find shade for our tents. I was assured, however, 

 at Omdurman, that the method of cutting the timber 

 would shortly be improved. 



The mimosa bushes, which form the dense under- 

 growth, are thickly covered with thorns of three to 

 five inches in length, exceedingly sharp and strong, and 

 of a dazzling white as though they were enamelled. 

 When our stock of pins became exhausted we found these 

 thorns very useful in packing bird skins, but they made 

 the country difficult to " negotiate." One was driven 

 through my boot into the foot, another pierced the leg 

 of one of my companions, and a third completely lamed 

 a donkey for a month. The acacia trees, too, are 

 plentifully provided with smaller but no less annoying 

 thorns, and there appeared to be but two varieties of 

 bushes without them. 



Perhaps I have not drawn a very enchanting picture 

 of the country it was our good fortune to work in, yet, 



