LAST WORD 



In gaining the Nile the goal that we had set ourselves was 

 reached, and so I have ended my narrative at that point, 

 but there still remain a few things to be told before saying 

 farewell to the reader, so I must beg his patience a moment 

 longer. 



With regard to the navigation of the Yei, my passage by 

 showing it to be navigable in its lower reaches proves that 

 it could be used to lessen by six days the transport of the food- 

 supplies to our garrisons in the Bahr-el-Ghazel province from 

 Khartoum on which they are entirely dependent. To feed 

 these six garrisons it requires 35,000 lb. of corn a year, and 

 this for want of carriers has to be taken into the country 

 by camel and mule transport which is very costly, for, 

 owing to the fly not one of these animals survives to return. 



With the exception of a small rapid twenty miles from 

 Lau which can be navigated, the river between Lau and 

 Avurra is good for transport purposes, and so would save six 

 days' overland journey. Also it is my opinion that if the 

 barrier of sudd were cut through, the increase of water to 

 the Nile would greatly improve the irrigation of the Sudan 

 and Egypt. So, too, with the River Naam or Rohl, which 

 flows almost parallel to the Yei. 



On my arrival at Gaba Shambi, after spending the third 

 Christmas of the Expedition alone, I took boat to Gondokoro 



