146 SERVICE AND SPORT IN THE SUDAN 



nances that they are like the proclamations during 

 the South African war, made to form the subject of 

 a jest. This one was tyrannical, impossible, and 

 against the best interests of the country. It was no 

 check on the purchase of female or immature ivory. 

 As long as the latter was sold by the Government 

 by auction in Khartum, nothing could prevent such 

 ivory being smuggled in. 



Under the shadow of a rocky hill about seventy feet 

 high was the Sultan's " palace," a collection of grass 

 tukles, surrounded by a wall of matting. This formed 

 one side of a square (west). On the south was my 

 house — some clumps of date-palms four feet high 

 (springing from stones planted there), carefully fenced 

 round with split bamboo, and a well of good water. 

 The east side was composed of a few lots of houses, and 

 the north one of the grass booths of the merchants. 



I should say here that in Kordofan the straw of the 

 dura and dukhn is used for thatching, &c., whereas 

 further south, where the grass is so luxuriant, the latter 

 is always used. To the north-west and south-east were 

 other low hills about two or three miles off or less. 

 The village straggled to the north of the Sultan's house 

 up the spur of the hill of Kossinga, and south towards 

 Khor Luyu, which formed the water-supply. The 

 magnificent river Boru is about five miles north, 

 and its fine tributary the Sopo six miles east of the 

 town. 



The inhabitants are mostly the bazingers of the 

 Sultan, who feeds and dresses them, moreover supplies 

 them with wives, which are a very scarce commodity 



