254 SERVICE AND SPORT IN THE SUDAN 



agriculturists. Of course the heavy transport charges 

 would render everything a losing concern. The whole 

 district was covered with forest. It was hopeless to 

 attempt to protect it from the annual fires. As well 

 expect to put out Vesuvius with a cockle shell. 



The appointment of two forest rangers to a large 

 province could only be done in order to make a report 

 on the same look workmanlike — the unfortunate reason 

 that builds ferries where they are not used, and makes 

 roads that are not walked on. The slaughter of game 

 is awful. Elephants are surrounded by a ring of fire 

 by some tribes — I blushed a few days ago to see it 

 reported as the feat of some Britishers — and then the 

 demoralised calves and cows are murdered. 



The Middle Ages were not more rich in feuds than 

 are the Fertitaui. Combined action against the Govern- 

 ment is inconceivable. Rifles are scarce and ammuni- 

 tion scarcer. Moreover, the " Sid el beit " has a great 

 say. He pays his Sultan for protection, not annihilation. 



I have already told what a work of art the Dem 

 Zubeir-Dem Idris road was when I passed along it 

 two months before. The long, straight vistas remained, 

 it is true, but the roots of the trees and bushes cut 

 down, though fire had been applied to them, threw up 

 a mass of fresh branches which completely blocked 

 the way, making deviations from the path essential. 

 In a word, the most luxurious growth to be seen was 

 on the erstwhile cleared road. 



The rest-houses on the road were in fine condition, 

 except one in which a pair of buffaloes, as could be 

 seen by their tracks, had settled a difference. In my 



