TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION 277 



I wish I had the notes on the customs, &c,, of the 

 Dinkas, which I got from this officer. He never failed 

 to interlard his conversation with expressions of dis- 

 gust at the stupidity and bestiality of his people — a 

 true convert to Islam. 



Talking of graves, I feel sure the French Govern- 

 ment would raise a monument in Wau over the graves 

 of four of the Marchand expedition, which lie a few 

 yards from the old Fort Desaix, and so perpetuate the 

 memory of intrepid pioneers, if reminded. 



On my return from Khartum I had been struck by 

 the awful state of the road from Meshra, so had at 

 once seen to having it cleared and rest-houses built. 

 I was obliged then to go as far as Gadein's to inspect 

 it. There I was to meet the Mamur of Meshra. 



I followed the telegraph line to see whether the 

 grass about the poles had been cleared. This is done 

 to save them from forest fires. A length of rail is 

 sunk in the ground, and round it earth, the shape and 

 size of an ant-hill, is thrown. This is to prevent the 

 elephants from [knocking them down. To the rail, 

 which sticks up a couple of feet from the earth, is 

 fastened the pole. If the latter was not held up by 

 the iron from touching ground the white ants would 

 soon demolish it. 



At Ayom's I saw that a large caravan had already 

 arrived. Its leader was a very stout man, and his 

 equipment suggested something more than a Greek 

 or Syrian merchant. Before my own people arrived 

 I got a courteous invitation to breakfast. I at once 

 concluded that this was one of the Belgians with 



