162



Mr. Richard Staples-Browne,



of which, apart from the annual visit of the inspector, do not

come into contact with white people. The Sheikh received us

with ceremony and presented a sheep to us. Afterwards he

ordered the drums and horns to be brought, to the accompani¬

ment of which his men performed the most fearsome and awe¬

inspiring war dance it has ever been my privilege to behold.

The performance concluded with a charge, the men halting with

their spear-points a few inches from our noses.


Feb: 7th. This morning we wooded at Kio, and entered

the Bahr el Zeiaf about eleven a.m. The channel of this river

is narrow and is often overgrown with “ sudd,” which consists

of papyrus and other reeds. We frequently encountered floating

islands of sudd. There is much high coarse grass in the sur¬

rounding country, in which one sees a large number of game

animals, among which I recognised Buffalo, Sable and Roan

Antelope, Hartebeest and Kob. Waterbuck are present in vast

numbers. I calculated we must have passed at least 7C0 between

three and seven p.m. Gazelles are also fairly numerous. I again

saw some Ostriches, also some Nubian Bustards {Otis nuba) and

some Chukar Partridges (Caccabis chukar ). The beautiful White-

headed Vociferous Eagle (Haliaetus vocifer) is common, and I saw

several nests of this species in the trees near the river banks.

Bee-eaters were also present in large numbers. Eater in the

afternoon I saw large flocks of the Hagedash Ibis (Ibis hagedash).

These grotesque-looking birds performed several evolutions in

the air and somewhat resembled a flock of rooks. Insects, in¬

cluding many stinging forms, are unpleasantly numerous. At

about eight p.m. we stuck fast, the sudd having broken one of

the blades of our wheel, and as soon as the sun set there was a raw

damp feeling together with a smell of decaying water weed. The

chilliness is accentuated by the extreme heat during the day.


Feb. 8th. Our wheel was mended at one a.m. and we

proceeded at six. The river becomes very tortuous here. Trees

are few. During the morning we saw a large herd of Elephant

on the bank of a backwater. The natives here are of the Nuer

tribe. We passed some hunting parties of them. I11 the after¬

noon the view became extremely dull and monotonous. The

country is flat, broken only by several large ant-hills. Animal life



