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Mr. Richard Staples-Browne,



ash, such as I saw at Shambe, I also came across some who had

coloured their bodies with a red clay. Some extremely gorgeous

individuals appeared with red bodies and white faces, or vice

versa. We are now well to the South of the sudd, and the

vegetation is becoming tropical. There are several Euphorbia

trees near that part of the river through which we steamed this

afternoon. I noticed several specimens of the Purple Heron

(Ardea piirpurea) and also some Goliath Herons (Ardea goliath).

These and the Saddle-billed or Senegal Storks, which I saw

further North, are perhaps the most striking birds I met with on

the journey. In the evening we landed at Sheikh Tomb6 for

wood. Here I saw several Agama lizards, having extremely

rugose skins. The heads of these creatures were of a brilliant

red colour. They seem to run to about nine inches in length.

At this wood station are some fine examples of the African

<l Sausage tree,” so-called from the resemblance of its fruit to

the familiar breakfast dish. I was informed by a fellow-traveller

that its leaves are used by the natives as a narcotic.


Feb. 13th. At ten a.m. we arrived at Mongalla, the chief

Government station of the Southern Soudan. A garrison is

situated here. There is also a hospital. We were met on the

landing stage by a tame Zebra, a well-known character in the

town, who appears to have a weakness for sugar. The Wellcome

floating Bacteriological Laboratory was moored here. The

Laboratory, which is most beautifully fitted up, is built on a

raft, and a steamer similar to our own but not so large is attached

to it. The doctois on board are at present investigating Sleeping

sickness, which is spreading northwards from the great lakes.

They most kindly showed me some very beautiful preparations

of the Trypanosome, which is the cause of the disease, and

which is conveyed by a species of Tsetsee fly. After leaving

Mongalla the river becomes much wider. There are many islands,

also shallows and sandbanks, on one of which we got stuck for

some time. On the banks I noticed several banana trees. At

five p. 111. we reached Lado, formerly the headquarters of Emin

Pasha. A sugar-loaf hill of great beauty, called Mount Lado,

lies about four miles behind the town. This is the first hill we

have sighted for several days, The atmosphere of Lado is hot,

airless and steamy, and a large bush fire in the neighbourhood



