96 



NORTH-EAST AFEICA. 



Flora and Fauna. 



The extensive tract comprised between the Bahr-el- Jebel and the Bahr- el- Arab, 

 although clearly characterised by its ramifying waters, has no general geographical 

 designation, and is known only by the names of the tribes occupying its various 

 sections. Politically the western portion is known as the province of the Bahr-el- 

 Ghazal, a name which should properly be restricted to the basin of this affluent of 

 the Nile. The whole territory might be collectively called the "fluvial region," 

 for here are concentrated all the western affluents of the Nile north of Lake 

 Albert. Its total area may be estimated at about 140,000 square miles, and its 

 mean altitude at 2,500 feet above the sea. The soil being composed of disin- 

 tegrated granite mingled with fluvial alluvia and humus, is extremely fertile. 

 Vast tracts are covered with a red earth overlying soft iron ores, which combining 

 with the sediment and decayed vegetation washed down by the streams, is also 

 very productive. But where the ferruginous deposit lies too near the surface, 



Fig. 32. — Water-parting between the Nile and Congo. 

 Scale 1 : 7,000,000. 





120 Miles. 



large plants are unable to strike deep root, and even after the rains little is seen 

 except a scant herbage. Elsewhere the soil yields heavy crops, while its sponta- 

 neous growths comprise many species of great economic value. Such are the ruhm 

 (criodendron anfractuosum\ a large cotton-plant, and the hilii [hutyrospermum 

 Parkii), whose fruit contains much oil and butter. Other plants supply several 

 varieties of caoutchouc; and here and there is met the higlik, or "elephant- tree," 

 {balanites ^gi/])tiaca\ under which pit^ are often dug to capture the huge 

 pachyderms, who greedily devour the foliage of this plant. 



The elephant still abounds in this region, although from five thousand to six 

 thousand are said to be taken every year. The species of antelopes have been 

 estimated at a hundred (?), and some large apes, supposed by Felkin to be chim- 

 panzees, are much dreaded by the natives. Some hundreds of these bimanes 

 attacked the station of Gaba Shambe on the Nile, and destroyed several houses, a 

 fire completing the ruin of the depots. On the other hand, neither the horses, 

 asses, mules, camels, nor the pack-oxen of the Baggara Arabs survive more than a 



