INTRODUCTION. xli x 



became thicker, villages disappeared, and, as we proceeded south, we passed many 

 large islands fringed with reeds. 



At Kaka and on to Fashoda, about 70 miles, villages were fairly numerous on the 

 left bank ; in front of them a belt of swamp extends, varying in width from a few 

 hundred yards to a mile or more. Landing is difficult anywhere and at places 

 impossible. The fort and village of Fashoda are situated on a rising piece of ground, 

 between which and the river is a kore, whilst even the dry land becomes a morass in 

 the rainy season. Fever is prevalent and mosquitos numerous. From Fashoda to 

 Lake No the country is dreary and desolate ; the river-side consists of swamps, marshes, 

 and sudd, whilst trees are rare. At Lake No the boat was tied to the bank opposite 

 the mouth of the Bahr-el-Gebel. At this season part of the land to the north of the 

 lake was dry and covered with tall grass 12 ft. high extending nearly to the river- 

 bank. By firing this we cleared a space for the boat and gave my fisherman a chance 

 of getting to the water's edge to use his net. At night we fished with lines, and some 

 interesting fish were obtained in tow-nets, made of " bolting cloth," which were set 

 in the stream. One was the type of the new genus Cromeria, named in honour of 

 Lord Cromer. During a stay of six weeks at Lake No I added 200 specimens to the 

 collection. On March 5th we began the return journey, but made slow progress owing 

 to contrary winds. After drifting to Tonga we got towed by a steamer to Tewfikyeh, 

 a small station on the right bank, 6 miles N. of the R. Sobat. This was once the 

 residence of the " Mn.dir " or Governor of the district, which has now been removed to 

 Fashoda. After sailing or drifting another 60 miles we reached Fashoda and stayed 

 there three weeks. Here I found two Arab fishermen who were acquainted with the 

 use of a " gouraffa." These with my own fisherman and some of the boatmen formed 

 a party large enough to work the " gouraffa " I had brought with me. We took 

 many fish by its means in the kores near Fashoda, adding nearly 400 to the collection 

 (fig. 29, p. li, my fishing-boat at Fashoda). We next stopped at Gharb-el-Aish, 

 where a partially dried-up kore yielded excellent results. We stopped a short time 

 at Goz abu Gumah, but collected nothing of interest, and reached Omdurman on 

 May 18th. After fishing here for a fortnight my first expedition to the Soudan was 

 brought to a close. My companion, Mr. D. Gunn, had been very kind in attending 

 any men who were sick with fever, &c, and also in providing the party with fresh 

 meat whenever it was possible to land. 



In the beginning of June 1901 1 left Omdurman for Cairo, on my way to England for 

 2^ months' leave. I returned to Cairo in September and after completing the necessary 

 arrangements went to Omdurman, leaving there on October 1st for the Blue Nile. The 

 first collecting-place was Wad Medine, a large town on the right bank, 147 miles south 

 of Khartum. On account of the height of the river little fishing was going on, so 

 after a fortnight's stay I went on by steamer to Rosaires, 280 miles further south, where 

 the river had now fallen considerably. Unlike the White Nile, with its low swampy 



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