1 HSTTEODTTCTIOjS". 



banks covered with dense vegetation, the banks of the Blue Nile are generally high 

 and steep, more or less covered with bush after Wad Medine, whilst a strong current 

 runs during high Nile. Eosaires is a small military station on the right bank near the 

 tail of the Seventh and last Cataract. A large island opposite formed a convenient 

 fishing-ground. I left there on my return journey at sunrise on November 20th, sailing 

 in company with Bimbashi Done, R.E. On our way back we stopped at Bunzuga, to 

 visit a swamp some way inland, which turned out to be so overgrown with vegetation 

 that fishing was impossible. The natives told us that in three months' time the grass 

 died down and then fishing with spears took place. At Karkoj I visited another swamp 

 of the same kind. Here a few natives were spearing fish in a small muddy pool, 

 all caught being "Armut" (Glarias lazera). The spear used (Hg. 28) was straight, 

 but had a separate head with cord attachment, as in the bow-shaped spear described 

 above (p. xlvi) as used by the Shilluks of the White Nile. On December 10th I reached 

 Omdurman, the results of the trip being rather disappointing. Unfortunately I had 

 no time to visit the Rahad or Dinder, tributaries of the Blue Nile which run dry 

 during a part of the year, except for pools which would probably be excellent for 

 fishing. 



Fig. 28. 



At Omdurman I had just time to arrange my kit and buy stores before starting up the 

 White Nile for Gondokoro in the Uganda Protectorate. I left by steamer on December 

 17th and arrived on January 10th. The voyage was uneventful, the most interesting 

 part was going through the sudd beyond Lake No. The true sudd is almost entirely 

 composed of tall waving papyrus, which extends over a large tract of country, with here 

 and there large open lagoons. A desolate region, with very little life except a few birds 

 and an occasional hippopotamus. As one approaches Shambi the country becomes more 

 open and a few natives are seen. Shambi is now a small military station. Between 

 Bor and Gondokoro villages are more frequent, although cultivation is restricted to a 

 strip of land near the river. We came to Mongalla, which is, or was, the last Anglo- 

 Soudanese station, a few miles further south being the Belgian forts of Kerro and Lado 

 on the west bank, and about 6 miles further is Gondokoro, nearly 1100 miles from 

 Khartum. It is a straggling station situated on rising ground. There is a small 

 mixed population, which included, when I was there, four Englishmen, a Greek, two 

 Indian traders, and some black troops of the Uganda Rifles. The river is fairly 

 broad, with a strong current, the banks steep in places, but covered with dense 

 vegetation. The natives, of the Bari tribe, are not keen fishermen like the Shilluks. 

 Occasionally one was seen with a long straight fishing-spear. 



