GRASS FIRES. 341 



6. Through the Territory of the Gok to the River Boa 

 and Back to the River Yalo. 



BUTTER-TREES — GRASS-FIRES — THE JOT — THE RIVER ROA AND ITS FLOODS 

 — LANG IN GOK — IRON-SMELTERS — A COMMON HUNTING-GROUND — THE 

 BELI — AN UNCANNY SHRUB — AN EVENING'S PASTIME — A FERTILE 

 REGION — HUNTING TROPHIES — ARRIVAL AT GUF^RI. 



A broad grassy steppe stretched far away when we bad left 

 the corn-fields of Rumbek ; it was bare of wood, but for some 

 distance abounded in fine butter-trees (Bassias), which had 

 been spared for the sake of the fruits and the fat which they 

 yield. The Agar, as all other Dinka tribes, call this tree arak, 

 to the Bari it is known as humeri, and to the Arabs as lulu. 

 In the Bari country, however, another butter-tree, the hurulcng 

 (Stereospermum) is more common and more widely used. The 

 " butter" of the Bassia is a fat of a reddish -white colour and 

 of firm consistency, whatever the temperature may be. When 

 fresh, its smell is not unpleasant, but cooked it has a burnt 

 flavour, which does not suit everybody. This fat, however, 

 might very profitably be employed in the manufacture of soap. 

 The country hereabout, with its solitary trees and scattered 

 pile-dwellings, has a very different aspect from the countries in 

 the south. Possibly it is a country where one may live better, 

 but the south is certainly more beautiful. 



Adol, a well sunk in whitish-grey loam, contained only a little 

 bad water ; but the ripe, sweet fruits of the jogan (Diospyros 

 mespiliformis, called chum by the Agar) afforded our porters a 

 welcome opportunity for a halt. Leaving this well, we were 

 compelled to march between two lines of fire, the people having 

 set fire to the grass on both sides of our road. Crowds of 

 birds engaged in hunting insects were hovering over the 

 tongues of flame, whilst Balearic cranes and marabou storks, 

 similarly occupied, were stalking over the burnt ground. When 

 we passed out of this scorching heat we entered upon a depres- 

 sion which, although dry at the time, is evidently often flooded, 

 and then forms a swamp called Aber, which drains to the 

 north. As we were unable to find any water here, and digging 



