The New British Empire of the Sudan 261 



of the continent was to be entrusted. 

 The proportion of French pupils in the 

 public schools of Alexandria dropped 

 from 80 per cent to one-fourth that num- 

 ber, while that of English gained in ex- 

 actly the same ratio, perfectly voluntary 

 choice being allowed. 



Fashoda, in spite of its history, is not 

 well located, and one is rather inclined to 

 commiserate the officers who are obliged 

 to keep up the post as the chief of the 



many new buildings being erected by the 

 government, it would seem quite likely 

 that it may become the capital of the prov- 

 ince. Tewfikieh is also very convenient 

 to Sobat, which enters the Nile from 

 Abyssinia only four or five miles above 

 the town, and is charged with its pro- 

 tection, now that the old fort at the junc- 

 tion of the two rivers has been abandoned. 

 The Sobat, it may be remarked in pass- 

 ing, is a river with a future. Traversing 



Types of Natives, Gondokoro 



province. The Nile at this point divides 

 in three, and only at the highest stages 

 can landing be effected. We were obliged 

 to go ashore on the central island, 

 cross it on muddy paths, and then were 

 poled over a second shallow lagoon in a 

 crowded boat, while the natives and per- 

 manent residents waded. 



Tewfikieh, 70 miles farther up and on 

 the other side of the river, is much more 

 eligibly located, and from the extensive 

 improvements which are going on there, 



a highly fertile country for hundreds of 

 miles, navigable without difficulty, it 

 seems certain that it must come rapidly 

 to the front, and the new trading and 

 missionary stations soon to be established 

 along its upper shores are the best guar- 

 antee of the fact. 



THE DESOLATE "SUDD" COUNTRY 



Not far above the junction of the Nile 

 and the Sobat, the scene changes and the 

 great swamp, the country of the sudd, a 



