THE RIVERS NILE AND ASUA. 353 
a whirling black pool, where reeds, rushes, branches, 
and logs floated about, making it impossible for any 
but an adept to attempt fly-fishing The shore was 
strewed with fish-scales, and remnants of fires showed 
that the natives had been enjoying dinner at an ap- 
propriate spot. Looking across, an island, covered 
with grass and aquatic vegetation, hid the other 
branch of the river. For a quarter of a mile at this 
point no boat could live at any season ; it would be 
dashed to pieces on the bed and sides of sunken rock ; 
and the immense body of water is so strong that no 
boat could sail up it. Looking down stream, the 
river ran in a deep one-sided gorge, the left bank 
being the Jubl Kookoo range, forming a straight 
barrier of escarped hills, probably two thousand feet 
in height. They were bleak and barren, diminishing 
in size and breaking into cones as they receded into 
the blue distance to the north. At the ninth mile of 
this march, we suddenly dropped into the bed of the 
Asua river, and crossed to its right bank. Our first 
remark was, " Is this the Asua we have heard so much 
of?" The fording was fifty yards across, waist deep 
in the strong middle current over sharp slippery rocks, 
painful for bare feet. The water was good, though 
not refreshing nor transparent ; it ran through five- 
feet-high rushes (Cyperus longus), on the right shore. 
During December, this river, judging from the appear- 
ance of sand lying above its present water-mark, must 
be a wild torrent, impossible to cross ; but we were 
disappointed with its small appearance when we came 
to ford it. Our large cortege amused themselves for 
two hours in crossing the cattle and laden donkeys, 
and in bathing. At this place I saw the brutal 
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