36 CHARACTER OF THE RIVER. [chap. i. 
24 th Dec. — Sailed yesterday at 4.5 p.m., course 
south. This morning we are off the Bagara country 
on the west bank. Dead fiats of mimosas, many of 
the trees growing in the water; the river generally 
shallow, and many snags or dead stumps of trees. I 
have been fortunate with my men, only one being 
drunk on leaving Wat Shely; him we carried forcibly 
on board. Passed the island of Hassaniah at 2.20 p.m. ; 
the usual flats covered with mimosas. The high-water 
mark upon the stems of these trees is three feet above 
the present level of the river; thus an immense extent 
of country must be flooded during the wet season, as 
there are no banks to the river. The water will retire 
in about two months, when the neighbourhood of the 
river will be thronged with natives and their flocks. 
All the natives of these parts are Arabs; the Bagara 
tribe on the west bank. At Wat Shely some of the 
latter came on board to offer their services as slave- 
hunters, this open offer confirming the general custom 
of all vessels trading upon the White Nile. 
2 5 th Dec. —The Tokroori boy, Saat, is very amiable 
in calling all the servants daily to eat together the 
residue from our table; but he being so far civilized, 
is armed with a huge spoon, and having a mouth like 
a crocodile, he obtains a fearful advantage over the 
rest of the party, who eat the soup by dipping kisras 
