64 
SAVAGE SUDAN 
First Days in Forests of Kordofan 
[North of Jebel Ahmed Agha) 
Dawn of January 27th revealed both banks densely 
wooded — the usual table-topped mimosa being here 
abundantly interspersed with great evergreen forest - 
trees, chiefly tamarinds, regular mountains of foliage. 
I was keen to disembark, but the belts of swamp-jungle 
that fringe the main shore presented the accustomed 
difficulty. In search of a landing-place we cruised along, 
brushing the outmost sedges and disturbing red-legged 
water-rails, squacco, and night-herons; when, within a 
narrow inlet, I observed slight ripples circling outwards. 
Next moment, as we “opened” the creek, I was face to 
face, within 30 yards, of a lovely leopard! So low did 
he crouch, lapping, that the shoulder-blades stood out 
prominently above the line of his back, and the cruel green 
eyes for an instant gazed straight up into mine. I had in 
hand the Paradox gun but, alas! loaded with No. 6 and 
not a ball-cartridge handy. Thus, for a second time in 
life (see On Safari , p. 27), I was constrained helplessly to 
watch the great spangled cat slowly bound from view. 
Two initial attempts to land were repulsed by hidden 
“khors ”—though the forest was but 200 yards away— 
and the sun had long passed the meridian ere we finally 
overcame resistance and reached firm ground. 
Now since these “khors” became a perpetual menace 
and obstruction throughout all our White Nile expeditions, 
it may be as well to start by describing, once for all, what 
that word locally imports. (Among the mountain-regions 
it has a totally different significance, being there the 
equivalent of donga or ravine.) 
A khor, then, is one of the innumerable shallow 
depressions or channels forged in these dead-levels by 
the flood-water on its course riverwards. At this season 
