BEYOND THE SUDD 
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fined to the Northern Sudan; but the Upper Nile is 
bordered for hundreds of miles with black “cotton-soil” 
-—that is, the rich alluvial deposit of countless Nile-floods 
■—and it is permissible to conjecture that the whole area will, 
within measurable period, be “ irrigated ” by British capital 
and enterprise. Then, when corn and cotton have displaced 
cane-grass and um-soof, the elephants must perforce retire 
to more remote fastnesses elsewhere—if any remain. 
A typical encounter occurred south of Malek. A 
group of elephants were sighted on the east bank a mile 
ahead, and having got out my telescope and arranged a 
“rest,” I lay on top of the wheel-house and watched every 
movement. There were seven elephants — four bulls. 
Six stood huddled together, quiescent in the midday 
sun ; the seventh, a cow, a little apart, idly tore up and 
munched a mouthful of grass. On their broad backs rode 
as many white egrets as could find standing-room, and 
■—truly surprising?—the herd was surrounded by native 
cattle and sheep. It was the single, separated cow that 
first observed our approach, though not until within 
200 yards. She moved forward, gave warning to the 
rest, and all seven slowly strolled along the river-bank, 
parallel with our course. Within brief space we were 
alongside, 60 or 70 yards away, and a more superb view 
of wild elephants could hardly be vouchsafed. After 
striving for half an hour to commit their weird forms 
to paper, I gave a little touch on the steam-whistle. 
Instantly were outspread those enormous ears—conch¬ 
shaped and ribbed—mid the seven strode off full-broadside 
to us, smashing strong canes like matchwood as they ran. 
There was, however, neither alarm nor violent hurry ; the 
egrets kept fluttering and balancing on their backs; and 
soon, coming to a deep khor, the elephants pulled up, 
faced round, and stood watching. I verily believe that 
ere we lost sight, they had relapsed into slumber. 
A couple of miles beyond was a native village, and the 
same afternoon we saw other two herds of elephants. 
