Chapter XVI: Section 4: Lake No to Gondokoro

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| Miles. |
| _Kilometres._ |
+-------------+-------+
Place. |Intermediate.| From | Description.
| | Lake |
| |No.[32]|
----------------+-------------+-------+-------------------------------
| | |For description of Lake No,
| | |_see_ page 165. For the Sudd,
| | |_see_ Appendix B.
| | |
Bahr El Jebel | — | — |For detailed description and
| | |maps of the Bahr El Jebel
| | |between Lake No and Gondokoro,
| | |_see_ Sir W. Garstin’s Report
| | |(Blue Book, Egypt, No. 2,
| | |1901, price 3 _s._ 6 _d._),
| | |from which much of the
| | |following is taken; also _see_
| | |his Report of 1904 (price 17
| | |_s._).
| | |
Ex block[35] | 1 | 1 |The entrance to the Bahr El
No. 1 | | |Jebel is about 150 yards broad
| | |at the extreme east end of
„ „ 2| 8 |9 _14_ |Lake No. The channel, turning
| | |suddenly to the south, is
Discharge | 1 |10 _16_|bounded on either side by a
(14.4.00) | | |dense perpendicular growth of
218·95 | | |rich green papyrus swamp, in
c.m. per sec. | | |which ambach trees, and _um
| | |suf_ and convolvulus
Ex block No. 3| 6 |16 _26_|occasionally appear. The
| | |papyrus reaches from 10 feet
„ „ 4| 21 |37 _59_|to 15 feet above the surface
| | |of the water (Jan.). As the
„ „ 5| 14 |51 _82_|steamer proceeds in its
| | |winding course, the channel
„ „ 6| 4 |55 _88_|varies from 70 to 100 yards,
| | |whilst the breadth of the
„ „ 7| 3 |58 _93_|papyrus strip varies from a
| | |few hundred yards to several
„ „ 8| 6 | 63 |miles. The solid ground (at
| | _101_ |its best only a few feet above
| | |the level of the water) on the
„ „ 9| 3 | 66 |far side of the papyrus
| | _106_ |gradually recedes, and the
| | |trees in the distance become
„ „ 10| 1 | 67 |more and more sparse, till at
| | _108_ |last they vanish altogether.
| | |Except in occasional
| | |instances, no dry land is to
| | |be seen throughout these
| | |swamps. Their extent is
| | |unknown, but, more especially
| | |to the west of the river, it
| | |must be enormous. In all
| | |probability the greater
| | |portion of the region lying
| | |between the Bahr El Jebel and
| | |Bahr El Ghazal and its
| | |tributaries is, in the rainy
| | |season, a vast marsh. To the
| | |east their area is more
| | |limited, as the country beyond
| | |the Bahr El Zeraf gradually
| | |rises into alluvial plains,
| | |covered with dense grass, and
| | |intersected by numerous swamp
| | |lines. These plains, as a
| | |whole, are above the level of
| | |the Nile when in flood. In the
| | |long island, lying within the
| | |loop formed by the Bahr El
| | |Zeraf with the main stream,
| | |there undoubtedly exists a
| | |ridge of comparatively high
| | |land. Upon this a Nuer
| | |population has settled. Except
| | |by occasional glimpses of
| | |trees, and, more rarely, of a
| | |village, it is impossible to
| | |trace this ridge. Its limits
| | |are undetermined. It is
| | |surrounded on every side by a
| | |belt of almost impassable
| | |morass. The only evidence of
| | |human beings are the grass
| | |fires on the horizon, and,
| | |except for an occasional
| | |elephant, buck, or giraffe,
| | |visible in the far distance
| | |from the top of the steamer,
| | |and a few water-birds, bee-
| | |eaters, wagtails, &c., animal
| | |life appears to have suddenly
| | |become extinct. At sunset,
| | |however, thousands of insects
| | |make their appearance, but,
| | |with the exception of the
| | |mosquito, who is always _en
| | |évidence_ to a greater or
| | |lesser extent (worst from
| | |April to November (during the
| | |rains) and least from December
| | |to March—dry season—grass
| | |fires), they vanish after an
| | |hour or two.
| | |
Ex block No. | 5 | 72 |The water of the Bahr El Jebel
11 | | _116_ |is dark-coloured, but contains
| | |little or no sediment. The
„ „ 12| 3 | 75 |depth of the main channel
| | _120_ |varies from 20 to 24 feet at
| | |low Nile. As far as mile 40,
„ „ 13| 4 | 79 |the ridge lying between the
| | _127_ |Zeraf and the Jebel is visible
| | |on the eastern bank, at a
„ „ 14| 3 | 82 |distance varying from 500 to
| | _132_ |3,000 yards. Trees and a few
| | |palms appear to indicate the
| | |presence of villages. From
| | |this point the ridge
| | |disappears and the swamps
| | |stretch to the horizon upon
| | |both sides of the river. The
| | |first four of the sudd blocks,
| | |cleared by Major Peake’s
| | |party, occurred within this
| | |distance. The fifth, sixth,
| | |seventh, and eighth blocks
| | |were met with between miles 50
| | |and 63. Upstream of mile 63,
| | |the character of the marsh
| | |changes. North of this point
| | |comparatively few open lagoons
| | |are to be seen, but from here,
| | |until Hellet-el-Nuer (mile
| | |139) is reached, these shallow
| | |lakes border the Bahr El Jebel
| | |in continuous lines. Some of
| | |them are of considerable area,
| | |as a reference to the map will
| | |show. They form nurseries for
| | |the growth of water plants,
| | |and are the chief cause of the
| | |blocks which form in the
| | |channel. Their depth rarely
| | |exceeds 3 feet. As the river
| | |is ascended, these lagoons
| | |increase in number and size.
| | |The channel often passes
| | |between two of these lakes,
| | |only separated from them by a
| | |belt of papyrus. In winter
| | |these lagoons are open spaces
| | |of water, but, with the advent
| | |of the rainy season (in the
| | |month of April), their
| | |surfaces become covered with
| | |detached masses of floating
| | |vegetation. Many of them are
| | |connected by a series of
| | |openings with the river, and
| | |their water level rises and
| | |falls with that of the latter.
| | |The loss of water, by
| | |evaporation, upon these
| | |shallow ponds, must be
| | |extremely great. It is
| | |difficult to say whether these
| | |lagoons are old courses of the
| | |Bahr El Jebel and long since
| | |filled up, or whether they are
| | |traces of the vast lake which,
| | |it is imagined, once covered
| | |this area. The latter
| | |supposition appears to be the
| | |more probable, as the channel
| | |of the river is so deep and so
| | |sharply defined that it
| | |appears hardly possible that
| | |it should have utterly
| | |disappeared. On the other
| | |hand, there is at least one
| | |instance where the river is
| | |actually in process of
| | |vanishing, _i.e._, between
| | |miles 143 and 165. In this
| | |reach the channel is filled
| | |with decomposed sudd to such
| | |an extent that it is difficult
| | |to trace it. It is reasonable
| | |to suppose that, unless
| | |cleared, it will, in course of
| | |time, disappear and be
| | |transformed into a series of
| | |“mayas” or lagoons. These
| | |“mayas” are constantly
| | |changing their shape. New
| | |channels burst into the river
| | |and others fill up and
| | |disappear.
| | |
Discharge | 10 | 92 |The average level of the
(1.4.01) 362 | | _148_ |marshes, in March and April,
c.m. per sec. | | |1901, was from 7 inches to 1
| | |foot above the river water
| | |surface. Between mile 65 and
| | |Hellet-el-Nuer, the width of
| | |the river is very variable; in
| | |many places it is only 60
| | |yards and in others as much as
| | |150 yards. The general average
| | |may be taken as from 75 to 80
| | |yards, and the mean velocity
| | |of the stream at 2 miles an
| | |hour, at low water. The depth
| | |ranges from 15 to 22 feet, but
| | |in places is as much as 28
| | |feet. The sudd blocks 9 to 14
| | |were met with between miles 65
| | |and 82. At block 14, what may
| | |be termed the first series of
| | |sudd obstruction ended, and
| | |with its removal, in April,
| | |1900, through navigation
| | |between Khartoum and Gondokoro
| | |was restored. The worst place
| | |in the river, in the way of
| | |giving trouble, was block No.
| | |10, at mile 67.
| | |
2 deleib | 16 | 108 |From this point land
palms. (W.) | | |approaches the river on both
| | |banks, that to the east being
3 deleib | 5 | 113 |less extensive.
palms. (E.) | | |
| | |
Trees | 12 | 125 |Trees 5 miles to east.
| | |
Hellet El Nuer | 14 | 139 |At mile 139 from Lake No,
| | _223_ |Hellet El Nuer (or Aliab Dok)
| | |is reached. It is rather a
| | |pretty landing-place with
| | |stretches of short turf; no
| | |huts or inhabitants. The
| | |latitude at this place is 8°
| | |4′ 36″ North, and at this
| | |point the high land touches
| | |the west bank of the Jebel and
| | |stretches in a broad expanse
| | |to the horizon. The bank here
| | |is 3 feet above the water, but
| | |the land rises at a short
| | |distance from the river. This
| | |plain is evidently never
| | |swamped, even in flood. It is
| | |covered with a growth of
| | |deleib palms, Euphorbia, and
| | |bush. It commences at mile
| | |131, and continues along the
| | |river as far as mile 144, with
| | |swampy intervals at the loops.
| | |
Captain Gage’s | — | — |At Hellet El Nuer itself, a
channel | | |branch of some size takes off
| | |the Bahr El Jebel. This
| | |channel is not shown upon any
| | |existing maps, and was first
| | |mentioned by Captain Gage, of
| | |the 7th Dragoon Guards, in his
| | |report upon his journey
| | |through the sudd in the winter
| | |of 1899-1900. It has a width
| | |of 70 yards, of which 10 yards
| | |on either side are filled by
| | |the swamp grasses. Its average
| | |depth, at low water, is 3
| | |feet, and its mean velocity is
| | |2 feet per second. Its
| | |discharge, as measured in
| | |March, 1901, was 21·74 cubic
| | |metres per second. Captain
| | |Gage’s channel leaves the Bahr
| | |El Jebel at a right angle, but
| | |some 500 yards down-stream it
| | |turns in a north-westerly
| | |direction. Captain Gage
| | |followed its course for some
| | |40 miles, but was then stopped
| | |by sudd. It seems not
| | |improbable that this channel
| | |forms a junction between the
| | |waters of the Bahr El Jebel
| | |and those of the River Naam,
| | |which discharges into the Bahr
| | |El Ghazal, through the Khor
| | |Deleib. A few miles down-
| | |stream its banks are lined by
| | |a succession of Nuer villages,
| | |and its width increases to 200
| | |yards. It must carry a large
| | |quantity of water when in
| | |flood. At other periods of the
| | |year (January) it appears to
| | |flow into, not out of, the
| | |Bahr El Jebel.
| | |
North end[36] of| 4 | 143 |Four miles further on the
false and true | | _230_ |channel widens into a small
channels and | | |lake, and from here[36] the
block 15 | | |true river is blocked by sudd
| | |for some 20 miles. This is
| | |termed block 15, and repeated
| | |efforts to clear it out
| | |(1901-02), owing to the total
| | |absence of current, resulted
| | |in failure. The expedition
| | |under Lieutenant Drury,
| | |1903-04, very nearly succeeded
| | |in clearing the whole of the
| | |true channel. Both Lieutenant
| | |Drury and Sir W. Garstin later
| | |passed right through this
| | |block in 1904, the only
| | |remaining piece near the
| | |southern end of the block
| | |being fairly easily navigable.
| | |The true channel is from 16 to
| | |20 feet deep, whilst the false
| | |channel to the west is only 4
| | |feet to 6 feet in depth. One
| | |of the Dervish steamers, with
| | |boats containing ivory, was
| | |sunk in this part of the
| | |river, and was discovered by
| | |the 1903-04 expedition. At
| | |present navigation of the
| | |false channel is attended with
| | |considerable difficulty, and
| | |the services of a competent
| | |pilot are indispensable. The
| | |river is separated into many
| | |branches, and these cross and
| | |recross one another, forming a
| | |bewildering labyrinth of
| | |islands. At the south end of
| | |the small lake before
| | |mentioned, channels converge
| | |from all points of the
| | |compass. These are separated
| | |by low flats, covered with
| | |dense growth of papyrus.
| | |
Series of lakes | 7 | 150 |After steaming for some 7 or 8
| | |miles through a wilderness of
South end of | 15 | 165 |papyrus, a series of lakes is
true and false | | _265_ |reached, at mile 150 from Lake
channels and of | | |No. Stiff current here. These
block 15 | | |lakes have a depth of about 4
| | |feet at the deepest point, but
Land approaches | 1 | 166 |shoal rapidly towards the
east edge of | | |shore. A feeble but distinct
channel | | |current passes through them to
| | |the north. Their breadth
North channel to| 21 | 187 |varies largely. Their shores
Bahr El Zeraf | | _301_ |are surrounded by high papyrus
| | |and their surfaces are dotted
Mouth of Yei (?)| 33 | 220 |by countless small sudd
| | |islands. There are, however,
North end old | 5 | 225 |indications on both sides that
false channel | | _362_ |the high land is not very far
| | |distant. It has already been
Ex block No. 16 | 18 | 243 |explained that the true
| | _391_ |channel, which lies to the
| | |east of these lakes, is said
„ „ 17 | 2 | 245 |to skirt the dry land. On the
| | _394_ |west a line of fair-sized
| | |trees at a distance of,
„ „ 18 | ½ | 245½ |perhaps, 2 miles, shows that
| | _395_ |the swamps in that direction
| | |also have a limit. A very
| | |noticeable feature of these
| | |expanses of water is their
| | |lifelessness. No birds are to
| | |be seen, and hippopotami
| | |appear to avoid them
| | |altogether. At mile 163 the
| | |lakes end, and a fresh network
| | |of branching streams confront
| | |the navigator. Here, again,
| | |very careful steering and
| | |knowledge of the passage to be
| | |followed is required. Each
| | |year these channels change.
| | |What is, in one season, the
| | |deepest channel, is, perhaps,
| | |the next year impassable. For
| | |some 5 miles the river is
| | |split up into many different
| | |branches, all winding through
| | |papyrus swamp. At mile 165 the
| | |true channel of the river is
| | |reached. The change is
| | |startlingly sudden, as the
| | |depth suddenly increases from
| | |4 to 21 feet. Instead of a
| | |twisting stream, the Bahr El
| | |Jebel again becomes a fine
| | |open river, some 80 to 90
| | |yards in width, bounded by a
| | |high fringe of papyrus on
| | |either side. The false channel
| | |leaves the river at an angle
| | |of nearly 90 degrees. In
| | |April, 1900, the junction was
| | |blocked by sudd, but this was
| | |light and easily removed.
| | |Large shallow lagoons extend
| | |on either bank, separated from
| | |the river by a belt of
| | |papyrus. The high land to the
| | |west ends about a mile from
| | |the river, and the swamp
| | |recommences. To the east a
| | |line of palms, perhaps, 6 or 7
| | |miles distant, not improbably
| | |indicates the banks of the
| | |Bahr El Zeraf. Above this
| | |point the Bahr El Jebel widens
| | |out for some distance. In
| | |places its breadth is as much
| | |as 200 yards, and its depth
| | |from 15 to 18 feet. The swamps
| | |continue as before. At mile
| | |166 the high land approaches
| | |the river on the east, and
| | |runs parallel to it for some 2
| | |miles. It is covered with bush
| | |and an occasional Euphorbia.
| | |At this point a khor joins the
| | |Nile on the west bank,
| | |bringing in a strong stream of
| | |water. Two villages (Nuer) are
| | |to be seen in the distance;
| | |these are probably Favor and
| | |Fatooah of the German map
| | |(Julius Perthes). The mean
| | |velocity now averages 1½ miles
| | |per hour. Between miles 175
| | |and 200 the high land and bush
| | |before mentioned touches the
| | |eastern bank at intervals. At
| | |mile 187 there is a break in
| | |this ridge, and two or three
| | |channels leave the Nile to the
| | |east. These are said by the
| | |natives to be the most
| | |northerly outlets of the Bahr
| | |El Zeraf. In 1900 a fine
| | |deleib palm stood on the
| | |water’s edge at this point.
| | |This formed a landmark that
| | |could be seen for miles. It
| | |has now, unfortunately, fallen
| | |into the river. At mile 220,
| | |and again at mile 223,
| | |channels come in from the west
| | |bringing water to the Jebel.
| | |These streams may possibly be
| | |the mouths of the River Rodi,
| | |or Yei, which is supposed to
| | |join the Nile somewhere in
| | |this locality. At mile 225 the
| | |false channel, which, previous
| | |to the clearance of blocks 16
| | |to 19, was the only navigable
| | |line, joins the river. This
| | |was the route followed by
| | |Major Peake and Lieut. Drury
| | |in 1900, in making the journey
| | |to the upper Nile. They found
| | |the passage very difficult.
| | |During the transit they bent
| | |their rudder twice, and went
| | |aground four times. From this
| | |point numerous channels join
| | |the Bahr El Jebel on both
| | |sides. Many islands, covered
| | |with ambach and papyrus,
| | |separate the stream into
| | |numerous branches, and the
| | |whole country is once more a
| | |waste of swamp. The Bahr El
| | |Jebel here is extremely narrow
| | |(25 to 30 yards), but is from
| | |18 to 22 feet deep. The false
| | |channel in appearance far more
| | |resembles the main river than
| | |does the true one.
| | |
South end of | 3½ | 249 |It is hard to imagine that
block No. 18 | | _401_ |this narrow, twisting stream
| | |can be the Nile. Its windings
| | |are worse than ever. A tree or
| | |a boat may be visible at a
| | |comparatively short distance
| | |ahead, and yet many miles of
| | |channel must be traversed
| | |before it is reached. The
| | |river here runs nearly due
| | |west, while the false channel
| | |follows an easterly course,
| | |passing through numerous
| | |shallow lakes, until it joins
| | |the main river again at mile
| | |249. At mile 240 the Jebel
| | |widens out again, and more
| | |resembles a river in
| | |appearance than it did. Its
| | |average breadth is from 50 to
| | |60 yards, and its depth is
| | |some 15 feet. Between this
| | |point and mile 248 occurred
| | |the four sudd obstructions,
| | |removed in February, 1901, by
| | |Lieut. Drury, R.N., and which
| | |were known as blocks Nos. 16,
| | |17, 18, and 19. At mile 249
Bahr El Zeraf | — | 249 |the Bahr El Zeraf takes off
| | _401_ |from the Nile, following the
| | |false channel for some
| | |distance, before branching off
| | |to the east. The width of this
| | |river at the head is about 30
| | |yards, and the outlet is
| | |surrounded by a sea of marsh.
| | |Just up-stream of this point
| | |there is a severe bend in the
| | |Nile, which might one day give
| | |trouble. As the steamer
| | |passes, decomposed sudd rises
| | |to the surface.
| | |
Shambe | 7 | 256 |The general character of the
| | _412_ |landscape now changes, as land
| | |and forest are visible to the
| | |west, and at mile 253 from
| | |Lake No, the Shambe lagoon or
| | |khor is reached. This is a
| | |large lake, some 3 to 5 miles
| | |in length, and more than 1½
| | |miles in breadth. Its depth
| | |averages 4½ feet. The post of
| | |Ghaba Shambe is situated in
| | |north latitude 7° 6′ 30″, on
| | |the west bank of its lagoon,
| | |at a distance of 1½ miles from
| | |the river. The land here is
| | |about 2 feet over the water,
| | |but rises as the forest is
| | |reached. It is a dreary-
| | |looking spot, consisting of a
| | |mud-brick house inside a mud
| | |parapet, and a nuzl, and a few
| | |“tukls” erected on the flat
| | |shore of the lake; garrison of
| | |25 men; a Dinka village lies
| | |not far off. Shambe is now the
| | |chief Nile post of the Bahr El
| | |Ghazal province, and from here
| | |proceeds the road inland to
| | |Rumbek (116 miles), &c. The
| | |river winds round the lake for
| | |some 8 miles, separated from
| | |it by a band of marsh, about
| | |600 yards broad. Large
| | |quantities of hippopotami. To
| | |the east the swamp stretches
| | |for a long way; at miles 255
| | |and 256 are two other outlets
| | |of the Zeraf River. The aspect
| | |of the landscape is extremely
| | |desolate, with papyrus-covered
| | |marshes stretching in all
| | |directions. The river itself
| | |alternates between long
| | |straight reaches or easy
| | |curves, and a series of sharp
| | |twists and bends, which form a
| | |regular maze through the
| | |swamps. The water surface is
| | |covered with masses of
| | |detached plants of the
| | |_Pistia_ (or sword grass)
| | |_stratiotes_. The mean
| | |velocity is 2 miles per hour;
| | |the average depth is 15 feet;
| | |and the average width from 50
| | |to 60 yards. For many miles
| | |the same dreary scenery
| | |prevails. The river recedes a
| | |long way from the western
| | |forest, and on both sides an
| | |expanse of reeds and water
| | |extends. The width of the
| | |swamped area here cannot be
| | |less than 30 miles.
| | |
Abu Kuka | 37 | 293 |At mile 293 Abu Kuka, north
| | _471_ |latitude 6° 54′, is reached.
| | |The papyrus swamp ceases just
| | |north of this point. Here the
| | |forest approaches the river,
| | |and the bank is dry. The thick
| | |bush comes down to the water
| | |edge, the trees being about
| | |1,500 yards away. The village
| | |of this name is inland, and is
| | |not visible from the river.
| | |
Kanisa | 11 | 304 |At miles 300 and 304, the old
| | _489_ |and new wooding stations of
| | |Kanisa are respectively
| | |situated on the west bank.
| | |Kanisa or “Heiligen Kreuz,”
| | |north latitude 6° 46′, is the
| | |site of the Austrian Mission
| | |which was located here for
| | |many years. The church and
| | |buildings were situated on the
| | |eastern bank, only a foot or
| | |two above the water, but their
| | |traces are no longer visible.
| | |A large fruit garden formerly
| | |existed on the west bank, but
| | |only two large shady trees are
| | |still alive. This Mission was
| | |abandoned in 1864 or 1865, on
| | |account of the deadly effects
| | |of the climate. The only
| | |inhabitants now are a few
| | |Dinka. The forest is very
| | |thick and consists of Sidr,
| | |other acacias, and a few
| | |Euphorbia. This forest is
| | |continuous as far as the banks
| | |of the Rohl, some 60 miles to
| | |the west.
| | |
| | |Immediately up-stream of
| | |Kanisa, the river wanders away
| | |into the swamps as before.
| | |From this point, to mile 343,
| | |there is little to describe.
| | |The banks on both sides are
| | |very flat and rarely more than
| | |2 feet above low water level.
| | |The papyrus now practically
| | |ends. Occasional clumps are to
| | |be seen, but nowhere in
| | |continuous masses. Tamarisk is
| | |common. The spills from the
| | |river into the marshes are
| | |very numerous, more
| | |particularly on the east bank.
| | |A line of trees on the eastern
| | |horizon, some 7 to 10 miles
| | |away, appears to mark the
| | |limits of the swamp. It is
| | |easy to see how the Bahr El
| | |Zeraf marshes are formed. At
| | |every few hundred yards the
| | |river spills into them. These
| | |spill channels are deeply cut,
| | |with vertical sides, as if dug
| | |by hand, and the amount of
| | |water discharged by them in
| | |flood must be very great. In
| | |size they vary considerably.
| | |Their average breadth is from
| | |3 to 5 yards, but some are as
| | |much as 16 yards wide. Between
| | |miles 303 and 379, 129 spills
| | |were counted, of which 97 were
| | |on the east bank. Probably
| | |many more escaped
| | |observation.[37]
| | |
Lake Powendael | 40 | 344 |At mile 344 the large lagoon,
| | _553_ |known as Lake Powendael,
| | |commences on the west. The
| | |river circuits this lake for 4
| | |or 5 miles, separated from it
| | |by a belt of swamp, varying in
| | |width from a few hundred to
| | |2,000 yards. Lake Powendael is
| | |in many places as much as
| | |3,000 yards in breadth, but is
| | |very shallow. Its surface is
| | |dotted with many small
| | |islands, and it is connected
| | |with the river by several
| | |inlets. Hippopotami are
| | |abundant in these parts. Both
| | |banks are now very low and
| | |flat, about 10 inches over the
| | |water. The reach of the river
| | |between Bor and Kanisa is
| | |unendurably desolate and
| | |monotonous, wandering through
| | |continual swamp for some 100
| | |miles. At mile 360 another
| | |large lake is met with, also
| | |on the west. This sheet of
| | |water must be quite 4 miles in
| | |breadth, and the river winds
| | |round it for a long distance
| | |in a series of very sharp
| | |curves. Many natives are to be
| | |seen fishing here.
| | |
| | |At mile 374 a welcome change
| | |appears, as a limit is at last
| | |visible to the eastern swamps,
| | |which are practically
| | |continuous from Lake No to
| | |this point. A line of villages
| | |(Dinka) stands 2 miles from
| | |the river, and behind them
| | |lies the forest. A little
| | |further up-stream these
| | |villages approach nearer,
| | |until at last, at mile 380
| | |from Lake No, the high land on
| | |the east comes down to the
| | |river.
| | |
Bor[38] | 40 | 384 |Bor, north latitude 6° 12′
| | _617_ |46″, is a collection of Dinka
| | |villages which stretch
| | |northwards (outside the swamp)
| | |almost to the Bahr El Zeraf.
| | |The forest here stands back
| | |from the river on the east
| | |bank, but the high bank comes
| | |close to the water, except
| | |where a large backwater or
| | |lagoon passes through it for
| | |some 2,000 yards. Gordon
| | |mentioned this place as an
| | |inconvenient wooding station,
| | |but it is very handy now. A
| | |few tall deleib palms stand
| | |out as land marks. The houses
| | |of Bor are neither large nor
| | |important, but like in all
| | |Dinka villages they are well-
| | |kept, neat, and clean. The
| | |huts are circular in shape.
| | |They are plastered with mud
| | |and have conical thatched
| | |roofs. Each has a small door
| | |through which the inmates
| | |crawl. The people show no
| | |signs of shyness and appear
| | |comfortable and contented.
| | |They possess large herds of
| | |cattle. At mile 384 the river
| | |runs close under the high
| | |bank, hugging it for some
| | |distance. The land here is
| | |from 6 to 8 feet over the
| | |water, and is, of course,
| | |never flooded. The forest
| | |consists of thick bush, with a
| | |few large trees; a distinctive
| | |feature is the thicket of
| | |small deleib palms which cover
| | |the ground. Not one in 500 of
| | |these young palms appears to
| | |develop into a tree, but they
| | |form an extremely dense
| | |undergrowth. The Bahr El Jebel
| | |is now a fine stream, 80 to 90
| | |yards wide, with a strong
| | |current. On the west the
| | |marshes stretch into space.
| | |The valley here must be quite
| | |20 miles across.
| | |
| | |South of Bor, the sudd,
| | |properly so-called,
| | |disappears. The marshes are
| | |formed of a deeper layer of
| | |sand, covered with a thin
| | |surface of clay, and with
| | |streaks of clay running
| | |through them. These swamps,
| | |except in the centre of the
| | |valley, are, as a rule, well
| | |over summer water-level, and
| | |the loss of water can be as
| | |nothing compared with that
| | |north of Bor. The vegetation,
| | |too, is of a different kind,
| | |being chiefly grass, and
| | |though dense enough, is not
| | |composed of those reeds which
| | |require to have their roots
| | |under water for a great
| | |portion of the year. At mile
Dervish Deim | 6 | 390 |390 the Dervish “Deim” is
| | _626_ |visible, situated on the east
| | |bank. This is the place held
| | |for so long by the Emir Arabi
| | |Dafaalla. The spot is well
| | |chosen for defence, as the
| | |river sweeps round it on two
| | |sides. The bank all round has
| | |been cleared of bush for a
| | |long way. The “Deim” is
| | |surrounded by a mud wall
| | |forming a rectangle, of which
| | |the river forms one side. The
| | |inclosure is some 400 yards
| | |deep by 700 yards in length.
| | |The mud bank, fast
| | |disappearing, is about 4 feet
| | |6 inches high, with an outer
| | |ditch 3 feet deep by 4 feet
| | |wide. At the corners are small
| | |watch towers, and in other
| | |places remains of loopholed
| | |houses. The Bahr El Jebel now,
| | |for many miles runs close to
| | |the east bank. It winds
| | |continually, and there are
| | |occasional loops of swamp, but
| | |as a whole it follows the high
| | |land closely.
| | |
Bor (military | 8 | 398 |Small military post, furnished
post) | | |from Mongalla. Formerly a wood
| | |station, now much cut up.
| | |Large numbers of elephants.
| | |This is to be the site of the
| | |Headquarters of the new
| | |Administrative District of
| | |Bor.
| | |
| | |In places the bank is
| | |perpendicular down to the
| | |water’s edge, and from 6 to 8
| | |feet high. At such points
| | |there is always great erosion.
| | |The scenery more resembles
| | |that of the Blue Nile than the
| | |White. The forest close to the
| | |river, the high banks, the
| | |profusion of creepers and
| | |undergrowth, the boils and
| | |eddies of the river along
| | |these curves, combine to form
| | |a picturesque scene, utterly
| | |different from that usually
| | |met with on the White Nile.
| | |About 22 miles south of the
| | |Deim the Dinka inhabitants are
| | |replaced by those of the Bari
| | |tribe. The difference is at
| | |once apparent. The “tukls” are
| | |untidy, crowded together, and
| | |badly built. The people seem
| | |poor and possess few cattle.
| | |They live chiefly by fishing;
| | |in April the whole population
| | |is engaged in preparing the
| | |land for cultivation, if the
| | |river allows, chiefly on the
| | |west bank. At mile 404 the
| | |river bifurcates, one channel
| | |branching off to the west,
| | |while the other, and the
| | |deeper, follows the eastern
| | |bank. These two channels
| | |reunite at mile 422. The width
| | |of the island between them is
| | |not very great, being rarely
| | |more than 800 to 1,000 yards.
| | |The west bank is now a flat
| | |grass plain, marked by swampy
| | |depressions. The river must
| | |top this in flood, but not to
| | |any depth, as the marks show
| | |that the total rise cannot
| | |exceed 4 feet. The west bank
| | |is inhabited by the Aliab
| | |tribe, a sort of cross between
| | |Baris and Dinkas, but they
| | |consider themselves quite
| | |distinct. The solitary mass
| | |known as Jebel Lado is now
| | |first visible on the south-
| | |west horizon. The river above
| | |the junction of the two
| | |channels averages 80 yards in
| | |width and 11 feet in depth.
| | |The bends and twists are
| | |never-ending, and there is
| | |hardly a straight reach in its
| | |whole length. The banks are
| | |very sandy, as are the flats
| | |which show up above the water.
| | |Occasional small islands
| | |separate the channel into two
| | |or more branches.
| | |
| | |There is now a decided ridge
| | |on either side of the main
| | |channel resembling that
| | |described in the White Nile.
| | |East and west of this ridge
| | |the level of the flats is
| | |lower, and in the depressions
| | |lagoons are formed and winding
| | |channels wander. The average
| | |width of the valley here
| | |cannot be more than from 5 to
| | |7 miles. On either bank the
| | |forest line marks the high
| | |ground. On the narrow ridges
| | |above described are located a
| | |few groups of Bari huts
| | |surrounded by fields of dura.
| | |The high ground does not
| | |average more than 100 to 200
| | |yards in width. At mile 431 a
Tree | 33 | 431 |magnificent tree used to be
disappeared[39] | | _694_ |situated on the eastern shore.
| | |It made a striking landmark,
| | |but disappeared in
| | |1902.[39] The forest rises
| | |rapidly from the water, and at
| | |its highest point is quite 20
| | |feet above summer level. One-
| | |and-a-half miles up stream,
| | |the river, which has followed
| | |the eastern bank for so long,
| | |now winds across in a westerly
| | |direction. In thus crossing
| | |the swamps, an excellent idea
| | |of the general section of the
| | |valley is obtained. In the
| | |centre the flats are, perhaps,
| | |2 feet above the water;
| | |towards the sides they rise to
| | |a height of 4 feet and
| | |sometimes 4 feet 6 inches. The
| | |lower portions are marked by a
| | |series of lagoons. These
| | |marshes are only, however,
| | |swamped when the river is in
| | |flood, and even then not to
| | |any great depth, as the total
| | |flood rise is not more than 4
| | |to 5 feet over summer level.
| | |The valley averages 8 to 10
| | |miles in width. The forest and
| | |thick bush extend to a long
| | |distance away from the river.
| | |Progress through this forest
| | |is only possible by means of
| | |the elephant tracks, which are
| | |very numerous. At mile 438 the
| | |channel again bifurcates, the
| | |two branches reuniting 5 miles
Pole west bank | 17 | 448 |up-stream. There are so many
(April, 1903) to| | _721_ |islands and so many side
mark 5° 30′. | | |channels, that it is almost,
| | |if not quite, impossible to
| | |find the whole stream
| | |contained in one single
| | |channel, and this is the case
| | |the whole way between Bor and
| | |Gondokoro. The river varies
| | |immensely in width. In places
| | |it is from 200 to 300 yards
| | |broad, and in others only 80
| | |to 90 yards. As the Bahr El
| | |Jebel is ascended the average
| | |depth decreases, and
| | |throughout the reach between
| | |Kiro and Lado is rarely more
| | |than from 6 to 9 feet. At mile
Western forest | 3 | 451 |451 the river touches the
| | _726_ |western forest edge, having
| | |traversed the marshes. The
| | |trees on this side are, as a
| | |rule, finer than those in the
| | |eastern forest. The bank, at
| | |the water’s edge, is from 3 to
| | |4 feet high, but rises rapidly
| | |to a height of 12 to 16 feet
Old Anglo- | 5 | 456 |above the water. At mile 456
Egyptian station| | _734_ |used to be an Anglo-Egyptian
of Kiro. | | |station, 1901 (west bank), now
| | |abandoned. The scenery here is
| | |very fine, and luxuriant
| | |tropical vegetation abounds.
| | |Giant Euphorbia are a marked
| | |feature of the landscape. The
| | |whole of the banks and most of
| | |the trees are covered with a
| | |velvety-looking mass of
| | |creepers. A bluff, 10 to 12
| | |feet high, juts out into the
| | |stream, but the action of the
| | |current is so strong that the
| | |friable soil is being rapidly
| | |eaten away. The face of this
| | |cliff is perforated by myriads
| | |of holes, made by a very
| | |beautiful and tiny species of
| | |bee-eater. These birds have
| | |rose-coloured wings with
| | |bronze-coloured bodies. They
| | |add much to the beauty of a
| | |lovely scene.
| | |
Kiro (Congo | 4 | 460 |At mile 400 from Lake No, the
F.S.) | | _740_ |station of Kiro, the most
| | |northerly in the Lado Enclave,
| | |is situated on the western
| | |bank. The latitude of Kiro is
| | |apparently between 5° 12′ and
| | |5° 13′ north. The erosion
| | |caused by the river here is
| | |very great, large masses of
| | |the sheer cliff, which is 15
| | |to 20 feet over the summer
| | |water-level, are constantly
| | |falling into the Nile. It
| | |seems probable that unless
| | |they take protective measures
| | |the Belgians will be forced to
| | |retire their houses some
| | |distance back from the water.
| | |Kiro is a picturesque-looking
| | |place. The huts are well laid
| | |out and neatly built. The
| | |cantonment is surrounded by a
| | |brick wall, with places for
| | |guns, parapet, and ditch. The
| | |Commandant’s house is a
| | |comfortable-looking structure,
| | |with a good thatched roof and
| | |a deep verandah. The forest
| | |surrounds the station. The
| | |garrison consisted in January,
| | |1903, of some sixty-five men.
| | |It possessed a small steamer
| | |(the “Van Kerckhoven,” called
| | |after the leader of the first
| | |Congo Expedition to the Nile,
| | |1889; the boat is clumsy and
| | |draws 4 feet of water; but
| | |having been brought in
| | |sections overland from the
| | |west coast she is entitled to
| | |respect), and several steel
| | |sailing boats. The negro
| | |soldiers differ largely in
| | |type from the inhabitants of
| | |the Nile valley. In figure
| | |they are short and squat, and
| | |some of them are much
| | |tattooed. They are recruited
| | |from the West Coast, and from
| | |the tribes in the Congo valley
| | |generally, and make excellent
| | |and very mobile soldiers. Upon
| | |an island opposite the station
| | |vegetables and paw-paw trees
| | |are grown. Beyond this there
| | |appears to be little
| | |cultivation. Kiro is extremely
| | |unhealthy in the rainy season.
| | |In two years the Belgians lost
| | |9 Europeans and 300 natives
| | |from fever. Black-water fever
| | |is not uncommon here, and
| | |guinea-worm is a prevalent
| | |complaint. One-and-a-half
| | |miles up-stream of Kiro two
| | |fair-sized lakes are enclosed
| | |by the western forest. These
| | |evidently receive the drainage
| | |of the high land from a
| | |considerable distance. On the
| | |east bank a khor, passable for
| | |small steamers, runs north-
| | |north-east, rejoining the
| | |river just north of Kiro. From
| | |here to mile 467 the river
| | |skirts the western bank.
| | |Everywhere severe action is
| | |taking place, and many trees
| | |have fallen into the water.
| | |Three miles on another large
| | |lake opens out in the forest.
| | |At one end of it the Lado
| | |mountain forms a background,
| | |making an imposing picture. At
| | |mile 468 another bifurcation
| | |occurs. The western branch
| | |follows the forest as far as
| | |Lado, but navigation in summer
| | |by this channel is difficult.
| | |The eastern branch crosses the
| | |marshes. There are several
| | |connections between the two
| | |channels. The river now
| | |averages from 250 to 300 yards
| | |in breadth. At mile 472 the
| | |eastern forest is again
| | |reached. Here there is a good
| | |wooding station, as the trees
| | |and high land come down close
| | |to the water’s edge.
| | |
Mongalla[40] | 14 | 474 |Most southerly post on the
| | _763_ |Nile of Sudan Government
| | |(occupied 1901), situated on
| | |east bank. Garrison two
| | |companies. A gunboat is always
| | |stationed here, in addition to
| | |which there is usually a
| | |steamer at the disposal of the
| | |Commandant for administrative
| | |purposes. About 200 tukls.
| | |Open grassy, sandy spot;
| | |fairly healthy; 5 to 8 feet
| | |above water. Plenty of trees
| | |and bush. The Bari are the
| | |inhabitants of the district,
| | |but are few in number; few
| | |supplies. Brick houses.
| | |Proceeding up-stream, the
| | |river divides, the main
| | |channel running through
| | |swamps, and the east channel
| | |skirting the villages of
Sheikh Lado’s | 2 | 476 |Sheikh Lado, Lowala, and
village, east | | _766_ |Yemba. The depth is rarely
bank | | |more than 9 feet, though there
| | |are occasional pools of 12 to
| | |16 feet in depth. Hippopotami
| | |used to be extremely numerous
| | |and particularly obtrusive,
| | |but seem lately to have
| | |disappeared. A few huts are to
| | |be seen, chiefly on the
| | |eastern shore. Most of these
| | |have been recently
| | |constructed, as many of the
| | |Bari have migrated from the
| | |west to the east bank of the
| | |river, and have settled on
| | |Sudan territory. At mile 477
| | |the river again leaves the
| | |east bank and crosses the
| | |swamps. The width of the
| | |valley now contracts to some 4
| | |miles. Such a labyrinth of
| | |streams winds through these
| | |grassy flats that, without an
| | |experienced pilot, navigation
| | |would be extremely difficult,
| | |more especially as the depth
| | |of water rapidly decreases. As
| | |it is, there are so many sand
| | |banks that it is difficult to
| | |proceed at night. At mile 494
| | |the west channel, mentioned as
| | |branching off at mile 468,
| | |rejoins the east branch, and
| | |half a mile up-stream the
| | |station of Lado is reached. At
| | |this point, with the exception
| | |of a moderate-sized inlet some
| | |3 miles down-stream of Lado,
| | |the river is confined in one
| | |single channel.
| | |
Lado | 19 | 495 |Capital of the Lado Enclave,
| | _796_ |taken on and rebuilt in 1898.
| | |Formerly an Egyptian post, and
| | |at one time head-quarters of
| | |Emin Pasha. Situated on the
| | |bank 10 to 14 feet above
| | |river. Very well selected
| | |position, protected on the
| | |north by a broad swift running
| | |khor and 2 forts, and on the
| | |south by an impassable morass;
| | |only land approach from the
| | |west commanded by a fort.
| | |Surrounded on three sides by a
| | |rectangular parapetted
| | |enclosure, about 400 by 200
| | |yards, one long face being
| | |open to the river. Garrison,
| | |about 15 white officers and
| | |500 men (1904). Enclosure
| | |contains about 20 good brick
| | |straw-thatched houses, and
| | |good tukls for the men. Road
| | |leads to Rejaf (broad) and
| | |thence to Yei, Ibembo and
| | |Mbima. Native track also to
| | |Kiro. Good bamboo and some gum
| | |about Jebel Lado. Forest close
| | |by. Few or no supplies. The
| | |neighbourhood of Lado is a
| | |desolate-looking spot, not
| | |nearly so picturesque as Kiro,
| | |but, on the other hand,
| | |healthier. A flat plain with
| | |bushes stretches from the
| | |river for about 2 miles. From
| | |here the forest commences, and
| | |gradually rises to the spurs
| | |of Jebel Lado, which is some
| | |12 miles from the station. The
| | |food for the troops has to be
| | |brought from a very long
| | |distance. In front of Lado is
| | |a low island, upon which
| | |vegetables, bananas, and
| | |castor-oil plants are grown.
| | |This island is 4 feet over
| | |low-water level at the south
| | |end, and was topped by the
| | |1903 flood. According to the
| | |Belgian officers, the flood
| | |water contains but little
| | |sediment beyond sand, and this
| | |statement is borne out by the
| | |deposit on the flats and
| | |banks. They further state that
| | |in flood the colour of the
| | |water scarcely changes at all.
| | |There appears to be no trade
| | |whatever, but a good deal of
| | |cultivation. The ivory
| | |collected here is small.
| | |India-rubber is apparently not
| | |found within any reasonable
| | |distance of the Nile. Owing to
| | |the two years’ drought and one
| | |year’s flood, the natives on
| | |the west bank of the river had
| | |no supplies. Lado possesses a
| | |fine herd of long-horned
| | |cattle for the use of the
| | |garrison. Fever is very
| | |prevalent during the rainy
| | |months, but does not appear to
| | |be of such a deadly type as at
| | |Kiro. In April, 1901, the
| | |rains had already commenced.
| | |According to M. Renier, the
| | |month of May in this region is
| | |one of abundant daily
| | |rainfall, but this is not
| | |always the case.
| | |
| | |Proceeding up-stream from
| | |Lado, the scenery improves.
| | |Eleven ranges of irregularly-
| | |shaped peaks are visible to
| | |the east and south-east. Most
| | |of them are covered with
| | |scrub, and round the bases the
| | |bamboo is said to grow in
| | |luxuriance. From the river
| | |bank up to these ranges
| | |extends a broad expanse of
| | |reeds and grass, bounded by a
| | |dark forest line. To the west
| | |the country rises rapidly in a
| | |series of ridges clothed with
| | |forest. The Bahr El Jebel now
| | |averages from 250 to 300 yards
| | |in width, and the depth ranges
| | |from 6 to 8 feet. Islands and
| | |side channels abound, and in
| | |flood time it must be
| | |difficult to say which is the
| | |main stream. The loss of water
| | |is comparatively small, as the
| | |grass flats are high. Numerous
| | |Bari villages on the east bank
| | |and on the islands, but few on
| | |the west bank. Further south,
| | |range upon range of hills show
| | |up in the distance, one beyond
| | |the other. These are not very
| | |high, but are of striking
| | |outline and form an agreeable
| | |change to the eye, after days
| | |passed in the dreary flatness
| | |of the Jebel marshes. The
| | |width of the valley is here
| | |about 5 miles from bank to
| | |bank. The Bari villages
| | |increase in number on the east
| | |bank as the river is ascended.
| | |Jebel Lado still dominates the
| | |western landscape, and Jebel
| | |Rejaf, a pyramidal and
| | |solitary peak, marks the point
| | |where the reefs and rapids
| | |begin. On approaching
| | |Gondokoro, navigation becomes
| | |more and more difficult as the
| | |water shoals rapidly, and the
| | |maze of channels and islands
| | |are perplexing and intricate;
| | |half a mile from Gondokoro are
| | |some bad shallows.
| | |
Gondokoro | 9 | 504 |At mile 504 from Lake No, the
| | _810_ |station of Gondokoro is
| | |reached. This place, on the
| | |east bank of the Bahr El
| | |Jebel, is the north frontier
| | |post of the Uganda
| | |Protectorate. Gordon gives the
| | |latitude of Gondokoro as 4°
| | |54′ 29″ north, and the
| | |longitude as 31° 43′ 46″ east.
| | |The altitudes given by
| | |different authorities vary so
| | |much that they are not worth
| | |recording. Gondokoro, although
| | |a healthy-looking station, has
| | |a deserted and scattered
| | |appearance. The buildings,
| | |mostly of bamboo and straw
| | |with brick houses for the
| | |European staff, contrast but
| | |poorly with those of the
| | |Belgians at Lado and Kiro; the
| | |station was occupied in 1899.
| | |The Collector’s house, or
| | |Residency, is situated about
| | |300 yards to the north of the
| | |garrison lines, and 130 yards
| | |from the river. It is built of
| | |burnt bricks, with a high
| | |thatched roof, on ground 16
| | |feet, or more, above the
| | |river, and surrounded by a
| | |thorn zeriba. This and the
| | |M.O.’s house are raised on
| | |brick arches from the ground
| | |and surrounded by gardens and
| | |cultivation. The thorn scrub
| | |approaches to within 1000
| | |yards of the houses. The
| | |station is situated on a high
| | |cliff, from 18 to 39 feet
| | |above the water. Much of this
| | |cliff has fallen in, and the
| | |foundations of the Austrian
| | |Mission Buildings, abandoned
| | |in 1858, are now on the
| | |extreme edge of the high bank.
| | |A few deleib palms and lime
| | |trees mark this bluff. The
| | |station extends over an area
| | |of about 1 by ½ mile. The new
| | |lines are built some 400 yards
| | |back from the river. The
| | |present huts which accommodate
| | |the small garrison are
| | |circular huts of mud and
| | |grass. There is also a police
| | |barracks containing about 25
| | |men. The remains of Baker’s
| | |old lines are still existing.
| | |He had here a garrison of
| | |1,500 men, but in his time the
| | |Bari was a powerful and
| | |warlike tribe. Gondokoro was,
| | |moreover, an important centre
| | |for the slave trade. Baker’s
| | |old lines consist of three
| | |rectangles, one within the
| | |other. The inner one is about
| | |300 by 400 yards; the second,
| | |500 by 800 yards; while the
| | |outer is, perhaps, 1,000 to
| | |1,200 yards square. Each of
| | |these rectangles is surrounded
| | |by a mud bank about 4 feet
| | |high, with an outer ditch 4
| | |feet deep by 6 feet broad at
| | |the top. There used to be
| | |plenty of trees, bananas, paw-
| | |paws, etc., and the station
| | |was, on the whole, a pretty
| | |one, but floods and white ants
| | |have now destroyed many of the
| | |trees. To the south and north
| | |of the station, and also 1¼
| | |miles to the east, are large
| | |marshes, which must tend to
| | |make the place unhealthy. At
| | |times wild elephants come
| | |close to the lines. Many Bari
| | |villages are located on the
| | |river near Gondokoro. All
| | |these are on the east side.
| | |The Bari appear to be better
| | |agriculturists than are either
| | |the Dinka, Nuer, or Shilluk.
| | |They cultivate dura, ground
| | |nuts, beans, and a little
| | |tobacco; also sweet potatoes,
| | |and manioc. A small market for
| | |local produce has been
| | |established, and Bari and
| | |Luluba keep it fairly well
| | |supplied; time, it is hoped,
| | |will bring an increase in
| | |population and cultivation.
| | |The castor-oil plant grows
| | |like a weed in this locality.
| | |The average maximum flood rise
| | |of the river here over summer
| | |level is not more than 4 feet.
| | |In the flood of 1878 it rose
| | |to a height of 7·2 feet on the
| | |gauge (Chelu). The general
| | |direction of the river here is
| | |north and south, so that
| | |Gondokoro is well situated
| | |with regard to the prevailing
| | |winds. The main channel,
| | |opposite the station, is about
| | |400 yards across, but is
| | |separated from the main land
| | |by a large island.
| | |
| | |(For description of the river
| | |to the Albert Nyanza, _vide_
| | |Appendix, Vol. II.)
----------------+-------------+-------+-------------------------------

RECAPITULATORY TABLE OF DISTANCES.

--------------------------+------------------+------------------
| Intermediate. | From Lake No.
+------+-----------+------+-----------
|Miles.|Kilometres.|Miles.|Kilometres.
--------------------------+------+-----------+------+-----------
Hellet el Nuer | 139 | 223 | 139 | 223
| | | |
False channel (22 miles) | 4 | 6 | 143 | 230
| | | |
Bahr el Zeraf (south end) | 106 | 170 | 249 | 401
| | | |
Shambe | 7 | 11 | 256 | 412
| | | |
Abu Kuka | 37 | 59 | 293 | 471
| | | |
Kanisa | 11 | 18 | 304 | 489
| | | |
Bor | 80 | 129 | 384 | 617
| | | |
Latitude 5° 30′ | 64 | 103 | 448 | 721
| | | |
Kiro | 12 | 19 | 460 | 740
| | | |
Mongalla | 14 | 22 | 474 | 763
| | | |
Lado | 21 | 34 | 495 | 796
| | | |
Gondokoro | 9 | 14 | 504 | 810
--------------------------+------+-----------+------+-----------

[Footnote 17: The flood discharge at Berber is 14,000 metres cube per second.]

[Footnote 18: For full record of the history of the exploration of the Nile _vide_ “The Nile Quest” by Sir H. Johnston.]

[Footnote 19: An endeavour is to be made during the winter of 1904-5 to explore the Bahr El Arab from its mouth.]

[Footnote 20: _I.e._, Meeting of the Rivers.]

[Footnote 21: According to some the change takes place at Lake No.]

[Footnote 22: The dates of its maximum levels upstream of the Sobat coincide with those of the Bahr El Jebel.]

[Footnote 23: The maximum is never reached until the late autumn, when the Blue Nile flood has passed away.]

[Footnote 24: Korti is 825 ft. above the level of the Mediterranean.]

[Footnote 25: A reconnaissance for a railway connecting Merowe with Abu Hamed was carried out in April and May, 1904, by Lieut. Newcombe, R.E. The amount of rock cutting necessary to lay the line near the river on the R.B. is said to be prohibitive, and the most feasible scheme seems to be to lay the line some distance inland and approach the river perhaps twice only between Abu Hamed and Merowe. The length of line would be roughly about 150 miles. It has been definitely decided to commence the construction of this line at an early date.]

[Footnote 26: Nowadays (1904) nuggers never make this journey.]

[Footnote 27: For practical purposes reference should be made to Capt. E. A. Stanton’s large scale sketches (I.D. Nubia District, 132) of 23rd August, 1897 (El Bana and Halfia), and 25th August, 1897 (Geridu Rapid). Letters refer to points thus marked on these sketches.]

[Footnote 28: A broad road or clearing has been made along both banks from Shendi to Berber. This is to be extended to Abu Hamed.]

[Footnote 29: For further details of this cataract see N.O. (1st edition, pp. 74-80; 2nd edition, pp. 78-83).]

[Footnote 30: The rainfall in 1903 was 67·9 mm. or 2·7 inches, of which 24·1 mm. fell in May and the remainder in July, August, and September. In 1904 the rainfall amounted to 21·4 mm. or about ¾ of an inch. _Vide_ also p. 12.]

[Footnote 31: The steps taken to exterminate mosquitoes here have proved so effectual that they are now practically extinct. The few stray ones imported by the steamers from the Upper Nile are soon marked down and their larvæ destroyed. For methods of destruction _vide_ “Report of Wellcome Research Laboratories—Gordon College—1904.”]

[Footnote 32: _i.e._, the point of junction of the Blue and White Niles opposite the South part of Omdurman. The distances are measured up the centre of the navigable channel, so they are not absolutely correct for the tracks on either bank. The (banks) itinerary given here does not always correspond accurately with the latest map, being sometimes based on road reports of previous dates.]

[Footnote 33: A Debba is a low mound, generally the site of an old or existing village.]

[Footnote 34: The native name for the late Fashoda.]

[Footnote 35: _I.e._, where the block formerly existed.]

[Footnote 36: At this point was the “Box” or “Sanduk,” on a pole, erected as a landmark and for letters.]

[Footnote 37: _Vide_ also page 144.]

[Footnote 38: For fuller description of Bor and its people _vide_ page 144.]

[Footnote 39: There is a large Gemmeiza tree, sheltering a rest house, with a wooding station, in this neighbourhood. Opinions are divided as to whether it is the original tree.]

[Footnote 40: For further description _vide_ p. 146.]

CHAPTER III.

NORTH-EASTERN SUDAN.

* * * * *

(Country bounded on the north by the Sudan-Egyptian frontier, on the west by the Nile from that frontier to the mouth of the Atbara, on the south by the Atbara and Abyssinian and Eritrean frontiers, and on the east by the Red Sea.)