Section 4.—Lake No to Gondokoro.
| Place. | Miles. Kilometres. | Description. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-mediate. | From 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 theBahr El Jebel between Lake No and Gondokoro, see Sir W.Garstin’s Report (Blue Book, Egypt, No. 2, 1901, price 3s.6d.), from which much of the following is taken; alsosee his Report of 1904 (price 17s.). |
| Ex block[35] No. 1 | 1 | 1 | The entrance to theBahr El Jebel is about 150 yards broad at the extreme east end ofLake No. The channel, turning suddenly to the south, is bounded oneither side by a dense perpendicular growth of rich green papyrusswamp, in which ambach trees, and um suf and convolvulusoccasionally appear. The papyrus reaches from 10 feet to 15 feetabove the surface of the water (Jan.). As the steamer proceeds inits winding course, the channel varies from 70 to 100 yards, whilstthe breadth of the papyrus strip varies from a few hundred yards toseveral miles. The solid ground (at its best only a few feet abovethe level of the water) on the far side of the papyrus graduallyrecedes, and the trees in the distance become more and more sparse,till at last they vanish altogether. Except in occasionalinstances, no dry land is to be seen throughout these swamps. Theirextent is unknown, but, more especially to the west of the river,it must be enormous. In all probability the greater portion of theregion lying between the Bahr El Jebel and Bahr El Ghazal and itstributaries is, in the rainy season, a vast marsh. To the easttheir area is more limited, as the country beyond the Bahr El Zerafgradually rises into alluvial plains, covered with dense grass, andintersected by numerous swamp lines. These plains, as a whole, areabove the level of the Nile when in flood. In the long island,lying within the loop formed by the Bahr El Zeraf with the mainstream, there undoubtedly exists a ridge of comparatively highland. Upon this a Nuer population has settled. Except by occasionalglimpses of trees, and, more rarely, of a village, it is impossibleto trace this ridge. Its limits are undetermined. It is surroundedon every side by a belt of almost impassable morass. The onlyevidence of human beings are the grass fires on the horizon, and,except for an occasional elephant, buck, or giraffe, visible in thefar distance from the top of the steamer, and a few water-birds,bee-eaters, wagtails, &c., animal life appears to have suddenlybecome extinct. At sunset, however, thousands of insects make theirappearance, but, with the exception of the mosquito, who is alwaysen évidence to a greater or lesser extent (worst fromApril to November (during the rains) and least from December toMarch—dry season—grass fires), they vanish after an hour ortwo. |
| „ „ 2 | 8 | 9 14 | |
| Discharge (14.4.00) 218·95 c.m. persec. | 1 | 10 16 | |
| Ex block No. 3 | 6 | 16 26 | |
| „ „ 4 | 21 | 37 59 | |
| „ „ 5 | 14 | 51 82 | |
| „ „ 6 | 4 | 55 88 | |
| „ „ 7 | 3 | 58 93 | |
| „ „ 8 | 6 | 63 101 | |
| „ „ 9 | 3 | 66 106 | |
| „ „ 10 | 1 | 67 108 | |
| Ex block No. 11 | 5 | 72 116 | The water of the BahrEl Jebel is dark-coloured, but contains little or no sediment. Thedepth of the main channel varies from 20 to 24 feet at low Nile. Asfar as mile 40, the ridge lying between the Zeraf and the Jebel isvisible on the eastern bank, at a distance varying from 500 to3,000 yards. Trees and a few palms appear to indicate the presenceof villages. From this point the ridge disappears and the swampsstretch to the horizon upon both sides of the river. The first fourof the sudd blocks, cleared by Major Peake’s party, occurred withinthis distance. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth blocks weremet with between miles 50 and 63. Upstream of mile 63, thecharacter of the marsh changes. North of this point comparativelyfew open lagoons are to be seen, but from here, untilHellet-el-Nuer (mile 139) is reached, these shallow lakes borderthe Bahr El Jebel in continuous lines. Some of them are ofconsiderable area, as a reference to the map will show. They formnurseries for the growth of water plants, and are the chief causeof the blocks which form in the channel. Their depth rarely exceeds3 feet. As the river is ascended, these lagoons increase in numberand size. The channel often passes between two of these lakes, onlyseparated from them by a belt of papyrus. In winter these lagoonsare open spaces of water, but, with the advent of the rainy season(in the month of April), their surfaces become covered withdetached masses of floating vegetation. Many of them are connectedby a series of openings with the river, and their water level risesand falls with that of the latter. The loss of water, byevaporation, upon these shallow ponds, must be extremely great. Itis difficult to say whether these lagoons are old courses of theBahr El Jebel and long since filled up, or whether they are tracesof the vast lake which, it is imagined, once covered this area. Thelatter supposition appears to be the more probable, as the channelof the river is so deep and so sharply defined that it appearshardly possible that it should have utterly disappeared. On theother hand, there is at least one instance where the river isactually in process of vanishing, i.e., between miles 143and 165. In this reach the channel is filled with decomposed suddto such an extent that it is difficult to trace it. It is reasonable to supposethat, unless cleared, it will, in course of time, disappear and betransformed into a series of “mayas” or lagoons. These “mayas” areconstantly changing their shape. New channels burst into the riverand others fill up and disappear. |
| „ „ 12 | 3 | 75 120 | |
| „ „ 13 | 4 | 79 127 | |
| „ „ 14 | 3 | 82 132 | |
| Discharge (1.4.01) 362 c.m. per sec. | 10 | 92 148 | The average level of the marshes, inMarch and April, 1901, was from 7 inches to 1 foot above the riverwater surface. Between mile 65 and Hellet-el-Nuer, the width of theriver is very variable; in many places it is only 60 yards and inothers as much as 150 yards. The general average may be taken asfrom 75 to 80 yards, and the mean velocity of the stream at 2 milesan hour, at low water. The depth ranges from 15 to 22 feet, but inplaces is as much as 28 feet. The sudd blocks 9 to 14 were met withbetween miles 65 and 82. At block 14, what may be termed the firstseries of sudd obstruction ended, and with its removal, in April,1900, through navigation between Khartoum and Gondokoro wasrestored. The worst place in the river, in the way of givingtrouble, was block No. 10, at mile 67. |
| 2 deleib palms. (W.) | 16 | 108 | From this point landapproaches the river on both banks, that to the east being lessextensive. |
| 3 deleib palms. (E.) | 5 | 113 | |
| Trees | 12 | 125 | Trees 5 miles to east. |
| Hellet El Nuer | 14 | 139 223 | At mile 139 from Lake No, Hellet El Nuer(or Aliab Dok) is reached. It is rather a pretty landing-place withstretches of short turf; no huts or inhabitants. The latitude atthis place is 8° 4′ 36″ North, and at this point the high landtouches the west bank of the Jebel and stretches in a broad expanseto the horizon. The bank here is 3 feet above the water, but theland rises at a short distance from the river. This plain isevidently never swamped, even in flood. It is covered with a growthof deleib palms, Euphorbia, and bush. It commences at mile 131, andcontinues along the river as far as mile 144, with swampy intervalsat the loops. |
| Captain Gage’s channel | — | — | At Hellet El Nuer itself, a branch ofsome size takes off the Bahr El Jebel. This channel is not shownupon any existing maps, and was first mentioned by Captain Gage, ofthe 7th Dragoon Guards, in his report upon his journey through thesudd in the winter of 1899-1900. It has a width of 70 yards, ofwhich 10 yards on either side are filled by the swamp grasses. Itsaverage depth, at low water, is 3 feet, and its mean velocity is 2feet per second. Its discharge, as measured in March, 1901, was21·74 cubic metres per second. Captain Gage’s channel leaves theBahr El Jebel at a right angle, but some 500 yards down-stream itturns in a north-westerly direction. Captain Gage followed itscourse for some 40 miles, but was then stopped by sudd. It seemsnot improbable that this channel forms a junction between thewaters of the Bahr El Jebel and those of the River Naam, whichdischarges into the Bahr El Ghazal, through the Khor Deleib. A fewmiles down-stream its banks are lined by a succession of Nuervillages, and its width increases to 200 yards. It must carry alarge quantity of water when in flood. At other periods of the year(January) it appears to flow into, not out of, the Bahr ElJebel. |
| North end[36] of false and true channelsand block 15 | 4 | 143 230 | Four miles further on the channel widensinto a small lake, and from here[36] the true river is blockedby sudd for some 20 miles. This is termed block 15, and repeatedefforts to clear it out (1901-02), owing to the total absence ofcurrent, resulted in failure. The expedition under LieutenantDrury, 1903-04, very nearly succeeded in clearing the whole of thetrue channel. Both Lieutenant Drury and Sir W. Garstin later passedright through this block in 1904, the only remaining piece near thesouthern end of the block being fairly easily navigable. The truechannel is from 16 to 20 feet deep, whilst the false channel to thewest is only 4 feet to 6 feet in depth. One of the Dervishsteamers, with boats containing ivory, was sunk in this part of theriver, and was discovered by the 1903-04 expedition. At presentnavigation of the false channel is attended with considerabledifficulty, and the services of a competent pilot areindispensable. The river is separated into many branches, and thesecross and recross one another, forming a bewildering labyrinth ofislands. At the south end of the small lake before mentioned,channels converge from all points of the compass. These areseparated by low flats, covered with dense growth of papyrus. |
| Series of lakes | 7 | 150 | After steaming forsome 7 or 8 miles through a wilderness of papyrus, a series oflakes is reached, at mile 150 from Lake No. Stiff current here.These lakes have a depth of about 4 feet at the deepest point, butshoal rapidly towards the shore. A feeble but distinct currentpasses through them to the north. Their breadth varies largely.Their shores are surrounded by high papyrus and their surfaces aredotted by countless small sudd islands. There are, however,indications on both sides that the high land is not very fardistant. It has already been explained that the true channel, whichlies to the east of these lakes, is said to skirt the dry land. On the west aline of fair-sized trees at a distance of, perhaps, 2 miles, showsthat the swamps in that direction also have a limit. A verynoticeable feature of these expanses of water is theirlifelessness. No birds are to be seen, and hippopotami appear toavoid them altogether. At mile 163 the lakes end, and a freshnetwork of branching streams confront the navigator. Here, again,very careful steering and knowledge of the passage to be followedis required. Each year these channels change. What is, in oneseason, the deepest channel, is, perhaps, the next year impassable.For some 5 miles the river is split up into many differentbranches, all winding through papyrus swamp. At mile 165 the truechannel of the river is reached. The change is startlingly sudden,as the depth suddenly increases from 4 to 21 feet. Instead of atwisting stream, the Bahr El Jebel again becomes a fine open river,some 80 to 90 yards in width, bounded by a high fringe of papyruson either side. The false channel leaves the river at an angle ofnearly 90 degrees. In April, 1900, the junction was blocked bysudd, but this was light and easily removed. Large shallow lagoonsextend on either bank, separated from the river by a belt ofpapyrus. The high land to the west ends about a mile from theriver, and the swamp recommences. To the east a line of palms,perhaps, 6 or 7 miles distant, not improbably indicates the banksof the Bahr El Zeraf. Above this point the Bahr El Jebel widens outfor 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. Atmile 166 the high land approaches the river on the east, and runsparallel to it for some 2 miles. It is covered with bush and anoccasional Euphorbia. At this point a khor joins the Nile on thewest bank, bringing in a strong stream of water. Two villages(Nuer) are to be seen in the distance; these are probably Favor andFatooah of the German map (Julius Perthes). The mean velocity nowaverages 1½ miles per hour. Between miles 175 and 200 the high landand bush before mentioned touches the eastern bank at intervals. Atmile 187 there is a break in this ridge, and two or three channelsleave the Nile to the east. These are said by the natives to be themost northerly outlets of the Bahr El Zeraf. In 1900 a fine deleibpalm stood on the water’s edge at this point. This formed alandmark that could be seen for miles. It has now, unfortunately,fallen into the river. At mile 220, and again at mile 223, channelscome in from the west bringing water to the Jebel. These streamsmay possibly be the mouths of the River Rodi, or Yei, which issupposed to join the Nile somewhere in this locality. At mile 225the false channel, which, previous to the clearance of blocks 16 to19, was the only navigable line, joins the river. This was theroute followed by Major Peake and Lieut. Drury in 1900, in makingthe journey to the upper Nile. They found the passage verydifficult. During the transit they bent their rudder twice, andwent aground four times. From this point numerous channels join theBahr El Jebel on both sides. Many islands, covered with ambach andpapyrus, separate the stream into numerous branches, and the wholecountry is once more a waste of swamp. The Bahr El Jebel here isextremely narrow (25 to 30 yards), but is from 18 to 22 feet deep.The false channel in appearance far more resembles the main riverthan does the true one. |
| South end of true and false channels andof block 15 | 15 | 165 265 | |
| Land approaches east edge of channel | 1 | 166 | |
| North channel to Bahr El Zeraf | 21 | 187 301 | |
| Mouth of Yei (?) | 33 | 220 | |
| North end old false channel | 5 | 225 362 | |
| Ex block No. 16 | 18 | 243 391 | |
| „ „ 17 | 2 | 245 394 | |
| „ „ 18 | ½ | 245½ 395 | |
| South end of block No. 18 | 3½ | 249 401 | It is hard to imaginethat this narrow, twisting stream can be the Nile. Its windings areworse than ever. A tree or a boat may be visible at a comparativelyshort distance ahead, and yet many miles of channel must betraversed before it is reached. The river here runs nearly duewest, while the false channel follows an easterly course, passingthrough numerous shallow lakes, until it joins the main river againat mile 249. At mile 240 the Jebel widens out again, and moreresembles a river in appearance than it did. Its average breadth isfrom 50 to 60 yards, and its depth is some 15 feet. Between thispoint and mile 248 occurred the four sudd obstructions, removed inFebruary, 1901, by Lieut. Drury, R.N., and which were known asblocks Nos. 16, 17, 18, and 19. At mile 249 the Bahr El Zeraf takesoff from the Nile, following the false channel for some distance,before branching off to the east. The width of this river at thehead is about 30 yards, and the outlet is surrounded by a sea ofmarsh. Just up-stream of this point there is a severe bend in theNile, which might one day give trouble. As the steamer passes,decomposed sudd rises to the surface. |
| Bahr El Zeraf | — | 249 401 | |
| Shambe | 7 | 256 412 | The general character of the landscapenow changes, as land and forest are visible to the west, and atmile 253 from Lake No, the Shambe lagoon or khor is reached. Thisis a large lake, some 3 to 5 miles in length, and more than 1½miles in breadth. Its depth averages 4½ feet. The post of GhabaShambe is situated in north latitude 7° 6′ 30″, on the west bank ofits lagoon, at a distance of 1½ miles from the river. The land hereis 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 insidea mud parapet, and a nuzl, and a few “tukls” erected on the flatshore of the lake; garrison of 25 men; a Dinka village lies not faroff. Shambe is nowthe chief Nile post of the Bahr El Ghazal province, and from hereproceeds the road inland to Rumbek (116 miles), &c. The riverwinds round the lake for some 8 miles, separated from it by a bandof marsh, about 600 yards broad. Large quantities of hippopotami.To the east the swamp stretches for a long way; at miles 255 and256 are two other outlets of the Zeraf River. The aspect of thelandscape is extremely desolate, with papyrus-covered marshesstretching in all directions. The river itself alternates betweenlong straight reaches or easy curves, and a series of sharp twistsand bends, which form a regular maze through the swamps. The watersurface is covered with masses of detached plants of thePistia (or sword grass) stratiotes. The mean velocityis 2 miles per hour; the average depth is 15 feet; and the averagewidth from 50 to 60 yards. For many miles the same dreary sceneryprevails. The river recedes a long way from the western forest, andon both sides an expanse of reeds and water extends. The width ofthe swamped area here cannot be less than 30 miles. |
| Abu Kuka | 37 | 293 471 | At mile 293 Abu Kuka, north 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. Thethick bush comes down to the water edge, the trees being about1,500 yards away. The village of this name is inland, and is notvisible from the river. |
| Kanisa | 11 | 304 489 | At miles 300 and 304, the old and newwooding stations of Kanisa are respectively situated on the westbank. Kanisa or “Heiligen Kreuz,” north latitude 6° 46′, is thesite of the Austrian Mission which was located here for many years.The church and buildings were situated on the eastern bank, only afoot or two above the water, but their traces are no longervisible. A large fruit garden formerly existed on the west bank,but only two large shady trees are still alive. This Mission wasabandoned in 1864 or 1865, on account of the deadly effects of theclimate. The only inhabitants now are a few Dinka. The forest isvery thick and consists of Sidr, other acacias, and a fewEuphorbia. This forest is continuous as far as the banks of theRohl, some 60 miles to the west. |
| Immediately up-stream of Kanisa, theriver wanders away into the swamps as before. From this point, tomile 343, there is little to describe. The banks on both sides arevery flat and rarely more than 2 feet above low water level. Thepapyrus now practically ends. Occasional clumps are to be seen, butnowhere in continuous masses. Tamarisk is common. The spills fromthe river into the marshes are very numerous, more particularly onthe east bank. A line of trees on the eastern horizon, some 7 to 10miles away, appears to mark the limits of the swamp. It is easy tosee how the Bahr El Zeraf marshes are formed. At every few hundredyards the river spills into them. These spill channels are deeplycut, with vertical sides, as if dug by hand, and the amount ofwater discharged by them in flood must be very great. In size theyvary considerably. Their average breadth is from 3 to 5 yards, butsome are as much as 16 yards wide. Between miles 303 and 379, 129spills were counted, of which 97 were on the east bank. Probablymany more escaped observation.[37] | |||
| Lake Powendael | 40 | 344 553 | At mile 344 the large lagoon, known asLake Powendael, commences on the west. The river circuits this lakefor 4 or 5 miles, separated from it by a belt of swamp, varying inwidth from a few hundred to 2,000 yards. Lake Powendael is in manyplaces as much as 3,000 yards in breadth, but is very shallow. Itssurface is dotted with many small islands, and it is connected withthe river by several inlets. Hippopotami are abundant in theseparts. Both banks are now very low and flat, about 10 inches overthe water. The reach of the river between Bor and Kanisa isunendurably desolate and monotonous, wandering through continualswamp for some 100 miles. At mile 360 another large lake is metwith, also on the west. This sheet of water must be quite 4 milesin breadth, and the river winds round it for a long distance in aseries of very sharp curves. Many natives are to be seen fishinghere. |
| At mile 374 a welcome change appears, asa limit is at last visible to the eastern swamps, which arepractically continuous from Lake No to this point. A line ofvillages (Dinka) stands 2 miles from the river, and behind themlies the forest. A little further up-stream these villages approachnearer, until at last, at mile 380 from Lake No, the high land onthe east comes down to the river. | |||
| Bor[38] | 40 | 384 617 | Bor, north latitude 6° 12′ 46″, is acollection of Dinka villages which stretch northwards (outside theswamp) almost to the Bahr El Zeraf. The forest here stands backfrom the river on the east bank, but the high bank comes close tothe water, except where a large backwater or lagoon passes throughit for some 2,000 yards. Gordon mentioned this place as aninconvenient wooding station, but it is very handy now. A few talldeleib palms stand out as land marks. The houses of Bor are neitherlarge nor important, but like in all Dinka villages they arewell-kept, neat, and clean. The huts are circular in shape. Theyare plastered with mud and have conical thatched roofs. Each has asmall door throughwhich the inmates crawl. The people show no signs of shyness andappear comfortable and contented. They possess large herds ofcattle. At mile 384 the river runs close under the high bank,hugging it for some distance. The land here is from 6 to 8 feetover the water, and is, of course, never flooded. The forestconsists of thick bush, with a few large trees; a distinctivefeature is the thicket of small deleib palms which cover theground. Not one in 500 of these young palms appears to develop intoa tree, but they form an extremely dense undergrowth. The Bahr ElJebel is now a fine stream, 80 to 90 yards wide, with a strongcurrent. On the west the marshes stretch into space. The valleyhere must be quite 20 miles across. |
| Dervish Deim | 6 | 390 626 | South of Bor, the sudd, properlyso-called, disappears. The marshes are formed of a deeper layer ofsand, covered with a thin surface of clay, and with streaks of clayrunning through them. These swamps, except in the centre of thevalley, are, as a rule, well over summer water-level, and the lossof water can be as nothing compared with that north of Bor. Thevegetation, too, is of a different kind, being chiefly grass, andthough dense enough, is not composed of those reeds which requireto have their roots under water for a great portion of the year. Atmile 390 the Dervish “Deim” is visible, situated on the east bank.This is the place held for so long by the Emir Arabi Dafaalla. Thespot is well chosen for defence, as the river sweeps round it ontwo sides. The bank all round has been cleared of bush for a longway. The “Deim” is surrounded by a mud wall forming a rectangle, ofwhich the river forms one side. The inclosure is some 400 yardsdeep by 700 yards in length. The mud bank, fast disappearing, isabout 4 feet 6 inches high, with an outer ditch 3 feet deep by 4feet wide. At the corners are small watch towers, and in otherplaces remains of loopholed houses. The Bahr El Jebel now, for manymiles runs close to the east bank. It winds continually, and thereare occasional loops of swamp, but as a whole it follows the highland closely. |
| Bor (military post) | 8 | 398 | Small military post, furnished fromMongalla. Formerly a wood station, now much cut up. Large numbersof elephants. This is to be the site of the Headquarters of the newAdministrative District of Bor. |
| In places the bank is perpendicular downto the water’s edge, and from 6 to 8 feet high. At such pointsthere is always great erosion. The scenery more resembles that ofthe Blue Nile than the White. The forest close to the river, thehigh banks, the profusion of creepers and undergrowth, the boilsand eddies of the river along these curves, combine to form apicturesque scene, utterly different from that usually met with onthe White Nile. About 22 miles south of the Deim the Dinkainhabitants are replaced by those of the Bari tribe. The differenceis at once apparent. The “tukls” are untidy, crowded together, andbadly built. The people seem poor and possess few cattle. They livechiefly by fishing; in April the whole population is engaged inpreparing the land for cultivation, if the river allows, chiefly onthe west bank. At mile 404 the river bifurcates, one channelbranching off to the west, while the other, and the deeper, followsthe eastern bank. These two channels reunite at mile 422. The widthof the island between them is not very great, being rarely morethan 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, butnot to any depth, as the marks show that the total rise cannotexceed 4 feet. The west bank is inhabited by the Aliab tribe, asort of cross between Baris and Dinkas, but they considerthemselves quite distinct. The solitary mass known as Jebel Lado isnow first visible on the south-west horizon. The river above thejunction of the two channels averages 80 yards in width and 11 feetin depth. The bends and twists are never-ending, and there ishardly a straight reach in its whole length. The banks are verysandy, as are the flats which show up above the water. Occasionalsmall islands separate the channel into two or more branches. | |||
| Tree disappeared[39] | 33 | 431 694 | There is now adecided ridge on either side of the main channel resembling thatdescribed in the White Nile. East and west of this ridge the levelof the flats is lower, and in the depressions lagoons are formedand winding channels wander. The average width of the valley herecannot be more than from 5 to 7 miles. On either bank the forestline marks the high ground. On the narrow ridges above describedare located a few groups of Bari huts surrounded by fields of dura.The high ground does not average more than 100 to 200 yards inwidth. At mile 431 a magnificent tree used to be situated on theeastern shore. It made a striking landmark, but disappeared in1902.[39] The forest rises rapidly from the water, and atits highest point is quite 20 feet above summer level.One-and-a-half miles up stream, the river, which has followed theeastern bank for so long, now winds across in a westerly direction. In thuscrossing the swamps, an excellent idea of the general section ofthe valley is obtained. In the centre the flats are, perhaps, 2feet above the water; towards the sides they rise to a height of 4feet and sometimes 4 feet 6 inches. The lower portions are markedby a series of lagoons. These marshes are only, however, swampedwhen 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 summerlevel. The valley averages 8 to 10 miles in width. The forest andthick bush extend to a long distance away from the river. Progressthrough this forest is only possible by means of the elephanttracks, which are very numerous. At mile 438 the channel againbifurcates, the two branches reuniting 5 miles up-stream. There areso many islands and so many side channels, that it is almost, ifnot quite, impossible to find the whole stream contained in onesingle channel, and this is the case the whole way between Bor andGondokoro. The river varies immensely in width. In places it isfrom 200 to 300 yards broad, and in others only 80 to 90 yards. Asthe Bahr El Jebel is ascended the average depth decreases, andthroughout the reach between Kiro and Lado is rarely more than from6 to 9 feet. At mile 451 the river touches the western forest edge,having traversed the marshes. The trees on this side are, as arule, finer than those in the eastern forest. The bank, at thewater’s edge, is from 3 to 4 feet high, but rises rapidly to aheight of 12 to 16 feet above the water. At mile 456 used to be anAnglo-Egyptian station, 1901 (west bank), now abandoned. Thescenery here is very fine, and luxuriant tropical vegetationabounds. Giant Euphorbia are a marked feature of the landscape. Thewhole of the banks and most of the trees are covered with avelvety-looking mass of creepers. A bluff, 10 to 12 feet high, jutsout into the stream, but the action of the current is so strongthat the friable soil is being rapidly eaten away. The face of thiscliff is perforated by myriads of holes, made by a very beautifuland tiny species of bee-eater. These birds have rose-coloured wingswith bronze-coloured bodies. They add much to the beauty of alovely scene. |
| Pole west bank (April, 1903) to mark 5°30′. | 17 | 448 721 | |
| Western forest | 3 | 451 726 | |
| Old Anglo-Egyptian station of Kiro. | 5 | 456 734 | |
| ([Illustrations]) | |||
| Kiro (Congo F.S.) | 4 | 460 740 | At mile 400 from Lake No, the station ofKiro, the most northerly in the Lado Enclave, is situated on thewestern bank. The latitude of Kiro is apparently between 5° 12′ and5° 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 thesummer water-level, are constantly falling into the Nile. It seemsprobable that unless they take protective measures the Belgianswill be forced to retire their houses some distance back from thewater. Kiro is a picturesque-looking place. The huts are well laidout and neatly built. The cantonment is surrounded by a brick wall,with places for guns, parapet, and ditch. The Commandant’s house isa comfortable-looking structure, with a good thatched roof and adeep verandah. The forest surrounds the station. The garrisonconsisted in January, 1903, of some sixty-five men. It possessed asmall steamer (the “Van Kerckhoven,” called after the leader of thefirst Congo Expedition to the Nile, 1889; the boat is clumsy anddraws 4 feet of water; but having been brought in sections overlandfrom the west coast she is entitled to respect), and several steelsailing boats. The negro soldiers differ largely in type from theinhabitants of the Nile valley. In figure they are short and squat,and some of them are much tattooed. They are recruited from theWest Coast, and from the tribes in the Congo valley generally, andmake excellent and very mobile soldiers. Upon an island oppositethe station vegetables and paw-paw trees are grown. Beyond thisthere appears to be little cultivation. Kiro is extremely unhealthyin the rainy season. In two years the Belgians lost 9 Europeans and300 natives from fever. Black-water fever is not uncommon here, andguinea-worm is a prevalent complaint. One-and-a-half milesup-stream of Kiro two fair-sized lakes are enclosed by the westernforest. These evidently receive the drainage of the high land froma considerable distance. On the east bank a khor, passable forsmall steamers, runs north-north-east, rejoining the river justnorth of Kiro. From here to mile 467 the river skirts the westernbank. Everywhere severe action is taking place, and many trees havefallen into the water. Three miles on another large lake opens outin the forest. At one end of it the Lado mountain forms abackground, making an imposing picture. At mile 468 anotherbifurcation occurs. The western branch follows the forest as far asLado, but navigation in summer by this channel is difficult. Theeastern branch crosses the marshes. There are several connectionsbetween the two channels. The river now averages from 250 to 300yards in breadth. At mile 472 the eastern forest is again reached.Here there is a good wooding station, as the trees and high landcome down close to the water’s edge. |
| Mongalla[40] | 14 | 474 763 | Most southerly poston the Nile of Sudan Government (occupied 1901), situated on eastbank. Garrison two companies. A gunboat is always stationed here,in addition to which there is usually a steamer at the disposal ofthe 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 innumber; few supplies. Brick houses. Proceeding up-stream, the riverdivides, the main channel running through swamps, and the eastchannel skirting the villages of Sheikh Lado, Lowala, and Yemba.The depth is rarely more than 9 feet, though there are occasionalpools of 12 to 16 feet in depth. Hippopotami used to be extremelynumerous and particularly obtrusive, but seem lately to havedisappeared. A few huts are to be seen, chiefly on the easternshore. Most of these have been recently constructed, as many of theBari have migrated from the west to the east bank of the river, andhave settled on Sudan territory. At mile 477 the river again leavesthe east bank and crosses the swamps. The width of the valley nowcontracts to some 4 miles. Such a labyrinth of streams windsthrough these grassy flats that, without an experienced pilot,navigation would be extremely difficult, more especially as thedepth of water rapidly decreases. As it is, there are so many sandbanks that it is difficult to proceed at night. At mile 494 thewest channel, mentioned as branching off at mile 468, rejoins theeast branch, and half a mile up-stream the station of Lado isreached. At this point, with the exception of a moderate-sizedinlet some 3 miles down-stream of Lado, the river is confined inone single channel. |
| Sheikh Lado’s village, east bank | 2 | 476 766 | |
| Lado | 19 | 495 796 | Capital of the Lado Enclave, taken on andrebuilt in 1898. Formerly an Egyptian post, and at one timehead-quarters of Emin Pasha. Situated on the bank 10 to 14 feetabove river. Very well selected position, protected on the north bya broad swift running khor and 2 forts, and on the south by animpassable morass; only land approach from the west commanded by afort. Surrounded on three sides by a rectangular parapettedenclosure, about 400 by 200 yards, one long face being open to theriver. Garrison, about 15 white officers and 500 men (1904).Enclosure contains about 20 good brick straw-thatched houses, andgood tukls for the men. Road leads to Rejaf (broad) and thence toYei, Ibembo and Mbima. Native track also to Kiro. Good bamboo andsome gum about Jebel Lado. Forest close by. Few or no supplies. Theneighbourhood of Lado is a desolate-looking spot, not nearly sopicturesque as Kiro, but, on the other hand, healthier. A flatplain with bushes stretches from the river for about 2 miles. Fromhere the forest commences, and gradually rises to the spurs ofJebel Lado, which is some 12 miles from the station. The food forthe troops has to be brought from a very long distance. In front ofLado is a low island, upon which vegetables, bananas, andcastor-oil plants are grown. This island is 4 feet over low-waterlevel at the south end, and was topped by the 1903 flood. Accordingto the Belgian officers, the flood water contains but littlesediment beyond sand, and this statement is borne out by thedeposit on the flats and banks. They further state that in floodthe colour of the water scarcely changes at all. There appears tobe no trade whatever, but a good deal of cultivation. The ivorycollected here is small. India-rubber is apparently not foundwithin any reasonable distance of the Nile. Owing to the two years’drought and one year’s flood, the natives on the west bank of theriver had no supplies. Lado possesses a fine herd of long-hornedcattle for the use of the garrison. Fever is very prevalent duringthe rainy months, but does not appear to be of such a deadly typeas at Kiro. In April, 1901, the rains had already commenced.According to M. Renier, the month of May in this region is one ofabundant daily rainfall, but this is not always the case. |
| Proceeding up-stream from Lado, thescenery improves. Eleven ranges of irregularly-shaped peaks arevisible to the east and south-east. Most of them are covered withscrub, and round the bases the bamboo is said to grow inluxuriance. From the river bank up to these ranges extends a broadexpanse of reeds and grass, bounded by a dark forest line. To thewest the country rises rapidly in a series of ridges clothed withforest. The Bahr El Jebel now averages from 250 to 300 yards inwidth, and the depth ranges from 6 to 8 feet. Islands and sidechannels abound, and in flood time it must be difficult to saywhich is the main stream. The loss of water is comparatively small,as the grass flats are high. Numerous Bari villages on the eastbank and on the islands, but few on the west bank. Further south,range upon range of hills show up in the distance, one beyond theother. These are not very high, but are of striking outline andform an agreeable change to the eye, after days passed in thedreary flatness of the Jebel marshes. The width of the valley ishere about 5 miles from bank to bank. The Bari villages increase innumber on the east bank as the river is ascended. Jebel Lado stilldominates the western landscape, and Jebel Rejaf, a pyramidal andsolitary peak, marks the point where the reefs and rapids begin. Onapproaching Gondokoro, navigation becomes more and more difficultas the water shoals rapidly, and the maze of channels and islandsare perplexing and intricate; half a mile from Gondokoro are somebad shallows. | |||
| Gondokoro | 9 | 504 810 | At mile 504 from Lake No, the station ofGondokoro is reached. This place, on the east bank of the Bahr ElJebel, is the north frontier post of the Uganda Protectorate.Gordon gives the latitude of Gondokoro as 4° 54′ 29″ north, and thelongitude as 31° 43′ 46″ east. The altitudes given by differentauthorities vary so much that they are not worth recording.Gondokoro, although a healthy-looking station, has a deserted andscattered appearance. The buildings, mostly of bamboo and strawwith brick houses for the European staff, contrast but poorly withthose of the Belgians at Lado and Kiro; the station was occupied in1899. The Collector’s house, or Residency, is situated about 300yards to the north of the garrison lines, and 130 yards from theriver. It is built of burnt bricks, with a high thatched roof, onground 16 feet, or more, above the river, and surrounded by a thornzeriba. This and the M.O.’s house are raised on brick arches fromthe ground and surrounded by gardens and cultivation. The thornscrub approaches to within 1000 yards of the houses. The station issituated on a high cliff, from 18 to 39 feet above the water. Muchof this cliff has fallen in, and the foundations of the AustrianMission Buildings, abandoned in 1858, are now on the extreme edgeof the high bank. A few deleib palms and lime trees mark thisbluff. The station extends over an area of about 1 by ½ mile. Thenew lines are built some 400 yards back from the river. The presenthuts which accommodate the small garrison are circular huts of mudand grass. There is also a police barracks containing about 25 men.The remains of Baker’s old lines are still existing. He had here agarrison of 1,500 men, but in his time the Bari was a powerful andwarlike tribe. Gondokoro was, moreover, an important centre for theslave trade. Baker’s old lines consist of three rectangles, onewithin the other. The inner one is about 300 by 400 yards; thesecond, 500 by 800 yards; while the outer is, perhaps, 1,000 to1,200 yards square. Each of these rectangles is surrounded by a mudbank about 4 feet high, with an outer ditch 4 feet deep by 6 feetbroad 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. Tothe south and north of the station, and also 1¼ miles to the east,are large marshes, which must tend to make the place unhealthy. Attimes wild elephants come close to the lines. Many Bari villagesare located on the river near Gondokoro. All these are on the eastside. The Bari appear to be better agriculturists than are eitherthe Dinka, Nuer, or Shilluk. They cultivate dura, ground nuts,beans, and a little tobacco; also sweet potatoes, and manioc. Asmall market for local produce has been established, and Bari andLuluba keep it fairly well supplied; time, it is hoped, will bringan increase in population and cultivation. The castor-oil plantgrows like a weed in this locality. The average maximum flood riseof the river here over summer level is not more than 4 feet. In theflood 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 thatGondokoro is well situated with regard to the prevailing winds. Themain channel, opposite the station, is about 400 yards across, butis separated from the main land by a large island. |
| (For description of the river to theAlbert Nyanza, vide [Appendix, Vol. II.]) | |||
KIRO.
LADO.
GONDOKORO.
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 |