voyage, all witliin half a mile of each other; one
village situated among a thick grove of the dolape
palms close to the river. The natives, afraid of our boats,
decamped, likewise the fishermen, who were harpooning
fish from small fishing stations among the reeds.
The country, as usual, dead flat, and very marshy
on the east bank, upon which side I see no signs
of habitations. Course this morning south. Arrived
at the river Sobat junction at 12.40 p .m ., and anchored
about half a mile within that river at a spot where the
Turks had formerly constructed a camp. Not a tree
to be seen ; but dead flats of prairie and marsh as far
as the eye can reach. The Sobat is not more than a
hundred and twenty yards in breadth.
I measured the stream by a floating gourd, which
travelled 130 yards in 112 seconds, equal to about
two miles and a half an hour. The quality of the
water is very superior to that of the White Nile—this
would suggest that it is of mountain origin. Upward
course of Sobat south, 25° east. Upward course of
the White Nile west, 2° north from the Sobat junction.
4th Jan. By observation of sun’s meridian altitude,
I make the latitude of the Sobat junction 9? 21' 14".
Busy fishing the yard of the “ Clumsy,” and mending
sails. The camels and donkeys all well—plenty of
fine grass made a good stock of hay. My reis and
boatmen tell me that the Sobat, within a few days’
sail of the junction, divides into seven branches, all
shallow and with a rapid current. The banks are flat,
and the river is now bank-full. Although the water
is perfectly clear, and there is no appearance of flood,
yet masses of weeds, as though torn from their beds by
torrents, are constantly floating down the stream. One
of my men has been up the river to the farthest
navigable point; he declares that it is fed by many
mountain torrents, and that it runs out very rapidly
at the cessation of the rains. I sounded the river in
many places, the depth varying very slightly, from
twenty-seven to twenty-eight feet. At 5 p .m . set sail
with a light breeze, and glided along the dead water
of the White Nile. Full moon—the water like a
mirror; the country one vast and apparently interminable
marsh—the river about a mile wide, and more
or less covered with floating plants. The night still as
death; dogs barking in the distant villages, and herds
of hippopotami snorting in all directions, being disturbed
by the boats. Course west.
5th Jan.—Fine breeze, as much as we can carry;
boats running at eight or nine miles an hour-^no
stream perceptible; vast marshes; the clear water of
the river not more than 150 yards wide, forming
a channel through the great extent of water grass