reseinbling high sugar canes, which conceal the true
extent of the river. About six miles west from the
Sobat junction on the north side of the.river, is a kind
of backwater, extending north like a lake for a distance
of several days’ boat journey : this is eventually
lost in regions of high grass and marshes; in the wet
season this forms a large lake. A hill bearing north
20° west so distant as to be hardly discernible. The
Bahr Giraffe is a small river entering the Nile on -the
south bank between the Sobat and Bahr el Gazal—my
reis (Diabb) tells me it is merely a branch from the
White Nile from the Aliab country, and not an independent
river. Course west, 10° north, the current
about one mile per hour. Marshes and ambatch, far
as the eye can reach.
At 6.40 p .m. reached the Bahr el Gazal; the junction
has the appearance of a lake about three miles in
length, by one in width, varying according to seasons.
Although bank-full, there is no stream whatever from
the Bahr el Gazal, and it has the appearance of a backwater
formed by the Nile. The water being clear and
perfectly dead, a stranger would imagine it to be an
overflow of the Nile, were the existence of the Bahr el
Gazal unknown.
The Bahr el Gazal extends due west from this point
for a great distance, the entire river being' a system
c h a p . i . ] BAHR EL GAZAL. 4 9
of marshes, stagnant water overgrown by rushes, and
ambatch wood, through which a channel has to be
cleared to permit the passage of a boat. Little or no
water can descend to the Nile from this river, otherwise
there would be some trifling current at the embouchure.
The Nile has a stream of about a mile and a half per
hour, as it sweeps suddenly round the angle, changing
its downward course from north to east. The breadth
in this spot does not exceed 130 yards ; but it is impossible
to determine the actual width of the river, as
its extent is concealed by reeds with which the country
is entirely covered to the horizon.
The White Nile having an upward course of west
10° north, variation of compass 10° west, from the
Sobat to the Bahr el Gazal junction, now turns abruptly
to south 10° east. From native accounts there
is a great extent of lake country at this point. The
general appearance of the country denotes a vast flat,
with slight depressions* these form extensive lakes
during the wet season, and sodden marshes during the
dry weather;' thus contradictory accounts of the country
may be given by travellers according to the seasons at
which they examined it. There is nothing to denote
large permanent lakes; vast masses of water plants -
and vegetation requiring both a wet and dry season,
exist throughout; but there are no great tracts of deep