按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
contest ended in the bullocks lying down； and thus offering a passive
resistance that could not be overcome。 There is nothing like arbitration
to obtain pure justice； and as I was the arbitrator； I ordered all
refractory bullocks to be eaten as rations by the troops。 A few animals
at length became fairly tractable； and we had a couple of ploughs at
work； but the result was a series of zigzag furrows that more resembled
the indiscriminate ploughings of a herd of wild boar than the effect of
an agricultural implement。 Nothing will ever go straight at the
commencement； therefore the ploughs naturally went crooked； but the
whole affair forcibly reminded me of my first agricultural enterprise on
the mountains of Ceylon twenty…five years earlier。 ＇*＇
＇*Footnote： See 〃Eight Years' Wanderings in Ceylon；〃 published by
Longman & Co。＇
The mean temperature at the station of Tewfikeeyah had been：
In the month of May； at 6 a。m。 73 degrees Fahrenheit
〃 at Noon 92 degrees 〃
〃 June； at 6 a。m。 72 degrees 〃
〃 at Noon 86 degrees 〃
〃 July； at 6 a。m。 71 degrees 〃
〃 at Noon 81 degrees 〃
During May we had heavy rain during 3 days。
〃 〃 light 〃 〃 4 〃 7 days。
During June we had heavy rain during 5 days。
〃 〃 light 〃 〃 6 〃 11 days
〃 July heavy 〃 〃 10 〃
〃 〃 light 〃 〃 4 〃 14 days
Sickness increased proportionately with the increase of rain； owing to
the sudden chills occasioned by the heavy showers。 The thermometer would
sometimes fall rapidly to 68 degrees Fahr。 during a storm of rain；
accompanied by a cold rush of air from the cloud。 Fortunately I had
provided the troops with blankets； which had not been included in their
kit by the authorities at Khartoum。
CHAPTER V。
EXPLORATION OF THE OLD WHITE NILE。
I had long since determined to explore the sudd； or obstructions of the
main Nile； in the hope of discovering some new passage which the stream
might have forced through the vegetation。 A Shillook； named Abdullah；
closely connected with Quat Kare； had promised to accompany me； and to
supply the necessary guides。 The river was fullthus I started on 11th
August； 1870。
The engines of the No。 10 steamer had been thoroughly repaired during
our stay at Tewfikeeyah。 I had loaded her to the maximum with well…cut
〃Soont〃 （Acacia Arabicce）； which is the best fuel； and knowing； by the
experience of former years； that a scarcity of wood existed near the
Bahr Gazal； I had loaded one of the largest vessels （about seventy tons）
with a supply； to accompany us as a tender。 I had also filled my
diahbeeah with selected fuel。
We steamed thirteen hours from Tewfikeeyah； with the tender and
diahbeeah in tow； and reached the old sudd about twelve miles beyond the
Bahr Giraffe junction。 The water below the sudd was quite clear from
floating vegetation； as it had been filtered through this extraordinary
obstruction。
I will not fatigue the reader by a description of this voyage。 We were
as usual in a chaos of marshes。 We found a small channel； which took us
to the Bahr Gazal。 This swampy and stagnant lacustine river was much
changed since I had last seen it in 1865。 It was now a succession of
lakes； through which we steamed for several hours； but without
discovering any exit； except the main passage coming from the west；
which is the actual Bahr Gazal。
This was the third time that I had visited this river。 Upon the former
occasions I had remarked the total absence of current； this was even
still more remarkable at the present time； as the river was not only
full； but the surface； formerly clogged and choked with dense rafts of
vegetation； was now clear。 I sounded the depth of the lakes and main
channel； which gave a remarkable mean of seven feet throughout； showing
that the bottom was remarkably flat； and had not been subjected to the
action of any stream that would have caused inequalities in the surface
of the ground。
When the vessels lay at anchor； the filth of the ships remained
alongside； thus proving the total absence of stream。 It has always
appeared to me that some western outlet concealed by the marsh grass
must exist； which carries away the water brought down by the Djour； and
other streams； into the lacustrine regions of the Bahr Gazal。 There is
no doubt that the evaporation； and also the absorption of water by the
immense area of spongy vegetation； is a great drain upon the volume
subscribed by the affluents from the south…west； nevertheless； I should
have expected some stream； however slight； at the junction with the
Nile。 My experience of the Bahr Gazal assures me that little or no water
is given to the White Nile by the extraordinary series of lakes and
swamps； which change the appearance of the surface from year to year；
like the shifting phases of a dream。
Our lamented traveller； Livingstone； was completely in error when he
conjectured that the large river Lualaba that he had discovered
south…west of the Tanganyika lake was an affluent of the Bahr Gazal。 The
Lualaba is far to the west of the Nile Basin； and may possibly flow to
the Congo。 I have shown in former works； in describing the system of the
Nile； that the great affluents of that river invariably flow from the
south…eastvide； the Atbara； Blue Nile； Sobat； and the Asua； which is
very inferior so the three great rivers named。
We have lastly the Victoria Nile of the Victoria N'yanza； following the
same principle； and flowing from the south…east to the Albert N'yanza。
This proves that the direct drainage of the Nile Basin is from the
south…east to the north…west； it is therefore probable that； as the
inclination of the country is towards the west； there may be some escape
from the lake marshes of the Bahr Gazal in the same direction。
On 21st August； having been absent ten days； during which we had been
very hard at work； exploring in the unhealthy marshes of the Bahr Gaza＇；
we returned hopelessly to Tewfikeeyah。
The great river Nile was entirely lost； and had become a swamp； similar
to the condition of the Bahr Giraffe。 It was impossible to guess the
extent of the obstruction； but I was confident that it would be simply a
question of time and labour to clear the original channel by working
from below the stream。 The great power of the current would assist the
work； and with proper management this formerly beautiful river might be
restored to its original condition。 It would be impossible to clear the
Bahr Giraffe permanently； as there was not sufficient breadth of channel
to permit the escape of huge rafts of vegetation occupying the surface
of perhaps an acre； but the great width of the Nile； if once opened；
together with the immense power of the stream； would； with a little
annual inspection； assure the permanency of the work。
I came to the conclusion that a special expedition must be sent from
Khartoum to take this important work in hand； as it would be quite
useless to annex and attempt to civilize Central Africa； unless a free
communication existed with th