140 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

and after flowing tlirougli an immense swamp three hours north of this place, joins the Nile north of Shambil. The people here told us that the river' Eodi is called Lau at Bufi.

We were not sorry to leave this horrid place, which is a veritable nest of robbers, and two days afterwards we arrived at Eumbehk, the chief town of the province of Eohl. We crossed the Ferial in a good boat, and then had an hour's march through water five feet deep. We were carried for a short distance, but the natives managed to upset Mr.

Wilson just as we started, so he had an unpleasant bath, and we decided to walk, though a heavy downpour of rain did not add to our comfort. At night we both had a bad fit of ague in consequence. The rest of the way to Eohl was very pleasant, through well-cultivated land ; large trees and small villages were constantly in sight. The huts are all built on platforms, ten feet above the ground. Tobacco, sem-sem, beans, and dhurra were growing in large quantities, and the people seemed to have abundance of food. Between lyack and Eohl we met Dufalla Ali, the agent of lyack, but he was not at all civil. He had gone away from lyack on purpose to avoid seeing us, and was much annoyed at meeting us on the road.

Eohl is a very large place, the Arab population being about three thousand, and in addition some thirty thousand natives live in the neighbouring