120 An expedition is now (March 1920) on the point of starting. It has been necessary to delay it until the grass was dry enough to be burned.

All who knew Major Stigand most deeply deplore the loss of a man of sterling character and a most attractive personality. The Soudan owes much to his experience and knowledge of Central African tribes, which he turned to the best account in the service of this Government. He was about to leave the Soudan, having finished his period of service with the Egyptian army.

Major White had served for nearly seven years with the Egyptian army and had done much valuable work on the southern frontier of Mongalla Province as officer commanding the district. He was in command of the mixed force op troops from the Soudan and British East Africa which went to Lake Rudolf in 1917-18 to deal with the unrest among the Turldiana tribe. His loss is severely felt by his brother officers in the Egqitian army.

Major Stigand, who reported on the condition of the province before the coimnencement of the operations which caused his death describes the year as a not very prosperous one in the south of the province. ‘ In some districts the rains were late and bad, and food was short. Throughout the province there were severe outbreaks of influenza in the early part of the year. Otlier districts were normal.

An endeavour is being ma,de to induce all natives of the province to grow manioc, or cassava, as a stand-by in case of famine. It is not dependent on the vagaries of one season as the root remains several years in the ground. The crop can be used when required, and continues to increase if not required.

The most fertile and well-watered districts in the province are the part between Loka and the Congo border, and' the forest region round the Imatong mountains. Tlie experimental farm at Kagalu, in the former district, is making useful progress in the cultivation of coflee, tea, rubber, &c.

I have referred to the establishment of light mechanical transport on the Rejaf-Libogo road in another part of this report. The extension of the road beyond Libogo to Aba is now proceeding.

Invasions by Abyssinian raiders and poachers into the western districts still give considerable trouble.

A small operation was successfully carried out in June in which a number of poachers’ rifles were captured.

I should add a word about the missions which are at present the only educational establishments in the province, and as such are of great value.

The Gordon Memorial Mission under the Rev. A. Shaw continues to do excellent work at Malek. They have also a school at Mongalla and another at Yei: the latter gives promise of success as the upland natives are more wideawake and adaptable than the riverains. Mr. Shaw has also opened a new school at Opari in the southern part of the province, and has about thirty pupils.

The Roman Catholic Mission of Gondokoro have opened a new station on the east bank of the Nile opposite Rejaf.

2i. Nuba Mountains.

Colonel R. S. Wilson, who had been Governor and Sub-Governor of the province for the past ten years, retired in April last and handed over the province to Major C. S. Northcote (Bedfordshire Regiment) who had been transferred from Mongalla.

Major Northcote, who is responsible for the year’s report, describes a general and steady increase in the prosperity of the natives. The crops have done well and there is ample food for all requirements, the difficulty being that of transport.

The punitive patrols that have been uDifortunately necessary during the past few years, culminating in the important Hilling patrol of 1917, have induced a fairly general state of tranquillity. In one case only was a show of force necessary this year, against a group of hills called Alira, where the tribes had been defving Government for some time, making the surrounding country unsafe, for travellers. A fine was paid and an administrative post formed, which should have the desired eflect of keeping order.

The cattle trade may be expected to be an important factor in the development of this province when communications are improved, and provided sufficient staff can be obtained to control the cattle plague. The natives are beginning to co-operate with the Government in taking precautions and segregating wieir infected cattle. The good demand there has been for the export of cattle to the north has stimulated them in this respect House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.