Climate. 7

rainy season." The only other landing places between Fashoda and. Regaf are at the junction of the Sobat, then

nothing except Shambeh and Keniseh for 360 miles till Bor ; then one halfway between Bor and Lado, the remainder being at Lado, Gondokoro, and Regaf. Above

Regaf one can land anywhere up to the Fola Rapids. Between Dufile and Magunga there are five landing

places.

Climate. ... . _

The rains on the Upper Nile in the " Equatorial

" *ains -

regions from the Albert JNyanza to the Bahr el Ghazal

fall mainly from February to April. As one proceeds northwards the heavy rains become later, the kherif or

rainy season between the Sobat and Khartum being, as a

rule, from the end of June to the end of August.

Colonel Stewart states (1883) :— " At Gondokoro (near Regaf) the rainy season begins in

April and lasts till September. The rains are very heavy, lasting sometimes for 10 or 12 hours. From Gondokoro south to the Equator the rainy seasons increase iu length* till on the Equator it may be said that rain and sunshine

succeed, each other in rapid succession all the year round.

January, February, and March are, however, the wettest months."

Heavy thunderstorms and rains occur at intervals during the rest of the year, especially from October to

January, in the hilly region round Regaf and the sudd district to the north of it.

During the late autumn, winds are very variable, Winds,

blowing from all points of the compass. East and south- east winds perhaps predominate, especially in the upper reaches.

The temperature from August to December does not Tempera- range high, and rarely exceeds 92°. In the sudd region

ure '

the maximum averages about 85°, but owing to the damp- ness of the district, fevers are rife, and the heat and mosquitoes are difficult to bear with equanimity.