140 (No. 98 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS season .

-of the district . It is about 80 miles distant from Khartum by road .

El Nahud, in Kordofan, the centre of the ostrich feather trade, contains about 7,500 inhabitants, in cluding Greeks, Syrians, Arabs, and pure negroes. The town has nowbecome of increased importance, owing to the fact that the whole ofthe commerce from Darfur — the most recently acquired Sudan province passes throught it ; a well-attended cotton and cattle market is periodically held there.

Goz Abū Guma, the headquarters of the district of that name, stands on the right bank of the White Nile, opposite the island of Wurelat , which makes its appearance in theriver during the months of January and February. The eastern channel, opposite to Goz Abu Guma , dries up completely during the rainless Kawa (White Nile province), a large village on the right bank of the river, is the official residence of a British inspector . At this point the river-steamers take on wood for fuel. Kawa appears to be a thriving and busy little place , and the centre of a native boat building industry ; a large and well-attended market is heldthere at frequent intervals. All around there is cultivation on an extensive scale . The steamers procure their wood from the so-called forests of the vicinity, and, as no new trees are being planted, it can only be a question of time before the woods disappear .

Kosti (White Nile province) , like El Dueim, has lost some of its importance sincethe extension of the railway to El Obeid , but it remains a busy place and a commercial centre. It lies on the east bank of the Nile, some 190 miles from Khartum , with which it is connected by railway . The Murkas comprise about fifty different villages, and , ordinarily , the population is between 7,000 and 8,000 . During the rainy season , however , the inhabitants dwindle to a few hundreds, for all who can do so leave the town in order to cultivate their small plots of land , whole families and villages working together vigorously . At that period of the a