THE FIRST NIGHT IN THE FOREST 37 of mystery, holding at close quarters one knows not what, and ready to close in and enfold the resting cosmos of humanity should the logs burn down and the firelight fail.

The hour is favourable to fancy, the imaginary assumes the cloak of reality, while reality becomes exaggeration. Even the dead silence enveloping the casual noises of camp and forest is invested with significance and causes awe. The immensity of the heavenly vault, the thick gloom of illimitable space surrounding, the freedom of the earth to everything nocturnal, encourage the reception of impressions which always remain fresh and enduring.

Seen 70 feet above from its precipitous bank, even in this dry season, the swift Blue Nile was great at Singa, following its own chosen path in the broad, yellow expanse of sand 270 miles above Khartoum.

Ripples on its surface here and there denoted the presence of great fish. A narrow black head would show up for a moment, or a long, loathly body crawl out on the far side of the river, for the crocodile is not yet driven away. Strange and incongruous it seemed to see a steel boat push out to these same sand-banks, and the crocodiles give way to the children of the Egyptian Mamur for their afternoon's play.

In the evening the air became clamorous with the shouts of Arabs urging their camels into the craft by which they crossed the broad stream ; the mule had gaily hopped into it and out again with little ado, and for a quarter of a mile all plodded 1 i 8 5 S ;>