THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN he approved both of Mr. Crowfoot and myself, he served me well.

The journey to Dulgo was uneventful. We arrived at Sarras about 8 p.m., at Ambigol Wells two or three hours later, and at Kosha about ten the following morning. Here we were met by a very courteous Egyptian Ma'mur, or governor, who explained that our train could not proceed for a couple of hours, because the engine had to go to the water-shed near the river, and the driver and fireman wanted rest, and he invited us either to go to his house or to his office in the Government building close by. Mr.

Crowfoot had various items of business to attend to, so we went to the latter. After coffee, he discussed with the Ma'mur the purchase of many hundreds of palm shoots [shatl), which Mr. James Currie, the Director, had decided to plant in the grounds of the Gordon College at Khartum. The Ma'mur, being a soldier, knew little about such things, but he called in .some civilian dealers in dates and palms, and then followed a most interesting conversation on the habits and customs of the palms which grew in the province of Dar Sukkot, and on the qualities of the dates which they produced. One realized at once what an important part the palm played in the life of the people of the district, and the knowledge about its varieties which the natives displayed was to me astonishing. Mr. Crowfoot's work as Inspector of Education was not limited to taking care that the natives learned how to read and write, but he set himself to acquire all kinds of information, down to the smallest details of the daily life of the people. At length a decision was arrived at as to when the shoots were to be cut, and all arrangements made for their packing, and their being watered during their journey by rail to Khartum, and after a walk through the village we returned to the train.

Two or three hours later we arrived at Dulgo, and the Inspector ordered the Ma'mur to prepare a boat to take us up across the river to examine the ruins of the temple of Dulgo. Whilst the boat was being sought for, our baggage was removed to the Government rest-house which has been built at Dulgo within the last few years, and we found it very convenient. The house stands in a compound, in which attempts have already been made to create a garden, and its walls are fairly thick and substantial. The roof 438 I