Bur — Gondokoro.

\ 81 Place.

Miles. Kilometres.

« T3 aii 1 <U O (U a '-* Description.

Gonilokoro 504 WO At mile 50-1 from Lake No, the sUitioii of (iomlokoro is reaeliej. Tliiti i)iaL'e, oii tlie ea.st bank of the Bahr El Jebel, i.s the north frontier post of the Uganda Protectorate. (Tordon gives the latitude of Gondokoro as 4° 54' 29" north, and the longitude a.s 31° 4.3' 46" east. The altitudes given by different authorities vary so much that they are not worth recording. Gondokoro, although a healthy looking station, has a deserted and scattered appearance. The buildings, mostly of bamboo and straw with brick houses for the European staff, contrast but poorly with those of the Belgians at Lado and Kiro ; the station was occupied in 18!)9. The Collector's house, or Residency, is situated about 300 yards to the north of the garrison lines, and 130 yards from the river. It is built of burnt bricks, with a high thatched roof, on ground IC feet, or more, above the river, and surrounded by a thorn zeriba. Tliii and the M.O.'s house are rai.se(l on brick arches from the ground and surrounded by gardens and cultivation. The thorn scrub approaches to within 1000 yards of the houses. The station is situated on a high cliff, from 18 to 3i) feet iibove the water. , Much of this cliff has fallen in, and the foundations of the Austrian Mission Buildings, abandoned in 18.")8, are now on the extreme edge of the high bank. A few deleib i>alms and lime trees mark this bluff. The station extends over an area of about 1 by \ mile. The new lines are built some 400 yards back from the river. The present huts which accommodate the small gariison are circular hnts of mud and gra.ss. There is also a police barracks containing about 25 men. The remains of Baker's old lines are still existing. He had here a garrison of 1,.')(X) men, but ill his time the Bari was a powerful and warlike tribe. Gondokoro «as, moreover, an important centre for the slave trade. Baker's old lines consist of three rectangles, one within the other. The inner one is about .300 by 400 yards ; the second, 500 by 800 yards ; s, perhaps, 1,000 to 1,200 yards square. Each of these rectangles is mud bank about 4 feet high, with an outer ditch 4 feet deep by 6 feet There used to be plenty of trees, bananas, paw-paws, etc., and the station while the outer surrounded by a broad at the top.

was, on the whole, a pretty one, but Hoods and white ants have now destroyed many of the trees. To the south and north of the station, and also 1| miles to the east, are large marshes, which must tend to make the place unhealthy. At times wild elephants come close to the lines. Many Bari villages are located on the i iver near Gondokoro. All these are on the east side. The Bari appear to be bitter agriculturists than are either the Uinka, Nuer, or Shilluk. They cultivate dura, ground nuts, beans, and a little tobacco ; also sweet potatoes, and manioc. A small market for local ])roduce has been established, and Bari and Luluba keep it fairly well supplied ; time, it is hoped, will bring an increase in po])ulation and cultivation. The castor-oil plant grows like a weed in this locality. The avei'age maximum flood rise of the river here over summer level is not more than 4 feet. In the flood of 1878 it rose to a height of 7'2 feet on the gauge (C'helu). The general direction of the river here is north and south, so that (iondokoro is well situated with regard to the prevailing win<ls. The main channel, opposite the station, is about 400 yards across, but is sejjarated from the main land by a large island. (For description of the river to the Albert Nyanza, vid» Appendix, Vol. II.)

OONDOKORO.