Bahr El Gkuzal. 157 met with are anaemia, rheumatism, neuralgia, and dyspepsia. The most serious complication, however, is " blackwater fever," which is a hemoglobinuria, occurring in a patient saturated with malaria. The red-blood corpuscles are destroyed by the action of the malarial parasite, and the haemoglobin thus set free is passed in the urine, giving it its characteristic port wine colour. The patient becomes terribly weak, has acute pain over the stomach, vomits frequently, and cannot retain any nourishment, the heart becomes very feeble, and death only too often follows. At present there have been as far as is known, since 1900, about eight cases, with only two recoveries ; it does not appear to attack natives at all.

Guinea worm is common amongst the natives and Sudanese. It has been met with all over the country, from Guinea Meshra El Rek to the Nyam Nyam country. It appears in June and July, and is often the cause of ankylosis of the worm, joints. From observations made in 1901-02 the period of incubation would appear to be a long one — probably 10 or 12 months. At least one European has developed it. Boils are common and appear in epidemic form, chiefly attacking the hands. Eoils. Dysentery in its true form has not been met with. The water supply at all stations is good. Dysentery. Small-pox occurs occasionally amongst the natives and carries off hundreds. An outbreak occurred amongst Small-pox. Tembura's Nyam Nyams in the winter of 1903-04.

Phthisis in all its forms is common, and is believed to be responsible for a large percentage of the mortality amongst Phthisis, natives. September, October and November are the months in which it is most prevalent.

Night blindness is common. Beyond mention of the great frequency of hydrocele and hernia amongst the natives, there is nothing else that calls for special remark.

Mosquitos are not very numerous on the dry plateaux of the table-land and the lower steppes during the dry season, Mosquitos. but abound during the rainy season near the rivers. Near the sudd, and on it, they are always to be met with, but not in any quantities away from the rivers. At least two out of six specimens sent home were found to belong to malaria-bearing species.

A species of the tsetse fly, identified as Glossina morsitans, was discovered in 1903 (April) by Major G. R. Tsetse Hy. Griffith, D.S.O. Beyond its often fatal attacks on animals, it seems otherwise harmless. Sleeping sickness is Sleeping unknown in the Bahr El Ghazal, though fatal cases have occurred in the Lado enclave, which adjoins it. sickness.

7. Forcdry* The Bahr El Ghazal province is, unfortunately, no exception to the general rule which prevails in the Sudan Fires. Traces of fires are clear everywhere, from the grass lands near the rivers to the innermost portions of the uninhabited forest tracts to the north-east and east of Deim Zubeir. The largest fires are started in the grass lands near the rivers in order to provide tender herbage for the cattle. These, as they sweep inland, are fed by others, which are made to clear the country near the villages, and they are then carried on until they rush on and penetrate into the forest themselves. In the forests, where the paths get overgrown with grass, travellers fire the grass, not only to clear the way, but to provide against coming unexpectedly on wild animals. Further, fires are lighted for hunting purposes. The reed rat, which lives in long grass near water, and which is generally relished for its meat, is hunted by setting fire to the grass, and the hunting of other animals, including the elephant, is accomplished in a similar manner. It is evident that before such fierce fires seedling growth is killed out ; that saplings and young trees are killed or mutilated, and that larger trees themselves must suffer, especially on the outskirts of the forests. So heavy is the toll taken that more wobd is destroyed each year than is produced by the increase in girth and by the birth of new trees in places respected by the fires once in a way. In other words, the capital is being eaten into, the forests are deteriorating, and, unless protected, will ultimately disappear. Apart from purely economic reasons this is a prospect which is not good to contemplate if the effect of such a denudation is considered.

As before mentioned, the country can be divided into three divisions, according to the amount of drainage. Each Forest of these divisions has its own characteristic vegetation : — zones.

The ambach (Herminiera elajjhroxylon), which in places forms dense covers, and on the upper Bahr El Ghazal Swamp almost supplants papyrus, is the only plant which may claim to form forest vegetation. It may in future be of use, '''fgetation. owing to its lightness, in floating timber down the river.

On the land, which is under water annually at flood time, forest vegetation is scanty, and such trees as there are Lands not are usually perched on the top of termite hills. Such are the Sarcocephalus escidentus and Mitragyne Africana always sub-(Rnbiaceae), the ardeib, dabka, gughan, the small-leaved inderab, and, where the soil is poor, Euphorbia candelabrum. '"''" Large expanses of country are treeless, owing to fires and heavy felling.

* Taken from a report by Mr. A. F. Broun, Director of Forests to the Sudan Government. Y 2