White Nile; Climate. 21 tinues of much the same character till the junction of the Asua, when the rapids become more serious, terminating in the Fola Rapids.

The last 15 miles before reaching Nimule are quite impassable to any steamers or boats. From here on, the river is free of any obstacles up to Lake Albert. Between Dufile and Lake Albert the Nile is very sluggish, and papyrus islands abound in it. Breadth ot channel varies.

Boats and Steamers.

The usual Nile boats are the " Nugger " and " Gayassa," varying in capacity from 5 to 400 ardebs. The latter solidly built, with high bows, and free board, and lateen-rigged, is the Egyptian boat, whilst the former, which is found from the 2nd cataract southward, is flat, with low free board, and is roughly though solidly built without ribs. Rafts, canoes, inflated waterskins and water-tight pots are also used for individual navigation. Further up stream " dugouts " and ambach canoes are seen. Of steamers there are 10 gunboats, 21 other steamers, and 6 launches on the river, mostly stern-wheel ; a few are screw, and one or two paddle. {Vide Chap. X, Part I.)

Landing Places.

From Haifa to Khartoum and from Khartoum up to Goz Abu Guma it is possible to land almost anywhere on either bank. From there up to Kodok, owing to the broad reed fringe on either bank, landing is difficult except at the following places, viz. : — Jebelein, Um Ashrin, Karshawal, Renk, Meshra Leungtom or Domaia, Meshra Zeraf, Meshra Rom, Kaka, Kaka Wood Station, Melut and Demtemma. All these, except Kaka and Um Ashrin, are on the right bank.

As Gordon states, in the stretch between Kodok and 100 miles north of it, " People do land, but it is over your knees in the rainy season," and even if a landing is effected, progress inland is always liable to be arrested by wide and deep khors which are really branches or overspills from the main stream : these obstacles are encountered even in the dry season.

There are easy landing places in many spots between Kodok and Lake No, then nothing except Hellet Nuer, Shambe, Abu Kuka, and Kanisa for .360 miles till Bor ; south of Bor the best known ones are at Kiro, Lado, Mongalla, Gondokoro and Rejaf, though elsewhere a landing can generally be effected, especially on the left bank of the western channel, which leaves the main river near N. Lat. 5° 30'. Above Rejaf one can land anywhere up to the Fola Rapids. Between Dufile and Magunga (on Lake Albert) there are five landing places.

(v.)— CLIMATE. The rains on the Upper Nile in the equatorial regions from the Albert Nyanza to the Bahr El Ghazal last from February or March to October or the middle of November.

As one proceeds northwards the heavy rains come later ; the " Kherif," or rainy season, in the neighbourhood of Kodok, lasts, as a rule, from the m'ddle of May to the end of October, whilst at Khartoum it may be said to be during July, August, and September. At Haifa there is no rainy season.

At Gondokoro the hot weather commences middle of November and lasts till the end of March.

Colonel Stewart states (188.3) : — " The rains are very heavy, lasting 10 to 12 hours at a time. From Gondokoro south to the Equator, rainy seasons increase in length, till on the Equator it may be said that rain and sunshine succeed each other in rapid succession all the year round."

Heavy thunderstorms and rains occur at intervals during the rest of the year, especially from October to January in the hilly regions round Rejaf and the Sudd district to the north of it.

Winds.

During late autumn winds are very variable, blowing from all points of the compass. East and south-east winds at this period predominate, especially in the upper reaches. During the rest of the year the north wind, varying from north-west to north-east, is fairly constant, except during the summer rains, when the wind shifts to the south and south-cast.

Temperature.

The average maximum and minimum shade temperatures on the Upper Nile during the hot months are 99° and 85° respectively, and during the rest of the year 88° and 74°. Between Khartoum and Haifa the maximum average is a good deal higher, and the minimum rather lower.

In the Sudd region and south the maximum averages about 85°, but, owing to the dampness of the district, from April to December fevers are rife, and the heat and mosquitos are difficult to bear with equanimity.

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