296 Seven Years in the Soudan.

On the fourtli day after our departure from Delgauna, we approached the Bahr-el-Arab, but before reaching its banks we crossed a valley about three miles long, which at this season was perfectly dry, but which during the hav'if receives the overflowings of the river and becomes a great impassable marsh.

Night was far advanced when we reached the river. Here and there were ])onds of a greenish colour and very bad odour. The porters caught a quantity of fish in them, which I did not partake of, for fear of fever. In spite of all precautions I felt very ill the next day, and left the place as quickly as possible. A flock of about twenty ostriches was feeding at a short distance ; we saw an enormous ({uantity of game, and my men killed three buffaloes, two giraffes, a wild boar and seven antelo])es.

The banks of this river, which are deserted during the harif, become populated in summer. More than a hundred thousand cattle and sheep are brought to the rich pastures from Resegat, Shakka, and Kalaka.

I. therefore hoped to i)rocure meat, milk and butter, but the cowherds had left before the usual time. We pursued our way through a dnle/j wood, in which we found wells of bad water. After three days' march we had arrived Avithin four hours of Shakka. Here a man, sent by Madibo Be}', brought me some sardines, a Dutch cheese, and two bottles of liqueur from the French factor}' of Rivoire Freres ; ])esides these, fifteen sheep and sufficient milk for the whole column was offered us by the numerous Arab she})herds who came to welcome us. These good people brought us the same evening a large quantity of polenta of millet. The next day, in good time, we set out for Shakka. At about an hour from the town we were met by a numerous troop of Arabs mounted on fine horses, which they dexterously manoeuvred while brandishing the three