We now enter upon the region of
immense flats and boundless marshes, through which the river winds in a
labyrinth-like course for about 750 miles to Gondokoro.
Having left the Sobat, we arrived at the junction of the Bahr Giraffe,
thirty-eight miles distant, at 11 a.m. on 17th February. We turned into
the river, and waited for the arrival of the fleet.
The Bahr Giraffe was to be our new passage instead of the original White
Nile. That river, which had become so curiously obstructed by masses of
vegetation that had formed a solid dam, already described by me in "The
Albert N'yanza," had been entirely neglected by the Egyptian
authorities. In consequence of this neglect an extraordinary change had
taken place. The immense number of floating islands which are constantly
passing down the stream of the White Nile had no exit, thus they were
sucked under the original obstruction by the force of the stream, which
passed through some mysterious channel, until the subterranean passage
became choked with a wondrous accumulation of vegetable matter. The
entire river became a marsh, beneath which, by the great pressure of
water, the stream oozed through innumerable small channels. In fact, the
White Nile had disappeared. A vessel arriving from Khartoum in her
passage to Gondokoro would find, after passing through a broad river of
clear water, that her bow would suddenly strike against a bank of solid
compressed vegetation - this was the natural dam that had been formed to
an unknown extent: the river ceased to exist.
It may readily be imagined that a dense spongy mass which completely
closed the river would act as a filter: thus, as the water charged with
muddy particles arrived at the dam where the stream was suddenly
checked, it would deposit all impurities as it oozed and percolated
slowly through the tangled but compressed mass of vegetation. This
deposit quickly created mud-banks and shoals, which effectually blocked
the original bed of the river. The reedy vegetation of the country
immediately took root upon these favourable conditions, and the rapid
growth in a tropical climate may be imagined. That which had been the
river bed was converted into a solid marsh.
This terrible accumulation had been increasing for five or six years,
therefore it is impossible to ascertain or even to speculate upon the
distance to which it might extend. The slave-traders had been obliged to
seek another rout, which they had found via the Bahr Giraffe, which
river had proved to be merely a branch of the White Nile, as I had
suggested in my former work, and not an independent river.
I was rather anxious about this new route, as I had heard conflicting
accounts in Khartoum concerning the possibility of navigating such large
vessels as the steamers of thirty-two horse-power and a hundred feet
length of deck. I was provided with guides who professed to be
thoroughly acquainted with the river; these people were captains of
trading vessels, who had made the voyage frequently.
On 18th February, at 10 A.M., the rear vessels of the fleet arrived, and
at 11.40 A.M., the steamers worked up against the strong current
independently. Towing was difficult, owing to the sharp turns of the
river. The Bahr Giraffe was about seventy yards in width, and at this
season the banks were high and dry. Throughout the voyage on the White
Nile we had had excellent wild-fowl shooting whenever we had halted to
cut fuel for the steamers. One afternoon I killed a hippopotamus, two
crocodiles, and two pelicans, with the rifle. At the mouth of the Bahr
Giraffe I bagged twenty-two ducks at a right and left shot with a No.
10-shot gun.
As the fleet now slowly sailed against the strong, current of the Bahr
Giraffe, I walked along the hank with Lieutenant Baker, and shot ten of
the large francolin partridge, which in this dry season were very
numerous. The country was as usual flat, but bearing due south of the
Bahr Giraffe junction, about twelve miles distant, is a low granite
hill, partially covered with trees; this is the first of four similar
low hills that are the only rising points above the vast prairie of flat
plain.
As we were walking along the bank I perceived an animal ascending from
the river, about two hundred yards distant, where it had evidently been
drinking: we immediately endeavoured to cut off its retreat, when it
suddenly emerged from the grass and discovered a fine lion with large
shaggy mane. The king of beasts, as usual, would not stand to show fight
in the open, but bounded off in the direction of the rocky hills.
It will be necessary to give a few extracts from my journal to convey an
exact idea of the Bahr Giraffe. The river was very deep, averaging about
nineteen feet, and it flowed in a winding course, through a perfectly
flat country of prairie, diversified with forest all of which, although
now dry, had the appearance of being flooded during the rainy season: -
"February 23. - Steamed from 6 A.M. till 7 P.M. Vast treeless marshes in
wet season - now teeming with waterfowl: say fifty miles accomplished
to-day through the ever-winding river. The wood from the last forest is
inferior, and we have only sufficient fuel for five hours left upon the
steamer. The diahbeeah in tow carries about twenty hours' fuel: thus,
should we not arrive at some forest in twenty-five hours, we shall be
helpless.
