The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-09-03

| the vast, mysterious sud- swamps Of
the west; the other three streams ruiz
down from the east, bringing the drain
age from the Abyssinian hills.
Sudd Swamps Are Curious.
In all Africa there is, perhaps, nc
greater natural curiosity than this IA
nous sudd ARABIC for block, a sort
of vast floating island of reeds, papy-
rus and small plants in the marshes
formed by the lower reaches of the
Bahr-el-Jebel and Bahr-el- Ghazal.
British scientists have estimated the
sudd area at $4,000 square miles. One
writer says: "To the eye the effect is
papyrus, feathery reeds and sword
grass, five to twelve feet above the
water, broken by occasional patches Of
light ambach trees, with channels of
water, pools and lagoons dotting the
swampscape, and here and there q
sparse tree or two on the horizon.
In the more southerly parts are
found many varieties of game OF the
larger species, elephant, giraffe, buff
falo and many sorts Of antelope are
seen, whilst the hippopotamus is ex-
cessively numerous. From the reeds
and mud banks arise clouds of wild
fowl-crane, geese, storks, herons, bus
tard, pelicans, spoonful, ibis and duck
of every description"
In the rainy, stormy seasons (and
when the rivers have nsen) these float
ing islands frequently change posi-
tons; here and there areas become de-
tached from the main body and travel
about, driven by the winds, often
the rivers channel as an ice
foe might do.
Lately, spurred en- by the worlds
paper shortage, scientists have been |
giving attention to the vast papyrus
accumulations in the sudd, with the
hope of evolving some practicable
method of paper manufacture.
So mixed is the native population Of
he Nile banks In the Sudan that 1t has
been aptly named the NEGRO Pot
,ourri," though some ethnologists con-
end that these blacks are not really
negroes.
Probably the Nubians, geographical.
Y and physically, are the real link be
ween Egypt and the negro land
though Moslems for centuries, they
ave kept their own dialects.
Something About the People.
The richness Of the Nile valley has,
entury after century, lured so many
1vaders into 1t that today veritable
abel of races and tongues Is found
here. Apparently, the Moslem re-
gion appeals strangely to the wild
-ibes of north Africa, and millions
ave adopted it. Many are carelessly
allied Arabs because they are Mes
ms, or because they can speak Arabic,
: because they wear a picturesque
akeup Of town Arab and Bedouin
Invasion, however Is not the only ,
sturbing element" British military
port says. 1.-THE natives of the SUI
IN, even when they have adopted a
ore or less settled life, are great
avelers; traffic in human flesh and
inquest for the sake of human flesh
i've nowhere been pursued so long
i'd so thoroughly. The native changes c
8 abode without hesitation. and his S
We Of strange women is passing Solo /
Dn's. O
1.-THE real Arab appears to dominate i
e northern part Of the Sudan. from O
,ypt to Kordofan, though he has no d
lere exterminated the original inhab
lnts; he has in many cases not yet
cceeded in forcing his own language
them, but he has intermarried free =
with them, and the resulting mix. !,
re calls itself Arabian. 1t Is an old =
wing in Egypt that you can't tell =
rk of the third generation from :
tive Of the Nile country" :"
The Sudan, say the Egyptians, is an 9
egral part of Egypt; but it was con- u
cred, misgoverned and lost by sue Ell
'sive khedives, and for years and Of
irs it was exploited by Egypt for w
~, gold and slaves. Both socially W
1 ethnologically 1t differs from Egypt til