Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-09-03


the west; the other three streams run
down from the east, bringing the drain
age from the Abyssinian hills.
Sud- Swamps Are Curious.
In all Africa there is, perhaps no
greater natural curiosity than this IA
nous sudd (Arabic for block, 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 el-Ghazal.
British scientists have estimated the
sud- area at $4,000 square miles. One
writer says: ITO the eye the effect is
one of vast extent of brilliant green
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
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 risen) these float
ing islands frequently change posi-
lions: here and there areas become de-
tached from the main body and travel
about, driven by the winds, often
blocking the rivers channel as an Ice
foe might do.
Lately, spurred on 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
the Nile banks in the Sudan that it has
been aptly named the "Negro Pot
pourri," though some ethnologists con-
tend that these blacks are not really
negroes.
Probably the Nubians, geographical
ly and physically, are the real link be
tween Egypt and the negro land.
Though MosIems for centuries, they
have kept their own dialects.
Something About the People.
The richness of the Nile valley has,
century after century, lured so many
invaders into it that today veritable
babel Of races and tongues Is found
there Apparently, the Moslem re
ligion appeals strangely to the wild
tribes of north Africa, and millions
have adopted it. Many are carelessly
called Arabs because they are Mes
lens, or Because they can speak Arabic,
or because they wear picturesque
makeup of town Arab and Bedouin
garments.
Invasion, however, is not the only
disturbing element" British military
report ssys. 1.-THE natives of the SUI
dan. even when they have adopted
more or less settled life, are great
travellers; traffic in human flesh and
conquest for the sake of human flesh
have nowhere been pursued so long
and so thoroughly. The native changes
his abode without hesitation, and his
love of strange women is passing Solo
mons.
1.-THE real Arab appears to dominate
the northern part of the Sudan, from
Egypt to Kordofan, though he has no
where exterminated the original inhaD-
itants; he has In many cases not vet
succeeded in forcing his own language
on them, but he has intermarried free
ly with them, and the resulting mix
ture calls itself Arabian. 1t is an old
saying in Egypt that you can't tell
Turk of the third generation from
native of the Nile country"
The Sudan. say the Egyptians, is an
integral part of Egypt; but 1t was con-
ouered misgoverned and lost by sue
cessive khedives, and for years and
years it was exploited by Egypt for
ivory. gold and slaves Both socially
and ethnologically it differs from Egypt.