The Rejaf District

The origin of the word Rejaf is said to be the Arabic word meaning earthquake, which was given to the place owing to the periodical earthquake rumbles heard. The place was occupied at one time by Baker, later by Emin, and afterwards by the Belgians. It is perceptibly hotter at Rejaf than anywhere in the immediate neighbourhood, the cause of this being possibly something to do with the nature of the rocky hills, around which the sun’s heat radiates. There is, at Rejaf, sloping and well-drained ground from inland right down to the river’s edge, and so the site is practically free of those swamps and depressions holding water during the rains which make most Nile-bank stations so mosquito-infested. Rejaf is at present the Nile terminus of the only practicable route into the Welle, although the Bahr el Ghazal route may ultimately usurp its place, as being shorter, if a railway is constructed or other transport arrangements are made.