302 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

season. From the bark of the tree, ropes, baskets, nativebeds, mats, saddles, etc., are made ; the baskets being so well constructed that they will contain water ; the rope, too, is very good and strong.

In some parts of Kordofan, brown haematite iron is to be found in great abundance. It is used to some extent, but its value is considerably lessened owing to the fact that there is no Hux to be obtained, and the difficulty of procuring fuel prevents a large " out-put." The way in which the iron is worked SMELTING PCENAC'I?.

is as follows :—The furnaces are about six feet high, and are made of clay in a shapely fashion.

The ironstone is broken up into fragments about as large as walnuts, and these are placed in the furnace with charcoal in alternate layers. Ten bellows are used, constructed in a similar manner to those which have been described as in use in Unyoro. The iron is purified and shaped by long hammering, but the result is after all not very good.