136 Balir el Ghazal Country.

The country south of the Makaraka land had for many years been traversed by Arab traders, in search for ivory, slaves, and cattle. The splitting up of the negro race into small groups was necessary for the safety of their expeditions, which they carried on with the assistance of the more powerful chieftains, who extorted ivory from the weaker tribes, and in return were rewarded by a share of the plundered cattle.

In a southerly direction from the station Rimo lies the country of the Fadyellu. In character it is a flat, and, in places, a marshy district ; on the higher spots a certain amount of bush is to be seen, and ironstone occasionally crops up. Slabs and masses of gneiss are strewn over the surface.

The miserable huts of the inhabitants offer a marked contrast to those of their northern neighbours, and the white species of dhura is no longer met with.

Between the River Kabba and the Yei there are numerous watercourses running north-east, to join the latter river. Some of these are dry, some marshy ; while others form a series of pools.

About Dumunsu, beyond the fields of sesame, red dhura, &c, there can be seen in a semicircle the hills of Korbe r Muga, and Ottogo ; while to the west the high ground south of Ndirfi is visible.

The Yei runs through a broad undulating plain, traversed by many streams and deep watercourses. The land here gradually but constantly rises towards the south, which gives an extensive view towards the northeast and north.

The Muga range of hills which runs from north tosouth is from ],500 to 2,000 feet high, and sends forth many streams from its western flanks.

South of the Muga the country falls towards the south into a wide plain, bounded still further south by groupa of hills, of which Uado is the principal. On its northern slopes the huts of the Kakuak are to be seen.

To the south-west is a hilly country, in which the River Yessi rises ; and to the east an undulating valley, shut in by a distant range of lofty hills.

Between Uado and Uani the country is very broken ; hills, some of which reach 1,500 feet in height, alternating with valleys.