ARRIVAL AT TARANGOLE. 235 we had to arrange for the transport of our goods to the neighbouring village of Bangajok, by the porters making several journeys, which naturally caused considerable loss of time. We had also to remain a night at Bangajok, as immediately beyond Loriajo there are some very deep swamps, in which one sinks to the knees, and many torrents, swollen to the level of the banks, render the passage difficult. As the population of this village, which formerly, judging by the number of huts, must have been over a thousand, had deserted it, we had to send to Tarangole to requisition porters. We found in the deserted huts rough figures of clay, representing oxen and sheep—perhaps children’s playthings, or maybe talismans, as they were numerous in the huts built for cattle and sheep. . The somewhat elevated position of Bangajok, on the ridge of a slight undulation in the middle of the valley, permitted me to make a small triangulation; even the Lokoya Mountains were visible.

Late in the evening the porters we so much needed arrived, under the leadership of Chief Maye’s son, Lajuri, and established themselves in the deserted huts, which now, on account of the numerous fires, had quite an inhabited appearance. Unfortunately, mosquitos were very numerous. Proceeding on our journey, we passed at first through very thick acacia woods growing on yellow sandy soil, then over a wide open field with isolated trees, where the village of Katiga stood in Baker’s time. Now its inhabitants are located in two separate mountain villages. Then we went through extensive woods of acacia and Balanites, intercepted now and again by troublesome swamps, till at length, after a two hours’ march, we reached the cultivated land, in the midst of which Tarangole, our headquarters in Latuka, is situated. The Lafit range is about four and ahalf hours’ march from here. A straight road leads right over it to the Ber country, whence people frequently come hither for trading purposes.

Tarangole is the oldest settlement in this part. It was opened up twenty-five years ago by Danagla troops in the employ of Khartum merchants, and since that time, with some few interruptions, it has been a place for the exchange of ivory. I say expressly “exchange,” because, owing to the warlike