278 FATIKO TO FAUVERA.

of country is very considerable, as shown by the pitchy black patches of swamp. ‘The numerous rivulets, some of which, like Khor Malach, contain very good water, are generally fringed and almost filled with granite boulders. The ground, which in the lowest places is a rich, black, and very heavy humus, is replaced by clay and quartz sand upon the ridges of the hills. The mountains visible here were Jebel At, lying just in front of us, and Jebel Mord, a group situated far off, in the Lango district, and not yet marked in any map.

On the whole the vegetation is poor. Woods are very scarce in the Shuli country, but abundance of high grass is met with, and this uniform covering often gives the country the appearance of a large savannah, although it is really undulating and hilly. It is difficult to gain much knowledge about the animal world during our journeys in single file, even when one is at the head of the procession, for the rusthng and crackling of the trampled grass through which a way must be made scares all the animals away. We saw, however, many elephants. The village of Koki, temporarily deserted by its inhabitants, is beautifully situated, and still more beautifully cultivated. Tobacco, sesame, eleusine, bananas, and even cotton, are grown.

Our night quarters lay away from the road, at a place called Koro, which was exceedingly dirty. Besides the white-blossomed Tephrosia, | saw here a yellow-blossomed variety. Our next march was exceedingly monotonous, and led through slightly undulating country, which looked lke a sea of grass, interrupted only by patches of bog and mud; there were no fields, no villages, and no inhabitants. We reached Khor Mennabor, the first and most northerly papyrus swamp along this route. The incidents of African travel must be experienced to be appreciated—to jump from one plant to another, to miss one’s footing and fall up to the breast into water and mud, to feel the burning sensation caused by the fine hairs of Vossia grass, Which abounds in such marshy spots, and above all, to witness the absurd appearance presented by a whole company of people kicking about in swamp and mud, all these things are very curious. We met a caravan of Wanyoro who had been buying ivory from the Shuli in exchange for brass and bark cloths, and who were probably going to exchange them