308 KEDIBA TO BITI.

Another hour’s march led us at last to a splendid watercourse, which is so picturesque that it has no rival in this part of the country. Clmbing down its high banks, a richly wooded island lay before us, beyond an expanse of water some hundred feet broad, which we found to be three to five feet deep, as we waded round the point of the island. Just above the ford, Khor Labikko, a considerable stream coming from the southwest, joins this river, the It6é, which flows from the south. The united streams flow from the south-south-west to the north-north-east. The colour of the water is a light grey, but its taste is very good. Shortly after passing Khor Tafari, we had an example of the speed with which these watercourses can rise; this khor rose so suddenly, on account of rain which had fallen in the south, that the stragglers of our caravan were cut off from us, and only caught us up two days later on. The road from Khor It6 as far as Chief Doli’s village presented nothing worthy of mention save grass, steppes, small hamlets, and a view of several blue mountains and peaks.

Morlabba, Doli’s village, has about six hundred inhabitants, belonging to the Kederu tribe, who appear to be quite different from all the surrounding natives. The Mandari, who, to judge from their language, belong to the Bari, dwell to the east of Morlabba. ‘To the north-west dwell Mort-Kodo (1.¢., northern Moru), who are erroneously called Madi by the Mittu tribes; due west the same tribe is found, as well as the Mittu, and Liggi and Nyambara live to the south. The language of the Kederu differs entirely from that of the surrounding tribes; it appears, from its sharp s and rattling 7, most like the language of the southern Madi, and the cardinal numbers from I to 4 are identical. The name for 5 is different—taw in Madi, ndzi in Kederu. ‘The other cardinal numbers are formed in Kederu by 5 and an affix; for example, dzidallo 5 + 1, dzidirrt 5 + 2, &c. All other numbers are, however, entirely different, as also the names of plants and animals.

The impression which the people made on me was very favourable ; they were modest, even rather bashful, and they appeared to be chiefly occupied in agriculture, as the Danagla had ruined their cattle-breeding, and their fields covered the country in all directions. A kind of red durrah, not so bitter