ABD-ES-SAMMAT’S NEPHEW. 383 iron are used here as articles of currency, and are exceedingly sought after by the surrounding tribes. In the steppe-wood which grows between these two watercourses, I noticed very many specimens of Sarcocephalus, with ripe fruits; also several species of Vitex, the fruit of which was just beginning to ripen. Khor Aoa is about a hundred feet broad; it has a muddy bed, composed of yellow mould, and is enclosed in broad “ gallery” woods. The ford must once have been very difficult, for the people have tried to construct a kind of bridge, by heaping in the river cut grasses, upon which the traveller sinks over the ankles.

We camped for the night at Baga, which is now inhabited by Zandé proper, who have for long contended with the robber . bands of Sabbi. Abdullahi Abd-es-Sammat, an unworthy nephew of his open-hearted uncle, does not content himself with robbing and plundering the whole of this district from his zertbas at Sabbi and Kanna, but also tyrannises over the people by cutting off their hands and feet for his private amusement. It was on account of cruelties of this kind, and the panic which they had raised amongst the inhabitants, that I visited them, for their complaints to the Government of the -Bahr-el-Ghazal district had not been attended to. This was only to be expected, for there the officials are all brothers or cousins.

Leaving Baga, we crossed many steppes, Ahors edged with broad “ gallery ” woods, and swamps containing the abominable Vossia grass, until we reached Jebel Ngirud, where I utilised a short halt to ascend it. After treading down the grass, I was, able to obtain a view from its summit as far as Jebel Baginze, but the names I heard for the different points of interest did not exactly tally with those given to Dr. Junker. This is probably to be explained by the fact that he appears to have had Nyam-Nyam interpreters, whilst I had Abakdé. On the other side of Jebel Ngirua, well-wooded country gradually sinks to Isu, or Echu, as it is here called. As I did not wish to waste my time in idle words, I preferred not to visit the stronghold of the Danagla, which was situated upon that river, but took the road which led past burnt zertbas and devastated fields to the village of Ombamba, where we halted. The mes-