384 THROUGH ABAKA COUNTRY TO GOSA.

sengers whom I sent to the zertba to fetch its commander returned, bringing with them Chief Endauia, accompanied by most of the people who had been the greatest sufferers, and I ascertained from them that when a rumour of my approach arrived two days ago, the robbers decamped during the night with all their treasures, and that the zertba was now deserted. I at once gave orders for the erection of a station here to guard the frontier.

Chief Ranga, of the Babukur tribe, owns this exceedingly fruitful district; he appears to depend in a measure upon the more powerful Ansea. ‘The latter’s eldest son rules over the Babukur who live round Jebel Mogille. They are an ugly people, of a deep black colour; their upper lips are pierced, and in many cases their ears too, and they possess even a worse reputation for cannibalism than the Monbuttu themselves. I noticed that eleusine, sweet potatoes, Colocasias, yams, Helmia, and a little durrah were cultivated. The huts and granaries were in shape like those of the Nyam-Nyam, but less graceful. The language of the Babukur, as well as their appearance and their universal custom of circumcision, reminded me forcibly of the inhabitants of Londu, in Kabréga’s country, who have also migrated from the west. A Sterculia is common here; the Abak& manufacture a coarse cloth from its bark, which they use for aprons.

It was impossible to do all that I had intended here, on account of Mbio’s capture and the flight of the robbers. A long stay would have been useless, so, with a heavy heart, I commenced my return journey. ‘The old road was taken as far as Meridi, but from there we struck out in a new direction to Gosa. The country we traversed rose gradually, and several low ridges of hill crossed our path. Large pieces of beautiful white quartz are scattered over these ridges. The people manufacture the long pins and broad plates which the women wear in their lips out of this quartz by rubbing one piece against another. After passing Ngéle, a miserable village, where we could obtain no durrah, but got some very good yams, we marched through a district having an exceedingly wintry aspect, and containing many deep swamps, to Moggu, a large village, where Ansea’s brother, Falongo, resides. Thick Ano-