148 South of the Ahoho.

Women wear a broad skin covering from Emin Pasha once passed with a concourse Clothiug. The men go naked or wear a short mantle of skin over the shoulders, the waist in front and behind. Arm*. The sams practically as the Baris.

Visitora. Alikori states no white man has ever been to him before (April, 1994) of people going towards Bor but did not stop. Siege. Arabi Dafaalla besieged the hill for 13 days in 1897 ; he then drew off having suffered considerable loss. The natives ussd to rush the water holes every night at a different point and thus bring in enough to last for the next day. Supplies. Flour and sheep could only be obtained on payment by repeatedly demanding them and were then only forthcoming in very small quantities. It is probable that when the Ber' are again visited supplies of grain and meat will be more readily produced. Transport Mules, donkeys, and in the dry season camels could aD be advantageously employed for transport. Ga>"e- Giraffe, hartsbecst, tope and oribi practically comprised all the game sesn, but there were many fresh tracks of elephant and rhino. One herd of giraffe numbered over eighty animals. ***'- The best route from Mongalla to J. Lafol is up the right bank of the branch of the Bahr El Jebel, south of Mongalla to Sheikh Lado's or Lowala's (9 miles, thence south-east up the Felluru river via Nierchuk to junction (18 miles) of track from Ali Bey and Gondokoro, water in dry season all along this river. Thence general direction east, passing two pools, liable to be nearly dry in dry season, to Khor Wandida (15 miles), dry in April. Thence still east to Wailada lake, 12 miles, thence 11 miles north-east to J. Lafol, passing a marsh half-way where water should be always obtainable. Total distance about G.5 miles. Between the Felluru River and J. Lafol there is no track.

(f) Country South of the Alcoho* Boma. South of the junction of the Ajibur and Akobo rivers, an undulating tract of country is traversed before the foot of the Boma hills is reached. The soil is generally of a gravelly nature, but the district is often most charmingly wooded, whilst striking cocked-hat shaped peaks to the west enclose the valley of the Ajibur and add variety to the scene. Until the Boma hills are entered the country ajipears to be quite uninhabited, for it was not until we reached the lower slopes that we observed natives for the first time gathering the fruit of the many palms that grow, as well as bamboo, hereabouts. The hilly district of Bomaf is then entered, and many streams, valleys, and ridges have to be crossed. The soil is seemingly very fertile and capable of producing all kinds of cereals. Proceeding as we did in a south-westerly direction through these hills, we, of course, only traversed quite a small corner, so to speak, of the country, but were much impressed by the possibilities of the place as the site of a future post along the frontier. The natives appeared quite friendly ; the scenery at times was really grand ; and plenty of food and water could doubtless be always procurable once the natives saw that they would be protected from outside raiding parties. The average altitude of this region is generally from 3,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea level, but other ridges and heights attain an altitude of close on 6,000 feet. The natives were exceedingly shy, but eventually we persuaded them to approach us, though unfortunately we were unable to converse with them except by that most unsatisfactory of means — signs. Physically, the men — we saw no women at all at close quarters — are finely built and appear a higher type than the Nuers or Anuaks. Many of them wore ostrich feathers in their head-dress, and several had large circular knives — like those of the Turkana, but much broader — round their wrists. Beads were very generally worn, and many of the young bloods had broad bands of red beads, picked out with patches of blue and white ones, fastened across the forehead. Small skin aprons, not unlike those of the Turkana, were also worn by some of the men. Most of the men's spears were sheathed and not carried like those of the Nuers and Anuaks uncovered. The huts we saw were wretched little grass erections with no appearance of stability, and gave one the impression of being little more than mere rough shelters. We gathered from these natives that they had recently been raided by the Magois, whom they hate and fear, and had in con.sequence no goats or sheep left. We certainly did not see any, but at the same time the men looked so sturdy and well-filled that they probably liad plenty of grain food. Moreover, the wild fig grows fairly abundantly along the banks of some of the streams. The loftier heights of the country are well wooded, and though, j)erhaps, they were somewhat distant to judge accurately, I think probably these trees would provide excellent timber for building purposes. The climate appeared most bracing, and, judging by the few days experience we had, the rainfall must be very heavy.

Grand solid rock peaks in places spring out from the ridges in a curious manner, and by their precipitous appearance would probably tax the resource of the most skilled Alpine climbers to reach their summits. We were able to learn i.othing regarding the customs or habits of these natives, and, in fact, from the time we left Anuak country until we * Extract from a renoit bv Major Austin, H.E., 1!)01. + Boma waH visited oy Messrs. Bulijctt and Jes.sen in June, 1904. The inhabitants were found to be very frieniily, and a certain amount of jrain was obtainable from thc-ni. Iron wire — not brass— was what they asked for in jiayment. Crops in Boina are harvested in June. The maximum temperature registered on the Boma-Musha plateau was 85° F.