37 Seven Years in the So7idan.

faith that my messenger will succeed. Uanda possesses about four to six hundred guns taken long ago from the slaA'ers ; he also preserved the ammunition, and has enough to make a bold resistance. Mbio, without being exactly a sincere friend, gives us no cause for complaint, although lie sends us very little ivory. In general it is wise to be on one's guard with all these potentates, who have an inconstant and flippant character, and from being friends sometimes suddenly become enemies.

" By Dr. Junker I sent an Indian shawl, richly embroidered in gold, a brass drum, a gun with ammunition, a sword chased with silver, and some clothes to King Mdarama. Dr. Junker added other gifts, and Mdarama was delighted with these and the rece])tion lie met Avith.

" Farther west than Mdarama is a tribe which professes the Mahomedan religion. It has a peculiar dialect, and I believe derives its origin from emigrants from Baghirmi. In Bahr-el-Ghazal there is a tribe called ]\Iandala, which occupies the north. The principal villages are Perogie, Tembeli and Delgauna. The people were also originally Baghirmi, but the race became mixed with the inhabitants of Darfour. The Darfourese, although the Mandala are Mussulmans, looked upon them as slaves, and the Mandala, to escape slavery, emigrated to Bahr-el-Ghazal. The chief is a certain Sultan Rashid, the subject of Suleiman Ziber, who during the war sent many combatants to assist the rebels. All the Mandala countrv is verv fertile, and the quantity of honey produced there is fabulous. They used to throw the wax away, but now it is collected, and forms part of the taxes paid to the Government. The tamarind harvest is also very rich. Maize is there preferred to doora, but the })rincipal harvest is furnished by millet, Avhich succeeds better than doora. TheMandalese are occupied in hunting elephants with spears. Almost all are