160 UGANDA AND TEE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

very successful with his charms. This officer employed the man, and, after he had obtained the talisman, blew the priest's brains out, in order to prevent his giving it to any one else.

There is a kind of passion-flower here (Adenia venenata), which is very valuable to the natives, its leaves being very efficacious as a blister, for which it is much used, both by them and the Arabs.

We went one day to pay a visit to an officer, and to our surprise found him lying on a bed with his head hanging over the end of it, having a small paper funnel stuck into one nostril, and at the same time chewing something. On our asking the meaning of this extraordinary proceeding, he replied that he was suffering from headache, and wished to grease his brain, so was pouring oil down the funnel into his nose, under the impression that it would find its way into the skull ; and he said, pointing to his temple, " You see, if I chew at the same time, it makes the brain work, so that it will be more quickly greased."

Frequently groups of women came to dance before the Pasha, begging for food. A small circle of dancers was formed, moving in slow steps round and round; while the two principal performers danced in the centre of the ring, and continued their springs and contortions until completely tired out, when they fell into the arms of their com-