MOUXT GOXDU. 231 had often attempted to take it by storm, they had invariably been unsuccessful, for as well as a shower of arrows, the natives hurled down stones and rocks.

The inhabitants, who belonged to the Sheer tribe, had never seen white men before, so we had crowds of them as visitors, and several even requested permission to touch us. They are a very pleasant people. The hair is worn much longer than by any tribes I had as yet seen ; it was tightly plaited, with many partings, radiating from the crown like the quarters of an orange, and the plaits, three and four inches long, hung in small pigtails round the head. They have also thin lips and receding chins ; in fact, rather fine features ; but their appearance is not improved by their custom of smearing themselves with red ochre and oil.

To enable them to see to bring us down grain for supper they made torches, and lit a huge fire at the top of the hill ; it was a pretty sight to see the lights moving up and down the rugged path. Their palm-leaf baskets were wonderfully well made, and their water-pots well formed, having a shapely neck. A herd of elephants much disturbed our rest that nicrht. The halt at Liffi had been beneficial to our donkeys, and we went along at a good pace, and had a pleasant ride. Mount Delgouna is exactly north-north-east from Gondu, and from our haltingplace I made the sketch of the mountain which appears on the next page. The mountain is said