DABFOUR DESCRIBED.

shoulder, leaving exposed ttie right arm and breast.

Their arms and necks are decorated with iron and brass ornaments, which are also of home manufacture; they are not so generally used as in Kordofan.

The natives' huts are round, having mud walls and a conical thatched roof. Each group of huts is enclosed in a thorn fence, within which are collected their cattle, a few miserable dogs, and often some lean fowls. Coming to such an enclosure at midday one sees the people and animals herded together, enjoying a siesta; but in the morning and late afternoon the people are usually busily occupied. The inhabitants are a very hospitable people, and whenever we rested at a village, huts and food were provided for us free of charge. The only thing we had difficulty in procuring was water ; but at this season of the year the natives possessed so little themselves, that we could not be surprised at their unwillingness to give it to strangers.

They appear to be clean and industrious ; they are also great hunters, often crossing the Bahr-el-Arab in search of game. The children are employed in cleaning and spinning cotton, the men in weaving it ; while the women cultivate the fields, weave mats, and attend to their household duties ; and it was a real pleasure when we arrived at a village to see that all the inhabitants were busily engaged in some useful occupation.

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