Jan. 18th.-Before sunrise we were continuing our journey, and after a march of 4 hours, halted at the extremity of the straggling village of Agoig (rich, nourishing.) The country through which we passed was a dense wood of sycamore, tamarinds, heglig, and tullach, the latter the only tree bearing thorns, which are nearly two inches long; cacti also abound, upon which superior cochineal exist. At 3 P. M. we were again en route, and, half-an-hour after sunset, arrived at the village of Affoock, but it being dark, the natives, according to custom, had retired to their huts, and would have nothing to do with us, so that my wearied men had no refreshment.

Jan. 19th.—Having a long march before us, we broke up half-an-hour before sunrise, and after six hours' hard walking, which knocked up some of the Khartumers, arrived at the principal village of the Awan tribe, called Faqualit, (the place where the man died of thirst.) The country well wooded with the same kinds of trees as before, the grass coarse, and standing from two to three feet high. The day was hot, and the men being fatigued, I bought them a fine bullock, for nine pigeon-egg beads, for their dinner, whilst I dined on a Guinea fowl that my pot-hunter had shot.

Jan. 20th.-Refreshed by our afternoon's halt, we made an early start, and arrived at the very straggling village of Ackweng, belonging to the Ajack tribe, where, reclining under some fine sycamore trees, which afforded good shade near the wells, we were soon, for cowry-shells and glass-beads, supplied with sufficient provision for a hearty meal.

We continued our march at the usual hour, and at sunset were quartered, as was our wont, in the open air, in the last of the Ajack settlements, the village of Ogum.

Jan. 21st.-The sun found us marching through the bush, and four hours later we were entering Auel-chi, (the ground covered with milk,) belonging to the Neanglau. Here two negroes, Courjouck and Anoin, who had the previous year accompanied me voluntarily to Khartum, left me to rejoin their friends, who presented me with ground-nuts, and a couple of goats, for my kindness to their relatives.

We remained with these hospitable people until 3 P. M., and at 5 crossed a small stream, about 20 yards wide and 3 feet deep-one of the tributaries of the lake-flowing north.

During the last hour several groups of negroes were hanging about inquisitively, at some distance from our line of march, apparently with a desire to approach, but of which they seemed to doubt the prudence, notwithstanding that I made signs to them and occasionally halted to encourage them to advance.

At length, a tall man, wearing a large ivory armlet above his right elbow, whom I well knew, nick-named by my men "Abu-Aag," (the father of the bracelet,) as one of the foremost men of the tribe, both in hunt and fight, having come within talking distance, raising high his club, invited us to bivouac near his village, and that before dusk both he and his brother would come and welcome me, provided the Benj, (myself,) would promise a friendly reception. I then approached him, carrying my rifle as a walking-stick, until he beckoned me to stop, and I promised him, his brother, and the whole tribe if he liked, a safe and cordial interview, but that I had nothing to offer them to "cham cham" (eat;) upon which, waving his club as a token of assent, he retired. Continuing our route, a little before sunset we bivouacked near some deserted cattle

kraals, within sight of the village of Angoin, the chief of the Neanglau or Bustard tribe.

We soon made ourselves comfortable, with watch-fires lit, and sentinels on duty. My men were bandying jokes about my order to light the cooking-fires, in the face of there being nothing to cook; while, in the full enjoyment of tobacco, on my carpet at a convenient distance, I could not but admire the ready wit of my ever-willing followers, as they returned out of the thick bush with loads of wood.

I was not deceived in my hopes of a supper; some half-grown and unclad sable maidens, ornamented with beads of a variety of colors tastefully strung, and worn round their necks, waists, and ankles, charily seemed to wait for an invitation before approaching too near; I went to meet them, and seeing they had fresh milk and flour, brought them to the bivouac, and consigned them to the caterer, who had, according to custom, invitingly displayed on a dressed antelope-hide, his varieties of the so highly prized beads and cowry-shells.

My pretty guests had no sooner concluded a rather hasty barter than they retired, laughing heartily at having done us out of costly ornaments for such common-place things as milk and flour; when a still larger party of matrons, and their full-grown daughters, the former for love of gain, the latter with greater desire for ornament than dress, of which they exhibited the greatest possible independence, encouraged by the success of their young friends, who had been sent in advance to reconnoitre, now made their appearance with larger quantities of provender of various descriptions, which my sharpest men greeted with hearty welcome.

This tribe, having raised among their neighbors and themselves fully 6,000 men, fought me last year, and as I had no proof of what their intentions might now be towards me, all was not "couleur de rose." One-half of my men, apparently thoughtless of treachery, were lying in careless positions with their arms, while the remainder of the Khartumers were feeding bonfires, hewing wood, and performing the manifold services connected with the culinary department. The Raik, porter-negroes, squatted round the watch-fires, and although an occasional shrill laugh was heard, they unmistakably expected the promised visit of the chief and his renowned brother, but whether it would go off peaceably, or we were to repel an attack, I rather felt than heard asked, and responded to in whispers.

A distant whistle was now heard, which was responded to by the departure of all the women, even of those who had still articles unsold; and in two minutes the loud hum and merry laugh gave way to silence. After a short suspense a strange voice called for Abdullah, an invaluable old negro interpreter of my party, and asked leave to approach, which, on being complied with, the chief and his brother stepped from out of the surrounding darkness into the light of our watch-fires, followed by a score or so of men leading a bullock. I rose and led him to a seat near my couch, which, however, he rather evaded, casting a searching look all round; when reassured, and invited by Abu-Aag's easy manner, they seated themselves in a semi-circle before me, carefully depositing their clubs and lances on the ground beside them, within easy grasp of each man's right hand.

After an exchange of formal greeting, with perhaps a little more of etiquette than candor, Abu-Aag, in a frank manly way, said, "As a shower is succeeded by sunshine, so does peace follow war. The chief of the mighty Neanglau

having fought you, now offers this bullock as a token of the peace, which he means to propose to the great White Chief when he arrives at his head-quarters among the Djour." My reply, "Afwat," (good,) when said with a certain intonation, conveying the meaning of a whole sentence of approbation, charmed both guests and followers, who, in as short a time as it takes to relate it, had the poor bullock struggling under the knife.

Restraint had now been thrown off between my guests and myself, for although they would not join in the meal, the materials for which they had so bountifully supplied, they willingly joined in the general good humor, which a liberal allowance of “man," (a thick fluid of uninviting color, but better taste, which may be translated into beer, although in appearance resembling barm,) now began to produce in all parts of the camp; and mixing with the Arabs, several of whom they recognized, partook freely of the muddy beverage, until supper being announced, they withdrew, well pleased with the happy termination to the interview.

Jan. 22d.-We were up and stirring with the sun, having the prospect of a five hours' march before us to reach my station at the Djour. We struck out lustily, following a winding pathway, which soon brought us into thick bush, and led us now and then across highly picturesque glades, studded with fine trees, the "tout ensemble" of which forcibly reminded me of many a noble park at home. Here we disturbed herds of giraffes and antelopes, the former browsing on the young shoots of a species of acacia, while the latter were attracted by some still green blades of grass, protected by the shade of thick bushes from the withering rays of the sun. Decoyed by the prospect of sport so alluring, I succeeded in shooting a giraffe, which my delighted negroes, scorning the operation of skinning, soon reduced into portable pieces for the noonday meal.

The huts of the village still threw their shadows westward as we entered Coetchangia, (where the panther was killed,) in which was my station, where we were received with a volley from my delighted garrison, and shouts of joy from the aborigines, both old and young. Among the first to bespatter me with his endearments was the old chief Akon Dit (Dit, a term of respect, as excellency is prefixed in Europe, and Akon, elephant-the old man having been an intrepid and successful hunter.) So many were the welcomes inflicted upon me by my friends, to whom I had become endeared by the profits of trade, sundry gifts, and the recollection of many a carcase of buffalo and elephant, which had fallen to their lot, the proceeds of my rifle, that I felt myself blinded, and my face streaming from the effects of their kindness, which, however flattering to my vanity, I was but too glad to curtail by a more hasty than dignified retreat into my hut.

The style of dress of the young and unmarried of my lady visitors I have already described; the married ones wear hides of antelope and sheep-skins, two of which are worn attached to the waist; one in front, and the other behind, extending to near the ankles; the edges of the front one are neatly bordered with variously colored beads, while small iron rings and bells of their own manufacture, form the ornaments of that behind.

The tribes through which I have hitherto conducted you from the lake, are strictly pastoral, possessing large herds of cattle, and less numerous flocks of sheep and goats, upon which they mainly depend for support, rather than on agriculture, which, despising as an unmanly occupation, they leave entirely to

the females, and is confined to the cultivation of small quantities of maize or millet, cotton of good staple, ground-nuts, gourds, and yams. Their field is a small patch of ground, in the immediate vicinity of their huts, which, unlike the Shilluks, are placed at considerable distances from those of their neighbors, each group of which appertaining to the same family, are defended by strong and high palisades, for their protection against wild beasts. Their sheep and goats afford them neither wool nor milk, and dependent entirely upon the produce of their cows and the chase for nourishment, sometimes, from a deficiency of grain, many have died of starvation; and frequently while shooting in the bush have I beheld skeletons of children, in twos and threes, who have dropped and died from want while in search of gums or berries to satisfy their hunger.

We have now entered into a latitude, according to my calculation about 80 N., where the tsetse fly abound, and where consequently cattle can no longer exist; therefore the Djour tribe, as well as those in more southern latitudes, are agricultural in their habits.

Iron ore, a rich red oxide, is found here, which the Djour, who are capital smiths, turn to account by the manufacture of lances and hoes, which they exchange with their pastoral neighbors for fat oxen and beads.

The Djour are a small, powerless, and consequently peaceable tribe, who having tasted the profits of their industry-in the manufacture and sale of iron implements of war and husbandry-entered eagerly into the spirit of the ivory trade, and would collect and purchase tusks wherever they heard of them within their reach, to retail to me at a small advantage.

Although my advance thus far may appear from these extracts to have been smooth sailing, yet from the plundering and cut-throat propensities of my present friends—the Dinkas-it has during preceding years called forth all my energy and nerve, not only to make good my footing, but to insure the lives of myself and followers.

While on my first journey into the interior, in the year 1854, I pursued a more westerly route, with thirty-five Arabs, and ninety negro followers of the Raik tribe, as porters; and after having entered the Wajkoing tribe I was placed in as awkward a fix as any man with an ordinary love of excitement could desire.

The savages, during my absence shooting in the bush, had, by dint of hard threats, induced my porter-negroes to abscond, and by their refusal to provide me with substitutes, hoped to compel me to abandon my baggage, which offered a prize far exceeding their hopes of gain by legitimate trade or labor. Disappointed in their expectations, collecting by hundreds, they used threats and menaces, calling us frequently to arms during many a weary day and watchful night. After six weeks of patient and trying endurance, a detachment of my men induced the Waj chief Maween, ever after my staunch friend, to bring one hundred men under their escort to my relief, and conducting me through his own territory, eventually left me with the Djour, among whom I succeeded in engaging porters to return to my boats.

In expectation of concluding a peace with the chiefs of the neighboring tribes, the most formidable of whom was Angoin of the Neanglau, I may as well relate what had led to the rupture between us, as it will serve to throw a light on the slight estimation in which human life is held by these tribes.

My success in the ivory trade had created a jealousy among the mercantile

community at Khartum, and had induced several parties to get up expeditions similar to my own, and to my great annoyance, follow my footsteps, rather than break new and dangerous ground. One of these parties, on two occasions while on the march, had been fallen upon by the negroes and plundered.

In the first instance, added to the loss of their property, eight out of twentyfour of their men had been murdered by the Ajack tribe, a fate which, no doubt, the entire party would have suffered, had it not been for the providential and unexpected arrival of another Arab company in time to extricate them. A few days after this occurrence, and without any knowledge of it, a second and smaller detachment of nine men, in the service of the same person, were sent from their temporary establishment to their boat on the lake, and were all brutally murdered by the Neanglau, at a distance of about 20 miles from my head-quarters.

These facts were for a considerable time kept secret from me, as it was determined, in consequence of the easy prey the last party had proved, to fall upon us, and secure to themselves a more valuable booty. The Djour would not join the neighboring Dinkas, who comprised the entire negro population, composed of six tribes, between me and the lake, and, in order to take a neutral part, decamped during the night, without any warning, from their huts into the bush.

My first object was to afford protection to the unfortunate Arab merchant, the principal of the murdered men, and his ten ill-armed remaining followers, by taking them into my camp, with whom and my own men-at the time but thirteen in number, and these reduced by illness to only six able men—we set about barricading and strengthening our position, where we stood a six weeks' siege.

At last my men, consisting of two detachments of thirty-five each, although among a far distant tribe, the Dôr, heard of my situation, and, joining, came to my relief. I now no longer feared an attack by day or night, which had often been threatened; but a friendly Djour named Pfing, a valued companion in frequent exploits with elephants, under cover of the night, informed me that Meekwen Dit, the chief of the Neanglau, and leader of the tribes, had determined not to expose himself or men to the effect of our fire-arms in the open plain round the village, but to occupy in preference the thick bush, through which we should be obliged to pass on the way to regain our boats.

Having secured the safety of a large quantity of ivory and valuables among my southern friends, the Dôr tribe, the rainy season being at hand I decided, at whatever risk, to commence my return. With the certainty of an attack from vastly superior numbers, in a disadvantageous position, 1 determined to outmanœuvre my enemy; and knowing the tribes to prize cattle above anything on earth, decided on a counter-attack upon their Kraals, which, in expectation of encountering me on my line of march, I conjectured might possibly be illdefended.

Starting with sixty of the best armed of my Khartumers, having given Meckwen Dit and his Dinkas in the bush a wide berth during the night, at sunrise on the following morning we were, as I had anticipated, quickly in possession of their Kraals; the few negroes in charge, after a short resistance, abandoned their herds to us. We were yet busy in detaching the cattle from their tethers, with which each was secured by fore and hind legs to pegs in the ground, when the old Neanglau chief, at the head of a large party of negroes,