A Festive Village. 91 



CHAPTER YI. 

 A DANCE, A SAND-STORM, AND A MARE BIRD. 



THE natives, generally, as I have mentioned, 

 took little notice of us. One day, how- 

 ever, when out collecting, we met with 

 a flattering reception from the inhabitants of a 

 small village through which we passed. The men 

 rushed up to us, seized our hands and kissed them 

 repeatedly; while the women in the background gazed 

 on us admiringly and loudly proclaimed their pleasure 

 with the shrill '' sachareet.^' The " sachareet " is a loud 

 high-pitched trill, sounding like the syllable " la '' uttered 

 very rapidly and shrilly, and is used by the Soudanese 

 women on all joyous occasions. We were somewhat 

 overcome and greatly puzzled by this greeting, and sus- 

 pected that it was due to something more practical than 



