278 THROUGH UNKNOWN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. 
their neighbors continually on the alert to withstand 
their attacks. The people were black, or else of a very 
dark brown color, and among them were to be seen 
many undersized men and women. The majority of 
the Kuli and Bunno were only about five feet two or 
three inches in height, and were undoubtedly of pygmy 
origin, but there were also many good-sized individuals 
among them. Their bodies were slender and well-formed, 
but their features were small and irregular. They pos- 
sessed no brass beads or ornaments of any kind, except 
a few ivory bracelets. 
Not knowing the value of ivory, they sold me several 
good-sized tusks for a few pennies’ worth of small beads. 
Brass did not seem to please them, but they would have 
sold anything they possessed for the cheapest kind of 
red and white beads, had I wished to stop among them 
and trade. It was most difficult to get any information, 
as none of the natives understood Galla, and all com- 
munications had to be made by signs. The Kuli were 
at war with the Bunno, but several of them agreed to 
accompany us on our next march as far as the first 
villages of their enemies. It would have been impossible 
to cross the Aro mountains with our camels, so the 
next thing to do was to travel down the valley of the 
Bunno, and then try to cross the mountains lying between 
the Amar and Lake Rudolf. The Bunno were prepared 
to make war upon us when we entered their country. 
About a hundred of them stood in our way, armed with 
javelins and bows and arrows. 
They carried a kind of shield that I had not seen before, 
long and narrow, and neatly made of ox-hide. Three 
sticks placed longitudinally, with cross-pieces at either end, 
formed the frame-work of the shield, the leather handle 
being attached to the central bar. 
