THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 739 



The cloathing of the Agows is all of hides, which they 

 foften and manufacture in a method peculiar to themfelves, 

 and this they wear in the rainy feafon, when the weather is 

 cold, for here the rainy feafons are of long duration, and vio- 

 lent, which flill increafes the nearer you approach the Line, 

 for the reafons I have already ailigned. The younger fort 

 are chiefly naked, the married women carrying their chil- 

 dren about with them upon their backs ; their cloathing is 

 like a fhirt down to their feet, and girded with a belt or 

 girdle about their middle ; the lower part of it refembles 

 a large double petticoat, one ply of which they turn back 

 over their moulders, fattening it with a broach, or fkewer, , 

 acrofs their bread before, and carry their children in it be- 

 hind. The women are generally thin, and, like the men,, 

 below the middle fize. There is no fuch thing as barren- 

 nefs known among them. They begin to bear children be- 

 fore eleven ; they marry generally about that age, and are 

 marriageable two years before : they clofe child-bearing 

 before they are thirty, though there are fe vera! inilances to > 

 the contrary. . 



Dengui, Sacala, Dengla, and 'Geeffi, are all called by the 

 name of Ancafha, and their tribute is paid in honey. Qua- 

 quera and Azena pay honey likewife ; Banja, honey and 

 gold ; Metakel, gold ; Zeegam, gold. There comes from 

 Dengla a particular kind of fheep, called Macoot, which 

 are faid to be of a breed brought from the fouthward of 

 the i ine ; but neither fheep, butter, nor flaves make part 

 of their tribute, being referved for prefents to the king and 

 great men. 



S A a-" Beside? 



