THE BAGIRIMI 



157 



white man, was behind. They repeated " Baturi," — 

 counted quickly on their fingers, and threw open their 

 hands with a gesture that denoted supreme indifference 

 to such ordinary beings, — then pointed one finger first 

 to their eyes and then to her, and said, " Baturi 

 Madame," with an expression that left no doubt as 

 to their interest in the first white woman they had 

 ever seen. It was only when they learnt that a 

 second Baturi Madame was with the Baturi that they 

 consented to leave her and came to meet us with every 

 expression of joy. 



At Ngama, an Arab village close by a Bagirimi 

 settlement, a Punch and Judy show was going on, 

 performed by a man and his assistant. The puppets 

 and their actions seemed very similar to our own 

 street shows, though there was no Toby ; but our 

 presence was evidently disconcerting both to show- 

 man and audience, so we did not succeed in learn- 

 ing much about it. 



Between Ngama and 

 Tchekna the country was 

 thickly populated, and 

 flocks and herds took 

 the place of wild beasts. 

 The narrow tracks were 

 thronged with men, all on 

 their way to join in the 

 great feast of Dee. There 

 were chiefs with escorts of 



hpadmpn and ^lavpc, onrl Ceremonial Wooden 



iieduiiieii duu biaveb, ana thkowing-weapon. Throwing-weapon. 



ragged, poverty - stricken 



Arabs armed with spears or throwing - weapons. 



These latter they would occasionally hurl, for practice. 



