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CHAPTER XIII. 



A TREK THROUGH BORNU. 



(FEBRUARY 7-MARCH 1.) BoRNUESE Woman. 



Baga means market, and the Baga of Kaua is im- 

 portant, for it is only there that the mainlanders 

 meet on terms of friendship with their Buduma 

 neighbours. It is held every week, and lasts into 

 the second day, for on the first much time is taken 

 by the Government agent, who registers and levies 

 a tax on each slab of potash. Little trade is done 

 in anything but this horse - salt, with perhaps the 

 exception of cattle. Huge thick -horned oxen from 

 Kanem, the long -horned, humped cattle of Bornu, 

 and a smaller Buduma breed, are all here. 



It is a picturesque sight to see them, as we did, 

 at night, picketed down two long rows of camp- 

 fires ; a number of men and women grouped round 

 them, all sharing alike in the warmth of the blazing 

 logs. Some oxen are for sale, but most are here, 

 together with quantities of small donkeys, for trans- 

 port purposes. The donkeys carry four slabs, the 

 equal of two men's loads ; the oxen six slabs. The 

 goods are put into two stout cord bags, which are 

 hung one on each side of the animal, thereby saving 



