THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 145 



punishing the women for a breach of discipline in being absent 

 without leave. Fadeela had escaped before her punishment had 

 been completed, and came near being shot by running to 

 the tent without giving warning- Seizing the coorbatch from 

 the hands of one of the executioners, Baker administered them a 

 dose of their own prescription, to their intense astonishment, as 

 they did not appear conscious of any outrage ; "they were only 

 slave women." In all such expeditions it is necessary to have 

 women belonging to the party to grind the corn and prepare the 

 food for the men ; Baker had accordingly hired several from 

 their proprietors at Khartoum, and these had been maltreated as 

 described. 



DETERMINED TO LEAVE GONDOKORO. 



BAKER determined at all hazards to leave Gondokoro, having 

 engaged seventeen men whom he knew to be fully as treacherous 

 as those he had dismissed, but he hoped to overcome their evil 

 designs by kind treatment and by impressing them with the 

 importance of yielding obedience, as the only way of successfully 

 penetrating a country filled with hostile savages. 



A party of Koorshid's people had just arrived from the 

 Latooka country, bringing with them a number of porters. 

 These people wore helmets of glass beads and were remarkably 

 handsome, though destitute of clothing. Adda, the chief, pre- 

 sented himself at Baker's tent, accompanied by a few of his men ; 

 he was a man of remarkable symmetry, a dusky Appollo ; he was 

 very friendly with Baker and gave much information about the 

 Latooka country, at the same time urging the white man to visit 

 him. To further excite his friendship, Baker took the chief's 

 portrait, and made him a variety of presents, such as copper 

 bracelets, beads and a red cotton handkerchief. This latter 

 article Adda carefully folded in the shape of a triangle and tied 

 it around his body so that the pendant corner would fall behind, 

 occupying half an hour in arranging it to suit his fancy. 



Finding their chief so cleverly entertained, the others crowded 

 around, asking for presents, which they generally received, as 

 Baker was anxious to promote their friendship, hoping to 



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