234 THE -WORLD'S WONDERS. 



strips about the ringing, and with which the zinc boot was filled. 

 The dingy had lost a mouthful, as the hippopotamus had bitten 

 out a portion of the side, including the gunwale of hard wood ; 

 he had munched out a piece like the port of a small vessel, which 

 he accomplished with the same ease as though it had been a slice 

 of toast." 



CHAPTER XIV. 



GONDOKORO AGAIN. 



AFTER a tedious voyage of five months and twenty-two days, 

 relieved only by sport among large game, the expedition reached 

 Gondokoro. Four years had elapsed since Baker last saw this 

 place, and in that time a change had occurred of a most surprising 

 nature. Instead of a fairly prosperous headquarters for ivory 

 and slave-traders, it had been desolated by the Loquias, all the 

 good buildings being destroyed and nothing remaining but a few 

 miserable huts occupied by the Baris. 



Gondokoro was the place selected by Baker for his headquar- 

 ters, but it was necessary for him to put up buildings, both for 

 quarters and" storehouses. The Baris sullenly objected to his 

 occupation of the town, and absolutely refused to sell a single 

 cow or sheep, thousands of which dotted the surrounding plain. 

 Baker had to take possession of the country in the name of the 

 Khedive, and, to provide food, he put his soldiers to work culti- 

 vating a large section of land. After a thorough plowing of the 

 soil, he planted corn, melons and various other products, including 

 a large variety of garden vegetables. 



Things would have shaped their course properly but for the 

 continued hostile attitude which the Baris maintained. This 

 tribe of savages are the most unruly of any in Africa ; their 

 occupation is war, for which they begin to prepare almost in 

 their infancy. Their war drum, in the head chief 's village, is so 

 large that two men can scarcely carry it. This instrument, shaped 

 like an egg with one end cut off, is placed beneath a shed near 

 tl- center of the village, and is in charge of the chief ; in the 



