184 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



go quite naked) and have a higher morality than all the other 

 tribes in this part of Africa; they are extremely jealous of 

 their women. 



The village life is interesting. The members of a family 

 do not herd together after the usual custom of bush-people, 

 and the young men live apart in huts by themselves a little 

 way off from the family settlements. The huts are small 

 and well built. Inside, there is a bed, made of six smooth 

 logs upon a strong trestle 3 ft. off the ground, with a 

 mattress of dried reeds. A shield of split cane 4 ft. high 

 hangs on the wall, while spears, a few pots and a fishing-net 

 complete the owner's possessions. 



Not far above Banda, the river takes an almost westerly 

 course through bush plains. In places the banks are 20 ft. 

 high, and of red earth which strikes a picturesque note 

 in contrast to the tangled growth upon their sides and the 

 fine trees that crown them. 



We arrived at Irena on August 4, and the next 

 day sent back Mustapha in charge of several boxes of 

 natural history specimens with the Kotoko canoes to 

 Kusseri. 



Leaving Agoma, the corporal, and four men at Irena to 

 look after our stores, and with the boats hghtly loaded and 

 carrying a fourteen days' supply of " geri," we set out on 

 August 6 to gain the mouth of the Bamingi river, in high 

 spirits at the thought of once more exploring untrodden 

 country and mapping an unknown river. But our joy was 

 not shared by the five Sara polers, who showed signs of fear 

 at the idea of venturing on waters which already bore for 

 them an evil reputation, and they told us we should be 



