106 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



These interesting people have kept their type pure by 

 not mixing with any other race. They wander through the 

 country to-day, as they have done for hundreds of years 

 over all the Western Sudan, keeping their flocks and herds. 

 Some of them have features very much hke one of the old 

 Egyptian types. They are rather inclined to be surly and 

 resent questions, but show a sturdy independence, which 

 one cannot help admiring. 



On July 26 we skirted the slopes of Mount BuH and made 

 our way to Bauchi, where we pitched our camp about a 

 quarter of a mile south of the high city wall. Of this well- 

 known town I will not say anything, as it fell in the Hne 

 of march of the leader of the expedition Boyd Alexander, 

 except that it was here I obtained some Httle sheep-skin 

 boxes filled with holy earth, which was supposed to have such 

 wonderful medicinal properties, that a Httle of it rubbed on 

 the forehead was believed to cure all illnesses of the head. 



On the night of our arrival, a leopard carried off one of 

 the sheep tethered just outside our tents ; the cries woke me 

 up, but it was too late to do anything. Luckily, we were 

 soon able to complete a base for triangulation with Mount 

 Bull, and had lovely nights for stars, so we were able to leave 

 Bauchi on July 29 — much to our relief, as it was terrible 

 to see so many famishing people for whom we could do 

 nothing. 



We next reached Deggelli, the first Denaua town, which 

 was perched on the top of a rocky hill. The country here, 

 though hilly, was not very suitable for plane-tabling, so 

 Alexander was unfortunately unable to do any more of this 

 after Bauchi. The part he did do — from the Montoil country 



