220 G0ND0K0R0 TO AGARU. 



The whole of Liria, although it joined us last year, and can 

 now be crossed almost without an escort, is still virtually 

 independent. Its inhabitants, a fine powerful race of the Bari 

 type, and entirely like them in manners and customs, have 

 a bad and widespread reputation as robbers. They used to 

 extend their raids northwards as far as Ber, and southwards 

 into the district of Kiri, and it was not till the chiefs of the 

 last-named district had received arms from me that they 

 succeeded in keeping them at bay. Rugang enjoys a great 

 reputation as a rainmaker, a somewhat dangerous calling ; his 

 father was killed by his subjects because rain did not appear. 

 While durrah is grown largely in this district, tobacco, 

 curiously enough, is seldom cultivated, and thrives badly. The 

 people procure their tobacco chiefly from Latiika, which yields 

 a large and superior quality. It is a good hunting region, 

 for the extensive open woods harbour large herds of antelopes, 

 and elephants are also plentiful. The fact that the dwelling- 

 houses are generally without fences proves that beasts of prey 

 are not very numerous or are not dreaded ; however, compounds 

 for the cattle are, as usual, enclosed with thorn-fences. 



The night was over at last, in spite of the rain, the wind, 

 and the swarms of mosquitoes, and the Latiika were ready to 

 start ; Chief Rugang had put in an appearance with spear, 

 bow and arrows, ready to act as our guide, only the promised 

 porters had not arrived. On my reproaching him for not 

 keeping his promise, the chief went off in a great hurry to 

 fetch them, and after a few minutes returned, accompanied by 

 three women ; the men, he said, were engaged in field-work, 

 so the women should do the carrying. This proposal was, to 

 their great satisfaction, refused, the baggage was redistributed, 

 and after some delay we at last marched off, Rugang insisting 

 on accompanying us. He is living at strife with his people, 

 as he confided to me on the way, because they wanted rain, 

 and he did not give it them. 



The country in front slopes gently down to the Khor Rodon, 

 for the mountains of Lokoya, which penetrate like a wedge into 

 the plain that stretches from here to Gondokoro, now lie be- 

 hind us, and the general rise of the ground is but slight. The 

 sandy soil supports the same vegetation as to the west of the 



