DANAGLA MISDEEDS. 311 



After passing a small khor by means of a natural bridge 

 {i.e., the enormous roots of a fig-tree), and then following for a 

 time the road, which led through a swamp, thorns, and grass, 

 we turned in the direction of Jebel Paya. The land here has 

 such an elevation that the rise to the foot of this mountain was 

 first noticed when we began to descend. The mountain proper, 

 which lay at a short distance to the right of our road, rises to 

 a height of about six hundred and twenty feet above the pass. 

 It would have been impossible to ascend the mountain without 

 great loss of time, on account of the exceedingly high, grass 

 and masses of bushes, so I did not attempt it. 



The land now began to fall rapidly, especially towards 

 the right, but, on account of the forest, no view was to be 

 obtained, even in those places where cultivated fields inter- 

 vened. The people here grow an immense amount of sesame, 

 which thrives splendidly upon the rocky soil. Many doleb 

 palms, a number of small streams imbedded in the rock, all 

 flowing in the direction of the Amadi river, and many culti- 

 vated fields, lent to the last part of this road a very pleasant 

 variety. 



Our headquarters on this occasion were established at Biti, 

 Chief Kango's village. A number of official duties were await- 

 ing me here. This village lies at a distance of about two 

 hours from the great Danagla station of Amadi, which be- 

 longed formerly to the mudirie of the Bahr-el-Ghazal. I deter- 

 mined to find out how things were going on there. On 

 looking over the records, which I had demanded, and which were 

 only unwillingly produced, I found that they contained some 

 curious information concerning the inhabitants, which I must 

 not omit to detail. There reside in the district of Amadi, 

 called also Ivism Jur, in addition to forty Danagla in the pay 

 of the Government, who act as a sort of irregular soldiery, no less 

 than ninety-six other Danagla, of whom over twenty were, to 

 all appearance, doing nothing, whilst fifteen made a living as 

 traders, and forty-five were ushurU (tithe-payers), who, as a 

 matter, of course, neither cultivated the land nor payed tithes, 

 and as many as eight were folds. To these must be added 

 three hundred or more persons composed of dragomans, farukh- 

 miri (Government slaves !), makalil (Negro soldiers of the 



