BITI TO BUFI. 317 



exceedingly unpleasant, and which is noticed amongst all the 

 southern tribes, is especially strong in the Akka, the Nyam- 

 Nyam, and the Monbuttu ; it is most perceptible during 

 physical exercise, and after any special mental excitement. 

 Even a lengthened residence in a foreign country, together 

 with extreme cleanliness, hardly diminish the intensity of this 

 smell. 



From the top of a mass of gneiss lying near the road to 

 Amadi, I was able to take some compass bearings, which I 

 believe connect my recent with my former work, as also with 

 Felkin's surveys. The river at Amadi had perhaps best be 

 called Ayi or Eyi, for the names Rodi and D5k are only 

 applied locally. With regard to the name Bahr-Jemid, it is 

 derived from that of a small Dinka village, past which the 

 river flows. 



3. From Biti to Bufi — The River Lau. 



GNEISS HILLS — GRASS STEPPES — JEBEL TERE AND ITS CAVERNS — PILE- 

 DWELLINGS OF BUFI — THE SLAVE-TRADE — A LADY VISITOR. 



The rain prevented our departure yesterday, and to-day the 

 outlook was not much more promising ; but it ceased at 

 last, and we started in good time. After crossing Khor Barra 

 we entered upon hilly country, covered with bush and inter- 

 sected by many small kkors. The latter were dry, but the 

 high sand-dunes on their southern banks showed how great 

 had been the force of the rain-water which had rushed through 

 them to the Ayi. A long broad row of round gneiss domes 

 and ridges, often of considerable height, stretched over the 

 whole country. Small woods of acacias had obtained a footing 

 round many of them, and numerous rock-hens (Ptilopachys 

 ventralis) sheltered in their clefts and grooves, and were already 

 busy pairing. Elephants too, to judge from their fresh spoors, 

 must be very abundant. The steppe woods, in which groves 

 of Anogeissus are found, form a refuge for numerous parrots. 

 We saw quantities of tamarinds heavily laden with fruit, and 



