320 BITI TO BUFI. 



latter is divided by a reed fence into an outer and an inner 

 compartment, the former containing two large huts, each about 

 fifteen feet in diameter, with neat mud walls about three feet 

 high, and a lofty conical roof. These two huts serve as a 

 dwelling-place for the master of the house. The inner com- 

 pound, or harem, contains six smaller huts. The whole ar- 

 rangement is really curious, especially here, where the ground 

 is not swampy, and where termites are only seldom found, so 

 that there appears to be no real reason for such a method of 

 housebuilding. 



The station of Bufi consists of a collection of such buildings, 

 those occupied by the Danagla differing only by their greater 

 filth from those of the rest of the population. Each building 

 was originally surrounded by a bamboo fence, but these are 

 for the most part broken down, which is strange, for here 

 leopards carry off people in the day-time from out of their 

 houses, as we had an opportunity of witnessing. To each 

 homestead belong small gardens, in which are grown maize, 

 bamias, onions, a species of white bean, and egg- apples 

 (Solanum- melongena) ; cotton appears to flourish here. The 

 tomato has not yet found its way here, but I saw bananas, 

 lemons, and bitter oranges, and the papaw-tree, which I 

 had brought with me from Uganda, had spread from station 

 to station as far as this place. The plants cultivated in addi- 

 tion to those just named are the usual species of grain, sweet 

 potatoes (with red skins), as well as the mlokhia (Corchorus) 

 which always follows the Arabs, Gynandropsis, Hibiscus can- 

 nabinus, &c. Here at any rate a great deal could be done 

 in the way of agriculture, as water is plentiful and the 

 people very numerous. But unfortunately the slave-trade 

 has been in full swing here, and no one thinks of using his 

 existence for any other purpose than to rob, to plunder, and 

 to deal in slaves. 



The river, which is called by the natives, Doglnirguru, 

 makes a great bend near the station, and then assumes an 

 almost due northerly direction. After flowing through the Bufi 

 district, it passes through the country of the Kich, a division 

 of the Dinka, including the Jemid, Lau, and other tribes, and 

 is known there by different names, such as Nam-Lau (the river 



