THE LOWER AYI. 321 



of Lau), &c. Farther to tlie north, where the districts of the 

 Atot, the Kich, and the Elyab border upon each other, it 

 separates into two arms, which flow round a large island, that 

 during the Miarif is intersected by many small canals and 

 swamps. All the cattle zeribas of the neighbouring Dinka 

 are situated upon this island. The eastern arm of the river, 

 upon the right bank of which the village of Lau, or Lao, is 

 situated, and which has to be crossed when going from Shambe 

 to Ayak, is called Goll by the Dinka. The westerly arm is 

 named Gok. Farther to the north, both arms join and enter 

 the Bakr-el-Jebel near Fauver. The river is bordered by 

 large, almost impassable swamps. These swamps, as also the 

 river itself, are often perfectly dry during the dry season, so 

 that water is only obtained by trenching. Lwal, or Elual, 

 which is marked on Prnyssenaere's route, is only known here 

 as one of the numerous swamp troughs. 



The shameful slave-trade here causes me so much work that 

 the days often appear to be really too short ; in three days I 

 have sent one hundred and eighty slaves from the suburbs of Bufi 

 to their relations or to their chiefs, and even yet chiefs from the 

 Mandari mountains are arriving here to reclaim their people. 

 In performing this work, it is impossible to rely upon the least 

 help from the officials of Bufi. A passive opposition to every- 

 thing that I order makes all beneficial work almost impossible. 

 No one will move a hand to help ; to everything I say they 

 answer " Yes," but at the same time remain sitting upon their 

 ankarebs ; and all this one has to bear in the face of the com- 

 plaints of the oppressed natives, and in view of the complete 

 devastation of the country ! 



Nyamusa is the name of this district, which is inhabited by 

 the Bufi tribe. Gonge lies to the north-west ; Molo, which is 

 said to have a language of its own (not Dinka), to the north ; 

 Mundar, or Mandari, where Bari is spoken, lies to the east ; 

 Wira, or Vira, to the south ; and the Morti, erroneously called 

 Madi by their neighbours, live to the south-west. The language 

 spoken by the Bufi Negroes cannot readily be classed with that 

 of any of the neighbouring tribes, the numerals being entirely 

 different ; but in all the languages and dialects of the tribes 

 living in this neighbourhood so many analogies are to be 



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