382 THROUGH ABAKA COUNTRY TO GOSA. 



Aidacodus Swinderianus, which are much hunted on account of 

 their tender flesh. An otter (Lutra) is said to be found farther 

 up-stream ; I often saw the natives wearing pieces of its skin. 

 The steppe cat (Felis manicidata) is also said to be very common 

 all over this district. Three female cats were given to me in 

 one day ; they were very nice, dusky-grey creatures, with a few 

 greyish-black stripes and white paws ; notwithstanding their 

 small size, they spat horribly as soon as they were touched. 

 It would be interesting to send a pair to Europe in order to 

 see what influence the climate and food would make upon the 

 second and third generation. The European wagtail (Budytes 

 flava) had already come back to its winter quarters. 



Chief Ansea, the ruler of the Abaka of Kanga, affects a 

 greasy fez and a long Tibet robe, green with age, as also wide 

 Turkish trousers, of a colour very difficult to describe ; but 

 although his authority extends far and wide, and many Negroes 

 obey his commands, he has not yet been able to afford a shirt ; 

 so it was my first business to renew his outer man, after 

 which, on account of his light brown skin, exceedingly straight 

 profile, scanty full beard, and his classic Sudan Arabic, he gave 

 the impression of being rather an inhabitant of Dar-Mahas or 

 Batn-el-Hajr than an Abaka prince. His zeriba consisted of 

 about forty huts and granaries, and as many very ugly women, 

 with such enormous plates inserted into their lips that they 

 almost looked like broad beaks. This, together with the undu- 

 lating movement of their hips when walking, called to my 

 mind very forcibly the spoonbill. The people here carry a 

 perfect arsenal of iron upon their bodies. 



As the ground round Kanga is exhausted, Ansea intends 

 shortly to remove his village to the Khor Meridi. This Ichor, 

 which is now a stream of from two or three feet in breadth, is 

 usually seventy feet wide. Farther to the north it is called Roa. 

 It was about two and a half hours' march from Kanga. Masses 

 of reeds and canes grow on the red ferruginous mud, where 

 they appear to thrive. The other head-stream of the Roa, the 

 Rasuba, also flows over this same ferruginous mud, which, in 

 addition to the broad fringe of Pandanus, adds considerably 

 to the unpleasantness of the ford. Iron appears to be very 

 plentiful in this district, for I found that arrow-heads made of 



