CHKISTMAS IN CAMP AT KADDAI 341 



into existence for the development of some flourishing 

 industry, instead of being only the temporary base of a 

 people who depended less on the land and moved faster 

 than the wandering Arabs or gypsies. With the soldiers, 

 carriers, polers, and servants, all told, we numbered over 200, 

 and that did not include the wives of the carriers. This 

 meant the erection of huts ; otherwise, as it was now the 

 dry season the " boys " were content to sleep round the fires, 

 so besides the three houses that the Shehu had caused to be 

 built for us, our little township included lines of huts that 

 the carriers made for themselves and their wives. Round 

 all these ran a zareba against the possible night-attacks of 

 wild animals, the making of which gave useful employment 

 for some time to a number of the men. Besides this work 

 there had been the digging of three wells. The water of 

 these was excellent and very strongly impregnated with 

 potash, which, to my taste, made it more palatable, and 

 I always noticed on drinking it after coming in from a 

 long day's tramping that its effect seemed more stimu- 

 lating than other water. In one of the wells a white owl 

 took up its abode in the crevices of the rocks. These 

 birds are like our own barn owls, only more remark- 

 able for their breasts, which are speckled over with dark 

 spots. 



With regard to the water of the Lake, on the numerous 

 occasions when we drank it, we always found it sweet ; which 

 agrees with the opinion of Nachtigal, although other travellers 

 have described it as salt to the taste. It is, however, Ukely 

 that in parts not so directly affected by the influence of the 

 rivers there are springs impregnated with potash. There are 



