180 FEOM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



places, and with, its wooded banks reminds one very much of 

 reaches on the Thames. 



On July 25 we arrived at Fort Archambault and were 

 hospitably entertained by Captain Brunet who, we after- 

 wards learned, was the officer in command at Gujba, where 

 Faderellah was defeated and killed. 



Fort Archambault is situated upon a high bank over- 

 looking the river. It is a well -arranged post and pretty, 

 with pleasant trees interspersed among the good brick 

 houses. The garrison under Captain Brunet is composed of 

 three white Non-Commissioned Officers and a company of 

 Senegalese Tirailleurs. Close to the station, which is on the 

 left bank, there is a large Sira town and scattered over the, 

 surrounding district there are altogether one hundred and 

 twenty-seven settlements. Directly to the south, the 

 country is inhabited by the Kabba Saras, a section of the 

 Sara tribe. 



Farther east on the right bank, the Kabba Sara women 

 wear the pelele, two enormous wooden discs 4 in. in 

 diameter inserted in holes bored in the upper and lower lips, 

 which disfigure the face to such an extent that it no longer 

 looks human, and the speech is reduced to a mumbling. 

 This custom is said to have originated in the mutilations 

 which the women inflicted on themselves to prevent being 

 seized by the Sultans of Baghirmi for their harems in the 

 days of slavery. 



Before leaving Fort Archambault it was necessary to lay 

 in 1200 lb. of " geri," for the region in front of us was a 

 deserted one. We also had to engage five new polers to 

 take the place of our Kotokos, who had to be sent back 



