THE EESHIAT DECIDE TO BE FRIENDS WITH US 169 



above. It is one day's marcli only from the Eeshiat to the 

 Buma and Marie settlements ; from Buma, Kerre can be reached 

 in three, and Murdu in five days. From Murdu to Aro is six 

 days' journey ; the river districts appearing to be uninhabited. 

 The Budu are agriculturists only, whilst the Kerre devote them- 

 selves exclusively to the breeding of cattle, sheep, and goats. 

 The Kerre own three villages. The Murdu do not till the soil, 

 but breed cattle, and also own camels, goats, sheep, and 

 donkeys. None of these tribes, we were told, practise circum- 

 cision. 



The Turkana, Donyiro, Buma, and Marie dialects belong to 

 the Nilotic, and those of the Eeshiat, Amarr, Bachada, Budu, 

 Kerre, Murdu, and Aro to the Hamitic stock, the Amarr, 

 Bachada, and Kerre speaking the same dialect ; whilst the 

 language alike of the Murdu and Aro differs from that of any 

 other tribe. 



The second day after our arrival, the Oromaj and three old 

 men came into camp, bringing with them a sheep to make 

 friendship with us according to the custom of the country. 

 The natives had evidently been all this time discussing how 

 they should treat us. The question of peace or war had been 

 eagerly canvassed, and the people of the western district had 

 wanted the latter. We had not noticed what was going on ; 

 but were told all about it by some Burkeneji women. The 

 night before there had been a most diabolical row in the neigh- 

 bouring village, which had lasted till the morning, and we ex- 

 pected anything rather than a league of peace, especially as the 

 market was almost deserted the next day. The few men and 

 women who had come to it ran away when they saw the approach 

 of the Oromaj, who had a thin rod some ten feet long in his hand. 

 We of course invited him into the camp, and noticed, to our 

 surprise, that he looked about searchingiy for his people, 

 without speaking a word. The sheep was led to the Count's 



