Chap. XXXIV. 
BAGMA. 
423 
others combined this distinction with that of a dwell- 
ing-house for the owner. The village is separated 
into two quarters by the river, and is inhabited en- 
tirely by Mohammedans. The news of a marvellous 
novelty soon stirred up the whole village, and young 
and old, male and female, all gathered round our 
motley troop, and thronged about us in innocent 
mirth, and as we proceeded the people came running 
from the distant fields to see the wonder ; but the 
wonder was not myself, but the camel, an animal 
which many of them had never seen, fifteen years 
having elapsed since one had passed along this road. 
The chorus of shrill voices, " geloba, geloba," was led 
by two young wanton Piillo girls, slender as ante- 
lopes, and wearing nothing but a light apron of striped 
cotton round their loins, who, jumping about and 
laughing at the stupidity of these enormous animals, 
accompanied us for about two miles along the fertile 
plain. We passed a herd of about three hundred 
cattle. Gradually the country became covered with 
forest, with the exception of patches of cultivated 
ground, and we entered between those mountains 
which had been during the whole morning in front of 
us ; here also granite prevailed, and all the moun- 
tains were covered with underwood. 
About nine o'clock the path divided, and my com- 
panions for a long time were at a loss to decide 
which of the two they should follow ; Billama having 
some objection to pass the night in Mbutudi, which he 
thought was only inhabited by pagans, and preferring 
E E 4 
