of Edinburgh, Session 1884 - 85 . 
211 
well as men, are treated with great respect and care ; when begin- 
ning to bend with age they are not permitted to work in the fields 
any more, but are supported by their children. 
The Fors are not particularly hospitable, and they are very sus- 
picious of strangers. Should any appear in the village, they are 
closely questioned as to whence they come and what their business 
is ; and if their answers are not satisfactory they are at once taken 
to the chief. 
Both boys and girls are circumcised shortly before arriving at 
puberty. A feast is held on such occasions at which all the village 
takes part. If the children bear the operation bravely, they receive 
presents from their father. 
The following is a rough description of the Fors’ daily life: — They 
rise at dawn, and after washing, the man prays and then goes into 
the fields to work. The woman does household work and prepares 
the breakfast. When breakfast is over, the man returns to the 
fields, where he is soon followed by his wife, and they both work 
together till midday. Then the man rests while the woman prepares 
the dinner. After dinner, the man sits down and spins cotton, or 
makes mats or basketwork. When the woman has washed up, put 
the fire out, and fetched water, she joins her husband at his work, or 
else they severally go and join working groups, until the cool of the 
day, when they go again to their gardens and fields, and work until 
the sun has set. They never work in the huts, but in cool sheds 
provided for the purpose. No work takes place after supper, a few 
hours being then given to social intercourse, or occasionally to 
dancing. The very rich women and chiefs’ wives spend most of 
the mornings in perfuming themselves, or bathing and dressing their 
hair. In the afternoons, they also spin and make light mats of 
grass, but all women, to whatever class they may belong, always do 
the cooking. 
Huts . — Some of the huts in Darfur are the ordinary beehive 
grass huts, but by far the greater number are made with stone and 
mud walls; they are circular, and very large. The people build 
about two feet each day, and then leave the work to dry till the 
next day ; they never build higher than they can reach, and no 
scaffolding is used. The roof is supported by five poles, one of 
them being in the centre, with cross bars placed on the top to which 
