of Edinburgh, Session 1884 - 85 . 
251 
hand is used, from the thumb to the end of the middle finger, hut 
people with large hands must use the span of the thumb and the 
first finger. Short distances are measured by strides, and long ones 
by the sun and a day’s journey. Land is not measured. Weights 
are not used. Two handful of dhurra are considered a meal 
for one person, and this quantity is supposed to be contained by an 
adansonia fruit-shell. Counting is performed with ease. Tallies 
are not used, but for counting high numbers beads on a string or 
marks on the ground are made use of. 
Communication . — The roads in the northern and north-eastern 
parts of Darfur are simply paths which lead through the open 
country. In the south, paths between villages are worn by use. 
No roads are made. Very deep swamps are sometimes rendered 
passable by grass, stones, and branches of trees sunk into them. 
The only bridges that are formed are those made by felling trees 
and placing them across small deep rivers. Ferries do not exist. 
Wells are kept up in the caravan roads and in the north-east part of 
Darfur ; where water is very scarce, adansonia reservoirs are con- 
structed, which are filled by the neighbouring villagers during the 
rains, the passing caravans having to pay a tax for the water they 
use. The pack-saddles which are used for donkeys and oxen are 
simply pads made of platted grass, and fastened round the animals 
by a rope or leathern thong. The goods are then slung on each 
side of the animal. The camel- and riding-saddles are exactly like 
those used by the Arabs. 
Pastoral Life . — The Fors are in no sense nomadic, but reside in 
settled habitations. 
No store of hay or any other fodder for animals is kept for winter 
use. They are all fed on grass in the fields all the year round, 
whether it is green or dry. Horses and he-goats are allowed corn. 
In colour the cows are either all black, all white, white and black 
mixed, red and white, grey, grey and white, dark red, almost black. 
These and the grey variety are considered the best breeds. All the 
cattle have beautiful horns ; the bulls’ horns are generally much 
straighter than the cows’ ; if they grow too long they are cut to 
prevent them breaking off. The cattle are not used for draught 
purposes, but they are ridden and employed as beasts of burden. 
They are eaten as well as milked. 
VOL. XIII. 
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