A WEDDING DAY. 
237 
in the fortunes of our people_, as intimacies had been springing up 
which were productive of great annoyance to us. 
The wedding-day was strictly a gala one ; bullocks slaughtered,, 
zachareeting , and constant firing ; in fact,, all in the zariba were in 
the highest state of excitement. Ringa^ beating furiously the gong, 
led the brides'’ procession^ each girl supported by two female com- 
panions,, the men firing repeatedly ; and it was not until a late hour 
that the festivities terminated and quiet was restored. 
The way out of the station leads through the cattle- kraal belong- 
ing to it,, consequently we had frequent opportunities of observing 
the habits of the Kytch negroes, numbers of whom are here settled 
with their families, and to whose care the cattle are entrusted. 
The men, like the generality of the Dinka tribe, anoint their bodies 
with oil, procured from the sesame and ground nut, powdering 
themselves with wood ashes afterwards. The women, on the con- 
trary, shine like polished ebony, placing ashes only on the face, 
which gives them the appearance of wearing ugly masks. Both 
sexes stain the hair red, and the women perform their ablutions 
with the same noxious fiuid. Water is rarely used, as it is said to 
produce barrenness. The mothers carry their babes in a trough - 
like piece of dried cow-hide slung over the shoulder and passing 
under the left arm, so both hands are at liberty. To protect the 
child from rain or sun, a leather apron is suspended from the 
mother’s neck, which effectually covers the infant. 
During our sojourn I have witnessed neither treachery nor evil 
designs on the part of the negroes towards us or the inhabitants 
of the station, though it is evident they mistrust each other. The 
Arabs never, even upon the most trivial occasion, venture outside 
unless armed ; and the intercourse is slight, and strictly confined to 
business. 
