140 
ORIGIN OF THE LATOOKAS. 
[chap. V. 
were invariably mounted upon mules. Neither horse, 
camel, nor other beast of burden is known to any of 
the White Nile tribes, therefore the existence of mules 
on the east bank of the Choi is a distinguishing feature. 
Both Abyssinia and the Galla being renowned for 
a fine breed of mules affords good circumstantial 
evidence that the Akkara tribe of the Choi are true 
Gallas, and that the Latookas may be derived from 
a similar origin by settlements after conquest. 
The great chief of the Latookas, “ Moy,” assured me 
that his people could not withstand the cavalry of the 
Akkara, although they were superior to all other tribes 
on foot. 
I have heard the traders of Khartoum pretend that 
they can distinguish the tribes of the White Nile by 
their individual type. I must confess my inability on 
this point. In vain I have attempted to trace an 
actual difference. To me the only distinguishing mark 
between the tribes bordering the White Fiver is a 
peculiarity in either dressing the hair, or in ornament. 
The difference of general appearance caused by a 
variety of hairdressing is most perplexing, and is apt 
to mislead a traveller who is only a superficial 
observer; but from the commencement of the negro 
tribes in N. lat. 12° to Ellyria in lat. 4° 30' I have 
found no specific difference in the people. The actual 
change takes place suddenly on arrival in Latooka, 
and this is accounted for by an admixture with the 
Gallas. 
The Latookas are a fine, frank, and warlike race. 
Far from being the morose set of savages that I had 
hitherto seen, they were excessively merry, and always 
ready for either a laugh or a fight. The town of 
Tarrangolle contained about three thousand houses, 
and was not only surrounded by iron-wood palisades, 
but every house was individually fortified by a little 
stockaded courtyard. The cattle were kept in large 
kraals in various parts of the town, and were most 
carefully attended to, fires being lit every night to 
