chae. viii.] CEREMONY OF WELCOME AT FARAJOKE. 22 1 
faithful friends were never out of reach either by night 
or day. 
The cap was a solid piece of architecture, as may be 
supposed from its strength to resist the weight of the 
head when used as a pillow. It was made by an Arab 
woman in Khartoum, according to my own plan ;—the 
substance was about half an inch thick of dome palm 
leaves very neatly twisted and sewn together. Having 
a flat top, and a peak both before and behind, the whole 
affair was covered with tanned leather, while a curtain 
of the same material protected the back of the neck 
from the sun. A strong chin strap secured the cap 
upon the head, and the “ tout ensemble” formed a very 
effective roof, completely sun-proof. Many people 
might have objected to the weight, but I found it no 
disadvantage, and the cap being tolerably waterproof, 
I packed my cartouche pouch and belt within it when 
inverted at night to form a pillow;—this was an ex¬ 
ceedingly practical arrangement, as in case of an alarm 
I rose from my couch armed, capped, and belted at 
a moments notice. 
On the following morning I started at daybreak, and 
after a march of about thirteen miles through the same 
park-like and uninhabited country as that of the pre¬ 
ceding day, I reached the country of Farajoke, and 
arrived at the foot of a rocky hill, upon the summit of 
which was a large village. I was met by the chief 
and several of his people leading a goat, which was 
presented to me, and killed immediately as an offering, 
close to the feet of my horse. The chief carried a 
fowl, holding it by the legs, with its head downwards; 
he approached my horse, and stroked his fore-feet with 
the fowl, and then made a circle around him by 
dragging it upon the ground; my feet were then 
stroked with the fowl in the same manner as those 
of the horse, and I was requested to stoop, so as to 
enable him to wave the bird around my head; this 
completed, it was also waved round my horse’s head, 
who showed his appreciation of the ceremony by 
