304 
NATIFF MANUFACTURES. 
[chap. X. 
they cut into squares, and sew them together as neatly 
as would be effected by a European tailor, converting 
them into mantles, which are prized far more highly 
than bark cloth, on account of their durability : they 
manufacture their own needles, not by boring the eye, 
but by sharpening the end into a fine point and 
turning it over, the extremity being hammered into a 
small cut in the body of the needle to prevent it from 
catching. 
“ Clothes of all kinds are in great demand here, and 
would be accepted to any amount in exchange for 
ivory. Beads are extremely valuable, and would pur¬ 
chase ivory in large quantities, but the country would, 
in a few years, become overstocked. Clothes being 
perishable articles would always be in demand to 
supply those worn out; but beads, being imperishable, 
very soon glut the market. Here is, as I had always 
anticipated, an opportunity for commencing legitimate 
trade.” 
“ Jan. 31st .—Throngs of natives arrived to carry 
our luggage gratis by the king’s orders. Started at 
7 a.m. and marched ten miles and a half parallel with 
the Nile, south ; the country thickly populated, and 
much cultivated with sesame, sweet potatoes, beans, 
tullaboon, dhurra, Indian corn, and plantains. 
“ The native porters relieved each other at every 
village, fresh men being always in readiness on the 
road. The river is here on a level with the country, 
having no high banks ; thus there is a great fall from 
Karuma towards the west. Halted in a grove of 
plantains near a village. The plantains of this country 
are much higher than those of Ceylon, and the stems 
are black, rising to 25 or 30 feet. The chief of the 
district came to meet us, and insisted upon our remain¬ 
ing at his village to-day and to-morrow to ‘ eat and 
drink/ or Kamrasi would kill him ; thus we are 
delayed when time is precious. The chiefs name is 
4 Matta-Goomi.’ There is now no secret about the 
lake. Both he and all the natives say that the Luta 
