_3rd. January_—This morning a thick mist, and the hygrometer 92°. In the early part, towing to E.S.E. We sail at eight o’clock with a still changeable north wind to S.S.E., and about nine o’clock to S. Here, on the right low shore, where stands some scanty grass, flows a small canal to the left into the plain to the N.E., and leads probably to a shallow lake or a low ground, discharging its water in this way. The negroes, who appear to me to be generally vigorous Icthyophagists, have established a fishing weir here at the entrance of this outlet. It consists of a double row of strong stakes, having between them a deep hole and two openings to let in the fish. We see by the fresh earth thrown up, that this canal is cleaned out. Probably the natives take the fish retreating with the water subsiding, and emptying itself into the Nile, in these passes formed with stakes, by means of baskets, and the larger ones by harpoons. No tree, and scarcely any ambaks in the shape of green hills, are seen. Ten o’clock. On the left, a little village, with seven well-built tokuls, the indented roofs of which are, however, tolerably flat, and on the whole are low. Close by, a large herdsman’s or pastoral village: the huts are built slightly enough, for they are only inhabited during grazing-time. Some negroes jump and sing; other men of ashes bring a cow and a few goats. The people here appear stronger and more muscular than these high shot-up marsh plants were in other places, and are on an average six Parisian feet[7] and upwards in height. Their sheikh or chief was called Tchinkah, and his village Kuronjah. A piece of white cotton stuff was given him to cover, at least, the nakedness of his shoulders, and some beads. Several negroes presented themselves, and they all now wanted “god” (glass beads). The teeth of the natives are very bad: this is generally the case in fenny countries; and we see it, for example, in Holland, where the women have not only bad teeth, but also very frequently swollen joints. They quarrel here for the beads thrown to them, but without fighting. Though such ornaments may soon lose the charm of novelty, yet they may lay the foundation of future discord, and cause homicide and murder. We saw some strings of blue glass beads on the chief, looking like broken maccaroni, and of which we also had brought a good supply. We could not learn from what country this glass ornament—_Vermiglio_ or _conteri di Venezia_—had come to them; it was a proof, however, that communications take place between these inner African nations. The beads were very much worn and ground away, and therefore probably an old inheritance of the tribe.