The Shilluks came this morning from the opposite shore, and asked us to barter with them. This afternoon a Sheikh came to us (unless he was an impostor, as the one on our ascent was) and invited us to come _without fear_ to their city, which was close at hand, and said that cows, poultry, &c. would be brought to us. He himself presented us a cow, for which we gave him a ferda. At four o’clock we were able to proceed with oars: we navigate to E. and E.N.E. The shores are surprisingly elevated since we were here, and a considerable drainage of water, probably the last one, seems especially to have taken place within these few days. The Nile is not broader here than the Sobàt. Dry grass-reeds at the right; large hillocks of decayed ant-castles at the left. Five o’clock, N.E.; the foot of an island on the left, behind which the river becomes broad, and a group of Shilluks are stationed there on the ground, whilst further below they have taken possession of the ant-hills, and stand in the form of a pyramid. The Turks are dreadfully afraid of these people, and say that they are “batalin” (bad), because they are aware that the Shilluks know them well. Feïzulla Capitan has had a number of cartridges made for his pistols, and Selim Capitan wears his thick white woollen trousers, and not without cause. Soon after five o’clock we stop, conformably to the wisdom of our high dignitaries, at the uninhabited right shore, which is considerably higher than the left, and belongs to the country of the Dinkas, whilst the Shilluks appear to possess the mouth of the Sobàt, although not protected by forts and guns. Suliman Kashef was pursued a few days ago by a lion, notwithstanding he had four halberdiers with him, but he happily escaped the danger. To shew his gratitude to Allah, he gave every one of his crew twenty-five piasters. CHAPTER XI. THE SHILLUKS, A VITIATED PEOPLE. — CAUSE OF THE VIOLENT RAINS IN INNER AFRICA. — REFUSAL OF THE SULTAN OF THE SHILLUKS TO VISIT THE VESSELS. — DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIES OF GRASS. — BARTER WITH THE SHILLUKS. — CONQUEST OF THEIR COUNTRY NOT DIFFICULT. — FORM OF THEIR BOATS. — AMBAK RAFTS. — IRON RARELY FOUND AMONG THE EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES. — WORSHIP OF TREES BY THE SHILLUKS: THEIR RELIGIOUS RITES. — STARS IN THE SOUTHERN REGIONS OF AFRICA. — SHILLUK WOMEN: THEIR DRESS. — REFUSAL OF THE MEN TO SELL THEIR ARMS. — THE BAGHÀRAS: THEIR DRESS, ETC. — RE-APPEARANCE OF THE ISLAND PARKS, AND MOUNT DEFAFAÙNGH. — ASCENT OF THIS MOUNTAIN, AND FULL DESCRIPTION OF IT. — THE DINKAS: THEIR LOVE FOR OLD CUSTOMS. — DESERTION OF TWO DINKA SOLDIERS, AND REFUSAL OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN TO GIVE THEM UP. — SHEIKS SEIZED, AND DESERTERS RECOVERED.