In the meantime I had found a solitary fragment of a Burma, red outside and black inside, made in the same manner as those of the Shilluks, and I roved about the mountain from S.E. to N., where several blocks of rock were lying below which had fallen from the mountain, and seemed to be porous basalt, or tophus (the latter most likely, from the regularity and fineness of the pores). These blocks lay scattered far and wide to the east, having sharp corners like those of a red-brown colour, which stand forth as pilasters from the west side of the mountain itself. They appear, however, to have been thrown by violence, rather than rolled to this distance. These blocks, which formerly covered the mountain here as thick crusts of lava, and under which still other crusts may lie, are broken off nearly in a horizontal line towards the river, and might, therefore, together with their clefts, easily suggest the idea of ancient circular walls or fortifications, to the Arabs and Turks. Perhaps it is from this cause that the Defafaùngh is called also Berba; for Birbe means a ruin in Arabic. We found there a cave—perhaps there are several—formed of stones piled up one over the other, equal in size to the one at the top on the south-eastern side of the terrace, and inhabited by wild beasts, as we concluded from the hyænas’ dung; on the north-eastern side we remarked several holes and fissures in the rocks, occupied at day by owls, and at night by the guinea-fowls. We saw the former and heard of the latter from some Dinkas, after we had assembled under the shade of large tamarind-trees, on which already there was ripe fruit. The Dinkas came, laid down their spears at some distance, greeted us with their “hababa,” and sat by our side in a friendly manner. No sooner did they see the dead guinea-fowls than they told us, that they kill them either with stones, or by catching them in the evening in the holes and cavities of the rocks. They were presented with some tobacco at their request, contrary to the usual custom of the Turks, who do not shew such favour to these “Abit.” They thought the “bumb” (report) of guns was “affiàt” (good and fine), but they were afraid of it, like all Negroes, and so much so that it appears laughable to us; but what ideas may they connect with the simple report, and what species of spirit or devil may they suppose to be raised in the gun!