There are many tanners in the province who tan the leather by a most simple process, in which they employ the Garat,[65] the pod of a tree. They also manufacture the water-holders, the larger of which, are termed _Rai_, the smaller _Ckir’beh_;[66] the latter are generally made of goats’ hides, as in Egypt; the goats being skinned for this purpose like hares; the interior of the skin is merely tanned, whilst the hair is left externally; leathern bags are also fabricated to serve the office of churns. Of leather they produce further sandals, shoes, rahads, and, lastly, shields. The rahad is a girdle fringed by many thousands of small straps, and is generally one, or half a span in length; the girls wear these fringes round their loins, and they are usually decorated with agates and small shells. Shields are mostly manufactured from the hide of the large antelopes; they are of an ovoid shape, furnished with a protuberance in the centre. On the inner surface, a piece of wood bisects them longitudinally, to which two straps are attached to receive the arm; they are very stout, for a thrust with a spear or a sabre-cut scarcely ever penetrates them. The sheep-skins they tan very neatly, and impart to them a red, yellow, green, or other optional colour, by means of the juice of certain plants; the natives bind their shoes, ornament their sandals, or sew up charms with this coloured leather; they also prepare sheaths for knives and other articles from it. The women plait some very ornamental articles from the foliage of the _Palma Thebaica_, further, bread-baskets named _Tabak_, covers for dishes, mats, &c. They dye the leaves in different colours, and decorate them with patterns that are really astonishing. They also manufacture funnels for straining merissa, and baskets for keeping milk. The latter so densely worked that, when the fluid has once permeated them, they do not even leak. Every description of work performed in this country is very simple, and it is only to be wondered at, that the natives are able to produce thus much, as they labour under a deficiency of implements of all kinds. CHAPTER XIV. THE CAPITAL OF KORDOFAN, LOBEID.