at the sight of the White
Princess's trinkets. What is very curious is, that each tribe has its
favourite colour--that while one swears by blue beads, another has eyes
only for green; so that a tribe which will violate its conscience for a
handful of blue or yellow beads, will preserve it untouched if tested by
beads of any other colour. The most potent bribe--potent enough to
prevail over even the stoutest conscience--is a piece of blue or red
cotton; but this, on account of its moral value, Miss Tinne was careful
to keep exclusively for the chiefs.

The journey to Bongo was rendered tedious and troublesome by the rains.
A large quantity of provisions was spoiled, and the ladies on their
mules were drenched to the skin without any possibility of drying their
clothes. The country through which they passed presented scene upon
scene of an interesting or attractive character. The groves expanded
into woods, and the woods into forests, the delighted eye gazing with
ever fresh gratification on the dense network of creepers and wild vines
that stretched from tree to tree, while the green gloom was everywhere
lighted up with starry blossoms. As the travellers penetrated farther
into the country, they came upon an entirely different picture; vast
plains widened away to that vague horizon where earth and heaven seemed
to blend in mist. Occasionally the monotonous level was pleasantly
relieved by clusters of gracious trees, forming so many isles of
greenery, where the bland calm air was fragrant with the sweet subtle
odours breathed from magnificent cactuses, orchids, and irises.
Thousands of birds, surprised among the tall grasses by the passing
caravan, sprang aloft, and filled the air with the whir and winnow of
swift wings.

* * * * *

As for some years a marked diminution had taken place in the number of
elephants inhabiting the valley of the White Nile, the ivory traders had
gradually pushed forward into the lands watered by the Gazelle and the
Djur. This was a virgin region, a mine hitherto unworked, and
accordingly, in order to profit to the full by its resources, a chain
of stations was established, each in charge of a _vakeel_, or manager.
Every November these were visited by the traders, who carried off in
their boats the accumulated ivory, and sometimes added to their cargo of
elephants' tusks the unfortunate negroes who had served them as guides
and hunters. As time went on, they ex