The Women Are
Not Absolutely Bad-Looking, But Real Beauties Are Extremely Rare.
They
wear an apron before and behind of tanned leather, extending nearly to
the knees, which is only the outer garment, beneath which they wear a
neatly-made fringe of innumerable strings, formed of finely-spin cotton
thread, suspended from a leather belt.
Some of the wealthy possess
fringe composed of iron rings, neatly worked, so as to form a kind of
shirt of mail.
Every man is a warrior from his childhood, as the Baris are always at
war. They are extremely clever in the use of the lance, which they can
throw with great accuracy for a distance of thirty yards, and they can
pitch it into a body of men at upwards of fifty yards. From early
childhood the boys are in constant practice, both with the lance and the
bow and arrow; thus, although their weapons are inferior to fire-arms
properly used, they are dangerous in the hands of proficients against
men who, like my troops, were utterly ignorant of the art of shooting.
Fortunately for my expedition, the warlike Baris were not united
throughout their territory. Nevertheless, I discovered that the Baris of
Gondokoro had made an alliance with those of Belinian, twelve miles from
head-quarters. I observed that women were constantly passing to and fro
with baskets on their heads, carrying salt from Gondokoro, and each
returning with a goat, led by a string. Excellent salt is found at
Gondokoro, real chloride of sodium; and this article enables the natives
of that district to trade with the interior, where salt is extremely
rare and of great value.
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