ng. The total population of
British Bornu is estimated at 500,000. The dominant tribe, called
Bornuese, Berberi or Kanuri, a Negro race with an infusion of Berber
blood, have black skins, large mouths, thick lips and broad noses, but
good teeth and high foreheads. The females add to their want of beauty
by extensive tattooing; they also stain their faces with indigo, and dye
their front teeth black and their canine teeth red. The law allows
polygamy, but the richest men have seldom more than two or three wives.
The marriage ceremonies last for a whole week, the first three days
being spent in feasting on the favourite national dishes, and the others
appropriated to certain symbolical rites. A favourite amusement is the
watching of wrestling matches. A game bearing some resemblance to chess,
played with beans and holes in the sand, is also a favourite occupation.

The pastoral districts of the country are occupied by the Shuwas, who
are of Arab origin, and speak a well-preserved dialect of Arabic. Of the
date of their immigration from the East there is no record; but they
were in the country as early as the middle of the 17th century. They are
divided into numerous distinct clans. Their villages in general consist
of rudely constructed huts, of an exaggerated conical form. Another
tribe, called La Salas, inhabits a number of low fertile islands in Lake
Chad, separated from the mainland by fordable channels.

The Bornuese are noted horsemen, and in times of war the horses, as well
as the riders, used to be cased in light iron mail. The Shuwas, however,
are clad only in a light shirt, and the Kanembu spearmen go almost
naked, and fight with shield and spear. It is indispensable to a chief
of rank that he should possess a huge belly, and when high feeding
cannot produce this, padding gives the appearance of it. Notwithstanding
the heat of the climate, the body is enveloped in successive robes, the
number indicating the rank of the wearer. The head likewise is enclosed
in numerous turbans. The prevailing language in Bornu is the Kanuri. It
has no affinity, according to Heinrich Barth, with the great Berber
family. A grammar was published in 1854 by S.W. Koelle, as well as a
volume of tales and fables, with a translation and vocabulary.

The towns in Bornu, which have populations varying from 10,000 to 50,000
or more, are surrounded with walls 35 or 40 ft. in height and 20 ft. in
thickness, having at each of the four corners