92 Bird Hunting on the White Nile. 



pure good nature. The country round the village proved 

 a good collecting ground, and the next day we went there 

 again, and as the place was some distance from our camp 

 we carried luncheon with us. The natives seemed even 

 more pleased to see us than they did the day before. 

 However, as we were bent on collecting, we paid little 

 attention to them, and leaving a couple of men to pre- 

 pare luncheon in the shade of some thick bushes, we set 

 out to hunt the surrounding country. 



On returning in the heat of the day to the temporary 

 camp amongst the bushes we found all the inhabitants 

 of the village engaged in a dance. On our appearance 

 the dance stopped, and our ears were split with the shrill 

 sachareet; the natives crowded round, and we were 

 nearly overpowered by the coarse and pungent odours 

 from the pomades and scents with which the women 

 plaster themselves, especially on festive occasions. 

 Getting the crowd to stand off a little we asked our men 

 the meaning of all this hubbub, and learnt that a 

 wedding was shortly to take place in the village. 



We were then led to an open space amongst the thick 

 mimosas, and while the old men and children carefully 

 cleared the sand of the long white thorns, the matrons 

 arranged the scanty clothing of the young girls and made 

 them ready for the dance. All being prepared, we sat down 



