THE WATERBUCK 127 



rather warmer-coloured pelage* with more marked facial 

 adornments. 



The waterbuck of the South, ELLYPSIPRYMNUS, has 

 not lent itself to any vexing 1 colour-variations. DEFASSA, 

 in the reverse, varies considerably. Its vagaries, however, 

 are chiefly limited to colour-distinctions, and these alone 

 (whatever "may be their value, if any, in Nature's scheme) 

 never constitute a safe basis for differentiation. Personally, 

 I attach little importance to them ; nevertheless colour- 

 distinctions constitute the main reason for spinning this 

 yarn! It was because we encountered in the Sudan, 

 waterbuck totally different in colour only from any 

 of the thousands I must have seen in South and East 

 Africa, as well as in the Sudan itself, that this chapter has 

 materialised. That may seem an example of preaching 

 what you don't practise' probably it is ; but the incident 

 is worth telling of itself, so here it goes into print ! 



The Sobat River (530 miles south of Khartoum), by 

 reason of its erratic bends and generally eastward trend, 

 presents great difficulties to navigation ' by sail. We 

 were, however, anxious to explore a tributary of the 

 Sobat, the Khor Filus ; and by dint of much hard work 

 alternately sailing, poling, and laboriously dragging by 

 tow-rope from the bush-clad bank we reached that goal. 



Landing next morning and advancing up the Khor - 

 which was little more than a semi-stagnant backwater 

 abounding in exotic bird-life Lowe and I were soon 

 joined by a friendly native or two ; but presently our 

 escort expanded into an ever-increasing mob of savages of 

 the wildest and most weird aspects. These were Shilluks, 

 tall, lean, and muscular, varying apparently between six 

 and seven feet in stature. All were stark naked, some 

 smeared red, others ochre-yellow, or a ghastly ash-grey, 

 almost white ; and with odd clay-cemented coiffures. 

 Each carried three spears, and all were most friendly 

 and loquacious, gesticulating anent Gamoos Abu Uruff 

 etc. Having no fancy for hunting in a mob, we 



