WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS 213 



At the moment a "punitive expedition" was operating 

 against certain Nuer tribes on the Zeraf, not far away ; 

 and that fact may have made these folk unduly nervous 

 as to our intentions. A sense of apprehension had spread 

 far and wide, extending even to the Shilluks across the 

 river ; for, on entering a Shilluk village on the north 

 bank a few days earlier, in order to seek information 

 as to game, our repeated hails brought no response. 

 On instituting a search, we found the inhabitants all 

 hiding in their huts. Their sentiment was probably that 

 of "naughty boys " fearing some punishment. 



Here is another incident, quoted from diary : 

 "Though some Nuer villages by the riverside are 

 occupied, those away back in the forests are deserted, 

 the natives, we are told, being off on the war-path. 

 To-day, while off-skinning an oribi, about five miles 

 inland, two Nuers appeared, reconnoitring us from 

 200 yards, strangely nervous. Though we hailed them 

 and held up open palms, they hesitated to approach 

 till a third and bolder spirit came right in. They were 

 busy seeking gum, but had only collected half a dozen 

 small lumps in their gourd-shells and seemed half-starved. 

 We gave them half the oribi and in a few minutes, their 

 confidence restored, they had started a fire (by rubbing 

 sticks), and began a feast alongside us." 



A curious incident happened near this spot. In an 

 abandoned village we had set a number of traps for 

 small mammals. Next morning the traps had been taken 

 up and the whole nineteen left in a pile together! 



The cause of trouble that had brought on the Punitive 

 Expedition, or Patrol, as it is called, was the refusal 

 by a Nuer tribe to pay their "hut-tax." The recusants 

 fled that is the survivors of them, including their chief 

 into impenetrable morasses ; but the simple savage over- 



** 



looked the fact that he thereby left his herds behind as 

 hostages. The result followed that the steamer which 

 eventually towed us back to Khartoum carried in her 



