THE AGIBBAS 97 



lated into Nuer. After going two hundred yards or 

 less, through grass about four feet high interspersed 

 with small trees, I came to a clearing about fifty yards 

 in diameter, at the far end of which was a group of 

 twenty, mostly old men, all with foot drawn back and 

 spear poised. The situation gave one furiously to 

 think, I now saw the grass begin to swarm with men 

 between me and the Maxim, so, laughing loudly and 

 with my hands up, I advanced on the party in front. 

 With a good deal of persuasion the Anuak was got to 

 come up with a box of beads, which I now began to 

 distribute, all after a momentary pause accepting them. 

 Some I saw were wearing the beads I had left the 

 night before. An interpreter appeared on their side, 

 and by his help I discovered that a very old-looking 

 man was the chief. I possessed myself of his hand, 

 in spite of his swinging his spear, and found, as I 

 filled it with beads, that he was trembling like a leaf. 



Our conversation then proceeded in the following 

 manner. I talked to my Arab servant in broken 

 Arabic ; he repeated the sense more or less to the 

 Anuak, who translated what he understood of what 

 was said to him into Nuer, and that in turn was 

 translated into Agibba. The proceeding, with its 

 corrections, was more cumbersome than it sounds. 



After mutual answers to the query. Who are you ? 



the Agibbas forthwith accused us of being slave-raiders. 



At this point there was a slight struggle, and my 



servant advised a retreat, as a young warrior had just 



been prevented using his spear by an elder. Then a 



few questions were asked, and the old sheikh begged 



G 



