98 SERVICE AND SPORT IN THE SUDAN 



me to return to the launch, as he said he could not 

 control the curiosity of the young men, who, in spite 

 of the efforts of the elders, were crowding round. 

 Nothing loath, I did so. In a few minutes the Abii 

 Klea approached. I sent the launch to her with orders 

 to remount the Maxim on the quarter-deck, load the 

 nine-pounder with case, and take up a position cover- 

 ing the place of palaver, so that if anything happened 

 we would go aloft in plenty of company. 



When I went back to my friends, as I did at once, 

 I found them more inclined to give me a hearing. 

 The original party, some of whom were pushing back 

 the youths by whacking the latter's shins with the 

 hafts of their spears, now began a talk which lasted for 

 three and a quarter hours. 



When we got angry at being accused of slave- 

 raiding, they quieted down for a bit ; then asked that 

 the Nuers, for whom they seemed to have a great 

 respect, should come out of the boat. Assured that 

 there were none on board, they became very obstre- 

 perous, till the Anuak's companion, with his Nuer 

 tribe-marks badly concealed under a cotton rag he 

 had elected to tie round his forehead, convinced them 

 that a big force of Nuers was in hiding. 



There was another attempt on the part of one of 

 them to end the conference with a spear thrust, and 

 the sheikh, I am sure, would not have been so touched 

 by my show of confidence in him, as I planted my 

 chair in the midst of his people, had he known that I 

 did so to place the muzzle of my revolver between 

 his ribs. 



