136 SERVICE AND SPORT IN THE SUDAN 



into a valley, crossed a small bridge and ascended a 

 decided incline to the ridge, on the top of which was 

 the station. Some travellers have mistaken the hills 

 near Babai Beshir, several miles to the north, as the 

 position of Dem Zubeir. 



Coming to meet me I saw the Mamiir, EI Yusbashi, 

 Ali Eff. Wahbi, and the doctor, Mulazim Awal Nesib 

 Eff. Tibsherani. If ever I have to undertake any 

 arduous job may Providence supply me with another 

 two such subordinates. Describe their merits in what 

 superlatives you will, you cannot, in my opinion, 

 exceed the mede of their worth. I will often have to 

 mention both. Wahbi Effendi is dead — dead at his 

 post, and, I should say, deified, if that is any pleasure 

 to him, by the people he ruled justly and well for so 

 many years. For long periods in sole command, his 

 loyalty never faltered, nor his zeal slackened, when 

 some British officer took command for a few months, 

 whose views were perhaps quite contrary to his own. 

 A little joke of his, a play on words, summed up his 

 position : " The Sirdar is the one man in the Sudan ; 

 the Sid-ed-dar (lord of the district) is myself." 



Tibsherani Effendi, I dare say, smiles and gives bread 

 pills to avoid the risk of poisoning any one, and his 

 cheering tact to the natives, so different from the usual 

 hectoring manner of the subordinate Jack-in-offtce, 

 heals by faith cures, while he grows fatter every day. 

 Natives would do anything for him. How few, much 

 nearer home, comprehend the siiaviter in modo, fort iter 

 in re. 



