THE DINKAS 151 



junior and sometimes tactless native officers, and his 

 position among his own people much lowered thereby. 

 Later, their squabbling was, but for its possible serious 

 consequences, a subject of amusement. The Mamur 

 would send a letter to demand the infliction of terrible 

 punishments on the Sultan, who would make the 

 bearer of the letter an ambassador to complain of the 

 atrocities of the writer. 



The Sultan was about 5 feet 8 inches in height, and 

 cleanly in his person, which he clothed. On our 

 occupation he at once sold his rifles, as he saw that 

 they would be of little use again. Nasr Andal bought 

 them. At one time his word was law among a vast 

 section of Dinkas. 



I paid him a visit at his place, Chamoni, which is 

 a few miles north of the station. The Mamur accom- 

 panied me. We found the Dinkas bringing in their 

 cattle. The Dinkas are real riverain negroids. As 

 they use disgusting matter, not only in anointing their 

 bodies, but also in the preparation of their food, one 

 cannot call them cleanly. Here the youths of the 

 race decorated their own particular oxen or cows by 

 suspending huge tassels from holes bored at the point 

 of the long horns, and paraded them to and fro, sing- 

 ing the while. 



The Sultan pestered me with presents of oxen, 

 which were always returned, accompanied by some 

 small present. I made use of this friendliness how- 

 ever, for I managed to buy several oxen and, mirabile 

 dictu, a cow for Dem Zubeir. They all died of trypa- 

 nasomiasis there. 



