CHAPTER XXI 



My " magic" receives a set back — Telegraph poles in the forest — Count 

 Teleki— Captain Percival — A pretty picture — Bok — His pride humbled 

 — The country to the north-west — Insolence of the Uinkas — Teleki's 

 audience — Mayar accompanies me to Wau — I get my leave — I return 

 to Cairo and hear of my appointment — Acting-Governor of Haifa 

 Province — My work at Haifa — Various cases for trial — Minor interests. 



My efforts to astonish the natives were sometimes 



brought to naught. On one occasion an old man 



arrived, defendant in some case. I got the medical 



officer to perform an operation to remove a growth 



the size of a football on his knee. Perhaps owing 



to the man's age, the skin refused to heal before he 



was allowed to leave the hospital. His dirty habits 



rendered his retention undesirable. Blood-poisoning 



set in, and he died. 



One day an important Dinka leader sent in to ask 



that the sub-mamur, also a Dinka (then an officer), 



would come to him. Rehan Eff. Abdulla brought 



back a queer tale. The old man wished him to attend 



his obsequies, and listen to his last words. He had 



outlived his usefulness, and was to be buried alive ! 



A great feast was held, a grave dug, and the old man 



lowered into it. As the earth was shovelled on he 



harangued his tribe. Among other things he told 



them that the path of wisdom lay in submitting to 



the Government. 



376 



