288 SERVICE AND SPORT IN THE SUDAN 



into shallow troughs nine by five feet. Seventy-five per 

 cent, of a man's tillage is given in charity — a widow 

 has a couple of troughs, a holy man another, and so on. 

 The owner, however, pays taxes on the whole. 



Partly in connection with this a great case arose, 

 in which the sister of the principal sheikh of the 

 province was concerned. She cruelly maltreated a 

 female servant, but pleaded that she was a veiled 

 woman when ordered to appear before a magistrate. 

 After dragging in all the legal luminaries of the Sudan, 

 she was made to come to Haifa. A bundle of clothes 

 was led into my office and sentenced to a fine. The 

 principle was what mattered — to impress the people 

 that there was one law for rich and poor alike. I met 

 her again at her home, when she paid me a visit. Her 

 mouse-like voice had improved in strength, and there 

 was no pretence of veiling. 



As a break in the routine I accompanied the Director 

 of Surveys on an inspection to the north — a few miles 

 only. As we went along we passed a native Punch 

 and Judy show. The showman was unfortunately 

 away. It may have been a miracle play. We met 

 fishermen in plenty. They use an "otter" as a rule 

 by night. Some of their fish turned the scale at 30 lbs. 

 Further south huge fish are caught. At Taufikia I 

 heard of two which weighed 300 and 500 lbs. re- 

 spectively. 



Quail-shooting is very good about here. I did none, 

 however. Here, too, the hyenas were very bold. 

 They steal babies from villages and eat the vegetables 

 — mostly pumpkins — of the inhabitants. 



