THE NUEE. 115 



The Nuer. 



Of all the African peoples, the Nuer best deserve the term of " stilted," 

 applied to the inhabitants of frequently inundated districts. Resembling the 

 Denka in this respect, they possess even longer legs and flatter feet, which they 

 raise above the high grass and place cautiously on the boggy ground. Like most 

 Negroes of the riverain countries, they go naked ; clothes would greatly incommode 

 them in these damp regions. But they take great pride in the beautj^ of their 

 hair, giving it a yellowish tint by applying cinders and other substances. Those 

 who have short hair wear wigs of cotton dyed red ; they make incisions on the 

 forehead, while the young women pierce the upper lip, inserting rods two or three 

 inches long encrusted with glass beads. Like the Denkas, the Nuer, whose fields are 

 above the flood level, possess large herds of oxen ; their most binding oath is 

 taken on the breed of their cattle. There are also a few Nuer communities living 

 in the midst of swamps on the floating islets of grass and reeds brought down by 

 the river during the floods. Like the aquatic birds, they eat fish as well as roots 

 and nelumbo seeds. Still all travellers have wondered how these half amphibious 

 beings can settle down and bring up their families in the midst of mud and 

 decaying vegetable substances. Their life must indeed be a hard one. They are 

 in general very sullen, sti angers rarely receiving a gi-acious reception from them. 



