INTBODUCTION. 



xlvii 



quickly plunged obliquely through the water ahead, letting go with the left hand and 

 allowing it to run through the right hand until the end is reached. 



The other spear has a straight shaft and a long narrow pointed head of iron, either 

 smooth or barbed. This is only used in shallow water, or amongst the reeds and in 

 swamps. In open water the man throws it a little way in front as he walks along on 

 the chance of striking a fish, or he may try to stalk one, getting as near as possible 

 before throwing his spear. In fishing amongst the reeds the man walks along, 

 thrusting in here and there on the chance of striking something. 



Every Shilluk carries a spear, often two, i. e. a fishing-spear and a fighting-spear, 

 the latter often a fine weapon, with strong straight shaft and a long, narrow, highly 

 polished blade. Many adorn the shaft with a tuft of black ostrich-feathers. 



The only other method of fishing I saw on the White Nile was making a dam across 

 the mouth of a kore, when the Nile is going down and the water is running out of 

 the kores and the big fish are making for the river, as the kores become shallow and 



Fig. 26. 



isolated from the main stream, many even drying up. In this dam traps are set, made 

 of dried reeds, about 7 ft. long and the diameter of opening 2 ft. Inside is a much 

 smaller opening, so that fish passing in are unable to return (see fig. 26, a), This trap 

 is also used in the Fayum, where it is called a "gawaby." Fig. 26, 5, shows a kore 

 and the main stream with traps set. Sometimes several villages combine and fish a 

 kore. Kores are very abundant in the Kaka district, and are depressions which may 

 run miles inland or parallel to the river ; some wind about in an extraordinary fashion, 

 some are connected with the Nile all the year round. Some have the banks covered 

 with a dense growth of rushes, others are quite overgrown except for a pool here and 

 there. Sometimes the shores are flat and free from vegetation, and this, combined with 

 shallow water, makes a good fishing-ground. One or two of this nature at Fashoda 

 which were partly dried up yielded excellent results. 



At one fishing-party on the east bank of the White Nile, near the mouth of the 

 Sobat R. y nearly 200 men and boys, Shilluks, took part. The mouth of the kore was 



