EXPLORATION OF THE RIVER YEI 367 



speeding through a flat country of mimosa woods broken at 

 times by open grass-stretches where large herds of cattle 

 and sheep roamed at will. This was the land of the Dinkas. 



Often along the sloping banks we came upon the brilliant 

 green of young tobacco plantations and passed flocks of 

 goats and sheep watering at the riverside ; on our approach 

 the goatherds ran away, driving their flocks into the' thorn 

 bushes with many cries. 



Two days from Avurra we reached the first Dinka village, 

 called A'Todt and situated a few hundred yards from the 

 bank in among some trees.- Presently, to our astonished 

 eyes, tall, ghostly white men, with long spears, emerged 

 out of the grove. The "boys" stared, transfixed. Truly it 

 was a weird spectacle, and I felt I had been repaid for, all the 



