WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS 
213 
At the moment a “punitive expedition” was operating 
against certain Nuer tribes on the Zeraf, not far away; 
and that fact may have made these folk unduly nervous 
as to our intentions. A sense of apprehension had spread 
far and wide, extending even to the Shilluks across the 
river; for, on entering a Shilluk village on the north 
bank a few days earlier, in order to seek information 
as to game, our repeated hails brought no response. 
On instituting a search, we found the inhabitants all 
hiding in their huts. Their sentiment was probably that 
of “naughty boys ” fearing some punishment. 
Here is another incident, quoted from diary:— 
“Though some Nuer villages by the riverside are 
occupied, those away back in the forests are deserted, 
the natives, we are told, being off on the war-path. 
To-day, while off-skinning an oribi, about five miles 
inland, two Nuers appeared, reconnoitring us from 
200 yards, strangely nervous. Though we hailed them 
and held up open palms, they hesitated to approach 
till a third and bolder spirit came right in. They were 
busy seeking gum, but had only collected half a dozen 
small lumps in their gourd-shells and seemed half-starved. 
We gave them half the oribi and in a few minutes, their 
confidence restored, they had started a fire (by rubbing 
sticks), and began a feast alongside us.” 
A curious incident happened near this spot. In an 
abandoned village we had set a number of traps for 
small mammals. Next morning the traps had been taken 
up and the whole nineteen left in a pile together! 
The cause of trouble that had brought on the Punitive 
Expedition, or Patrol, as it is called, was the refusal 
by a Nuer tribe to pay their “hut-tax.” The recusants 
fled-—that is the survivors of them, including their chief— 
into impenetrable morasses; but the simple savage over¬ 
looked the fact that he thereby left his herds behind as 
hostages. The result followed that the steamer which 
eventually towed us back to Khartoum carried in her 
