THE SHIR, BARI, DJIBBA, NUEHR, DINKA, AND SHILLOOK TRIBES.
LOCALITY OF THE SHIR TRIBE -- THEIR PORTABLE PROPERTY -- DRESS AND
GENERAL APPEARANCE -- A STRANGE STORY -- BASKET MAKING -- THE BARI
TRIBE AND THEIR CHARACTER -- SLAVE DEALING -- BARI ARCHERS -- A
DARING SHARPSHOOTER -- THE BOY’S STRATAGEM -- ARCHITECTURE OF THE
BARI -- THE DJIBBA TRIBE -- THEIR NATIONAL PRIDE -- DJIBBA WEAPONS --
THE AXE, CLUB, AND KNIFE -- BRACELET -- THE SCALP-LOCKS ORNAMENT -- A
PROUD WARRIOR -- THE NOUAER OR NUEHR TRIBE -- THE CLAY WIG AND BEAD
HELMET -- THE CHIEF, JOCTIAN, AND HIS IMPORTUNITY -- NUEHR SALUTATION
-- THE DINKA TRIBE AND ITS WARLIKE CHARACTER -- ZENEB TO THE RESCUE
-- FEUD WITH THE SHILLOOKS AND BAGARAS -- DRESS OF THE DINKA --
TREACHERY, AND THE TABLES TURNED -- THE DINKA MARKET -- AN EMBASSY
OF PEACE -- THE SHILLOOKS, THEIR LOCALITY, DRESS, AND APPEARANCE --
THEIR PREDATORY HABITS -- SKILL IN BOATING -- A PASTORAL COLONY AND
ITS MANAGEMENT -- FISH-SPEARING -- A SHILLOOK FAMILY -- GOVERNMENT
AMONG THE SHILLOOKS -- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
As the Shir tribe are frequently mentioned by those travellers who
have passed through Central Africa, a brief mention of them will be
necessary. The Shir country extends on either side of the Nile, in lat.
6° N., and long. 30° E.
The men are remarkable for never stirring out of their villages without
all their personal property about them. Clothes, in our sense of the
word, are not considered as property, the principal article of costume
being a tuft or two of cock’s-feathers on the top of the head. But they
always carry their little stools slung on their backs, and no one ever
moves without his loved pipe. Upon their pipe they lavish all their
artistic powers, which, however, are not very considerable. Precious as
is iron in this country, being used, like gold in Europe, as a medium
of currency, the pipes are all mounted with this costly metal. The
bowls are made of clay, conical in shape, and having a couple of prongs
on which to rest. They are very large, holding quite a handful of
tobacco, and their mouthpieces are almost invariably made of iron.
Besides the implements of peace, the Shir always carry with them their
weapons of war. These consist of clubs, made of a kind of ebony, black,
solid, and heavy, a couple of lances, a bow, and a bundle of arrows, so
that their hands are quite full of weapons. The bows are always kept
strung, and the arrows are pointed with some hard wood, iron being too
costly a metal for such a purpose. They are about three feet in length,
and without feathers, so that they can only be used at a short distance.
The women, however, have some pretensions to dress. To a belt which
goes round the waist is attached a small lappet of leather, which hangs
in front. This is balanced behind by a sort of tail or long tassel of
very thin leather thongs, which reach nearly down to the knees. Captain
Speke remarks that this article of dress is probably the foundation
of the reports that in Central Africa there is a race of men who have
tails like horses. Such reports are rife, not only among Europeans, but
among the Central Africans themselves, each tribe seeming to think that
they are the only perfect race of men, and that all others have some
physical defect.
A very amusing instance of such a belief is narrated by Mr. Petherick,
a native having given him a most circumstantial account of tribes among
which he had been, and where he had seen some very singular people.
In one tribe, for example, he had seen people who, like the white
man, could kill at a great distance. But instead of having odd-shaped
pieces of wood and iron, which made a noise, they had bows and arrows,
which latter could not be extracted. Had he stopped here he might have
been believed, the only exaggeration being in the range of the weapon.
Unfortunately for his own character, he must needs add a number of
other circumstances, and proceeded to tell of a people who had four
eyes, two in the usual places and two behind, and who could therefore
walk backward as well as forward--like the decapitated lady in the
fairy tale, whose head was replaced wrong side forward, “which was very
useful in dressing her back hair.”
The next tribe through which he passed frightened him exceedingly.
They had the usual number of eyes, but one eye was under each arm, so
that, when they wanted to look about them, they were obliged to lift
up their arms. Not liking these strange companions, he went still
farther southward, and there he saw people with tails a yard in length,
and with faces like monkeys. But the most horrible people among whom
he travelled were dwarfs, who had such enormous ears that, when they
wished to rest for the night, they spread one ear beneath them for a
mattress, and the other above them by way of covering.
The strange part in connection with these wild tales is, that none of
them are new. To the lovers of old legends all these monstrous races of
men are perfectly familiar. Moreover, in that wonderful old book, the
“Nuremberg Chronicle,” there are woodcuts of all the strange people.
There are the Acephali; whose eyes are in their breasts; there are the
tailed men, the ape-faced men, the dwarfs, and the large-eared men. The
origin of several of these wild notions is evident enough, and it seems
probable that the idea of the large-eared race arose from the enormous
ears of the African elephant, one of which is large enough to shelter a
man beneath its covert.
To return to the Shir women. They are very fond of ornament, and nearly
all the iron in the country which is not used in the decoration of
pipes, or for the “spade-money,” is worn upon the legs of the women.
Rings of considerable thickness are fastened round the ankles, and a
woman of consideration will often have so many of these rings that they
extend far up the leg. As the women walk, these rings make a clanking
sound, as if they wore iron fetters; but among the Shir belles this
sound is thought to be very fashionable, and they cultivate the art of
walking so as to make the anklets clank as much as possible. There is
another ornament of which they are very fond. They take the shells of
the river mussel, and cut it into small circular pieces, about the size
of ordinary pearl buttons. These are strung together with the hair of
the giraffe’s-tail, which is nearly as strong as iron wire, and are
rather effective when contrasted with the black skins of the wearers.
Like the Wanyoro and other tribes, the Shir of both sexes knock out the
incisor teeth of the lower jaw.
These women are skilful as basket makers, the principal material being
the leaf of the dome or doom palm. I have a mat of their manufacture,
which is woven so neatly and closely, and with so tasteful an
arrangement of colors, that it might easily be taken for the work of an
European. It is oval, and about eighteen inches in diameter. The centre
is deep-red, surrounded by alternate rings of red and black, which have
a very admirable effect upon the pale-yellow of the mat itself.
The food of the Shir tribe consists largely of the lotus-seed, the
white species being that which is commonly used. Just before the seed
is ripe it is gathered in the pod, which looks something like an
artichoke, and contains a vast quantity of little grains, rather like
those of the poppy both in size and flavor. When gathered, the pods are
bored and strung upon reeds about four feet in length. They are then
taken into the village, dried in the sun, and stored away for food. The
fruit of the doom palm is also ground and used as flour.
There is one very strange kind of diet which prevails along the upper
part of the White Nile. The people have large herds of cattle, and they
not only live on the milk, but bleed them monthly, and cook the blood
with their flour and meal.
THE BARI.
Between lat. 4° and 8° N. and long. 31° 33´ E. there are several tribes
so peculiar as to deserve a brief notice before we pass westward to the
land of the negroes. The first of these is the Bari tribe, which is
situated on the eastern bank of the Nile.
They are a warlike and dangerous tribe, being well armed, and capable
of using their weapons, so that a traveller who wishes to pass
safely through their land must be able to show an armed front. When
Captains Speke and Grant passed through their country, an umbrella was
accidentally left behind, and some of the men sent to fetch it. The
Bari, however, drew up in battle array, evidently knowing that without
their leaders the men might be safely bullied, so that the umbrella was
left to the mercies of the Bari chief.
Owing to their position on the Nile, they do a great business in the
slave trade, for as far as Gondokoro, the capital of the Bari country,
steamers have been able to ascend the river. Consequently, every party
of strangers is supposed--and mostly with truth--to be a slaving
expedition, and is dreaded by one part of the population, while it is
courted by the other. The quarrelsome disposition of the Bari has
often brought them into collision with the traders, and, as might be
imagined, the superior arms and discipline of the latter have given
them such a superiority, that the Bari are not as troublesome as they
used to be. Still, they are always on the watch for an opportunity of
extortion, and, if a traveller even sits under a tree, they will demand
payment for its shade.
When Sir S. Baker was at Gondokoro, he was looked upon as a spy and
opposer of the slave-trade, and consequently ran much greater risk of
being killed than among the acknowledged savage tribes of the interior.
And as the slave dealers had further complicated matters by stealing
cattle from one sub-tribe, with which they bought slaves from another,
the journey through Bari-land was certain to be most perilous, and
probably would be rendered impossible.
Once they organized a regular attack upon the party, stationing
themselves on either side of a rocky gorge through which the road
ran, and keeping up a continual discharge of their poisoned arrows.
Fortunately, some of the natives, brilliant in their scarlet war paint,
had been seen ahead of the gorge, and preparations had been made for
receiving the attack. They ran along the rocks like monkeys, every now
and then halting to discharge a poisoned arrow, and then running on in
readiness for another shot. They showed much courage on the occasion,
coming within fifty or sixty yards of the armed escort, in spite of
their fire-arms, which they seemed justifiably to despise, as the men
who carried them had no idea of aim, and, provided that they pointed a
musket somewhere toward the enemy, and fired it, thought that they had
done all that was required.
However, the Bari were quite as bad as archers, and not a single
arrow took effect. Many were diverted from their line by the branches
of trees and the clusters of bamboo, while those that flew straight
were easily avoided, on account of the weakness and stiffness of the
bow, which would only project them feebly and slowly. The end of the
skirmish was that, although the leader of the expedition did not
think it worth while to fire at so insignificant an enemy, one of the
Bari was somehow shot through the body, probably by a bullet aimed at
somebody else, and a few were thought to be wounded. They then took to
their heels and ran off.
During the march the Bari still hung about the caravan, and at night
completely surrounded it, their forms being quite invisible unless the
sentinel lay on the ground, and contrived to see the outline of their
forms above the horizon. They even were audacious enough to creep close
to the camp, and discharge their arrows at random into it, in the hope
of hitting some one; but this mode of assault was effectually checked
by a volley of buckshot, which killed one of the most daring of them.
When his body was found next morning, lying about thirty yards from the
camp, the bow was in his hand, and a supply of poisoned arrows by his
side. Four of his arrows were afterward found in the camp, and their
ingeniously barbed heads charged with deadly poison showed that the
death of the former owner was well deserved.
It was fortunate for the travellers that the Bari are such wretched
archers, as the arrows, when they do strike a man, are tolerably
sure to kill him. The poison with which they are imbued has not the
rapidity of action which distinguishes that of the Bosjesman, but it is
scarcely less formidable, though less swift. The effect of the poison
is to destroy the life of the surrounding flesh, so that a limb which
has been pierced by one of the arrows is attacked by a slow kind of
mortification, and thus the wound ensures death, which is far more
painful, because so much slower, than that which is caused by the
poison-grub, the euphorbia juice, or the venom of the serpent.
Unpleasant as these Bari are in their ordinary state, they can be
trained into good and faithful attendants, and are excellent material
for soldiers. On one occasion, when a large party of the Madi had
attacked a body of traders, killed the standard-bearer, and nearly
carried off the standard itself, a young Bari boy came to the rescue,
shot with his pistol the man who was carrying off the standard,
snatched it from him, and took it safely to his master.
One of these Bari lads, a drummer named Arnout, saved the life of his
master by a stratagem. While the latter was reloading his gun, he was
attacked by several natives, when young Arnout ran up, and, though
weaponless, presented his drumstick at the enemy. Thinking it to be
some novel kind of fire-arm, the assailants ran away, leaving Arnout
master of the field.
The appearance of the Bari is rather remarkable. Their heads are round
and bullet-shaped, with low foreheads, and much development behind the
ears and at the nape of the neck, so that the general conformation of
the head is anything but pleasing, and is a good index to the character
of the people. As they shave their heads, the formation of the skull
is easily seen. They are a tall, well-grown, and well-fed people, thus
being a great contrast to the Kytch and several other tribes; and,
although they wear but little clothing, they contrive to spend much
time on personal adornment. The men shave the whole of their heads,
with the exception of a little tuft of hair on the top, which is
preserved as an attachment for a few feathers from a cock’s tail. When
they go to war, and even in their own villages, they rub themselves
with a kind of vermilion mixed with grease, and cover the whole of
their persons with this pigment. The men never stir without their
weapons, which consist of a bow, arrows, and a spear.
The bow is fully six feet in length, and looks a very formidable
weapon; but it is so stiff and inelastic that, as has been already
mentioned, it cannot propel the heavy arrows with much force. The
arrows are cruelly barbed, and the butt of the shaft is spread out so
as to allow a wide notch to be cut in it. This widened butt is seen in
arrows throughout a large part of Africa; and there is now before me a
Zanzibar quiver, full of arrows, kindly presented by J. A. Wood, Esq.,
R.N. These arrows are made with wonderful neatness, but are spoiled
in appearance by the width of the butt. How the natives can use these
arrows without having their left hand cut to pieces by the butt is
really wonderful; and as it must strike against the bow, and deflect
the arrow from its intended course, the wretched archery of the natives
is accounted for.
Besides his weapon, the Bari man always carries his stool, slinging
the latter behind him. When he stands, he has an odd mode of reposing
himself, which reminds the observer of the stork, flamingo, and other
long-shanked birds. One foot rests on the ground, while the other is
pressed against the leg just below the knee, and the man steadies
himself by resting the butt of the spear on the ground. Generally, the
bow, arrows, and pipe are tucked between the legs while the owner is
standing.
The women shave the whole of their heads, and, by way of dress, wear a
little apron about six inches square, sometimes made of beads strung
together, and sometimes of iron rings linked in each other like chain
mail. These last aprons are much valued. They also adorn themselves
by making a vast quantity of semi-circular scars on the body, from the
breast down to the waist, so that at a little distance they look as if
they wore a cuirass of scales. They are as fond of the vermilion and
grease as their husbands, and the effect of this pigment on the scars
is to increase the resemblance to scale armor.
The houses are neatly built. Each family resides within a considerable
space surrounded by a hedge of euphorbia, and the whole of the interior
is levelled, and carefully laid down with a sort of cement, composed
of wood-ashes, cow-dung, and clay. This mixture soon dries in the sun,
and forms a kind of asphalt, so that it can be swept easily. The huts
are floored with the same material, and both they and the enclosure are
kept scrupulously clean. The homestead (see engraving) consists of a
number of huts, according to the size of the family; and near them are
placed the granaries, which are carefully raised on posts.
As is the case in so many parts of Africa, the roof of the circular hut
projects for some distance beyond the low walls, so as to form a sort
of shady veranda. The door of the hut is not more than two feet high.
This form of hut reminds the traveller of the Bechuana houses, while
another custom is almost exactly identical with one which is practised
among the Damaras. If the reader will refer to page 302, he will see
a representation of a Damara tomb. The Bari bury their dead within
the enclosure of the homestead, and in like manner fix a pole in the
ground, and tie to it the horns and skulls of oxen. In order to show
that it is the tomb of a Bari, a tuft of cock’s feathers is fastened to
the top of the pole, in imitation of that which the deceased once bore
on his head.
THE DJIBBA.
Proceeding still northward, and diverging a little to the east, we come
to a large and formidable tribe called the Djibba. Their territory
is situated about lat. 7° N. and long. 34° E., and occupies a large
tract of country almost encircled by the Sobat River, one of the many
tributaries of the Nile.
The Djibba are a bold and warlike tribe. They are not negroes, neither
are they black, their color being a dark brown. Their stature is tall,
and, except in color, they bear much resemblance to the Shillooks,
who will be presently described. It has been thought that they may be
an offshoot of that tribe, but they indignantly deny any relationship
either to the Shillook or any other tribe; and even hold themselves
aloof from the warlike Dinkas, with whom so many inferior tribes are
only too glad to claim relationship.
These people are essentially warriors, and have a most remarkable set
of weapons. Spears of course they possess, and he is a happy man who
has a weapon with an iron head. Iron is scarce in the Djibba country,
and, in consequence, many of the warriors are obliged to content
themselves with fastening the sharp horns of antelopes to their spear
shaft, until they can manage to procure the coveted iron head. When a
Djibba warrior does possess so valuable a weapon, he takes very great
care of it, keeping the edges as sharp as a razor, and covering the
head with a hide sheath. The sheath is attached to the shaft by a
thong, so that there shall be no danger of losing it, and it is never
uncovered except when the spear is to be used. They also have clubs and
axes of different shapes. The most common club is formed from a dark,
hard, and heavy wood, and is remarkable for the mushroom-like shape
of the head. This shape is particularly mentioned, because it is a
favorite one in Central Africa, and among the Dôr tribe expands until
it is exactly like a large flat-headed mushroom, with sharp edges. The
most characteristic form of axe resembles the battle-axe of the Middle
Ages, which was equally adapted for thrusting or striking.
[Illustration: (1.) A BARI HOMESTEAD. (See page 464.)]
[Illustration: (2.) FUNERAL DANCE. (See page 459.)]
If the reader will refer to p. 449, he will see, over the title
“Bracelets,” two objects which serve the double purpose of ornaments
and weapons. As is evident from their shape, they are worn on the
wrist, so that the wearer is never entirely unarmed. The Djibba workman
takes a thin plate of iron, sharpens the edges, and cuts a row of deep
notches along them; he then rolls it longitudinally, so as to form half
a cylinder; and, lastly, bends it round into the form of a bracelet.
When it is placed on the wrist, the two ends are pressed or hammered
together, until the bracelet is held firmly in its place.
Another far more formidable weapon, fig. 2, is a bracelet made of a
flat plate of iron, about an inch and a half in width. On the inside
it is very thick, a quarter of an inch at least, and it is thinned
gradually to the edge, which is kept exceedingly sharp. In order to
prevent it from injuring the wearer, a sort of sheath of stout leather
runs round the edge, and is held in its place by its own elasticity,
so that it can be pulled off in a moment, and replaced almost as
quickly. Whenever the warrior comes to close quarters, he strips off
the leathern sheath, and, rushing in upon his adversary, strikes at the
face with the sharp edge, or, flinging the left arm round him, cuts
his naked body almost into pieces with rapid strokes of this terrible
weapon.
A well-armed Djibba warrior also carries a club made on exactly the
same principle. It is about the size of an ordinary racket, and very
nearly the same shape, except that the flattened portion is not so
regular. Indeed, if an ordinary golf-club had a head which could be
flattened out until it was about a foot long, and seven or eight inches
wide, it would almost exactly resemble the “assaya,” as this club is
called. The edge of the weapon is kept very sharp, and is guarded by
a sheath of hide exactly like that of the knife-bracelet. The New
Zealanders formerly used an axe-club of similar construction, though
very much larger.
In the illustration on page 449, entitled “Scalp-locks,” is shown
another proof of the essentially warlike nature of the Djibba tribe.
When a Djibba warrior kills a foe in battle, he cuts off his head, and
takes it home with him; he then cuts a number of leathern thongs,
removes all the hair from the head of the enemy, and hands them both to
a friend, who undertakes the office of decorating the victor with the
proofs of valor.
First the thongs are plaited into sixteen or seventeen bands, a part of
one being shown of its original size at fig. 2. One end of the bands is
then woven firmly into the back of the head, and is so managed, that as
the hair grows it renders the fastening more and more secure. The hair
of the dead man is then matted together into a sort of felt, about a
quarter of an inch in thickness, and sewed firmly to the under side of
the leathern bands. This process being accomplished, the Djibba warrior
stalks proudly forth, feeling himself every inch a man, and enjoying
the envy and admiration of those who have not as yet been fortunate
enough to attain such an honorable trophy.
Whenever he kills another enemy, he adds to the length, but not to
the width, of this singular ornament; and as he despoils the slain
man of all his ornaments, he is able to buy cowries with which to
enhance the beauty of his scalp-locks, fastening them in rows along
the leathern bands. A warrior of eminence will sometimes have this
trophy of inordinate length. I have seen one that was brought over by
Mr. Petherick, which was so long that, when a man of ordinary height
placed it on his head, the end trailed on the ground. It was so thickly
covered with cowries, that the leathern bands and hair could not be
seen until it was lifted up, and the proud owner had also extended the
cowries over the top of his head nearly to the eyes in front, and over
the ears on either side. The weight of this ornament was enormous, and
it is really wonderful that any amount of pride could have induced any
man to subject himself to such discomfort. The celebrated pearl suit of
Prince Esterhazy must have been singularly uncomfortable, but then it
was only worn on special occasions, whereas the Djibba warrior cannot
relieve himself of his honorable but weighty decoration.
The existence of such an ornament shows that the Djibba are fond
of decoration. They are moderately well clothed, wearing goat-skin
dresses, with the hairy side outward. The dress passes over the left
shoulder, leaving the right arm free, and then goes round the waist,
descending to mid-thigh. Ivory armlets of good workmanship are worn on
the upper arm, heavy belts of cowries are tied round the waist, and
both the ankles and waist are ornamented with polished iron rings.
THE NUEHR.
We now come to another of those remarkable tribes which inhabit Central
Africa.
About lat. 9° N. and long. 25° E. there is a large district inhabited
by a tribe called the Nuehr or Nouaer. Contrary to the usual custom,
this tribe possesses land on both sides of the Nile, which in the
midst of their territory spreads itself into a lake. The Nuehr are a
fine-looking race of savages, and very like savages they look. The
men are tall, powerful, and well-formed, but their features approach
the negro type, and are heavier and coarser than those of the tribes
which have been previously mentioned. The women are not nearly so
good-looking as the men, and are rather clumsily built.
Neither sex is much troubled with clothes. The males never wear any
clothes at all; nor do the females, until they are married, when they
tie a fringe of grass round their waists, some of the wealthier women
being able to use a leathern fringe, of which they are very proud.
Their ornaments really seem to serve no other purpose but to disfigure
the wearers as much as possible. Beginning with the head, the men stain
their woolly hair of a dusty red by a mixture of which ashes form the
chief part. They then take a sort of pipe-clay, and plaster it thickly
into the hair at the back part of the head, dressing it up and shaping
it until it is formed into a cone, the shape of the ornament varying
according to the caprice of the individual. By means of this clay
headdress the hair is thrown back from the face, the expression of
which is not improved by the horizontal lines that are tattooed across
it.
A headdress of remarkable beauty was brought from this tribe by Mr.
Petherick, and is now in the collection of Colonel Lane Fox. It is
white, in imitation of the white clay with which the head is usually
decorated, and is made of cylindrical beads shaped as if they were
pieces of tobacco pipe. These beads, or bugles, as they ought perhaps
to be called, are threaded on string, and fastened together in a
very ingenious manner. The singular point in this headdress is the
exact resemblance to the soldier’s casque of ancient Egypt, and to
the helmets now in use in India, and other parts of the world. (See
“Helmet,” page 449.)
The natural glossy black of the skin, which has so pleasing an
appearance, is utterly destroyed by a coating of wood ashes, which
gives to the surface a kind of grayish look. On the upper arm they
generally wear a large armlet of ivory, and have heavy coils of beads
round their necks. The wrists are adorned with rings of copper and
other ornaments, and on the right wrist they carry an iron ring armed
with projecting blades, very similar to that which is worn by the
Latookas.
Joctian, the chief of the Nuehr tribe, was asked by Sir S. Baker what
was the use of this weapon, and by way of answer he simply pointed to
his wife’s arms and back, which were covered with scars produced by
this primitive wife-tamer. He seemed quite proud of these marks, and
evidently considered them merely as ocular proofs that his wife was
properly subservient to her husband. In common with the rest of his
tribe, he had a small bag slung round his neck by way of a pocket,
which held bits of wood, beads, and all kinds of trifles. He asked for
everything he saw, and, when anything of small size was given him, it
straightway went into the bag.
Still, putting aside these two traits of cruelty and covetousness,
Joctian seems to have been a tolerably agreeable savage, and went away
delighted with the presents he had received, instead of grumbling
that he could not get more, as is the usual way among savage chiefs.
It was rather strange that, although he was so charmed with beads and
bracelets, he declined to accept a knife, saying that it was useless
to him. He had in his hands a huge pipe, holding nearly a quarter of
a pound of tobacco. Every Nuehr man has one of these pipes, which
he always carries with him, and, should his supply of tobacco be
exhausted, he lights a piece of charcoal, puts it into his pipe, and
inhales the vapor that it draws from the tobacco-saturated bowl.
The women are not so much adorned as the men, probably because the
stronger sex prefer to use the ornaments themselves. At a little
distance the women all look as if they were smoking cigarettes. This
odd appearance is caused by a strange ornament which they wear in their
upper lip. They take a piece of iron wire, about four inches in length,
and cover it with small beads. A hole is then pierced in the upper lip,
and the ornament inserted, so as to project forward and rather upward.
The Nuehr are very fond of beads, and are glad to exchange articles of
food for them. One kind of bead, about the size and shape of a pigeon’s
egg, is greatly valued by them; and, when Mr. Petherick was travelling
through their country, he purchased an ox for eight such beads. The
chief came on board the boat, and, as usual, asked for everything he
saw. Among other odd things, he set his affections on Mr. Petherick’s
shoes, which, as they were nearly worn out, were presented to him. Of
course they were much too small for him, and the attempts which he made
to put them on were very amusing. After many failures, he determined on
taking them home, where he thought he might be able to get them on by
greasing his feet well.
When the chief entered the cabin, and saw the wonders of civilized
life, he was quite overcome with the novel grandeur, and proceeded
to kneel on one knee, in order to give the salutation due to a great
chief. “Grasping my right hand, and turning up the palm, he quietly
spat into it, and then, looking into my face, he deliberately repeated
the process. Staggered at the man’s audacity, my first impulse was to
knock him down, but, his features expressing kindness only, I vented
my rage by returning the compliment with all possible interest. His
delight seemed excessive, and, resuming his seat, he expressed his
conviction that I must be a great chief. Similar salutes followed with
each of his attendants, and friendship was established.” This strange
salutation extends through many of the tribes that surround the Nuehr;
but in some, as for example the Kytch, the saluter merely pretends to
spit in the hand of his friend, and does not really do so.
THE DINKA.
Still south of the Nuehr tribe we come to a singular district extending
on either side of the Nile. This country is inhabited by two tribes,
who are both warlike, both at deadly feud with each other, and both
fond of making unexpected raids into the enemy’s country. The tribe
that inhabits the left or west bank is called the Shillook, and that
which occupies the eastern bank is the Dinka or Denka tribe. We will
take the Dinkas first.
They have more of the negro in their aspect than the tribe which
has just been described. They include many smaller or sub-tribes,
all of which speak the same language, or at least a dialect of it.
Without going into any minute details as to the peculiarity of each
division, we will simply take the leading characteristics of the great
and formidable Dinka tribe. That they are exceedingly warlike has
already been stated. Indeed, had they not been so, they would long ago
have been exterminated; for, what with the incessant inroads of the
Shillooks and Bagaras from the west, and various Arab tribes from the
north and east, they could not have held their own had they not been
brave men, and trained to arms.
The martial spirit extends even to the women, and was once of very
great service to Sir Samuel Baker, while on his travels. A dangerous
quarrel had suddenly arisen, and a number of Arabs were attacking the
white leaders, some being armed with swords and the others with spears.
One of the latter had got behind Sir Samuel’s headman, and was about to
make a thrust with his lance. There happened to be with the exploring
party a Dinka woman, named Zeneb, and, as soon as she saw the _émeute_,
she snatched up the heavy handle of an axe, rushed into the thickest of
the fray, knocked down the Arab with a blow on his head, and instantly
twisted his spear out of his hand, while he was stunned with the
unexpected blow. This timely aid was the turning point in the skirmish,
and in a minute or two the Arabs were conquered and disarmed. Zeneb had
afterward the satisfaction of smashing the lances of the vanquished
Arabs, and boiling the coffee with the fragments.
The principal weapon of the Dinkas is the lance, but they also use
clubs of various shapes. In form they strongly remind the observer of
certain clubs in use among the Polynesians, and indeed might easily be
mistaken for such weapons. The club is employed for a double purpose.
It is held in the left hand, and used as a shield, with which to turn
aside the lance thrust of the enemy, and, when the enemy has been
wounded, the club is ready for the operation of knocking out his brains.
Warlike as they may be, the Dinkas are not so actively aggressive as
their neighbors, the Shillooks, and never frequent the banks of the
Nile unless compelled to do so by drought. They are agriculturists
after a fashion, and keep vast herds of cattle, and it is chiefly on
account of their cattle that they are sometimes forced to approach
the river bank, and so to expose themselves to the attacks of their
inveterate foes, the Shillooks and Bagaras, who not only steal their
cattle, but carry off their women and children. The Bagaras are
excellent horsemen, and swim their steeds across the river, placing
one hand on the animal’s quarters, and swimming alongside. They are
also great elephant hunters, pursuing their mighty game on horseback,
armed only with a spear, leaping from the horse and inflicting a mortal
wound, and springing on their steeds again before the elephant has had
time to turn himself.
The dress of both sexes is simple enough. The men wear a piece of skin
attached to a girdle, but it hangs behind and not before, except on
occasions of ceremony, when it is carefully brought round to the front.
Beads are of course worn, the quantity varying according to the means
of the possessor. The married women wear small aprons, and the girls
and children nothing at all, with the exception of beads and other
ornaments. Like those of the Nuehr tribe, the Dinka women perforate the
upper lip, and place in it a little bit of stick covered with beads.
The women are not at all pretty, whatever good looks they may have had
being completely neutralized by the habit of shaving the head. The
girls are very fond of an ornament, which is a series of hollow iron
cones, about half an inch or so in diameter at the bottom, and tapering
to a point above. Through the upper part a hole is bored, so that the
cones can be strung on a leathern thong. They are of very different
lengths; those which come in front being about four inches long, while
those at the back measure barely two inches. As the girl walks about,
this waistband gives forth a pleasant tinkling, of which the wearer is
extremely proud. Such an ornament is extremely prized, and, as it is
almost indestructible, it is handed down from mother to child, and so
there is scarcely a Dinka maiden who does not possess one.
The pursuits of the Dinkas in time of peace are mostly limited to
hunting and tending cattle. Agriculture is rather despised, and left
to the women, and the consequence is, that the capabilities of the
soil are never fairly developed. Indeed, they only till small patches
of ground near their huts, and there cultivate maize, millet, gourds,
yams, nuts, cotton, capsicum, and similar plants. They seldom eat the
flesh of their cattle, unless a cow happens to die a natural death, in
which case a great feast is held: for their supplies of meat they trust
almost entirely to their skill in hunting. The rich live principally on
the milk of their cattle, and, should they have more milk than they can
consume, they barter it with other tribes for grain. They are clever
fishermen, and those who are not well off are accustomed to frequent
the banks of rivers or lakes, trying to kill the hippopotamus, and in
the mean time subsisting on fish. They have an ingenious method of
transporting fish to a distance by wrapping them in thick clay, and, as
this covering can be made air-tight, the fish can be kept for several
days even in so hot a country.
Agriculture being thus neglected, it naturally follows that great
distress is occasionally felt in the country, great numbers being
reduced to spend the whole of their time in searching for grains and
berries. Sometimes they hire themselves as servants, and take care of
the herds; and in bad years it is not uncommon to find in the bush the
bodies of men, women, and children, who have died from hunger in a
country which is capable of supplying both the necessaries and luxuries
of life.
With one branch of the Dinka tribe, Mr. Petherick remained for some
time, and had a good opportunity for studying their manners. His first
reception was not a promising one, as the chief fully intended to take
by force all the beads that had been brought for the purchase of
ivory, and threatened destruction to the whole party if this modest
notion were not at once carried out. However, the discharge of a gun,
and its effects at a distance, terrified the chief to such an extent,
that he was very glad to assume a more humble tone. The next stratagem
was to frighten away all the porters, so that the merchandise could
not be carried out of the country, and to cut off the supply of water
and provisions, in order to force Mr. Petherick and his party to leave
the district. Indeed, the chief stated plainly that, as they could not
remove their goods out of his country, the best plan would be to hand
them over at once, and proceed on their journey.
Previous to these events, the life of the same traveller had been
endangered by an alliance of six Dinka tribes against him, they having
imbibed the usual notion that the only object of a white man in coming
into their territory was to destroy the slave-trade, and bring white
enemies among them. This was while he was among the Dôr tribe, with
some of whom the Dinkas had already contrived to pick a quarrel. He
therefore fenced in his camp very strongly, and, by erecting a kind of
bastion at each angle, made it so formidable a fortress that the Dinkas
were afraid to attack it. They hung about the place for six weeks, and
at last Mr. Petherick determined on striking a bold stroke, and turning
the tables upon them. Knowing the exceeding value which they placed
on cattle, he thought that if he could carry off one of their herds
they would be brought to their senses. He sent off a detachment of his
party, who seized six hundred head of cattle, besides sheep and goats
innumerable. As had been anticipated, the Dinkas, who really value
their cattle much more than human life, were terror-stricken, and came
humbly suing for peace. This was granted, on their giving in their
submission, and the cattle were handed over to a Dôr chief, in order
to provide food for his village. However, the Dinkas kept bad faith,
for they continually hung upon Mr. Petherick’s line of march; and once
a sub-tribe, called Ajack, had the temerity to make an open charge.
Of course they were at once repulsed, with a loss of several dead and
wounded; but in consequence of these repeated attacks it was found
necessary to halt for the night in some cattle-shed, and to loop-hole
the walls for musketry.
A considerable trade in beads and tusks was done among the Dinka
tribe, who at last became rather sharp dealers. Mr. Petherick gives
an amusing account of one of their markets:--“After fifteen days’
tedious tracking, we made fast under some Dinka villages situated on
its southern bank, where we succeeded in bartering numerous tusks from
the natives, who received us with open arms, in the hope that we would
defend them, in case of emergency, from the aggressions of the Nuehr.
“I proceeded on shore to meet them, accompanied by an interpreter, a
man bearing a bag of various kinds of beads, and half a dozen armed
men, to guard against treachery, which, considering the negroes were
armed with clubs and lances, was a necessary precaution. My interpreter
and myself seated ourselves opposite to the owner of the tusk, who
obstinately retained his seat, refusing us an inspection of it. Placing
a hide on the ground, a variety of beads, cowrie-shells, and copper
bracelets were displayed thereon. The beauty of these provoked striking
signs of approbation, the vender and bystanders grinning and rubbing
their stomachs with both hands. A consultation then took place between
the party and his friends as to the relative merits of the beads, which
resulted in the following dialogue:--
“_Vendor._--‘Ah! your beads are beautiful, but the bride (tusk) I offer
is lovely: like yourself, she is white and tall, and worthy of great
price.’
“_Self._--‘Truly the beauty of the bride is undeniable; but, from what
I can see of her, she is cracked, whilst my beads are perfect.’
“_Vendor._--‘The beads you offer are truly beautiful, but I think they
must have been gathered before they were ripe.’
“_Self._--‘Oh, no! they were gathered when mature, and their color is
peculiar to them, and you will find that they will wear as well as the
best red; they came from a different country.’
“_Vendor._--‘Well, let me have some more of them.’
“His request being complied with, rising from the tusk and throwing
himself upon the beads, he collected them greedily; at the same time
the possession of the tusk was disputed by half a dozen negroes, who,
stating they had assisted to carry it on their shoulders, claimed a
recompense. On this being complied with by a donation to each man,
another set of men came forward under the same pretence, and the tusk
was seized by my men at one extremity, whilst they had hold of the
other, and in perfect good humor struggled for its possession: at last,
to cut the matter short, I threw handfuls of beads among the crowd,
which resulted in the immediate abandonment of the tusk for a scramble
after them. In the meantime the purchase was carried off and safely
lodged on board.”
When Mr. Petherick passed through the same country in 1856, the
Ajack sub-tribe thought that they had better make peace with so
formidable a visitor, and accordingly the chief Anoin begged him to
rest for the night at one of their villages, and favorably concluded a
treaty of amity. As soon as the camp had been made, and the sentries
set, a number of young girls--some of them really good-looking, for
Africans--arrived with milk and flour, and were delighted with some
beads, which they added to their attire; this consisting of bead
strings round their necks, waists, and ankles. Encouraged by their
reception, others arrived in succession, and set to work at grinding
corn and boiling porridge as if they had belonged to the expedition all
their lives.
Suddenly a whistle was heard in the distance, and scarcely had the
sound died away, when all the women had vanished, and a dead silence
succeeded to the merry chatter which had filled the place. After a
while a strange voice was heard in the surrounding darkness, asking
for permission to approach, and, when an assuring answer was returned,
Anoin and his brother stepped into the light of the watch-fires,
followed by a number of men leading an ox. They were fully armed; but
their dress consisted merely of a piece of leopard skin slung over
Anoin’s shoulder as a mark of rank. Anoin wore bracelets of copper,
while those of his companions were of iron. Both he and his brother
wore caps made of white beads sewed tightly on soft hide. The beads
were strung on cotton threads, spun by themselves with a distaff and
spindle, and a thorn had served the purpose of a needle.
After seating themselves, Anoin began a speech, offering peace,
and presenting the bullock as a proof of sincerity. The animal was
accepted, and in less than an hour the only relics of the ox were the
white and polished bones scattered on the ground. A number of smaller
chiefs then assembled, and all proceeded to greet Mr. Petherick by the
usual, though scarcely agreeable, custom of spitting in his face, and
they then proceeded to business.
First, the Dinka chiefs laid their spears and clubs in the middle
of the circle, and then Mr. Petherick laid upon them his rifle and
pistols. The chief next stepped over the heap several times, and
vowed that neither he nor any of his tribe would ever use the weapons
against the white man, and wishing that, if the oath were broken, he
should be the first to perish by the weapons of the aggrieved party.
Mr. Petherick went through the same ceremony himself, and a copious
indulgence in beer and pipes cemented the alliance.
THE SHILLOOKS.
Exactly on the opposite bank of the White Nile is found the great
Shillook tribe, with which the Dinka is always at feud. The Shillooks
are a tall and finely-made race of men, approaching very closely to
the negro, being black, with woolly hair. The flat nose and enormous
lips of the true negro are, however, absent, and only in a few cases is
there an approach toward that structure.
The Shillook men are very fond of ornament, though dress is not
considered necessary. Their ornaments are similar to those which have
already been described, and consist chiefly of iron bracelets, anklets,
and bead necklaces. They have also one rather singular decoration.
This is an enormous ivory ring, which is worn above the elbow of the
right arm. It is concave on the inside, and is so large that it is used
as a pocket for holding small objects. Small caps of black ostrich
plumes decorate their heads, and many of these caps are ornamented
with a circle of cowrie shells in the middle. Their weapons are clubs
and lances, the latter being very long, and having iron wire twisted
round the butt, so as to counterbalance the head. They also carry the
remarkable bow-like shield which has been already mentioned.
The women wear no clothing until marriage, and then assume a couple of
pieces of dressed hide, one in front and the other behind. These hides
reach nearly to the ankles, and are decorated round the lower edge with
iron rings and bells. The heads are shaved, and the ears are bored
all round their edges with a number of holes, from which hang small
clusters of beads.
The villages of the Shillooks are built very regularly, and in fact are
so regular as to be stiff and formal in appearance. The houses are made
of reeds, tall, of nearly the same height, and placed close to each
other in regular rows or streets, and when seen from a distance are
compared by Sir S. Baker to rows of button mushrooms.
The Shillooks are quite an accomplished people, being warlike,
pastoral, agricultural, piscatorial, and having a well-defined
government. Not only do they keep up the continual feud with their
powerful neighbors, the Dinkas, but they take advantage of the
overflowing of the Nile to launch their canoes, drop quietly down the
river, and attack the Arab population on either bank. So bold are they,
that on several occasions they descended the river nearly half way to
Khartoum, hid their canoes in the reeds, and crossed the country to
Sennaar or the Blue Nile. Taking the inhabitants by surprise, they
carried off numbers of women and children as slaves, drove away large
herds of cattle, re-embarked, and got safely home with their spoil. At
length the Egyptian Government was obliged to interfere, and had to
place troops between the White and Blue Nile. Besides their canoes, the
Shillooks make most ingenious vessels, which are a sort of compromise
between a raft and a canoe.
In this part of Africa there is a tree called the ambatch, or ambadj
(_Anemone mirabilis_). This tree grows tolerably straight, and tapers
gradually from the ground to the tip. It never grows to any great
size, and the wood is almost as light as cork. To make a raft, the
Shillook cuts a sufficient number of ambadj trees, lays them side by
side, and lashes them firmly to each other. The tapering ends are then
drawn together with cords, and also lashed firmly, and the result is a
singularly effective and buoyant raft, easily guided from its shape,
and so light that a man can carry it on his shoulders. When these rafts
are taken out of the water, they are placed upright on their bases, and
two or three are supported against each other, just as soldiers pile
their arms. One of these rafts, nine feet in length, and only four feet
wide at the stern, can carry two men.
The Shillooks are very clever in the management of their rafts, which
they propel with small paddles; and even the little boys may be seen
paddling about, not in the least afraid of the swarming crocodiles, but
always carrying a lance with which to drive off the horrid reptiles if
they attempt an attack.
When Mr. Petherick was passing through this country, the daring
Shillooks had established a small colony on the eastern or Dinka bank
of the river, on account of the good pasturage. As soon as the Dinka
had withdrawn toward the interior, the Shillooks crossed over, built
a number of reed huts, ran an extemporized fence round them, and then
brought over their cattle. They had plenty of outposts inland, and as
soon as the enemy were reported the Shillooks embarked in their rafts,
and paddled over to their own side of the river, the cattle plunging
into the water in obedience to a well-known call, and following the
canoes and rafts of their masters. Strange to say, the crocodiles do
not meddle with cattle under such circumstances.
Aided by their rafts, the Shillooks employ much of their time in
fishing. They do not use either net or hook, but employ the more
sportsmanlike spear. This weapon is about ten feet in length, and
has a barbed iron head loosely stuck into the end of the shaft, both
being connected by a slack cord. As soon as the fish is struck, the
shaft is disengaged from the head, and being of light wood floats to
the surface, and so “plays” the fish until it is exhausted, and can
be drawn ashore by a hooked stick. The Shillooks often catch fish at
random, wading through the river against the stream, and striking their
spears right and left into the water.
Polygamy is of course practised among the people. Mr. Petherick gives a
very amusing description of an interview with a chief and his family.
“At one of these villages, Gosa, with a view to establishing a trade in
hides, or if possible in ivory, I made the acquaintance of its chief,
Dood, who, with several of the village elders, entered my boat, the
bank being crowded with every man, woman, and child of the village. The
chief, a man past middle age, struck me by his intelligent remarks, and
a bearing as straightforward as it was dignified and superior to that
of his companions. A few presents of beads were greedily clutched by
his attendants, he, however, receiving them as if they were his due;
and, passing an order to one of his men, the trifle I had given him was
returned by a counter-present of a sheep. On his leaving I requested he
would call before sunrise, attended by his sons only, when I would make
him and them suitable presents.
“Long before the appointed time Dood and a crowd of men and striplings,
with their inseparable accompaniments of clubs and lances, on the
shore, woke me from my slumbers; and, as I appeared on deck, a rush
took place toward me, with cries of ‘The Benj! the Benj!’ (the chief),
followed by salutations innumerable. As soon as these shouts subsided,
Dood, disembarrassing his mouth with some difficulty of a quid of
tobacco the size of a small orange, sat down by my side.
“My first remark was astonishment at the number of his followers,
having expected none but his sons. ‘Oh, ’tis all right: you don’t
know my family yet; but, owing to your kind promises, I sent to the
cattle-kraals for the boys;’ and with the pride of a father he said,
‘These are my fighting sons, who many a time have stuck to me against
the Dinka, whose cattle have enabled them to wed.’
“Notwithstanding a slight knowledge of negro families, I was still not
a little surprised to find his valiant progeny amount to forty grown-up
men and hearty lads. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I did not like to bring the girls
and little boys, as it would look as if I wished to impose upon your
generosity.’
“‘What! more little boys and girls! What may be their number, and how
many wives have you?’
“‘Well, I have divorced a good many wives; they get old, you know; and
now I have only ten and five.’ But when he began to count his children,
he was obliged to have recourse to a reed, and, breaking it up into
small pieces, said, ‘I take no notice of babies, as they often die, you
know; women are so foolish about children that I never care for them
until they are able to lay a snare.’
“Like all negroes, not being able to count beyond ten, he called over
as many names, which he marked by placing a piece of reed on the deck
before him; a similar mark denoted another ten, and so on until he
had named and marked the number of his children. The sum total, with
the exception, as he had explained, of babies and children unable
to protect themselves, was fifty-three boys and twenty girls--viz.
seventy-three!
“After the above explanation I could no longer withhold presents to the
host on the shore; and, pleased with my donations, he invited me to
his house, where I partook of merissa and broiled fowl, in which, as
a substitute for fat, the entrails had been left. Expressing a desire
to see his wives, he willingly conducted me from hut to hut, where my
skin, hair, and clothes underwent a most scrutinizing examination.
Each wife was located in a separate batch of huts; and, after having
distributed my pocketfuls of loose beads to the lady chieftains and
their young families, in whose good graces I had installed myself, I
took leave of the still sturdy village chief.”
The code of government among the Shillooks is simple enough. There
is a sultan or superior officer, who is called the “Meck,” and who
possesses and exercises powers that are almost irresponsible. The Meck
seems to appreciate the proverb that “familiarity breeds contempt,”
and keeps himself aloof from his own subjects, seldom venturing beyond
the limits of his own homestead. He will not even address his subjects
directly, but forces them to communicate with him through the medium of
an official. Any one who approaches him must do so on his knees, and no
one may either stand erect or carry arms in his presence. He executes
justice firmly and severely, and especially punishes murder and theft
among his subjects, the culprit being sentenced to death, and his
family sold as slaves.
Theft and murder, however, when committed against other tribes, are
considered meritorious, and, when a marauding party returns, the Meck
takes one-third of the plunder. He also has a right to the tusks of
all elephants killed by them, and he also expects a present from every
trader who passes through his territory. The Meck will not allow
strangers to settle within the Shillook territories, but permits them
to reside at Kaka, a large town on their extreme north. Here many
trading Arabs live while they are making their fortune in exchanging
beads, cattle bells, and other articles for cattle, slaves, and ivory.
The trade in the latter article is entirely carried on by the Meck,
who has the monopoly of it, and makes the most of his privilege. The
traffic at Kaka is by no means a free trade, for the Meck not only
takes all the ivory, but his officials watch the proceedings in the
market, and exercise a supervision over every bargain.
Probably on account of the presence of strangers, the Meck does not
live at Kaka, but takes up his residence out in a village some ten
miles up the river.
I have in my collection a curious musical instrument, which we may call
a flute, in lieu of a better word. It is made of some hard wood, and is
rudely covered with a spiral belt of iron and leather. An iron ring is
also fastened through it, through which passes the leathern strap by
which it is carried. The top hole is very small, and the sound produced
by the instrument is of a wailing and lugubrious character. Inside the
flute is fitted an odd implement which we may call the cleaner. It is
composed of an ostrich feather with the vanes cut short, and in order
to render it long enough to reach to the bottom of the flute, it is
lengthened by a wooden handle, to the end of which is attached a tuft
of hairs from a cow’s tail, by way of ornament. In length the flute
measures rather more than eighteen inches, and, in consequence of the
amount of iron upon it, the weight is more than might be supposed.