AMONG THE PAGANS OF THE SOUTHERN SUDAN 9 The Azandi (or Niam Niam, ‘‘ great eaters,’’ as they are called by the Arabs, on account of their former cannibalism) are more enterprising than the Dinkas, but | are also less moral and reliable. They are a go- ahead race, anxious to become civilized. Like the Dinkas, they are much under the influence of witchcraft.

Their country consists almost entirely of forest, and they have no villages, but each man clears a space which he tills and plants, builds huts for himself and his family, and, settles down for two or three years. At the end of that time, as he does not plough or manure, the soil has lost its fertility; and he moves to another spot and goes through the same performance again.

In appearance the Azandi are striking. They all have the two incisor teeth filed to a sharp point; it is also their custom to cut marks on their faces and bodies, and to decorate themselves with various patterns made with black gardenia juice. These patterns give wide scope for the exercise of individual taste and originality. In a crowd of Azandi one may see many. different designs—a ring round one eye or both, diagonals, wavy lines, blots as of ink, and some have ‘‘ marbled ’’ bodies. Much time is spent by both men and women in hairdressing, and the fashions constantly change. The men carry small knives in leather sheaths, and a spear. Twenty spears will buy one wife, and a man’s wealth is estimated by the number of spears or wives he possesses.

The Azandi are far -more responsive to Christian teaching than the Dinkas, but there is a very real danger that in their eagerness for anything, that seems to lead towards civilization many of them will adopt the religion of the Arab traders from Omdurman and Khartoum, who are going among them in ever-increasing numbers.

A Pioneer Mission When the pioneer missionaries began work in the Southern Sudan in rgo05 the first station that they opened was at Melwal, seven miles south of the government station at Bor, and about tooo miles from Khartoum.