254 WHERE LIVES PRIMITIVE MAN Nuers who had been taken as slaves in their youth, and brought up as Arabs. But no education could restore to these men the front-teeth they had followed the fashion in losing, and it produced merely the slightest diffidence when it seemed better to descend from the glory of Egyptian clothing to the comparative indecency of a mere shoulder-cloth.

The two interpreters, being in charge of the business, evinced much excitement and sense of importance, issued instructions, and made lengthy and voluble explanations to their brothers on shore, which eventually led to a small ox being brought from the distant village. This was looked at disrespectfully, for the Nuers were careful in trading, and would not show their better goods first. Yet it was necessary to encourage them, and after much haggling and noise a price was agreed on in dhurra.

Heaped on the shore were many sacks of this commodity, landed to demonstrate the hona-fides of our desire to trade. The completion of this transaction brought more cattle, and the people began to take courage and appear in greater numbers. After the men came the old, withered women, bringing their grass-woven baskets, plastered with cowdung to fill up interstices. Then would come the small boys, perhaps lugging an unwilling sheep or goat after them. It was difficult to persuade them that goats were not our object, for oxen were welcome to the exiles from civilization who laboured at clearing the " sudd " and welcomed fresh meat as conducive to health. It was essential as well that