Trade goods.Dura was purchased from the late Sheikh Yowe’s (now Jok’s) people for small white and dark blue beads, not much larger than a pin’s head. A string sufficiently large to pass over the head on to the neck purchased from 1 pound to 1½ pounds of unground grain. A spear length of brass wire, about 9 feet in length, purchased a goat of average size. Coloured fancy cloth will soon be in much request.
Anuaks.A few Anuaks are found on the right bank, these are more or less subject to the Nuers. Their Sheikh is Okwai.
Tributaries of Pibor. The Agwei (Gwynn), or Neubari (Austin), or Ruzi II (Wellby), or Adjouaro (Faivre).The “Agwei” River joins the Pibor about 17 miles south of the Akobo junction. It was found by the Faivre Expedition (1898), by whom it was named the Adjouaro, to rise in the Southern Boma hills and to flow northwards to within a few miles of the left bank of the Akobo, and then bending westwards to flow parallel with that river to the Pibor, or, as they called it, the Adjouba (Agibba?). The Agwei was also heard of by Major Austin when marching through Boma; it was described as a big river and was named by him the Neubari. It is also probably the same as Wellby’s Ruzi II.
In September, 1904, Major Gwynn explored this branch of the Pibor in a steam-launch for 55 miles from its mouth, when further progress was arrested by heavy sudd. He describes it as a fine stream flowing between well-defined banks, averaging 3 feet above the level of the river in flood and 60 to 80 yards apart. In places, however, it had overflown its banks and flooded the adjoining country to a considerable depth. The average width of waterway, which was frequently obstructed by light sudd blocks, was 30 yards, depth 20 feet, and current 2 to 2½ miles per hour. The banks of the Agwei were stated by Anuaks to be inhabited partly by people of their own tribe and partly by Agibbas. Their description of its upper course appears to agree with the theory that it is the Neubari, and that it is connected with the Akobo, as Major Austin surmised, by the Oboth.
The Akobo or Juba.The River Akobo or Juba, which rises in the Domme Hills (Abyssinia) forming part of the watershed between the River Omo and the Nile, about north lat. 6° 30′ east, long. 35° 45′, flows generally in a north-easterly direction, and for the first 100 miles through more or less hilly country; it then enters the plains and eventually joins the Pibor about 70 miles from its mouth.
The ill-fated Bóttego struck this river (January, 1897) about 40 miles from its source, and found it to be about 25 yards wide and about 18 inches deep, its banks being much overgrown with very high grass which impeded travelling considerably. It was found to be uninhabited for about 45 miles further west, when the first Anuak village was reached. This was the most eastern point on this river reached by Major Austin’s Expedition (1901).
The Akobo river forms the boundary between the Sudan and Abyssinia in these regions. The following interesting account of the Akobo and its inhabitants is taken from Major Austin’s Report:—
“On our journey south from Nasser, we retraced our footsteps of the previous year along the River Pibor through Nuer territory until we reached the junction of that river with the Akobo. Here we found a small colony of Anuaks settled down for the coming dry season with a view to carrying out fishing operations, and without difficulty obtained the services of two guides. For our first two marches we proceeded east along the river, the banks of which are somewhat thickly wooded with thorn bush, amidst which, here and there, we came upon small families of Anuaks enjoying a precarious kind of existence on fish and the frugal products of the woods. These natives were all without exception very timid, and generally had cleared out of their cosy little arbours before the head of the caravan had reached them. They are very poor and wretched in appearance, the men being quite naked and possessing very few adornments.
“The elderly women merely content themselves with a small goatskin worn round the waist, whilst the younger women, like the men, are devoid of covering. They lack the prosperous and smart bearing of the Ufeno (or Baro River Anuaks), and in general characteristics closely resemble those of the Gelo.
“Some 30 miles to the east of its junction with the Pibor the banks of the Akobo become generally very swampy, and the river was unapproachable at the time we were travelling along it (February). No villages were seen until we reached long. 33° 40′, where there was a small one, Bor by name, situated at the base of a single tree, surrounded on all sides by swamp. From near here a track runs in a southerly direction to Bonjak, reported to be 30 to 40 miles distant, and no water on the road.