Ndoggos and Kreich.The Ndoggos and Kreich.—The Ndoggos and Kreich are similar to the Golos and Bongos in appearance, but not so comely as the former and not so short as the Bongos. They are slightly fairer in skin. Having formerly lived prosperously in the districts where the old Government posts were established (Deim Zubeir, Deim Bekir, Deim Idris, Wau, and Jur Ghattas), these tribes, Dinkas excepted, clearly realise the protection and other benefits accorded by a civilised Government.
Nyam Nyams.The Nyam Nyams.—The Nyam Nyams or Azande are the most intelligent, keen and well-ordered tribe in the Bahr El Ghazal province.
The tribe—covering, roughly, the south-west third of the province and a portion of the Congo Free State and Haut Ubangi to the south and west of the Nile-Congo watershed—is split up into five districts, each governed by a chief, holding absolute power, and these chiefs form two factions, which constantly quarrel.
Tembura, Zemio and Sasa make the western faction; Ndoruma and Yambio the eastern.
Colonel Sparkes, says in the account of his patrol to Tembura’s country:—
“Tembura is a shrewd, intelligent man, anxious for progress and development, and the Nyam Nyams generally are far superior to any other people I have met up here.
“Tembura’s standing army, which is quartered round him, consists of about 4,000 men, of whom 1,000 have rifles or guns of sorts, and the rest spears, bows and arrows. They look after and handle their guns exceedingly well, and have been taught a certain amount of drill by the French.
“Besides quantities of dura, the Nyam Nyams grow bananas, limes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, manioc, onions, and many other sorts of vegetables. Excepting a few of the head men, they have no cattle, sheep or goats, though quantities of fowls are kept everywhere.
“Yambio has the largest number of people under him, but is the least civilised, never having been brought into direct contact with Europeans, as have the others.”
The Nyam Nyams are great hunters, and all the chiefs possess a considerable quantity of ivory. The men wear well-woven straw hats, with cock’s feathers, and loose breeches made of “Roko” bark.