LIFE IN SUDAN

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16816, 7 June 1926, Page 4

LIFE IN SUDAN

A MISSIONARY’S EXPERIENCES. COUNTRY AWAITING DEVELOPMENT “The Northern Sudan consists of dreadful desert wastes, but from Khartoum southwards the country is a huge grassland holding forth immense possibilities for development and production. The irrigation schemes at present in hand in Southern Sudan will heavily increase the production of cotton, which is now cultivated on a comparatively small scale. The prospects for Hie establishment of a great cotton industry are very bright, and great development of tlie country may be looked for in the near future.” These wore the impressions of the Sudan given to a Waikato Times representative this morning by Mr D. N. Mac Diarmid, 8.A., a former New Plymouth resident, who has devoted iiis life to missionary enterprise in the interests of the Sudan United Mission, and will shortly return to the Sudan to carry on his work.

Expansion of Trade.

“The great dam which has been constructed at a cost of £1.1,000,000 across the Blue Nile at Sennoar will irrigate 300,000 acres of land,” said Mr Mac Diarmid, “and cotton will be grown in this area, while the prospects for cotton growing in the Southern Sudan arc exceedingly good, considering the rainfall of the district. “Trade is being developed rapidly, but too rapidly in my opinion, as the people arc not yet capable of absorbing properly the innovations which arc being introduced. The expansion of trade and the advance of civilisation without recourse to gradual measures will have their effect, and create serious problems. Just before I left Sudan on furlough, two cars of a well known American make made their appearance at Ilciban, some 450 miles south of Khartoum, in the Nuba Mountain province. That was the first means of transport the natives there had ever beheld, even the use of the bullock waggon being inconceivable to them. Industrious Natives. The Nubans are a hard-working race, and cultivate large quantities of millet and peanuts for their own consumption, and the manufacture of native beer. They do not carry on any trade at all. Indian corn and the sesame plant arc. produced also, the latter being grown for the extraction of its oil, which the natives rub on their skins. “There are two entirely different types of native ia the Sudan. The northern race, of a coppery, hue, arc Semitic in oirigin, Arabic in speech, and Mohammedan in religion. The southern natives are absolutely black, andlcad a pagan existence in tribal fashion. They arc the most primitive of the world’s races, and arc quite unconscious that there had been a Great War in Europe. Those natives capable of expressing political opinions arc anxious for Britain to retain her interest in Egypt, while that policy is essential for the welfare of the pagan tribes. Ido not believe Egypt to lie capable of governing herself. Mohammedanism is in evidence in a very degraded form in all parts of the Sudan, and the natives are better as pagans. The religious inlluence of the Mohammedans tends to create a feeling of antipathy in some cases towards missionaries, and at the time of the murder of the Sirdar a number of Moslems made themselves objectionable.

“The languages of the southern natives are numerous and complex, and very few have so far been reduced to writing. The natives, however, aic apt pupils, and quick lo learn, comparing more than favourably in that respect with tiic children .of civilised nations. They are very friendly with the missionaries, whom they at first identify with the Government, which gives the British officials a good deal of satisfaction. Valuable help is given the missionaries by these British officials, who are of a fine type, and co-operate whenever possible to help the natives. “The missionaries have a large amount of medical work to attend to, and about 20,000 cases are treated every year. The natives are treated for all manner of ailments, from tropical diseases lo wild animal and war wounds, and are very grateful for Hie relief to their sufferings, as they have practically no knowledge of com baiting sickness and attending to injuries The rate of mortality is high, and stands at about GO per cent, for infants under Iwo years of age. Encounters with Leopards. "We arc working in Iho centre of Ihc wild animal country, and have witnessed fights right within the mission compounds between lions and livenas, while we have also encountered as many as 00 or GO wild elephants on the banks or a river," stud Mr Mac Diarmid. Leopards infested the Nuba Mountain district of Eastern Sudan. One evening lie beard his wife’s monkey, which was outside Hie house, cry, and on making investigations lie saw what lie thought was a big dog making for the pole to which the monkey was fastened. Willi a towel lie happened to have in his hand lie llioked the ••dog" smartly across the face. Later he became suspicious of the breed of the dog. and after inspecting the tracks with a lantern, found Ilium to lie those of a leopard. “1 would not advise anyone to attack a leopard with a hand towel ” said Mr Mac Diarmid. They did not care to attack men. and were cisdv scared, but when wounded they become terribly ferocious. Lions, by-* cnas, snakes, and crocodiles were an other source of danger, and Mr Mac Diarmid recalled having killed a six foot cobra beneath bis wife’s dressing table just before lie left the Sudan. -I have found leopards prowling within a few yards of my stretcher often when out visiling distant tribes, but thov have never yet attacked and I trust it will always be so. ’ () ' u ’ ~ne occasion a companion awoke suddenly to see a leopard s paw just protruding through the mosquito net round his stretcher, but ids yell fortunately frightened Hie. m.ynal away. Other New Zealand Missionaries. Stationed near Mr Maeiiiarmid and his wife in the Sudan were several other New Zealand missionaries. Miami Mrs W. L. Mills, formerly of Gainbridge and Auckland, and the Hev. 1-. Wilson and Mrs Wilson, ol Invercargill All worked fairly close together, but" were isolated from Hie missionaries ill the adjoining districts. To-night Mr Mac Diarmid will lecture at St. George’s Artglieini (.liurcli, Fruukton, to-morrow night at SI. Andrew's Presbyterian Church and mi j Wednesday nighl at the Hamilton Fas Presbyterian Church. His steries id life in Iho Sudan provide an entertain ing narrative.