THE SOUUCE OF THE NILE. 299 



in the fame fituation with refped to Abyffinia, as Tchelga 

 did to Sennaar,when Socinios demanded fatisfaaion for the 

 violence committed againll him by his own town of Serke. 

 The fame anfwer was given him, That for all fifcal purpofcs 

 Serke was his, but owed him no allegiance ; for, being part 

 of the kingdom of Sennaar, it was bound to affill its fove- 

 reign in all wars againll his enemies. 



Socinios, deeply engaged in the troubles that attended 

 the beginning of his reign, pafled over for a time both the 

 affront and injury, but fent into AtbaratoNile Wed Ageeb, 

 propofmg a treaty with him independent of the kmg of 

 Seanaar. 



There were, at this time, three forts of people that inha- 

 bited the whole country from lat. if (the mountains of Abyf- 

 finia) to the tropic of Cancer (the frontiers of Egypt.) The 

 firft was the Funge, or negroes, eftablifhed in Atbara fince 

 the year 1504, by conqucR. The fecond, the old inhabitants 

 of that country, known in very early ages by the name of 

 Shepherds, which continues with them to this day ; and thefe 

 lived under a female government. The third, the Arabs, 

 Avho came hither after the conqueft of Egypt, in an array 

 imderCaled Ibn el Waalid, or Saif UUah, the Sword of ^vd, 

 during the Khalifat of Omar, deftincd to fubdue Nubia, and, 

 ftiU later, in the time of Salidan and his brother. 



These Arabs had affociated with the firft inhabitants, the 

 Shepherds, from a fimilarity of life and manners, and, by 

 treaty, the Funge had eilablilhed a tribute to be paid them 

 from both ; after which, thefe were to enjoy their former 

 habitations without further moleilation. 



Pp2 This 



