14 SAVAGE SUDAN 



Kalipha's most truculent warriors, and the southernmost 

 Arab outpost appeared to me, although absolutely 

 friendly, to include many who were but little elevated 

 above their purely savage neighbours, the Shilluks. 



On the other hand, the Arab tribes among- whom we 

 sojourned on the Blue Nile and Dinder rivers were a 

 markedly superior race, not to be reckoned as savages at 

 all, but courteous not to say courtly the bulk of them 

 Nature's gentlemen. The civilities we daily received from 

 these Arab peasants, along with their respectful yet self- 

 respecting bearing, formed a constant and agreeable 

 surprise. It was among these that Baker, fifty years 

 earlier, had formed such firm friendship with the "sword- 

 hunters," or Aggageers, of the Hamram tribe dashing 

 horsemen who, armed only with cold steel, faced both 

 elephant, rhinoceros, and other dangerous game. Modern 

 rifles have shelved that profession of sword-hunting ; 

 though even to-day a pathetic relict of veteran Aggageers 

 (most of them sorely crippled in eye or limb) still survive 

 on the classic banks of Settite and Atbara. One cannot 

 but regret that the world of sport should have suffered 

 by the supersession of this one of the most dashing and 

 dangerous forms of chase ever practised. 



Thus the great majority of our new fellow-subjects of 

 the Sudan whether savage or Arab proved good and 

 congenial neighbours and promise to develop later into 

 valuable material. But at least in a personal sense 

 an exception must be made in respect of the Hadendowa 

 Arabs of the Red Sea hills. These are, of course, the 

 redoubtable fighters, the " Fuzzy- Wuzzies" who broke 

 our squares at El Teb and Tamai, and who, in the 

 supreme struggle at Omdurman (under Osman Digna), 

 ambushed the 2ist Lancers. For such notable exploits 

 one must respect them ; nevertheless a more unlovable 

 lot of stolid Boeotian churls I never met. Surly and 

 silent, irresponsive to kindness, and devoid of all trace 

 of human sympathy (and even less of intelligence), the 



