THE NUBAS— THE TAGALAS. 263 



The NuiîAs. 



The Nubas, who occupy the Jebel-Deyer, south of Kordofân, and a few of 

 whom are still found on other uplands, have a language of their own ; but it can- 

 not be positively asserted that they are related to the Nubians, from whom they 

 are separated by a desert and by other populations. Driven from the plains and 

 massed in the mountains, they lead a precarious life, being considered as wild 

 beasts and hunted as such. In Kordofân . the name of Nubas is synonymous with 

 slave, and when captured this is indeed the condition to Avhich they are reduced. 

 As their small republican communities have not been able to form a solid con- 

 federation, they make no resistance to their enemies. Nevertheless there are a 

 few Nuba villages which by payment of a tribute acquire the right to live 

 unmolested near the plains, and are allowed to descend to the markets to dispose 

 of their goods. The Nubas dress like the Arabs, but do not plait their hair. They 

 are completely black, with the face very prognathous, nor do their features possess 

 that peculiar sharpness which distinguishes the riverain Nubians of the Nile. 

 According to Munzinger, they are also amongst the least intelligent Nigritians ; as 

 slaves they can be employed only in rude and monotonous labours, but they are 

 good-natured, honest, and constant in friendship. When they are in the company 

 of Mahommedans the Nubas call themselves servants of Allah ; but they do not 

 appear to render him any kind of worship. Their only priests are the " makers 

 of rain," and magicians who heal diseases by gestures and incantations. The rite 

 of circumcision was practised by them previous to the influences of Islam. 



The vocabularies collected by Munzinger, Russegger, Ruppell, and Brugsch 

 prove that the dialect of the Nubas differs little from that of the Nilotic Nubians, 

 the principal differences bearing in certain portions of the language. To the west 

 of the Nubas are said to live a still more savage people, the Gnumas, Negroes of 

 tall stature who go naked, and of whom it is related that they kill the old men, 

 the infirm, and those attacked by contagious diseases, so as to shorten their voj'age 

 to a better world ; by the side of the corpse in the grave they place food, a pipe 

 of tobacco, weapons, and two pairs of sandals. 



The Tagalas. 



The Tagalas (Tegeleh, or Dogoleh) dwell in the mountains of the same name. 

 Although neighbours of the Nubas, they sj)eak a language entirely distinct in 

 words and structure. They themselves say they are Funj, although they can no 

 longer understand their kindred of Senâr. Their king wears the three-horned 

 headdress which formerly served as a crown to the king of the Funj, and which 

 has been borrowed from them by the deglel, or princes of the Hallengas, Hadendoas, 

 and Beni-Amers. 



The Tagalas have not the flat nose and prognathous jaw so common amongst 

 the bulk of the Nigritian tribes ; their features are regular, the expression 

 animated, while their intelligence and skill are highly spoken of. As slaves they 



