296 NOETH-EAST AFEICA. 



of trade ; from Khartum in Kordofân to Darf ur they are grouped together in 

 numerous colonies. They also hire themselves out as mercenaries, and in this 

 capacity they were formerly largely employed to make raids into the zeriba region 

 to procure slaves for the dealers. 



The dialect of the Danaglas differs little from that of the northern Barabras ; 

 but it is much more corrupted by Arabic words, thanks to their commercial 

 relations with this people. The complexion of the Mahas, who occupy both banks 

 of the Nile about the region of the Third Cataract, is darker than that of the 

 Danaglas, and they are usually more boastful, haughty and morose in character ; 

 they look upon themselves as a distinct race. The Kenuzi, the Kens of the 

 ancient inscriptions, inhabit a valley farther north, between Korosko and the First 

 Cataract. 



The pastoral peoples, who enclose the Nubian peasants on both sides of their 

 narrow Nilotic valley, all call themselves Arabs, whatsoever their origin may be. 

 Their language is that of the Prophet, which becomes yearly more imiversally 

 spoken. The name they apply to the Nubians, in its true sense recalling the 

 ancient term of " barbarians," is said to signify " embarrassed, constrained, 

 speaking with difficulty." These pastoral peoples nowhere intermingle with the 

 Nubian peasantry ; they have their own villages, feast-days, and national dress, and 

 nearly all of them go bareheaded. 



The Bisharin. 



The most characteristic representatives of these Nubian " Arabs," and of those 

 constituting the most numerous group of tribes, are the Bisharin, who are pre- 

 eminently Bejas, and whose name, slightly modified, may probably be that of the 

 whole race. These Bejas are usually estimated at 200,000 persons. The Bisharin 

 rarely attain a great height, but they are extremely shrewd, and although thin and 

 sinewy, are well proportioned. Their complexion differs greatly from that of the 

 Nigritian peoples, and excepting in those families that have been modified by 

 crossings, does not present any blackish tinge. Their colour is more of a red, like 

 that of the American Indian, and amongst the women, who are under cover of the 

 tent, differs little from that of the Calabrian and Sicilian peasant-women. The 

 youths are so slender and graceful in form that they might easily be taken for 

 young girls. 



During their prime the features of the Bisharin are regular and slightly 

 angular ; the nose is straight and shapely ; the skin, always healthy and clean, 

 appears as if stretched over their hollow cheeks, and on smiling, a glimpse is 

 obtained of their pure ivory teeth, whitened by the continual mastication of the 

 bark of the arak, an evergreen tree found in abundance near Dongola. They 

 never smoke. Old age comes upon them rapidly, fatigue, misery, hunger and 

 thirst quickly changing their appearance. The eye is bright but half shut, which 

 is caused by their custom of half closing the lid to evade the blinding light 

 reflected from the sands. 



