THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



299 



in the fame fituation with refpecl to Abyflinia, as Tchelga 

 did to Sennaar, when Socinios demanded fatisfa&ion for the 

 violence committed againft him by his own town of Serke. 

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

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

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

 reign in all wars againft 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 Atbara to Nile Wed Ageeb, 

 propofing a treaty with him independent of die king of 

 Sennaar. 



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

 bited the whole country from lat. 13 (the mountains of AbyC- 

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

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

 the year 1504, by conqueft. 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, 

 who came hither after the conqueil of Egypt, in an army 

 under Caled Ibn el Waalid, or Saif Ullah, the Sword of God, 

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

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



These Arabs had aflbciated with the firft inhabitants, the 

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

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

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

 habitations without further moleiladon. 



P p 2 This 



