yao | ‘TRAVELS -TODISCOVER ~- 
put in their hands, they never with to defert, but live a 
very domeftic and fober life. Many of them that I have 
converfed with feem a much gentler fort of negro than 
thofe from Bahar el Aice, that is, than thofe of whom the 
Funge, or government of Sennaar, are compofed. 
Turse have {mall features lkewife, but are woolly- 
headed, and flat-nofed, like other negroes, and fpeak a lan- 
guage rather pleafant and fonorous, but radically different 
from many I have heard. Though the Mek, and their 
mafters at Sennaar, pretend to be Mahometans, yet they 
have never attempted to convert thefe Nuba; on the con- 
trary, they entertain, in every village, a certain number of 
Pagan priefts, who have foldiers pay, and affift them in the 
offices of their religion. Not knowing their language per- 
fectly, nor their cuftoms, it is impoffible to fay any thing 
about their religion. - Very few of the common fort of 
them fpeak Arabic. A falfe account, in thefe cafes, is al- 
ways worfe than no account at all. I never found one of 
their priefts who could fpeak fo much Arabic as to be able 
to give any information about the objects of their worfhip 
in diftincét and unequivocal terms; but this was from my 
not underftanding them, and their not underftanding me, 
not from any defire of concealment, or {hynefs on their part ; 
on the contrary, they feemed always inclined to agree with 
me, when they did not comprehend my meaning, and there 
is the danger of being mifinformed. 
TueEy pay adoration to the moon; and that their worfhip 
is performed with pleafure and fatisfaction, is obvious eve- 
ry night that fhe fhines. Coming out from the darknefs of 
$3) | their 
