THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 479 
fonal freedom and advantages in trade; but they are Pa- 
gans in their hearts and in their practices, Mahometans in 
their converfation only. As for the fons of thefe, they are 
Pagans like their fathers, unlefs fome Fakir, or Arab faint, 
takes pains to inftruct and teach them to read, otherwife the 
whole of their religion confifts in the confeflion of faith, 
“ La Illah el Ullah, Mahomet Rafoul Ullah,”——* There is 
“ but one God, and Mahomet is his prophet.” 
THERE are three principal governments in the kingdom 
of Sennaar. The firft is at El-aice, the capital of that coun- 
try, from which the Shillook come. The Bahar el Abiad 
f{preads itfelf all over the territory, and, divided into a quan- 
tity of fmall channels, (whether by art or nature I know 
not) furrounds a number of little iflands, upon-each of which. 
is a village, and this collection of villages is called the town 
of El-aice. The inhabitants are all fifhermen, and have a. 
number of boats, like canoes, in which they fail up and: 
down tothe cataracts. With incredible fleets of thefe their 
invafion was made when they undertook. the conqueft of 
the Arabs, who had not the fmalleft' warning of the attempt.. 
They had, at that time, no weapons of iron: their fwords: 
and lances were of a hard wood called Dengui-Sibber. It 
muft be a relation of the Mek of Sennaar that commands: 
at El-aice; and he is never fuffered to leave that poft, or: 
eome to Sennaar.. i 
Tue fecond government, next to this. in importance, is: 
Kordofan. The revenue confifts chiefly in flaves procured: 
from Dyre and Tegla. It feems this fituation is the moft: 
convenient for invading thofe mountains, either from its- 
having water in the way, or from .fome other circumftance 
that: 
