240 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
adorning the royal refidence, and fome others, with a kind of 
"white-wafh. In Shoba refide fome jelabs ; the reft of the peo- 
. pie are Furians, and occupied in other purfuits. 
Gidid has alfo a competent fupply of water, and is near 
the road from Cobbe to Ril. Its bearing from the former is 
South-eaft. It is a town of Fukkara^ who are reported to be fo 
little famous for hofpitalitj, that they will hardly furnilh to a 
traveller water to allay: his thirft. In this town are many 
houfes, and fome of them belong to merchants who derive their 
origin from the Eaftward. 
Gelle was efteemed lefs flourifhing than moft other towns of 
Dar-Fur, being under the galling tyranny of a prieft. The 
Faqui Seradge, one of the two principal Imams of the Sultan, a 
man of intrigue and confummate hypocrify, had gained an 
afcendancy over his mafter, and diftanced all competitors at 
court. Gelle was his native place, and the people of the town 
were become his dependents. His unfated avarice left them nei- 
ther apparel nor a mat to lie on ; and his immortal malice per- 
fecuted them for having no more to plunder. The greater part 
of the people are either Corohati or Felatia (two tribes) j of the 
latter fort is the faqui. 
The greater part of the people inhabiting Cobbe confifts, as 
hath been already obferved, of merchants. The generality of 
them are employed in trading to Egypt, and fome of them are 
natives of that country ; but the greater number come from 
the river. The latter clafs, if from circumftances a conjedure 
may 
