mr browne's journey. 
407 
interrupted entirely the eastern route to Darfur. 
The inhabitants of Kordofan are reported to esta- 
blish connections with strangers, by admitting 
their intercourse with their female relations, in the 
same manner as the Abyssinian Galla in Maitsha. 
The language of Kordofan is Arabic. Ibeit is one 
of the principal towns. The Arabs and Nubians 
are distinguished by their olive complexions, ex- 
pressive features, and short curled black hair, which 
is not woolly. A tribe of Arabs, on the east of 
Darfur, curl their hair in the form of a bushy 
wig, like the sculptured figures in the ruins of 
Persepolis. The Dongolese residing in Darfur 
use the dialect of Barabra, the district of the 
desert which borders on Egypt. The dialect of 
Arabic, which is vernacular in Darfur, differs 
essentially from that spoken in Egypt. The na- 
tive Furians are more cheerful in their disposi- 
tions than the Egyptians ; but resemble the Moor- 
ish tribes in the violence of their passions, their 
disregard to truth, their inattention to cleanliness, 
and their inaccurate ideas of property. As the 
practice of polygamy is established, their intercourse 
with the other sex is regulated by no attention to 
delicacy or decency ; and the precepts of Islamism 
are often infringed, by the relations of brother and 
sister being exchanged for a closer connection, 
The sex are, however, subjected to less restraint 
than in many Mahometan countries. The women 
