330 
TOOEKEES AS SENTRIES. 
square, and open columns of companies — moving in 
these formations to any flank, over rough ground, to 
drum and fife music, in slow and quick time. The 
" general-officer," who had served with Turkish troops 
in the Crimea, was, of course, obliged to compliment 
them on their discipline, as their marching and 
shouldering passed muster ; but the commander 
seemed to be of a different opinion, as any man who 
lost distance was at once cuffed and shoved out of the 
ranks, and when one side of the square faced inwards, 
I thought he would have cut them all down. 
After parade, the standards were planted in the 
open space inside the village, and were there saluted 
by the men marching round them with drums ; or a 
cow was killed and the colours consecrated by putting 
some of the streaming blood upon them or on their 
staffs. This custom was known to our Seedees, who 
had seen it done by the Sultan of Zanzibar's Moham- 
medan troops. During the night sentries were posted 
all over the village, and they performed their duties 
very regularly, never sleeping, although they sat the 
whole of their turn of duty upon a stool or stone. 
This is more than most men could do ; but I watched 
some of them and never saw one fall asleep. Had 
we asked our Seedees to do this, they would have 
laughed at us, showing the difference which discipline 
had made between these two classes of men. The 
Nubians were seldom idle, employing themselves in 
curing skins, looking after their cattle, or conduct- 
ing household matters ; seeing this, our men at first 
were very shy, appearing like savages amongst them, 
but after ten days the restraint wore off, and they 
had their usual dances and sport. We could not keep 
