NUBA. 
169 
ing the inclinations of their parents, or suffering them to throw any 
obstacle in the way. 
Nuba, 
This is the name of a race of bladt pagans in the neighbourhood 
of Sennaar. Mr. Bruce passed a day or two among them, in his way 
from Abyssinia; and he tells us that they are all soldiers of the Mek, 
or king, of Sennaar, cantoned in villages, which to the distance of 
four or five miles surround the capital. They are the aborigines of 
that part of Africa, but “ are either purchased or taken from Fakulco, 
and the provinces to the south, upon the mountains Dyre and Tegle.” 
Though the slaves of a cruel and treacherous master, Mr. Bruce 
represents them as a gentle, honest, and hospitable people ; and lie 
says that, on a journey, he had seldom passed a more comfortable 
night, than one in which he took refuge from a storm in a village of 
these Nuba. He had a good supper, and a clean neat hut to sleep in, 
while some of the Nuba watched for him all night, and took care of 
his beasts and his baggage. Having settlements and provisions given 
them by the government of Sennaar, as also arms put into their hands, 
they never wish to desert, but live a very domestic and sober life, and 
are a much gentler sort of negroes than their masters. Though the 
established religion of Sennaar is that of Mahomet, the government 
has never attempted to convert the Nuba. On the contrary, a certain 
number of pagan priests is maintained for them in every village, 
who have soldiers in pay to assist them in the aifalrs of their religion. 
This is a very singular instance of toleration among Mahometans, and 
what we should little have expected from such barbarous and san- 
guinary wretches as those who have the supreme power in Sennaar. 
The idolatry of the Nuba is described as a mixture of Sabiism 
and idol-worship ; but it is singular that their worship is chiefly paid 
to the moon, while they pay no attention to the sun, rising or setting, 
advancing to the meridian or receding from it. They worship likewise 
a tree and a stone ; but our author could never discover what tree or 
stone, only he learned that neither of them exists in Sennaar, but in 
the country where the Nuba are born. Such of them as are natives 
of the villages where he saw them, became, like their masters, nomi- 
nal Mahometans ; the rest practise the idolatrous worship of their 
ancestors, and are much under the influence of their priests, from fear 
rather than from affection. They are immoderately fond of swine’s 
flesh, and maintain great herds of small hogs, marked with black 
and white spots. Few of the Nuba advance higher than to be sol- 
diers and officers in their own corps ; and the Mek maintains about 
twelve thousand of them near Sennaar, to keep the Arabs in subjec- 
tion. In a climate so hot as that which they inhabit, there is very 
little need of fuel ; and it is happy for them that such is the case, 
for in the whole country there is not a single tree, nor turf, nor any 
thing resembling it. They do not, however, eat their meat raw like 
the Abyssinians ; but with the stalk of the dora or millet, and the 
dung of camels, they make ovens under ground, in which they roast 
their hogs whole, in a very cleanly manner, keeping the skins on till 
they are perfectly baked.” 
Y 
