14 
SAVAGE SUDAN 
Kalipha’s most truculent warriors, and the southernmost 
Arab outpost — appeared to me, although absolutely 
friendly, to include many who were but little elevated 
above their purely savage neighbours, the Shilluks. 
On the other hand, the Arab tribes among whom we 
sojourned on the Blue Nile and Dinder rivers were a 
markedly superior race, not to be reckoned as savages at 
all, but courteous—not to say courtly—the bulk of them 
Nature’s gentlemen. The civilities we daily received from 
these Arab peasants, along with their respectful yet self- 
respecting bearing, formed a constant and agreeable 
surprise. It was among these that Baker, fifty years 
earlier, had formed such firm friendship with the “sword- 
hunters,” or Aggageers, of the Hamram tribe—dashing 
horsemen who, armed only with cold steel, faced both 
elephant, rhinoceros, and other dangerous game. Modern 
rifles have shelved that profession of sw'ord-hunting; 
though even to-day a pathetic relict of veteran Aggageers 
(most of them sorely crippled in eye or limb) still survive 
on the classic banks of Settite and Atbara. One cannot 
but regret that the world of sport should have suffered 
by the supersession of this—one of the most dashing and 
dangerous forms of chase ever practised. 
Thus the great majority of our new fellow-subjects of 
the Sudan—whether savage or Arab—proved good and 
congenial neighbours and promise to develop later into 
valuable material. But—at least in a personal sense— 
an exception must be made in respect of the Hadendowa 
Arabs of the Red Sea hills. These are, of course, the 
redoubtable fighters, the “ Fuzzy-Wuzzies ” who broke 
our squares at El Teb and Tamai, and who, in the 
supreme struggle at Omdurman (under Osman Digna), 
ambushed the 21st Lancers. For such notable exploits 
one must respect them; nevertheless a more unlovable 
lot of stolid Boeotian churls I never met. Surly and 
silent, irresponsive to kindness, and devoid of all trace 
of human sympathy (and even less of intelligence), the 
