STOICIS5I UXDER SURGICAL OrERATIONS. 13'.

and by it tliey would also sliow their zeal and ardent wish to quit heathenism. The slaves that come from the neighbourhood of Faszogl, the hills of Kordofan, the countries of Schilluk and Dinka, are never circumcised ; and it is said, that, Avith the latter, the pulling out of the four under cutting-teeth has the same significance as circumcision; and this is done to both men and women. Burning sores with caustic seems to inflict no pain whatever on the blacks.

This indifference towards pain exhibited by the blacks generally seems to be highly valued among the better educated and wealthier of them ; these, the first among their tribes, would hold themselves degraded, and look on it as a deep disgrace to themselves, to appear -weak in the presence of those Avho are sure to attend in crowds even during the smallest operations. With the common people it may, indeed, be actual insensibility to pain. A sick man is constantly visited by his friends and relatives, and generally the small hut is so full, that many must remain outside. The sick man may be ever so ill, may be in the greatest pain, every day becoming worse, and yet, to his friends' questions of " Taibin ? sciak ente ?" (How goes it ? How do you feel?) is only the one answer, " El hamdull Allah, taib " (Well, praise be to God !) No complaint is ever heard during such visits. This custom, or this pride, is not confined to the blacks, but is common to both Arabs and Turks.

The natives of Egypt and Syria alone cry out and behave like children under the smallest pain, all running off as soon as they see the knife ; though they behave tolerably well under any operation performed by fu'e, perhaps because they are used to such from their youth.

Not long ago my brother had to set a broken thigh-bone, and where, too, there was serious dislocation of the broken parts ; but the black sufferer, though he allowed it gave him some pain, still declared he was no woman, but a man (achu el bennaht, brother or defender of the weak — a truly splendid name for the brave, and a title of which all are proud), and had slain many enemies ere he gained his freedom.

The Schaigie ]\Ielek Saat, whose father yet rules the old Dongola (Dongola agiihs), had received, a month before the present cliasua. some hundred blows of the stick at the orders of the Pascha.