sheiks' regal hoods, dress, &c. 159 pathos these paid gentlemen sing Mehemet Ali's i)raises, and also try to render General Clot-Bey immortal.

The appearance of the old Moluk (sing. ]\Ielek or Melilc, also MekandMak), the native-born and hereditary kings or rulers, in their regal hoods that they still wear as a mark of sovereignty, although the Turks have reduced their power to a nullitv, is exceedingly peculiar.

The hoods are a kind of close fitting coloured cap, with flaps hanging down on the neck (probably the lining of the neck armour), though these are generally turned up, and thus their pointed ends take, on each side of the head, the shape of horns, the ancient sign of supi-eme power, and are on this account called Takie betal gorn. The rest of the dress of one of these royal rulers used to be a long coloured caftan (similar to a dressing gown), with a broad girdle, and handsome pointed sandals. It is well known who are entitled to wear these horned head-dresses, and among these are the Ivuler of Faszogl, the Sheik of Beni-Amer, Sheik Edris Wood Agib of Ilalfaia, and Sheik Nimr, whose Takiii was of fur.

This Sheik, Edris \Yood Agib, whose father, before the Tui'ks broke in, ruled almost all the island, and, in addition, all the land between the Blue River and the Atbara (Land Halfaia or AYood Agib ; wood for wollet, uoUet, son, or boy), and to whom the tribes of Gos Eajab, Taka, Beni-Amer, and to the Abyssinian mountains and the Red Sea, were tributary, now sits in Halfaia, mourning his past greatness, and existing on the miserable pension of oOO piastres a month, which is hardly enough to find food and clothing for himself and his very small retinue. But, in spite of hi> poverty and insignificance, he is highly respected and reverenced by the present holders of rank and power, and waited on by all. He claims his descent from the family of Fungh, a branch of the former ruling family of Sennaar, and can name his ancestors and trace his pedigree a long way back. To us, whom he daily visited, he used to open his heart about tlie Turks* conduct to hiaa.

lie always wore the royal hood, and when the blockhead of an apothecary, Dumont, one day mockingly asked him why he wore such a fool's cap of a takie, when he now had no country to rule, he answered him in proud tone : "di shoggie betai ou ma betack," (that is my business, and none of yours). Fearful, will one day, I