204 AFRICAN WAXDEKIXGS.

Faki Hainija of ILiiinak, in tlic country of Barabvii, who ltou>tcd of his Arabian origin,) are of Arab families, and are to lie looked on as the proselyte-makers of the Nubian Christians, to whom they, along with Islam, have also brought the Arabic (the only language well pleasing to God), as Avell a« to the Schaigie. Such pious fathers also fancy, although they may be of a totally different origin, that they are able, by means of Arabian descent, to claim a kind of relationship Avith the Prophet. Here starts up the interesting historical question, are tliese Schaigies, Avho perhaps really do owe their present name to some Ai-abian saint, a part of the emigrated warrior caste of Egypt, or the descendants of those discontented Avarriors who were hospitably received by the kings of Ethiopia ? Their country, their proximity to old Meroe, which thev perhaps prot(!Cted against the barbarous south, and their own warlike spirit, agree with this tradition ; as does also the fact, that amongst them has never existed any common superior chief, but all have ever lived free under their moluks ; the present ruling families are perhaps the old Egyptian leader-i'ace, who, holding the Ethiopian kings as their only lords, became, on the overthrow of that kingdom, independent princes, as the INIacedonian generals did on the death of Alexander the Great. Their hair too is thinned, or kept cut short to the head, as cleanliness, so necessary in Egypt, may have demanded ; and such a custom is contrary to Arab habits, and those of Nubia and Baraljra also, although they have, in common Avith those races, incisions on the cheeks as marks of caste ; among the Schaigies these are horizontal.

' After a longer halt, Ave at last quitted our camp at Dabab.

\Tlie Hakim (Kadi), whom Ave visited in that village, said that the Ilallenga Avere indeed an Arab tribe, but not Ai-abs or Nomades, l)ut "Naas betal bellad" (people of the land), as they from centuries had had fixed dwellings therein, as the tokul and mud huts of his own village might testify. HoAvever, he also asserted that neither the Sc]iaigi(s nor Djalin Avere of Ai'ab descent, as I also learnt from the latter, on making more ])articular inquiries. From all this, it seems more than probable that these two races are to to be looked on as the ancient people of INIeroii, and as different tribes of tlie same race, as the Djalin have the incisions on the clieeks from above doAvnwards, Avliile those ol" the Schaigies are