Facsimile · p. 200
i84 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.
held out their hand with the greeting "Mirhaba!" All harl some complaint, and believed, that through the old Kadi's influence they must obtain medicine. Among these followers the old man had six sons, many grandsons, and almost all the rest were brothers, nephews or relatives. To escape from the importunities of this large family, we had nothing else for it than to return to camp. After some days, the Kadi's son came to us, and Joseph, out of pity, gave him medicine, but made him aware that hereafter he would give him nothing gratis ; no other means exist of holding one's own with these greedy Arabs. After some days he repeated his visit, and requested more medicine, proudly offering in exchange a hen which at most was worth a piastre.
The tiibe of the Hallenga are in general a fine race ; they have open countenances, in which is not visible that savageness and falseness so marked in those of the Haddenda, although, in truth, there' is little to choose between them. Their hair they wear like the other Arabs. The women, compared with the men, are much whiter, very well grown, and with good features while yet young but 'vvith them, as the other Arab tribes, the ugliness of old age shows itself only too soon.
We did not see their chief Sheik, Auet, he having, on the approach of the Turks, fled to Makada, and in so doing has certainly acted more wisely than Mohammed Din, else he too might have had to stroll to Chartum as an hostage. As descendant of the most ancient family of Sheiks of the Hallenga, this Auet is held in high respect by his people, and praised by all as brave and generous. At his flight he had said, " I have ever been free, and will never be a servant of the Turks, for I am of higher race than they." Much stress is here set on such a descent,, arid for this reason our Mohammed Ehle, formerly a Faki, and first made Sheik by Churschid Pascha in spite of his being a goodand brave man, is held in small esteem by these people, who look with contempt on a Sheik who had been appointed by their oppressors, and as such he is called Sheik betal Diwan to this is added that he is poor in cattle or other property, xnd he cotild hardly have, in their eyes, a greater fault than this.
It seems that, being now in the land of the Hallenga, we are