SCHAIGIES. 201 Inostly pistols, and the leader a sabre. Firearms are, indeed, the best and most efficacious weapons here in Bellad-Sudan, as tlie blacks do not possess such, and have a great dread of them ; and on their part generally fight by casting lances and stones from a distance, out of their rocks and forests, as swords are not common among them. The Turkish cavalry certainly cut the best figure from their handsome and swift horses, but could not in dexterity and active movement compare with the Schaigies, who are, however, at present ill-mounted, as the formerlyhighly-famed Dongola breed of horses, somewhat similar to the Ilolstein, have been much decreased by the doings of the Turks, especially by those of Ismail Pascha and Defterdar Bey. Better soldiers than the Schaigies could not be found for these lands. They are the real fighting caste of the country, born and brought up here, and from their youth practir<e<l to war ; able to bear the greatest fatigues and privations Avith endurance and indiflierence. They are closely acquainted with the capabilities, manners, and customs of these lands ; and this knowledge enables them to inflict severe injury on tlieir foes. Witli savage courage; they steal into the very heart of the enemy's countiy, and never return empty-handed. They also were tlie only indwellers of all Nubia up to Beni SchanguU who ventured to meet Ismail Pascha in open battle, and were only defeated by tlie ovc-rpowering force of firearms. They then possessed no firearms, l)ut the straight double-edged sword, lance, and shield were their weapons, and the larger number of them had iron chain armour and helmets ; l)ut these, on adopting firearms, they have east aside as useless. The most of them are mounted on horseback, or on camels ; those on foot are only armed with the lance. Their liorses were famed far and near, but only among their leaders are many of the old ])n'ed to be found.

Burckhardt, who saw tlie Sehaigies in their own land, believed that their breed had originated in a cross between their country horses and the Arabian, But this is not well-founded; they much more resemble our German horses, and have even as little Arab blood in them as these. In general, they are large and long-bodied, with strong thick tails, which they mostly carry ill, and coarse thick manes ; the neck is long, and always a eweneck, and the ever somewhat thick head, always ill set on it ; in