THE FAKI-EL-KEBIR. — FAKI VILLAGE. 227 red pepper (schiteta) that an European can hardly cat them. They ascribe curious powers to this schiteta. They eat, in defiance of the Koran, the tortoise, as well as the hog, and also the locust or grasshopper, from which they tear off the wings, and then roast it in the fire. The shells of the tortoise and of many small mussels they use as dishes and spoons. They have neither wheat nor maize, although the ground is well adapted to them. The merry-makings on marriage often last a month, when the bridegroom is rich, or has a number of relatives. Hides are used as cradles, which are suspended like hammocks'on cords, and swung about. These are hung from trees, in the open air, as are also skins filled with milk, and in them, by shaking, butter is produced.

One day, when we were with the Pascha, he gave my brother directions to professionally visit the sick Faki Mahommed of Kadmin, a man held in high esteem by all. lie, the head of all the priesthood in Ilallenga, was now very old, and had no special liking to pay his respects to the Pascha ; besides, he might also have been offended, the Pasclia having laid his village, where alone the Faki may dwell, under contribution,— a thing even Defterdar Bey had not ventured on. We learned from a Faki, who had accompanied the army from Chartum, that this Faki-el-K(?bir liad sworn nf)t to behold the sun-light, as long as the Turks darkened the land. Accompanied by a servant, we mounted our asses, and start<'d for the, Faki village, some half-hour's journey distant ; we must have been spied out when some way from it, for Ave found muTiy of thcsf holy men assembled, who would have denied us entrance into it, as no laity were permitted to tread its sacred soil. However, on our unslinging our guns, they disappeared in all haste ; but on our calling out and asking where the great Faki dwelt, two of them turned and showed us to his abode. We entered a roomy recuba, where many young girls of considerable beauty.and bright colour were occupied weaving straw mats. From tlie entrance-hall we came to a tokul, and througli tliis to another, where the old man lay on an angareb, reading by dull lamp-light. I, however, returned at once into the entrance-hall, both for the sake of the purer air, and more agfeeable conipany, the latter of whicli our sudden B 3