Darfur.

187 The FoRS are clean and industrious. They may be found assembled under trees spinning, weaving cotton or plaiting mats, whilst the children will be herding the cattle. The men wear a jibba and drawers of coarse cotton stuff, whilst the women wear a piece of the same stuff made fast round the hips with the end thrown over the shoulder.

They live in tukls or conical huts, five or six of which arranged in a circle form a habitation. Compared to other tribes, they are exceedingly clean feeders and very particular as to the manner in which their food is served, though corn and merissa are the main articles of consumption.

They are religious and fanatical, and study the Koran assiduously.

The mountainous stronghold of Jebel Marra is inhabited by the Jebelawin, the aboriginal inhabitants of Darfiir.

OLD WOMAN OF DARFUR.

Other important tribes are in the north the Zaghawa and Zeiadia, in the east the Berti and Kaja, in the Arabs, etc. south-east the Ma alia and Rizeigat, and in the south the Beni Helba, Habbania and Taaisha. The four lastnamed tribes are Baggara.* In the west are the Masabat and Tama.

In addition to these Darfur has a large sedentary population amongst whom are found the following tribes : Mima, Birged, Beigo, and Gimr, etc.

The present ruler of Darfur is Sultan AH Dinar, a grandson of Sultan Mohammed Fadl ; he was kept a prisoner at Oradurman during the Mahdia. In September, 1898, immediately after the defeat of the Khalifa at Kereri, he escaped to his native country. He now pays an annual tribute to the Sudan Government by which he has been officially recognised as its Agent in Darfur.

* For description of the Baggara Arabs, vide p. 179, also their (jlenealogical Table on p. 334. 2 C