SniLLUK, NUBA, TAKELE, ETC. 1 63 the festive scene is contributed, and merissa, of course, flows in abundance. Their favourite amusements are singing and dancing, every one who is in any way capable of exercise, dances, both men and women, and frequently even the aged and infirm, join in ; no day in fact passes, on which the whole population of the village do not collect in an open space after sunset and pass their time in dancing.

The accompaniment consists in singing, in beating time with their hands to the sounds of a drum, and the tones of a fife are frequently also added. The young girls more especially may be heard singing all day long, for they never perform any office be it ever so trivial, without the accompaniment of the voice. As soon as the sun disappears behind the hills, large fires are lighted in all the villages, and dancing begins ; whilst songs are re-echoed from hill to hill, producing the effect of a kind of vocal response or salutation.

These Nuba are of a more amiable disposition than might be expected of a people in a state of semi-barbarity, and if they be only convinced that a traveller has no intention of doing them harm, he may make sure of the most hospitable reception, notwithstanding the ill-treatment and oppression they occasionally suffer from the neighbouring Turks, which has imbued them with an almost incontrovertible hatred towards all white men.

The slave merchants greatly contribute to keep up this aversion by assuring the negroes, that all the M 2