168 TRIBES BORDERING ON KORDOFAN, that the party attacked has but little time for consideration, or for placing himself on his guard. If the first shock, however, be well sustained, and a bold front be offered, they retreat as rapidly as they advanced, and do not so soon again venture on a second charge, but confine themselves to skirmishing. Their battles amongst each other are always terrific, nor do they terminate until the one or other party is brought to subjection, whereupon the prisoners are all sold as slaves. But these Nuba negroes have, in addition to their own tribes, two classes of far more dreaded enemies, namely, the Turks and the Bakkara ; the former take them away by force as slaves, and the latter by stratagem ; they are, therefore, continually prepared for an attack, and keep up their watchfires all night long, to avoid being thrown into confusion during darkness.

Their fires even are frequently a source of annoyance and trouble to them, for as they possess no means of generating this element, they must be very careful never to allow it to go out. In cases of this disastrous occurrence, or when engaged in hunting, or in other occupations, at a great distance from their villages, they resort to the following primitive method for striking a light. They take two dry pieces of wood, in the one of which they cut a hole with a knife, or sharp-pointed stone, barely large enough to admit the other ; they then lay the former on the ground, holding it firmly in that position with their feet, fit the second piece into the