III. 1. XXVI. THE GA'ALlfN AND DANAGLA GROUP 213 the Gawabra from northern Nubia into what is now Dongola Province, "and to this day the most wealthy inhabitants of Dongola derive their origin from the tribe of Djowabere." "Some families of the Djowabere," however, Burckhardt adds, "remained peacefully behind, and their descendants who are found chiefly at Derr and Wady Haifa, are still known by the name of their ancestors."

At the present day Gawabra may be found in all the larger towns of the Sudan engaged in trade. There is also a colony of them in Bara district (central Kordofan) who for many generations have cultivated with "sdkia" and "shdduf" the rich basin of Khor el Bashiri.

(g) THE SHAlKfA XXVI The traditional relationship of the Shaikia to the Ga'aliin is symbolized by the statement that Shaik was the brother of the Ghanim from whom the Ga'aliin proper are all descended; but unless appearances are vastly deceptive there has, in the case of the Shaikia, been engrafted upon the older stock common to themselves and the Ga'aliin a quite distinct foreign element. The Shaiki stands apart from every other tribe in the Sudan in being more adventurous, more quarrelsome, and, in particular, more ready to take service as a mercenary fighter under any employer. The typical Shaiki is sallow complexioned, gaunt and alert, a hard drinker, fond of the dice, and a born liar. In appearance he is often hard to distinguish from a Turk " muwallad" {i.e. born in the Sudan, or half-bred)*. Werne, who was an acute observer, and describes the Shaikia well, advances a bold hypothesis. The following are his words : One can at first glance tell a Schaigie, and still one cannot easily tell how they are so completely distinct from the other Arabs, Their faces are good, and generally marked and thin; the higher among them... are distinguished by extremely fine features; foreheads rather lofty; eyes lively and sharp cut ; nose arched, and pointed at the end (in this they are principally distinguished from the smaller-featured Barabra); lips common; beard thin; colour of skin brown, or brown-black; slight of form, but well built, and therefore, with great ease, they perform all kinds of bodily exercises.... All are very fond of liquors. Although, from their face and features, they seem to more nearly approach the Arabs than the Nubians, Burckhardt, loc. cit. 2 gee, e.g., trees to MSS. BA and A 11.

Gordon (quoted by Sir C. Wilson, p. 15) said he would "back them to try a man's patience more sorely than any other people in the wide world, yea, and in the universe."

* His resemblance to the Dongolawi is also marked, but this may be due to no more than the Shaikfa occupation of Dongola Province to which reference will be made later. The Shaikia have never spoken a Nubian dialect ("rotana") as the Danagla have. Cp. Schweinfurth, II, 194, on this point.

* Werne, pp. 203, 204.