2i6 THE GA'ALlfN AND DANAGLA GROUP iii. i. xxvii.

couraged by the dissensions which had arisen between the 'Abdullab and the Fung, and the mutiny of the troops^, to make a bid for inde-

pendence. Their leader in the revolt was 'Othman wad Hammad^, and the decisive action was fought opposite Dulga Island.

Henceforth the Shaikia were under no other rule than that of

their own "wze^"; but their access to power merely increased their

turbulence and afforded wider scope for their predatory habits.

Poncet, in 1699, found that it was no longer safe for caravans to fol- low the river beyond Korti owingto the brigandage of the Shaikia, and

that the desert route across the Bayuda had perforce to be followed^.

During the eighteenth century the Shaikia extended their system

of terrorization over Dongola province and the districts of Mahass and Sukkot^, thereby causing many of the older inhabitants to

migrate to the west^.

They seem to have met with little opposition and to have simply

preyed without discrimination upon the less warlike tribes whose

lands were sufficiently rich to excite their cupidity.

They also expanded into Kordofan, for in 1 784-1 785 we find

**un nombre assez considerable de soldats de differents pays, tels que

Dongoliens, Chaydjiens, Kababych, Arabes Rezaygat," in the army

with which Sultan Hashim attempted to invade Darfur^.

Burckhardt describes them in 181 3 as "a perfectly independent

people" having "great wealth in corn and cattle."

They are renowned for their hospitality ; and the person of their guest,

or companion, is sacred. ...They all speak Arabic exclusively, and many of them write or read it. Their learned men are held in great respect by them

;

they have schools, wherein all the sciences are taught which form the

course of Mohammedan study, mathematics and astronomy excepted'.

At the same time Burckhardt describes their career of conquest and rapacity. In Dongola, he says^.

The Arabs Sheygya, since they have been in possession of a share of

the revenue, take from the ground irrigated by each wheel^, four Mhourys^"

of Dhourra, two or three sheep, and a linen gown worth two dollars. The

native kings take the same.

1 Q.v. in MSS. D 3, 153, and D 7, xlh.

' For whom and various details see D 3, 236 and note thereto.

' Poncet, p. IS, and cp. D 3, 236 note. * Burckhardt, Nubia, p. 43.

^ Browne, p. 241 : " For many years their" [the merchants of Kobb6 in Darfur]

*' native countries Dongola, Mahass and all the borders of the Nile as far as Sennaar

...have been the scene of devastation and bloodshed, having no settled government, but being continually torn by internal divisions, and harassed by the inroads of the Shaikie and other tribes of Arabs, who inhabit the region between the river and the Red Sea." ® El Tunisi, Voy. au Darfoiir, p. 67.

' Nubia, p. 70. * Ibid. p. 66. ' I.e. " sdkia."

^" A " mhoury" equals about 8 bushels (Burckhardt, loc. cit.).