270 THE GUHAYNA GROUP iii.2.xxxiv.

(m) the MESALLAMfA

XXXIV This tribe claims to be unconnected with the Ga'aliin or GuHAYNA group and to be descended from Abu Bukr el Sadik,

the first Khalifa of Islam. Hence they, Hke the Mashaikha, call

themselves "Bukria."

From the ^'fiisbas," however, it would seem that they are of

kindred origin to the Dar Hamid and other " Guhayna."

They live in the Gezi'ra, where they have given their name to a

district, and on either side of the White Nile, and on the east side

of the lower reaches of the Blue Nile.

The Mesallamia in the Gezira and on the White Nile are

sedentar}^.

Among their subdivisions hereabouts are the 'Anafla and Washkar, both on the west bank of the White Nile, and, on the

east bank, Sibaykab, Wanaysab, Meghayrab, Habakira, etc.

Those east of the Blue Nile now have a few villages, notably Um Dubban^, and cultivate in the Hasib and other "zuddis," but they

are chiefly nomadic in their habits, and until about the middle of the

nineteenth century were entirely so. Their range, however, is not

great and does not extend beyond the western fringe of the Butana. They graze their herds and dig " haftrs" and cultivate some miles

inland from the river, but have never acquired proprietary rights to

the river banks of the Blue Nile as have the RufA'a and the immigrant Mahass.

Their main wealth is in sheep and goats but they have a fair number of cattle and camels also. The latter they brand with a

" hashasha" (hoe) on the neck, thus:

This nomadic portion of the Mesallamia is subdivided as

follows

:

Ibrahimab Hamatiria Husaynab

" Sahalab

BambunAb Hadadi'l

' KhalafulAb

ShuwaymAb GhusaynAb SabrAb ,RizkAt

^ Um Dubban is built chiefly of mud. It was founded seventy years ago by ihe head of the Ibrahimab section, father of Sheikh el 'Ebayd Muhammad Badr. The latter was a well-known Dervish leader and Kadi of the Khalifa : he died in 1915. Um Dubban possesses two imposing " kubbas" containing the remains of members of the family.