292 THE GUHAYNA GROUP iii. 3. xvi.

north are essentially the same race as those composing the Rizaykat

it will be more convenient to deal with them separately at the close

of this chapter 1. It may be said here, however, in passing, that it is

preferable to speak of these three tribes as having united in the south

of Darfur to form the Rizaykat than to regard the three tribes as

offshoots of the southern Bakkara tribe.

(g) TA'AfSHA

XVII The Ta'aisha, we have seen, are closely connected with the Habbania by race and, like them, claim descent from Haymad. With

the exceptions to be specified they are confined to Darfur^.

Their name, too, is perhaps best known on account of the

Khalifa 'Abdullahi having been of their number. Many thousands^

of them were imported by him to Omdurman during his reign and used as a bodyguard and a means of enforcing his will upon the

riverain tribes. Dongola Province was for a period entirely under

their domination*.

After the Khalifa's overthrow many of the Ta'aisha returned to

Darfur, but colonies of them settled in Sennar and Kassala provinces, and a few elsewhere. Others enlisted in the Camel Corps and Mounted Infantry.

The Ta'aisha country in Darfur lies between that of the Hab- bania on the east, Dar Sula on the west, the Beni Helba country to

the north and the negro Fertit to the south. It is very sparsely

populated at the present time.

The main divisions of the Ta'aisha are

:

A. Kilada^

1. Awlad 'Amir 9. El Dakaila

2. „ Tabit ((a) El Bedri'a f(«) 3. „ ZAiD <{b) El 'Idai

4. ,, Sellama [(c) El Ba'ashomi

5. El Showwasha 10. El Barakawi

6. El Negmia ii. El Sheluhi

7. El Diabia 12. El Hadramia

8. Awlad el Bihayli 13. Awlad Abu Milka, or Abmilka

14, El Hadhalin

^ There is a fairly large colony of Mahamfd Awlad Yasin who fall between the two major groups of southern Rizaykat and northern camel-nomads. These Awlad Yasin live a day south-west of el Fasher round Abu Zerayka under a sheikh of their own and are Bakkara.

^ Cp. Carbou, ii, 54.

^ Slatin says " upwards of 24,000 warriors with their wives and families."

* Ibid. Ch. XIII.

* "Kildda" and " errik^^ are both names of camel-brands, like " tdra" and "sot" in the case of the Habbdnia (q.v. supra).