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 Habbania 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).