314 THE GUHAYNA GROUP iii.4.viii.

B. MeraysArI G. Bilaylat C. GuNGONAB H. Dar Bashut D. 'AwAiDA J, Deladim E. BAy'udab K. Dar Hamid F. AhaymerAb IX It has been mentioned that the NurAb are at present the ruling section. They have held that position for eight generations, that is to say since Kurban of the RibaykAt surrendered the chieftainship to his sister's son Keradim of the NurAb, whose descendants have since inherited it in succession to one another though not always from father to son*.

X The KabAbish are first mentioned by Bruce in 1 768-1773, but so few travellers had visited the Sudan before him, and the records of such as did so are so scanty that one certainly cannot assume that the tribe was not called KabAbish for scores of years previously.

Speaking of Wad 'Agi'b's collecting tribute, as the representative of the King of Sennar, from the nomads of the Bayuda desert, Bruce says: "though lately the Beni Gerar, Beni Faisara [i.e. FezAra] and Cubbabeesh have expelled the ancient Arabs of Bahiouda [i.e. the Bayuda], who pretend now only to be the subjects of Kordofan."

Again, he says' that the road across the Bayuda is impassable because of the "Beni Faisara, Beni Gerar and Cubbabeesh...which come from the westward near Kordofan from fear of the black horse there," and have taken all the wells. The KabAbish are "very numerous and extend far north into the great desert Selima and to the frontiers of Egypt."

Browne" says of them that they infested the vicinity of Bir el Malha {i.e. Bir Natrun) in his day and lived by plundering the caravans from Egypt.

El Tunisi" says they assisted Hashim, the Sultan of the Musaba'At of Kordofan, in his wars against Ti'rab, Sultan of Darfur, towards the close of the eighteenth century.

Burckhardt in 1813, referring to Dongola, says: "The Bedouin tribe of Kobabish reside in the country and are continually making incursions into Darfour, from whence they carry off slaves."

Use a " hadd" as brand.

Use a " hildl" ("crescent moon") on the neck.

Note this evidence of the ancient custom of Dongola whereby the sister's son inherits.

* See MacMichael, Tribes..., p. 194, and genealogical tree opposite.

Vol. VI, Chap. X. ® Probably such as the Kerriat are meant. ' Loc. cit. ® Probably the cavalry of the Fur, then paramount in northern Kordofan.

* Bruce, loc. cit. 1° Pp. 188 and 247.

Voy. au Darfour, p. 67. " Nubia, p. 67.