6o THE NON-ARAB RACES OF DARFUR I. 4. v.

of inheritance and succession is still followed, and on the death of

a 7nek he is succeeded by his sister's son. There are two meks

in Alidob, one of the northern portion of the range (Urti section),

the other of the southern (Shelkota section), and in both cases the

practice is the same.

In the matter of inheritance it is usual, in order to conform to

Islamic practice while preserving the ancient custom, for a man before

his death to give his wealth to his sons, and the sister's son therefore

finds nothing left to inherit. The well-to-do carry a sword, the rest

a few throwing spears or a knobbed stick. The throwing stick, uni-

versal in the rest of Darfur, is not used at Mi'dob.

Circumcision of both sexes is practised. Marriage with the daughter of the paternal uncle, usual among the nomadic Arabs, is taboo at Midob, but the same does not apply to marriage with the daughter of the maternal uncle.

A very interesting annual festival is held by the Midobis of the

north and south alike. It begins, it is said, on the eighth day of a

lunar month, when the corn is ripe and the first few heads are being

cut, but before the general reaping. On this occasion the young men and the girls go (in the case of the southern Midobis) to Khor Odingar and camp there for fifteen days, enjoying themselves with dancing and horse-play. The elder folk merely act the part of spectators and

bring out the food and drink for the others.

A month later, on the eighth of the following month, that is, the young men go (in the case of the southern Midobis) to Khor Tat and take part in manly sports, running and riding, etc. The women and girls look on. In the evening each young man has to jump over

the Khor; and then all go home.

So much—the date in the month excepted—I was told at Midob, and it was added in passing that the young men had their heads

anointed for the festival. But in 1918 I was travelling with some Midobis and noticed that one of them, a youth aged 19 or so, wore

his hair long and thickly plaited and parted down the middle—some- what after the fashion of the Bedayria youths—^with the plaits tied

together for temporary convenience at the back of his head. This

led to enquiries and the following additional facts transpired. The whole festival described above is known as the bazza, and if the

year is a bad one from the point of view of the harvest (bukkali,

Arabic^; uning'ul, Midob) it is not held. The plaited hair {dirwa, or tirwiy Arabic^; riifan, Midob)

* The Mfd6bis speak of this as an Arabic word, but, if so, it seems to be a corruption of some sort.