and that nothing in the world should be capable of wiping off the stain. These children now became the original parents of the negroes. The Mahommedan negroes are altogether fond of clothing their religion in a traditionary garb, and of adulterating it with absurdities, which remain then so strongly impressed upon their minds, that it is almost impossible to eradicate the false notions and instruct them differently. They believe firmly in metempsychosis, and accord to apes the honour of being animated by those human souls which, for the commission of some crime during life, must suffer punishment after death in the shape of monkeys. They never in any way injure these animals, and take care that they do not suffer from want of food. If they see any person ill-treating one of them, they become very wrath, and an old negro once reproached me severely for punishing my monkey for some offence of which it had been guilty, for, added he: “Why dost thou beat thy monkey? May it not be thy grandfather, whose soul is incorporated in this animal after death?” Elephants and parrots share the same honour with apes; and they contend that the former more especially could not act so sensibly as they do, unless a human soul dwelt within their body. Those sheikhs or saints, so common in Egypt, where they are regarded as holy, and, as it were, adored, but who are virtually idiots or cunning impostors, are not tolerated in Kordofan. On the contrary, unfortunate beings really neglected by nature are not indeed ill-treated, but kept as secluded as they possibly can be in their own families, who take care that they do not so readily come in contact with strangers. I only know of two instances in the whole province of Kordofan of those saints above-mentioned (Sheikhs) being worshipped, as they so frequently are, by the Moslems, both before and after death. The one of these died several years ago, and the people from the most distant parts, at the present time undertake pilgrimages to his grave, situated at a distance of two hours’ march from Lobeid. They there make vows to do certain things if the saint will grant them their request. The offerings brought to his grave consist of sheep, corn, &c.; the former are slaughtered on Mondays and Thursdays, and distributed among the blind beggars who assemble on these days, at the tomb. The person bringing the sacrifice now offers up a short prayer, and thus the vow is completed.