the alertness of the men, who like all the rest dread the rain more than blows, and endeavour to escape as quickly as they can, all tend to render the scene of confusion so ludicrous, that the most stern spectator would be involuntarily disposed to laugh. It is not the fear of ruining their garments that induces them to scamper away so fast from the rain, for the most of them have no clothes to spoil, and the Djelabi merely wear a shirt, which the contact of a little pure water, moreover, could not harm; and the Turks and foreigners who are entirely dressed wear linen clothing, which water cannot injure; and yet they stand in as much awe of every drop of rain as if burning sparks were falling among them. They are impressed with the absurd idea that to get once a little wet is sufficient to produce a fever. Their apprehension is, strictly speaking, not so very erroneous, for the slightest cold during the rainy season is sufficient to stretch the most healthy man on a bed of sickness, from which it will be very doubtful whether he recover. High feasts and festivals create no variation in the ordinary scene, as a general rule, and none of those fantasias[69] so common in Egypt are seen on Sundays and holidays at Lobeid; the only amusement, as I have before observed, consists in the dances and songs of the women and girls, after sunset, when every one returns to his house. In the quarter of the town named _Kongeri_, which is inhabited by the men of Darfour, dwells the sheikh Sultan Tehme, a descendant of the sultans of Darfour. His present occupation is very ill-suited to his illustrious birth, for he is the mutilator of those poor boys who subsequently serve as guards in the various harems. This sheikh possesses two of the largest copper kettle-drums I ever saw in my life; they were presented to him by Mehemed Ali, as a mark of distinction. These drums are beaten all day long on every Friday and festival; but their sound is by no means very agreeable to those who are not over fond of music. This sheikh presents a very imposing appearance, for though black as the night, he has a very luxuriant beard, not very general among the negroes, which he dies with a pomatum of a bright red colour; it forms a striking contrast with his black shining face. When he rides into the country his horse is preceded by two musicians blowing during the whole march on a leathern pipe with eight holes.