CHAPTER XVII. DESCRIPTION OF A SLAVE-HUNT IN THE YEARS 1838 AND 1839. Towards the end of the year 1838 the Viceroy commanded the province of Kordofan to contribute five thousand slaves. The corps under orders for this purpose, consisting of two thousand four hundred infantry, seven hundred and fifty Mogghrebeen (Bedouin horsemen), two hundred men irregular cavalry, three hundred dromedary riders, and twelve hundred natives armed with spear and shield, and attended by three guns, set out upon the march towards the close of the month of November 1838. On this occasion every two men of infantry were furnished with one camel, as they could not collect the complement very soon, and an immense number was, moreover, required for the transport of the baggage, water, tents, etc., for the troops. Provisions and forage for the cattle, both for service and for slaughter, were only added to the transport sufficient for a few days, for they hoped to be able to obtain the necessary supply in a short time by plunder and pillage. A hill, one of the nearest on the borders of the free Nuba, which had already suffered by the troops of Mehemed Ali, and by the marauding Bakkara, and, was in consequence greatly depopulated, was the first challenged to surrender. The sheikh instantly came into camp and delivered himself with all his subjects, consisting of one hundred and ninety-six souls, into the hands of the Turks; he received his liberty and a present of a dress, but the sheba was put on the young men, and the whole number forwarded on the next day to Lobeid. This sheikh himself told me that when the Turks first entered his village eighteen years before, the population consisted of three thousand souls, but the annual contribution of slaves, augmented by the insatiable Turks to ten times the number, had reduced them to one hundred and ninety-six souls. The prisoners of this hill were treated with some humanity, and not one instance of suicide took place among them, for they had seen the futility of resistance, and voluntarily surrendered to their dismal fate. The troops, however, were now in want of bread, and as they found but a very slight supply of dockn among this impoverished people, they were necessitated to advance. The next hill was attacked, but how were the soldiers disappointed in their expectations when they found the place evacuated! The inhabitants, apprized of the approach of the corps, had fled, taking all their property and cattle away with them, and had left nothing but the empty huts, which were instantly fired and burnt to the ground. And now the march was continued to the third hill. The inhabitants of this village had formed the firm resolution of defending their freedom to the uttermost; and, determined to suffer death rather than the horror of Turkish captivity, had prepared for a most obstinate resistance. The hill was charged, but the troops were several times