The government of Kordofan treats this people, indeed, with every species of cruelty; for as soon as they are necessitated to fly from the more distant regions, and make their appearance in the neighbourhood of Kordofan, troops are immediately despatched to demand the tribute of them. I was myself an eye-witness of this scene, and saw nothing but unmerciful extortion and barbarous brutality used, which is, unfortunately, the ordinary proceeding of that government. A major, with three subaltern officers, and two hundred men, rank and file, of infantry, attended by a few Bedouin horsemen, and fifty men of irregular troops, received orders to proceed from Lobeid to levy the annual tribute, consisting of one thousand heads of oxen, from the nearest Bakkara. The tribe, acquainted with the approach of their enemies, did all in their power to entertain them to the best of their means. On their arrival, several oxen and sheep were daily slaughtered, merissa was served in abundance, all kinds of amusements were introduced, in short, nothing was neglected that might render the sojourn agreeable to their tormentors. The officers and soldiers felt exceedingly comfortable with this kind of life during four days, enjoyed their Keyf,[43] and everything went off very peaceably and all were happy. On the fifth day, however, the scene suddenly changed: for the major had a sheikh summoned into his presence, and greeting him with all the customary terms of abuse, said, in a harsh tone,—“Do you remember that you gave me last year the worst and leanest cattle, the greater part of which died on the road, and that I had to make good the loss to Mehemed Ali from my own purse! That I may not suffer a similar loss this year, I draw your attention to this circumstance, and shall immediately take care to impress it also on your memory.” He hereupon ordered the sheikh to lay himself on the ground. Entreaties, prayers, and promises, were all in vain. Two corporals seized the condemned man, threw him forcibly to the ground, and stood in readiness to inflict the punishment the major might think fit to order, with the whips of hippopotamus’ hide they held in their hands. The delinquent again endeavoured to conciliate the major with entreaties, and, begging for mercy, assured him that he would not only give him very good cattle this time, but, moreover, make him a present, as a compensation for the loss he had sustained the preceding year. This was what the extortioner wanted; but to intimidate the sheikh the more, and to force him to increase his liberality, he pretended to be inflexible; at last, however, he allowed the supplicant to rise, and go home to fetch the promised presents. The sheikh hastened immediately to fulfil his promise, and brought the major four large nose-rings of massive gold, and two slaves for each officer. Thus harmony was once more restored; the number of oxen required, and, indeed, from the best herd,