At a distance of about twenty or thirty hours’ march southward and to the south-east of Lobeid, the free negroes live, who are in part tributary to Kordofan; the tribute, however, is always levied by force from these tribes. They resemble each other perfectly in stature and features, but converse in different languages—thus, in one day’s march, many different dialects and languages may be heard spoken: it would appear, however, that the language of the Takale, Kodero, and Schabun are of the same root. The largest tribe with which I am acquainted calls itself Nuba, and occupies a large extent of the mountainous tract. The Nuba are republicans, and recognise no superior authority beyond their particular sheikh, who, however, plays a passive part only, for his jurisdiction does not extend beyond the confines of one village. Even one of these chiefs, if obnoxious to the greater number, is immediately deprived of his dignity, and superseded by another sheikh, elected by a majority of votes. It is for this same reason, that a magistrate of this description dare not enforce his decisions: thus the opinion of the multitude prevails. It has frequently happened that a sheikh, who had acquired authority among this tribe by his personal advantages, or by his wealth, has at last had the intention of usurping the authority of sultan or monarch of all the Nuba; but this attempt has never yet succeeded, for the unfortunate usurper was immediately put to death as soon as the Nuba negroes had the slightest suspicion of this project. Their sheikhs, therefore, are mere ciphers, only to be tolerated as long as they do not interfere with the freedom and privileges of the subject. All the negro tribes inhabiting the country, extending to about the tenth degree of latitude, are easily to be distinguished from each other, some by their ear-rings and nose-rings, some again by the loss of the lower incisor teeth, others by a hole in the under lip, into which they insert the tooth of some animal, which adheres in the aperture; others, again, are tattooed about the face. These negroes have all perfectly woolly hair, which covers the head but sparingly; thick everted lips, and small compressed noses. Many of them are less black than the negroes inhabiting the southern regions, have not the high projecting cheek-bones, and are, on an average, a well-made race of men. The girls have fine breasts, convex from below upwards, and superiorly rather concave. These Nuba reside in villages, which they build chiefly in the most inaccessible parts of the mountains, and put in the best possible state of defence. Their dwellings are made of straw, hedged in with thorns, and some of the houses are built of stone. I must, however, observe, that those tribes which are under monarchic government live more peaceably than the republicans, who frequently go to war for trifles, when the stronger tribes make prisoners of the weaker, and sell them as slaves.