sun disappears behind the hills, large fires are lighted in all the villages, and dancing begins; whilst songs are re-echoed from hill to hill, producing the effect of a kind of vocal response or salutation. These Nuba are of a more amiable disposition than might be expected of a people in a state of semi-barbarity, and if they be only convinced that a traveller has no intention of doing them harm, he may make sure of the most hospitable reception, notwithstanding the ill-treatment and oppression they occasionally suffer from the neighbouring Turks, which has imbued them with an almost incontrovertible hatred towards all white men. The slave merchants greatly contribute to keep up this aversion by assuring the negroes, that all the captives who fall into the hands of the white men are fattened in their country for slaughter. When the Djelabi have reached Kordofan and set out on their journey to Cairo, they make the poor slaves understand that those white men who, like the Arabs and Turks, profess the true faith, do not eat the flesh of the negroes; but that the _Giaours_, or unbelievers, by which denomination they distinguish the Franks, follow that barbarous custom. This will account for the circumstance of slaves so frequently beginning to cry when purchased by a Frank at Cairo, they are, in fact, seized with the fear of being led to the shambles. A Nuba negro, who spoke Arabic well, said to me once very coolly: “We black men are far better than you white men, for when our children come into your country you slaughter them; we could do the same with you, but we are charitable and do not act thus, therefore we are better than you.” With kindness every thing may be obtained from these children of nature, whilst harshness and severity produce the opposite effect; for as soon as they perceive that force is about to be employed, they become passionate and malicious and obstinate to a degree, for they are children of freedom, and will rather forfeit their lives than tolerate coercion. In requiring a service of them it is necessary to make considerate representations to them, and to use the utmost caution to keep them in a good humour, for in the contrary case evil consequences are alone to be expected; they will, indeed, rather suffer death than allow themselves to be forced by ill-treatment to the performance of even the most trivial office.