Burckhardt, John Lewis, 1784-1817; Nile River Valley -- Description and travel; Nubia -- Description and travel
I shall subjoin to this account of Nubia some notices upon the
Bedouins who inhabit the mountains lying between that country
and the Red sea. They consist of two principal tribes, the Ababde
and Bisharye. The Ababde (عبابده) occupy the country south
of Kosseir, nearly as far as the latitude of Derr. The Bisharye
(بشاري) inhabit the mountains from thence southwards, as far as
Suakin, where they find pasture for their camels and cattle in the
wild herbage which grows in the beds of the winter torrents. Many
of the Ababde have settled in Upper Egypt, on the east bank of
the Nile from Kenne to Assouan, and from thence to Derr; but the
greater part of them still live like Bedouins. They act as guides
to the Sennaar caravans which depart from Daraou (دَراوُ),
and were formerly conductors likewise of the trade from Kosseir to
Kenne; but their enemies, the Arabs Maazyu (معازي) and Ataony
(عَتاونه), who live to the north of Kosseir, have succeeded
in depriving them of the profits arising from this employment,
which the latter now farm from the Pasha of Egypt. The Ababde are
possessed of considerable property, but have a bad character, being
described by all those who deal with them as a faithless people,
who betray their companions, thus rendering themselves unworthy
of that origin from the Arabian Bedouins, of which they boast. No
oath binds an Ababde; but I was informed that they dread breaking
their word, if they give it with the expression, “by the hope
I entertain of remaining in good health (وحياة العا
فيه).” They are known in Upper Egypt for their excellent
breed of camels, particularly dromedaries, and they trade largely
in Senna-Mekke, and in charcoal of acacia wood, both of which are
produced from the trees, growing abundantly in their mountains;
the fuel is exported as far as Cairo. The Ababde have few horses;
when at war with other Arab tribes they fight upon camels, armed
with a target, lance, and sword. Their principal tribes are, El
Fokara (فُقَره), El Ashabat (عشَابات), and El Meleykab
(مليقاب). The Ashabat seldom descend from the mountains to the
banks of the Nile, but many individuals of the tribe have settled
on its banks near Mograt and Demar, on the route to Sennaar, where
they have intermarried with the native inhabitants. Such of them
as encamp with the Bisharye speak the language of the latter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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