Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/71

 THE NEGROES. 58 of their origin. These are the so-called Shor/o* that is, descendants of the Prophet, although the family genealogical tree is seldom authentic. It is enough for a woman to marry a Sharif, even though immediately afterwards repudiate<l by her husband, for all her children, and children's children to take this honoured title. The " Marabutic " families of Tripolitana also claim to have come from the west, whence the Shorfa are said to have migrated. Anyhow, it appears to be quite certain that a great many Arab tribes advanced as far as the Atlantic sea- board during the first years of the conquest. Since that epoch a general movement in the opjx)8ite direction has been effected, so that those tribes are regarded as of noblest blood who during their migrations have twice traversed the route between Mauritania and the eastern provinces of North Africa. Such groups are even more esteemed than if they had come straight from the holy cities of Arabia. At present this retrograde movement is more active than ever. The Algerian Shorfa clans, with their wives, children, and herds, have already emigrated in thousands to Tripoli, in order to escape from the yoke of the " infidel." The Khwans of the religious brotherhood of the Senusiya, who have become so numerous in the oases of Tripolitana, are also immigrants from the same region. After the occupation of Tunisia by the French troops, several unsubdued tribes sought a refuge on the plains of Jefara, west of Tripoli. The Negroes. Next to that of the Berbers and Arabs, the largest section of the population is certainly the Negro element. Amongst those who call themselves Arabs, or even Shorfa, there are thousands who betray their black descent in the colour of their skin and hair, the form of their features alone attesting mixture with the white Semites. Commercial relations are so frequent and regular between Tripoli and the interior of the continent, that there is nothing surprising in the presence of numerous Nigritians on the Mediterranean coastlands. The great majority, however, of those now living in Tripolitana have been forcibly brought thither as slaves. Formerly not a single caravan arrived from Sudan imaccompanied by a gang of captives. We must therefore reckon by hundreds of thousands the number of blacks who have thus been imported into Tripoli, either to remain in the country or to be forwarded thence to Egypt or Turkey. Although at present no longer carried on openly in the capital of the vilayet, the slave trade has not yet by any means totally ceased. On hearing of the arrival of a caravan in the southern oases, the dealers in human flesh instruct their agents to obtain the best terms for their living merchandise, which never fails to find a purchaser. At the same time both Negroes and Negresses, at least in the capital, may at any time demand a letter of emancipation, and this document is never refused. Many of these freed- raen remain in the houses of their former masters, who are still looked up to as patrons and protectors even by those who withdraw from their roof to live • Shorfa or Shurafa is the plural of Sharif, properly a noble or grandee, but iisually restricted to the real or presumed descendanta of Mohammed.