Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/421

 WADAI. 853 whole population, claim to be nobles amongst the nobles, founding tbeir preten- sions on their early conversion to Islam. Their speech is widely diffused amongst the surrounding tribes as the general medium of social and commercial inter- course. South and south-east of the Mabas dwell the Abu-Sharibs, separated from the kindred Tamas, who occupy the uplands of the same name north-east of Wara, former capital of the kingdom. .Like their Kadoi neighbours they are a valiant race, who long maintained their independence against the Mabas. Other power- ful peoples are the recently subdued Massalits in the eastern borderland between Wadai and Dar-For, and the Kukas and Bulalas, founders of the Fitri state, who still enjoy a measure of independence, and whose sultan, although now tributary to Wadai, is considered of more noble origin than his suzerain chief. North of Wadai proper, the Zoghawas, as well as the kindred Dazas and Tedas, are repre- sented by some zealous Mohammedan tribes. Wadai is at present a chief centre of religious propaganda, the Maba sultan having become the ally of the Senusiya sect. Nevertheless, most of the subject tribes or vassals in the south have remained pagans, or are at most merely nominal Mohammedans. Thus the Kutis, akin to their Moslem neighbours the Run gas, still practise witchcraft, while other *' Kafir" populations inhabit the southern region vaguely known as Dar-Banda. Like the Niam-Niams still farther south, the Banda people are cannibals, and worship a goddess Wamba, to whom they offer beer and the first-fruits of the chase. This country, say the natives, is bounded southwards by the Bahr Kuta, a great river inhabited by crocodiles and hippopota- muses, and very probably identical with the Welle or some other great affluent of the Con 2:0. Of the Arabs, collectively known in Wadai by the name of Aramka, the most numerous tribe are the Mahamids, settled in the country for over five hundred years, and very rich in camels and other live stock. They pitch their tents especially in the northern valley, and on 'the steppes stretcning away to Borku and Tibesti. The other Arabs of Wadai, more or less mixed with Nuba blood, are divided into the two groups of the Soruks, or " Blacks," and Homr, or " Eeds." The Arab element is also largely represented among the Jellabas, or traders, whose caravans penetrate west to Sudan, south to Dar-Banda, and south-east to Baghirmi, taking slaves, ivory, ostrich feathers, and copper in exchange for salt and European wares. Topography and Administration of Wadat. Aheshr (Abes/ie/t), present, capital of Wadai, lies in the Maba country, near the caravan route leadino^ from Ivuka through Dar-For and Kordofan to Khartum. It is a modern town, founded in 1850 by a sovereign whose previous residence, Wara, was exposed to the attacks of the surrounding highland populations. Of Wara, situated 24 miles north of Abeshr, nothing remains except a brick mosque and minaret, and on the summit of a rock a sacred cabin, where, on his accession,