DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0220
158
C. G. and B. Z. Seligman
horizontally placed stars in Canis major are en-Netri, while a star vertically below these
(towards Columba) is el-Asad, “the Lion”. The brightest star in Columba is Dm' el-dsad,
the “Foreleg of the lion”. Algol and Perseus e are the front legs of an angareb, its back
legs being Triangula /? and a neighbouring star. East of Sirius and at about the same
height above the horizon a star was pointed out which was said to be specially important
to travellers; it was called Jidi, which in Sudan Arabic means a young goat. The stars
of the Southern Cross are not recognized as forming a cross, its elements being seen as two
constellations, en-Na'am, the Ostrich, and el-Khayl, “the Horses”.
There is probably a good deal of star-lore, but unfortunately we did not go into this.
When el-Bersim and en-Netri are far to the south the wet season is due. A child born
when el-Asad is up will be lucky and prosperous. The evening star is known as Nigma ed-
dayf, “ the Guest’s Star ”. A stranger wishing for hospitality should approach an encamp-
ment before the setting of this star; then he would be sure of welcome, whereas anyone
arriving after its setting might be looked upon as coming with evil intent.
XV. Warfare and hunting. In the old days a considerable amount of raiding and
fighting took place. Mansfield Parkyns wrote of the Kababish being able to turn out
four or five thousand fighting men, horse and foot, the Nurab alone being credited with a
hundred sets of chain-mail and padded horse-covering.85 These no longer exist. All
are said to have disappeared in the Mahdia, and in 1912 the Nurab possessed only one
incomplete set of chain armour.
The hereditary enemies of the Kababish were the Beni Jerar of Darfur. Not only did
they attack the Kababish, but forming parties of two or three hundred strong, they would
raid the caravans passing between El-Obeid and Dongola. It was to check this practice
that the Kababish were organized as desert-police by the Turkish Government, who allowed
them to keep the greater part of the plunder they took from the Darfur Arabs. Other
enemies of the Kababish were the Hamar, the Dar Hamid, and the Zayadia.86
Mansfield Parkyns gives the following account of the Kababish mode of fighting:—
“These Arabs have the habit of commencing hostilities by sending out pilfering
parties, who act as spies also. But when one tribe has decided on attacking another, it
takes all its property, women, children, cattle, etc., and pitches in sight of the enemy.
The cause of this is, because (as the Arabs themselves allow) they cannot fight unless they
have this risk under their eyes. The day after the encampment the attacking party
descends near the houses of the enemy, who come out to meet it, and each forms in
battle array — the infantry with their shields and lances in the front rank, with here and
85 Op. cit., p. 256.
86 The Zay&dia, celebrated as breeders of horses, are one of the principal nomad tribes of D&rfur.
C. G. and B. Z. Seligman
horizontally placed stars in Canis major are en-Netri, while a star vertically below these
(towards Columba) is el-Asad, “the Lion”. The brightest star in Columba is Dm' el-dsad,
the “Foreleg of the lion”. Algol and Perseus e are the front legs of an angareb, its back
legs being Triangula /? and a neighbouring star. East of Sirius and at about the same
height above the horizon a star was pointed out which was said to be specially important
to travellers; it was called Jidi, which in Sudan Arabic means a young goat. The stars
of the Southern Cross are not recognized as forming a cross, its elements being seen as two
constellations, en-Na'am, the Ostrich, and el-Khayl, “the Horses”.
There is probably a good deal of star-lore, but unfortunately we did not go into this.
When el-Bersim and en-Netri are far to the south the wet season is due. A child born
when el-Asad is up will be lucky and prosperous. The evening star is known as Nigma ed-
dayf, “ the Guest’s Star ”. A stranger wishing for hospitality should approach an encamp-
ment before the setting of this star; then he would be sure of welcome, whereas anyone
arriving after its setting might be looked upon as coming with evil intent.
XV. Warfare and hunting. In the old days a considerable amount of raiding and
fighting took place. Mansfield Parkyns wrote of the Kababish being able to turn out
four or five thousand fighting men, horse and foot, the Nurab alone being credited with a
hundred sets of chain-mail and padded horse-covering.85 These no longer exist. All
are said to have disappeared in the Mahdia, and in 1912 the Nurab possessed only one
incomplete set of chain armour.
The hereditary enemies of the Kababish were the Beni Jerar of Darfur. Not only did
they attack the Kababish, but forming parties of two or three hundred strong, they would
raid the caravans passing between El-Obeid and Dongola. It was to check this practice
that the Kababish were organized as desert-police by the Turkish Government, who allowed
them to keep the greater part of the plunder they took from the Darfur Arabs. Other
enemies of the Kababish were the Hamar, the Dar Hamid, and the Zayadia.86
Mansfield Parkyns gives the following account of the Kababish mode of fighting:—
“These Arabs have the habit of commencing hostilities by sending out pilfering
parties, who act as spies also. But when one tribe has decided on attacking another, it
takes all its property, women, children, cattle, etc., and pitches in sight of the enemy.
The cause of this is, because (as the Arabs themselves allow) they cannot fight unless they
have this risk under their eyes. The day after the encampment the attacking party
descends near the houses of the enemy, who come out to meet it, and each forms in
battle array — the infantry with their shields and lances in the front rank, with here and
85 Op. cit., p. 256.
86 The Zay&dia, celebrated as breeders of horses, are one of the principal nomad tribes of D&rfur.