DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0221
The Kababish, a Sudan Arab tribe
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there spaces between them to allow the sortie of the horse, who are behind them; and
behind these again are the women, who, by their voices, encourage the men. The battle
begins with javelins, then the horsemen pass out and fight in the space between the lines.
On these depends almost entirely the fate of the battle, the overpowered party falls back
in front of the foot, but after the first sortie never returns behind the infantry; then the
battle becomes confused, the infantry of the overpowering party advances, and generally
the affair ends in favour of the party whose cavalry gains the first advantage. In general
the victors spare none of the men, excepting a few who are flogged until they discover
the hidden property. Women and children are spared.” 87
The following account of an episode in the long warfare between the Kababish and
the Beni Jerar is also taken from Mansfield Parkyns:—
“One rain season, while the Mamelukes were governors at Dongola, the Kubbabfsh,
having passed the season in peace with the Jerar, were returning to the river, leaving the
Jerar behind in their country near Sahfy, and, suspecting nothing, had left their heavy
baggage and their chief behind, and the greater part of the tribes had advanced to prepare
their summer station. The Beni Jerar, covetous, like all Arabs, could not resist the
temptation of so much unprotected property, and, breaking their faith, killed the chief
Mahamid Wald al Sany [Muhammad wad Sani], with many others, and possessed them-
selves of the property and nugara (drums) of the Kubbabfsh. Before the news arrived
the Arabs had dispersed, and it was useless to attempt to avenge their loss during the dry
season; so they remained quietly and in preparation till the next rains, when they fell
on the Jerar, and after 15 days’ pursuit killed their chief Jelleh, spoiling them, and taking
three of their nugara, two of brass and one of wood. The Jerar fled to Darfur, and, going to
the other tribes, offered to conduct them to the pillage of a tribe, ‘pagan and ignorant, but
very rich’, thus describing the Kubbabfsh. These were deceived and consented, and
preparations were made for the expedition. The Kubbabfsh, in the meantime, had passed
the dry season, and were again in the far W., when parties detached from them for spying
and plunder brought them news of the immense army which, like a hailstorm, was about
to fall on them; this news caused a momentary panic in the breasts of the tribe; some
proposed to fly, but others, more reasonable and experienced, showed them that if they
fled, even to the other shore of the Nile, the enemy, encouraged by their fear, would not
fail to pursue them. Others again proposed only to retire a little, in order to obtain
time to call the assistance of some of the friendly tribes from Kordofan. This was again
overruled by the persuasion that strangers who fought without common interest would
be the first to fly and put a fresh panic among the rest; so every one encouraged his
87 Op. cit., p. 260. Our Kababish informants stated that a wounded man would be spared, if a woman, even
of the hostile tribe, put her arms round him.
159
there spaces between them to allow the sortie of the horse, who are behind them; and
behind these again are the women, who, by their voices, encourage the men. The battle
begins with javelins, then the horsemen pass out and fight in the space between the lines.
On these depends almost entirely the fate of the battle, the overpowered party falls back
in front of the foot, but after the first sortie never returns behind the infantry; then the
battle becomes confused, the infantry of the overpowering party advances, and generally
the affair ends in favour of the party whose cavalry gains the first advantage. In general
the victors spare none of the men, excepting a few who are flogged until they discover
the hidden property. Women and children are spared.” 87
The following account of an episode in the long warfare between the Kababish and
the Beni Jerar is also taken from Mansfield Parkyns:—
“One rain season, while the Mamelukes were governors at Dongola, the Kubbabfsh,
having passed the season in peace with the Jerar, were returning to the river, leaving the
Jerar behind in their country near Sahfy, and, suspecting nothing, had left their heavy
baggage and their chief behind, and the greater part of the tribes had advanced to prepare
their summer station. The Beni Jerar, covetous, like all Arabs, could not resist the
temptation of so much unprotected property, and, breaking their faith, killed the chief
Mahamid Wald al Sany [Muhammad wad Sani], with many others, and possessed them-
selves of the property and nugara (drums) of the Kubbabfsh. Before the news arrived
the Arabs had dispersed, and it was useless to attempt to avenge their loss during the dry
season; so they remained quietly and in preparation till the next rains, when they fell
on the Jerar, and after 15 days’ pursuit killed their chief Jelleh, spoiling them, and taking
three of their nugara, two of brass and one of wood. The Jerar fled to Darfur, and, going to
the other tribes, offered to conduct them to the pillage of a tribe, ‘pagan and ignorant, but
very rich’, thus describing the Kubbabfsh. These were deceived and consented, and
preparations were made for the expedition. The Kubbabfsh, in the meantime, had passed
the dry season, and were again in the far W., when parties detached from them for spying
and plunder brought them news of the immense army which, like a hailstorm, was about
to fall on them; this news caused a momentary panic in the breasts of the tribe; some
proposed to fly, but others, more reasonable and experienced, showed them that if they
fled, even to the other shore of the Nile, the enemy, encouraged by their fear, would not
fail to pursue them. Others again proposed only to retire a little, in order to obtain
time to call the assistance of some of the friendly tribes from Kordofan. This was again
overruled by the persuasion that strangers who fought without common interest would
be the first to fly and put a fresh panic among the rest; so every one encouraged his
87 Op. cit., p. 260. Our Kababish informants stated that a wounded man would be spared, if a woman, even
of the hostile tribe, put her arms round him.