The Coining of the Arabs to the Sudan

is a general similarity of appearance and habits, and,
often, a common history. But in the case of the nomad
tribes, though repeated permutations have taken place,
and still from time to time take place, in the allegiance of
the component sections, it is amazing to find how slight is
the change that has occurred during the course of centuries.
Miscegenation between the Arab and the semi-Arab, and
breeding from the negro slave women, who were captured
by the thousand during the Egyptian and Dervish periods,
have left their obvious mark, and many customs have
been borrowed from the land of their adoption ; but the
fact remains that the nomad Arabs as a whole, and more
particularly the womenfolk, are hardly distinguishable
from the Arabs of western Arabia in appearance or in
ways. In one respect, it is true, there is a marked differ-
ence at the present day, but it is one in which the adminis-
tration of the Sudan may, I think, legitimately take a
certain pride. Its policy is to avoid every form of un-
necessary interference with the tribal life, to support the
authority of the sheikhs so long as it is not grossly abused,
and to encourage in them that spirit of responsibility and
self-reliance and self-respect which provides the best
guarantee of justice and security to the individual. The
Arabs have now enjoyed these advantages to an ever-
increasing extent for thirty years, their flocks and herds
have increased enormously ; and while they still preserve
the fine freedom and independence of spirit and the
tradition of courtesy which has always been the pride of
their race, they are losing something of the wildness, the
bird-like fecklessness and irresponsibility, the propensity
to battle, murder and sudden death, which still distinguish
their nomadic cousins in Arabia.

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