he was
considered purified both externally and internally. Any harmless word of
abuse, such as "kelb" (dog), was punishable with twenty-seven lashes.
This punishment went by the name of "Hakk-Allah"[C] (the right of God),
and was also inflicted in the time of the Prophet, who, to make it a
really mild punishment, ordained that the upper part of the arms and
shoulders should be covered with camel's hide, and the punishment
inflicted on the lower arm only, the indication that it had been
correctly administered being shown by the fact that the camel's hide had
not moved from its place. The Mahdiists, however, took quite another
view of the matter, and thought that the only correct way of
administering "God's right" was to draw blood copiously.

The Mahdi also issued many new orders regarding marriages. Hitherto in
the Sudan and in the East generally, the marriage ceremony is
accompanied by large feasts. It was the custom of the father on the
betrothal of his daughter to obtain in exchange as large a sum of money
as possible; that is the reason why fathers greatly preferred their
children to be girls, for they made quite a small fortune on their
marriages. But the Mahdi changed all this, and ordered that the
bridegroom should expend a sum of ten dollars only, besides providing a
korbab (girth) coverlet, perfumes and ointment for the bride's hair,
also another sort of ointment which the Sudanese greatly appreciate, and
which is generally used for anointing the bridegroom's body; also he
must supply a pair of shoes. The ceremonies of betrothal and marriage
are very simple. When the contract is completed and the above articles
delivered by the bridegroom, his friends and relations assemble,
generally on a Friday or Monday (these days being considered lucky);
after a good meal the fiki asks the bride or some one appointed to
represent her, whether she consents to the marriage, after which the
bridegroom repeats the usual saying, in which he mentions the Mahdi's
name, the ceremony is thus concluded, and is announced to the neighbours
by the women of the party uttering at intervals the shrill cries of joy
called "Zagharit." Young women are forbidden by the Mahdi to walk about
with uncovered faces; an unveiled woman is considered to be naked; but
if she wear a veil and the rest of her body be unclothed, it is not an
offence. The wearing of gold and silver ornaments, and of goat's hair
curled and plastered with gum (a custom which