the court at eight o'clock every
morning on a donkey. One of his guards places his sheepskin on a small
straw rukuba (latterly this has been constructed of clay), and on this
the sheikh seats himself. He has the Kuran beside him.

The parties in dispute arrive, and the case turns, for example, on
fraudulent dealing, debts, payment in false coinage, &c. As there are no
lawyers, each party must defend himself. As a rule the Sudanese are
clever and astute in their conversation, and the man who can talk best
has already gained half the victory. The noise and shouting is
deafening; and the Sudanese have a wonderful display of sly cunning. The
sheikh's last resource is the Kuran.

Sometimes bystanders attempt to mediate between the disputing parties,
and this course generally prolongs the talk and noise indefinitely, and
does not often succeed. The usual punishment is flogging, which is
inflicted on the spot. Marissa-drinkers and tobacco-smokers receive
eighty lashes. The individual sentenced has to lie prone on the ground,
supporting his head with his hands, while two slaves take it in turns to
belabour him with whips made of hippopotamus hide. The first few strokes
generally draw blood, but as a rule the victim remains immovable, whilst
the bystanders applaud him for his courage. If he utters a cry or a moan
he is laughed at and derided. The sheikh and his supporters are much
addicted to bakshish, which enables many a culprit to escape punishment.

Should the dispute be of a very serious nature, it is brought before
the high court at the Bab el Khalifa; but here money plays even a more
important part than in the smaller court. The success or failure of the
case depends on the ability with which the opposing mediators influence
the judgment; a hint or a sign with the hand is quite sufficient to make
the judge understand, and with marvellous astuteness he will contrive to
give the case an entirely new aspect, and one which, probably, only a
few moments before he has most strongly condemned, but which now he
thinks it advisable, under the circumstances, to adopt; and this change
of front is carried out without the smallest hesitation.

I will here give an example of what is considered justice in Omdurman. A
female slave who had for a long time had a quarrel with her mistress
decided to have her revenge, and the fact that her mistress was in the
habit of smoking and wearing jewels aided her in her design. She took
her lady's