ncommon. But whilst the rich live in comparative
luxury, the poor people exist in the greatest want and misery.

Good clothing is seldom considered; the richer a man is, the dirtier
will his dress be. This is, of course, meant to blind the eyes of
inquisitive slanderers. The Baggara chiefs have no reason to conceal
anything; but it must be quite apparent to all that a form of government
which preaches a continual despising of the good things of this life is
not likely to promote any of the higher comforts of civilization.

In matters, however, regarding war and the preparations required for a
jehad, it is entirely different. Blacksmiths are always busy forging
spears and knives; and in this description of work the results are
remarkable. Saddlers make every description of leather ornament for
horse and camel decoration; tanners prepare the leather, and dye it red
or black; tailors now make much better jibbehs than before; the patches
are generally made of good cloth, and the best garments are now valued
at about sixteen dollars each. The women spin the cotton, and the men
weave the dammur from it. The best dammur comes from Berber and
Metemmeh. The Darfur women are also famed for their good and even
spinning; but Abyssinian dammur is generally considered better than any
of Sudan manufacture.

Tin-smiths make drinking cups and tin receptacles of various sorts for
household use. Cooking-pots are made of copper. Jewellers make gold and
silver filigree work for the ladies; but this work is not nearly as good
as it used to be in the days of the Egyptian Government. All these
various trades are carried on in the market.

[Illustration: A SLAVE-GIRL FROM EQUATORIA.]

Mahdiism has re-established the slave trade, which is now in full
vigour, and almost all those slaves who were liberated in the
Government days have been sold again as slaves. Wherever there is a beit
el mal there is also a slave-market. The largest is, of course, in
Omdurman, to which all captured slaves are sent. The beit el mal sells
the slaves by auction. Well-grown male slaves are generally taken into
the army.

Close to the beit el mal is the female slave-market, where generally
fifty or sixty women of various ages are to be found. The slave-dealers
are for the most part Egyptians. The slaves are arranged in lines under
the open sky; their bodies are generally well bathed in oil to preserve
the gloss of their skin. Intending purchasers make the most ca