The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-10-17
IN THE S0UDAN.


characteristics of the Haddandowas-
A War Dance.
Suakin Is, for this part Of the world, con-
siderable place. The harbor, entered by
deep, narrow, land-girt channel, allows steam
ers Of heavy tonnage to anchor within less
than 100 yards Of the coral beach. The
principal portion Of the town is situated on an
island connected with the mainland by a mar
row causeway. On the island are the custJm-
house, government Offices, and stores for mer-
chandisc. On the mainland is the bazaar and
native town, the latter consisting Of rude hu,s,
in many cases more sunshades Of tree branch
es and mating, the more permanent buildings
being square, fiat topped mud structures
The natives who throng the bazaar, though
Tor the most part in color quite as black as
any negroes, are lar from having the same
type OF features as the latter. On the CONTRA
~, the 1addendowas, as they are named, are,
as rule, remarkably handsome and splendid
ly formed. The nose is either straight or
aquillne, and, except in some cases where there
has been an evident mingling Of negio blood,
the mouth and lips are as well formed as in the
best European types. Ia all cases. however,
woolly nature Characteristic Of the wester.
Africans. Both sexes almost invariably have
the head uncovered, the hair in the case Of
the men being dressed in the peculiar fashion
OF the Lulus-namely, made up with gum or
grease into towering mass on the center OF
the head, hanging down behind, and nanked
by similar masses on either side. Through
this is stuck long bone pin, running trans
verselY. The hair of the women is plated
into innumerable little tails less than quarter
Of an inch in width, the ends slightly frizzed
and rarely reaching lover than the bottom Of
the ears. Both men and women bear three
long vertical scars on either cheek by way Of
ornament, the backs and shoulders Of some Of
the women being symmetrcally SCARED so
that their skins resemble so many Elizabethan
slashed doubleis of black satin. Outside the
town the dress OF both male and female, es-
pecially Of the youthful members of society,
is Of the scantiest nature, the little girls wear
ing nothing but a cincture OF slender
leather thongs bound round the loins and
reaching half way to the knee. The weapons
OF the adults are broad-headed javelins,
swords, and occasionally bows and arrows.
Behind the left elbow is fastened small leaf
bladed sheathed dagger. As a defense cir.
cular shield OF hippopotamus hide, couple Of
feet in diameter having large conical boss
in the center, is carried. II is not worn on the
arm, the handle being grasped in the hand
only. The swords long and straight, with
cylindrical handle and lengthy cross-guard,
seem modelled exactly after those of the crusa-
ders. War dances are among the iavorite
amusements of the Haddendowas. Two or
three hundred form a large circle, in the
midst Of which sit on the ground a couple Of
men, hammering away monotonously on
small conical drums. Each person in turn
takes shield and spear or sword, and put
ting on most savage expression of counte-
nance, goes through series Of bounds and
contortions, cutting right and left with his
sword, OF stabbing with his spear. Mean
time the female portion of the spectators en-
courage and applaud the actors by emitting
long shrill gurgling cry-such as have heard
used elsewhere by Arab women.-London
Daily News.