The Springdale news., 1898-07-08
THE PRECIOUS BAGGARA.
A Tribe of Dervishes That Has Absolute
 ly No Sense of Gratitude.

ly No Sense of Gratitude
 Men of tribes whose territories are still under the khalifa's sway must perforce still fight for him; for their wives and children are hostages in his mercilcss hands; lie has collected all the grain of the country in his public stores, and those who do not l fight must starve; in action, behind 1 his ranks of black rinemcn, stand the Baggara ready to put the wavering to the sword. Whatever the Baggara may have been in former days, these last l5Iears of indulgence in -un- bridled cruelty and rapine have made of them race of men apart, more llle wild beasts, indeed, than men, the enemies of mankind. Sullenly fe- rocious, having no joy save in slaugh- ter, they seem to have lost the attri- butcs of human nature. They are devoid of all affection for their wives, who are to them of far less account than their cattle. As our surgeons who have tended their wounded in hospital can testify, the Baggara, un- like others of our Dcrvish foomen, have absolutely no sense of grati- tude, and scowl with hatred on those who bring them succor. When Wing malmcd on the battlefield, they have often treachcrously stabbed those who in pity have carried water 10 their parched lips They have never shown mercy, and they are Tow likely to receive little from the tribes which they have ground down with such unspeakable cruelty, and which are now rising one after the other all round the doomed Bageara hosts at Omdurman and Mctammeh.
 It is not surprising to find that even the wives of the Baggara have little affection for their fierce lords, and are often glad to be rid of them, to take unto themselves husbands of a more amiable race. Several wid- ows of slain Deryishes were brought in by Arab troops from Osobri, among others the wife of the Emir Osman Dudu, who was shot through the head as she stood beside him. Some of these women had their babies with them; they appeared 10 be not in the least affected by their beroave- ment, and as soon as they realized i that they would he kindly treated they became quite cheerful and laughed and chaitcd together as if nothing out of the ordinary had been \ happening, Battle and bloodsAcl and marriage by capture are com mon experiences for the women of those disturbed regions Many of ] them have been taken and rctakcr \ in successive razzi4s by friend and foe. These women soon made themselves quite &t home in a house that had been set apart for their use, and cz- pressed their willingness to be taken as wives hy some of their captors. These marriages are celebrated with the orthodox MUssulman rites and with much fcas,ing, so that lhe happy bridegroom Is put to a considerable expenditure, anu his nuptial banquet often costs tIa Arab soldier his nav for two or three months There will i probably De several such marriages shortly M the camp, and Aroada, VI leader of the irIegul0rs, has arranged to take a9 his wife the widow of Os- man DUdU was a witness of vory pretty scene. So soon as the Der wish women had entered the house allotted 10 them q number of Sou danesc women, wives of tho victorious soldicrv, came to call on them, br:r-- ing them presents of flour, sugar and other lnXurieS, soothing them with ! sympathetic words, and soon thcy were all on the best of terms, laugh ing, gossiping mcrriIy, and admiring each others babies. There is plenty of human nature in the Soudanoso blacks.
 Strange 10 behold are some of the ceremonies of these wives of savage warriors On Monday I was spec tator of the faLta@ia of death - weird rite in hcLor cf onc of our Arab soldiers who bad fallen at Os- obr. For several hours, NO the slow, nonotonouS beating of tomtom, number of womon, stripped to the waist in token of wee, danced in a circle, chantngin melancholy chorus, swaying their supple forms, beating their breasts, and throwing dust over their heads. The chief mourner was the daughter of the slain man, who brandished over her head the naked sword of her father as she danced and chancd With !he others. Later in the day much larger number of wom- cn collected to celebrate the fantasia of victory-a far more savage per- formance than the first. More rap- idly beat the tomtoms; with quicker motion and more fierce gestures cir cled the dancers; in louder tones they sang their hymns Of triumph, which had cruel ring in them, bringing memories of slaughter to those who listened. The women waved long Dervish swords during this ceremony, which terminated with a curious pan- tomime performed with great seri- ouSness. Some of the women, simu- lating the enemy, were captured by the others; ropes were tied round their necks, and they were dragged Off 10 a block of wood upon which each in turn was made to lay her head, while one of her captors went through tile action Of decapitating her with sword.-Kassala Cor. Lon don Times.