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XVII.3 COAST OF NUBIA. 351

loins, and a large cloak or kamolin, which
also served to cover them at night. Their
disposition appeared mild and inoffensive

and they were for the most part unarmed;
i
few only having small, crooked knives, or
M
daggers, from their appearance, better fitted
for culinary, than warlike purposes. We pro­
cured several sheep in exchange for rice
and tobacco, commodities in great request
with them : the latter they called Tombac,
the name applied to it throughout the East.
Their pipe-bowls were made from a species of
hard, black stone, used without a stick: those
who did not possess the luxury of a pipe-

bowl were content to inhale the fumes through
a hollow cane about five inches in length. To
the taste of wine or spirituous liquors they
appeared utter strangers, firmly rejecting such
as were offered them. Butter, bread, and
vegetables were either quite unknown, or
not procurable; and, as they do not possess
boats of any description, their support chiefly
depends on the fish and shell-fish which they
pick up along shore, aided by an occasional
supply of grain procured by the sale of their
flocks on the banks of the Nile. They all
professed to be Mussulmans, though they